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There are nine games on the NBA schedule as we hit the halfway mark of Week 19. As is life in the NBA DFS world, injuries are the key to cracking value plays. We have a few spots to take advantage of on Wednesday night’s main slate, so let’s go over a few of my favorite daily fantasy basketball plays on DraftKings.
Josh Jackson, SF/PF, MEM @ HOU ($4,500)
The Grizzlies lost Jaren Jackson Jr. and then Brandon Clarke immediately after. With both sidelined, the front court is thin and we’re down to Jonas Valanciunas and Gorgui Dieng. Behind them appears to be Josh Jackson, who has stepped up and looked more like a lottery pick of late. He played 25 minutes after Clarke got hurt against the Clippers on Monday, posting 14 points and five rebounds for 26.25 DKFP. He has at least 24.25 DKFP in three straight and should see around 20-25 minutes again tonight. His price jumped up $1,200, which isn’t ideal, but tells us that he’s on an upward trajectory.
Cam Reddish, SG/SF, ATL vs. ORL ($4,500)
We’re going to stick in the same price range with Reddish, who’s value is really determined by Trae Young (illness) and whether the All-Star will play vs. the Magic. If Young is out, I expect 30+ minutes from Reddish with higher usage. Jeff Teague ($3,300) is cheaper, but just isn’t the same player. His ceiling is capped. We’ve seen Reddish hit 20+ points and that would allow him to get into the 30-40 DKFP range. The matchup isn’t great on paper, but the last time the Hawks and Magic played, a combined 261 points were scored.
UPDATE: Young is now probable, so we may not see as good a spot for Reddish tonight. He’s still an OK tournament option, but with nine games, there are better values (see above).
Garrett Temple, SG/SF, BKN @ WAS ($4,400)
You want to know the secret formula to value plays in NBA DFS? Player A on Team A facing the Wizards. Pretty much anybody who is priced below $5K on the Nets stands out, particularly because all of the names can shoot. Temple has been the most consistent of the bunch. He’s coming off back-to-back 30+ DKFP games and is consistently seeing around 20-30 minutes with Kyrie Irving out. The Wizards play up in pace, don’t play defense, and give up a ton of 3-pointers.