What am I thankful for? A jam-packed eleven-game NBA Wednesday! There’s an overwhelming amount of stars playing, so narrowing down a select group of big names to start in season-long fantasy and DFS formats is no easy task. Here are the three forwards at the top of tonight’s board:
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
1. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers at SAS ($10,000)
Despite a tough 127-100 loss to the Suns last night, LeBron James still managed to produce a solid 18-point, 10-rebound, eight-assist stat line. It’s in line with his stellar season-long statistics: 23.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 9.2 assists. Even as he nears his 40’s, James is an absolute force to be reckoned with.
The Spurs wield a solid defense with Victor Wembanyama down low, but this is a matchup that LeBron has absolutely dominated lately. The King has nearly averaged a triple-double in his last six games against San Antonio, posting 24.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists. Even with plenty of other options available, there’s no better forward to back on tonight’s slate.
2. Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic vs. CHI ($9,700)
One of the biggest storylines of the NBA season so far has been the terrific play of the Magic- without Paolo Banchero. Since the All-Star power forward suffered an oblique injury, Orlando has put up a 9-5 record, staying firmly within the top four of the Eastern Conference. Much of the credit needs to go to Franz Wagner, who has taken the mantle of lead scorer in the month of November. The fourth-year wing has scored 20 points or more in eleven of his last twelve outings.
The Magic will have a dream matchup on Wednesday when they host the Bulls. Chicago has one of the association’s worst defenses, surrendering 123.1 points per game, second-most in basketball, and and allowing opponents to hit 48.6% of their shots, also third-worst. There’s no reason to think a two-way star like Wagner can’t deliver another big-time performance.
3. Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors at NOP ($8,700)
After missing nearly a month due to breaking his right orbital bone, Scottie Barnes has returned for the Raptors. While Toronto, sitting at 4-14, likely isn’t thinking about the playoffs, it’s still a major boost for the entire team to have their best player back. Before getting sidelined, the fourth-year pro was putting up 20.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.3 assists through seven games.
While the Raptors have been bad, the same goes for their opponents tonight. The Pelicans should have Dejounte Murray back tonight, but that won’t change their major issues down low. This year, New Orleans is giving up 54.3 points in the paint, second-most in the NBA. That’s music to the ears of a slashing forward like Barnes.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
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.
