After no games were played yesterday, Wednesday has 24 teams across the association taking the court. With so many players in action, figuring out who to start in season-long fantasy and DFS formats is no easy task. Still, with so many matchups, there’s plenty of value available. Here are three guards I’m looking to back tonight.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Zone Special [$100K to 1st]
1. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks vs. CHI ($11,500)
Dallas’ superstar guard still hasn’t shot the ball very well; on the season, he’s just 40% from the field. Still, Doncic’s all-around game gives him a floor that almost every other player in the league can’t match. Last Monday’s game against the Pacers showcased this; despite going nine for 24 on shot attempts, Doncic tallied 34 points, 15 assists, and seven rebounds.
While they do employ a few capable defenders, the Bulls are giving up the sixth-most points in the league to opposing teams. That includes surrendering the third-most DK fantasy points to guards. The last time these two played, Doncic posted a triple-double; a similar stat line could be in order on Wednesday.
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder at DEN ($10,300)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s push for an MVP award is off to a great start. The Thunder are undefeated at 7-0, and the two-time All-NBA selection is averaging 25.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 6.9 assists. Most impressive has been SGA’s consistency; the guard has recorded less than 40 DK fantasy points in just one game this season.
When OKC played the Nuggets to start the season, Gilgeous-Alexander had 34 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. With no Jamal Murray playing tonight, it should be far easier for SGA to operate on both ends of the court, so a repeat performance (if not better) is possible. The seven-year veteran is an easy choice for number two on this list.
3. LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets vs. Detroit Pistons ($9,900)
Even if you consider Monday’s 19-point, six of 15 shooting game against the Timberwolves a ‘letdown,’ LaMelo Ball’s season has gotten off to a great start. Finally healthy, the fifth-year pro is putting up a stellar 28.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game so far. The biggest key has been the young star’s shooting, where he’s averaging career-best marks in field goal percentage (46.6%) and three-point percentage (39.0%).
The Pistons have shown some improvement on defense this year, but this is still a favorable matchup. Ball has averaged a solid 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists over his last five games against Detroit. With a larger workload than ever, those numbers should be a baseline for his production tonight.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Zone Special [$100K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is barmy) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
