Week 15 is nearing its end and Friday's five-game main slate will follow up Thursday's six-game selection. Luka Doncic unexpectedly went down with a first-quarter ankle injury in the Dallas Maverick-Phoenix Suns game and did not return to the contest, but his team was still able to pull out a win. While Thursday's most expensive DFS asset tanked a ton of lineups, there's still plenty to take away from the action. We'll go over who's hot, who's not, and a DFS play for Friday here.
Who's hot
Irving unexpectedly finished as the top scorer in Thursday's main slate. The Brooklyn Nets point guard scored 40 points on 27 shots to go along with five rebounds and six assists against the Detroit Pistons. Irving's now scored at least 30 points in five straight games while shooting 53.3 percent from the field and 48.9 percent from long range. He's averaging 32.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game without Kevin Durant this season.
Kawhi Leonard has reclaimed his role as the head honcho for the Los Angeles Clippers, but George is picking up steam himself after returning from injury. He tallied 35 points, four rebounds, and seven assists in a blowout win against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday and has raised his scoring total in five consecutive games. The Clippers are riding a four-game winning streak and Geroge is adjusting to life alongside his co-star again.
You could argue that Claxton is amid the best stretch of his young NBA career. The Nets big man amassed 27 points and 13 rebounds on Thursday and has now scored at least 20 points in five consecutive contests. Claxton's notched double-doubles in seven of his previous 10 games while shooting 76.8 percent from the field and blocking 3.4 shot per contest. Brooklyn could need even more from Claxton in the near future, as Ben Simmons exited Thursday's game early with a knee injury. The Nets' frontcourt depth is becoming increasingly thin.
Who's not
Jones is having a strong first season as a starter but is not having a good Week 15. The Spurs point guard has logged less than 30 minutes in three straight contests and his numbers have suffered through three straight road losses. Jones averaged 8.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game on 33.3 percent shooting during his team's latest road trip. He'll get a chance to bounce back at home against the Suns on Saturday.
DFS play
Gobert is back in the mix after missing three games with a groin injury and has notched back-to-back doubles since returning to the hardwood. The Minnesota Timberwolves center will face off against a Memphis Grizzlies without their paint enforcer, Steven Adams. Whether Memphis will start Brandon Clarke or Xavier Tillman remans to be seen, but Gobert should have a major advantage on the boards against both undersized bigs. Gobert recorded 21 points, 16 rebounds, and three blocks in his only career start against Clarke.
Still deciding who to lock in for your DFS roster? We've identified a player worth locking in and one to avoid ahead of tip-off below, but you can get my full selection of stud and value plays at each position by heading over to SportsLine.
