It's a eight-game slate in the NBA on Friday night, meaning plenty of options for DFS basketball lineups. Start your research here with our experts -- Kyle Soppe, Renee Miller, Joe Kaiser and Jim McCormick -- as they identify one player to build around and one to fade:
Player to build around
Renee Miller -- James Johnson, Miami Heat
With Justise Winslow and Hassan Whiteside sidelined, Johnson is now locked into a bigger role than he has had in the past, and he's producing. A steady bargain play at SF/PF for most of the season, Johnson looks like he's upped his average fantasy line by about 10-15 fantasy points over the past week. Tonight he gets a top-two matchup for opposing power forwards in terms of fantasy points allowed in Los Angeles, plus a pretty significant pace boost. Johnson is an affordable, high-floor, high-upside start to any lineup tonight.
Joe Kaiser -- Josh Richardson, Miami Heat
Richardson will continue to play an even bigger role than usual now that Justise Winslow has been ruled out for the season due to shoulder surgery, and that's just one reason to like him on Friday. On top of that, he's facing the Lakers' league-worst defense at a perfect time, as he comes into the game averaging 14.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5 assists, 2.2 steals and 1 block in his last five contests. Priced under $6,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel, Richardson is one of the top values of the night.
Kyle Soppe -- Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis is probably unprepared to handle the scoring barrage of the Warriors, but if they have any chance to compete in this one, Conley is going to be the reason why. How much do the Grizzlies need their point guard to do it all? Well, he was expected to miss up to eight weeks with his back injury. Instead he missed eight games. A toe injury suffered upon his return was supposed to limit his usage in back-to-backs. He played 36 minutes on Wednesday after playing 32 on Tuesday. So, yes, he is going to have his chances tonight, and given his recent play, there is no reason to think he can't return value on his nice price tag.
He has buried at least three triples in five of his last seven games, but more important, he's on pace to average more made free throws this season than he has ever even attempted per game. I'll take his aggression to the bank tonight against a Warriors team that figures to force tempo, thus giving Conley more possessions to produce than he gets in most plodding Memphis games. I'm paying down for point guard tonight (second half breakout D'Angelo Russell is also a nice target) and spending big elsewhere.
Jim McCormick -- Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
Ranked fourth among centers with a rewarding 26.3 percent usage rate, and amid career highs in field goal attempts, points and assists -- not to mention a massive leap in 3-point production -- Gasol is an intriguing investment tonight. As the key offensive force on a sizable road dog, tonight's game in Oakland will demand big offensive numbers from Gasol. His ability to exceed cost and face a Warriors' frontcourt that lacks rim protection and size on the interior appears inviting, especially with Gasol having the ability to reach production the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns, only at a sizable discount.
Player to fade
Renee Miller -- Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors
Memphis ranks 28th in pace and second in defensive efficiency, and is a better team than the spread indicates. That does not bode well for the Warriors top duo. The last time these teams met, it was a 21-point blowout in favor of the Grizzlies, and both Curry and Durant disappointed fantasy owners with 31 and 37 fantasy points, respectively. The Grizzlies allow the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing shooting guards, and the fewest to opposing small forwards. Spend elsewhere tonight!
Joe Kaiser -- Marreese Speights, LA Clippers
Speights has averaged just 15 minutes in his last two games, which isn't enough time on the court to make him a viable DFS option, regardless of how low his salary is. Also working against Speights on Friday is the fact that the Kings rank 25th in pace, limiting the number of possessions that will be available even when he is on the court.
Kyle Soppe -- Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
I don't doubt that he can be effective in this spot. I just worry about the Celtics holding him back a bit in this one. Boston hosts Philadelphia tonight and New Orleans tomorrow, before traveling through the snow to Toronto for a game on Tuesday. After that, they return to Boston for a showdown with the Wizards on Wednesday before traveling to Atlanta for a nationally televised game on Friday. You would think Boston might want to keep the heart and soul of their team somewhat fresh. (Thomas has averaged nearly 35 minutes over his last eight games.)
I love me some IT, but his inconsistent skill set -- he had 15 assists on Tuesday after not recording any on Friday and is shooting 61.5 percent from three over his last three games after shooting just 21.1 percent in his previous four games -- gives me just enough pause against a 76ers team that ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of stopping fantasy guards. Not only is it possible that Thomas struggles by his recent standards in this game, but even if he doesn't, this game probably isn't close enough for him to see his customary 33.5 minutes. He's a fine play, but I'm going further down the pricing chart at PG tonight.
Jim McCormick -- Sean Kilpatrick, Brooklyn Nets
Kilpatrick has been a viable value play for some time thanks to Jeremy Lin's injury-riddled season. Recently, however, he's had a lower floor for both shots and minutes, failing to top 28 minutes or 12 shots over the past three games. On the shooting guard market tonight, we can find similarly priced or even cheaper assets like Malcolm Brogdon, Raymond Felton, Marcus Smart, Eric Gordon, Robert Covington or Nick Young. In almost every case, those players come with higher fantasy floors and ceilings .