There are eight games scheduled on Friday's NBA schedule, which means there will be plenty of options in the PrizePicks lobby.
There are some key injury situations that should open up potential minutes and usage.
These are the areas I hope to capitalize on with my four favorite selections from Friday night's PrizePicks.
Luka Doncic (Mavs vs. Hawks) 37.5+ points
With Kyrie Irving ruled out, Doncic will be the Mavs' first, second and third options on offense against Atlanta.
This season, while Irving is off the floor, he is averaging 0.91 points per minute with a usage rate of 38%. He drew an elite showdown with the Hawks, who ranked fifth in pace and 26th in defense.
Despite missing their second-best scorer (Irving), the Mavs still have a team total of 5.7 points higher than their season average. You'll get to see a special game from Doncic in Atlanta on Friday.
Scottie Barnes (Raptors vs. Clippers) 6.5+ assists
The Raptors have already ruled out Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl for the game against the Clippers.
This is one of the worst matchups, but Barnes' expected playing time and increased playing time more than makes up for it.
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With Quickley out of the lineup, he could end up taking on more ball-handling and playmaking duties, potentially playing more than 40 minutes (he hasn't hit this mark in the last five games). reached twice).
He's had at least seven assists in three of the last four games, and I think he has a good chance of doing it again at home Friday night.
Alpelen Sengun (Rockets vs. Hornets) 15.5+ rebounds + assists
Many people like to compare Sengam to Nikola Jokic, and it's hard to look at his match record and not agree with the comparison. Like Jokic, he can fill up the stat sheet, he can shoot, and he's a great passer for a big man.
The Rockets will face the Hornets, who rank 26th in rebounding percentage and last in defensive rating.
Sengun has recorded at least 20 rebounds + assists in each of his last three games, and this is one of his best to date.
LaMelo Ball (Hornets vs. Rockets) made over 3.5 3-pointers.
Looking at the numbers for the season as a whole, the Rockets are a difficult matchup.
However, in the past 10 games, they have ranked 13th in pace and 23rd in defense. They also allow the ninth-most 3-pointers of any team in the league.
Ball's playing time has been gradually increasing, averaging nine three-point attempts over the past five games.
