Wednesday’s 11-game featured NBA slate brings plenty of fireworks, including a test for the New York Knicks against the red-hot Denver Nuggets and a tank-a-thon between the Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets, who both have injury reports longer than the average Costco receipt.
Let’s go through all nine matchups on DraftKings’ featured DFS slate — all except the two late games hosted by Pacific Division teams — and run you through some stats and news you need to know as you fill out your lineups.
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Nets at Hornets
With Cameron Johnson ($7,100) and Cam Thomas ($6,900) out for Brooklyn and LaMelo Ball ($10,000) and Mark Williams ($8,400) out for Charlotte, there’s not much talent on either squad suiting up for tonight. Only one player in each team’s projected starting lineup even averages 10 points per game. With Williams out, I don’t mind the upside play of Nic Claxton ($6,300). While Claxton is mostly a defensive-oriented player, he has scored double-digit points in three of his last four games and recorded at least 20 FPTS in eight of his last 11 games. Also, the Hornets’ defense has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing centers, and 39-year-old Taj Gibson ($3,000), Williams’ replacement in the starting five, is unlikely to provide much resistance.
Raptors at Wizards
Rookie center Alex Sarr ($5,500), who has shown plenty of the defensive potential that made him the second overall pick in the draft, suffered an ankle injury on Monday and will miss the game, worsening the Wizards’ defense, which has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing centers. In his absence, DFS players should zero in on Toronto big Jakob Poeltl ($6,600), who has averaged 13.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks (35.1 FPTS) per game over the Raptors’ four-game winning streak. Scottie Barnes ($9,300) is the most expensive player in the game, but he’s averaged 50.8 FPTS in the last four games, so he’s well-worth it against a Washington unit that has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards.
Pistons at Pacers
One year after making the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pacers have turned it around, winning eight of their last 10 games and posting the NBA’s second-best net rating across that span. Indiana’s turnaround hasn’t been due to Tyrese Haliburton ($8,100), who has continued his maddeningly inconsistent form and has a tough matchup against a Detroit defense that has allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing point guards. Instead, Pascal Siakam ($7,500) has scored 20 or more points in six of his last eight games and should have a good chance of being named an All-Star for the third time in his career. The 30-year-old Cameroonian posted 23 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and two steals (51.75 FPTS) in the second NBA Paris Game on Saturday.
Bulls at Celtics
Chicago plays at the league’s third-fastest pace and has allowed the second-most points, second-most rebounds, and second-most assists to opposing players this year, so I’d like any of the Celtics, even if Boston is just 5-5 in its last 10 games, with an uncharacteristically poor performance against the two Los Angeles teams especially. Jayson Tatum ($9,600) has posted just 39-28-84 shooting splits over his last six games and averaged just 42.8 FPTS per game over that span, but I still trust him more than Jaylen Brown ($7,600), who’s suffering through the worst shooting season of his career. For a budget option, I like Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball ($4,800), who has posted at least 20 FPTS in each of his last eight games and should see some more shots tonight with Zach LaVine ($8,200) sidelined.
Cavaliers at Heat
After a surprising three-game losing streak, Cleveland got back on track with a victory over the Pistons on Monday, although they’ll need to win each of their last 36 games if they want to tie the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors’ regular-season record. The Cavaliers will be without Darius Garland ($7,500), who’s resting, and Miami will hope to move past the Jimmy Butler ($7,200) saga now that the star has likely played his final game in a Heat uniform (although, to be honest, I don’t know who would give up any real assets for him). I already wrote earlier today that Ty Jerome ($4,400) is a bargain with Garland out, as he’s averaged 26.5 points per game in his two starts this season, but I also think Jarrett Allen ($6,500) is a great play against a team that’s been killed on the boards in the games Butler has missed.
Kings at 76ers
Without Andre Drummond ($5,100), who’s out with injury management, and Joel Embiid ($9,500), who’s out because he’s Joel Embiid, Philadelphia has been uncompetitive on the glass. Over the last 12 games — of which Drummond has appeared just twice and Embiid zero times — the 76ers have allowed the 12th-most rebounds per game in the league. That’s why Domantas Sabonis ($9,900), who’s led the league in rebounds in each of the past three seasons and has averaged an incredible 17.5 boards per game in his last 10 games, is well worth his lofty price tag. I also like Philadelphia’s Kelly Oubre Jr. ($6,100) as a budget option; he’s averaged 18.2 points (36.4 FPTS) per game over his last six games.
Nuggets at Knicks
I’m huge on Josh Hart ($7,700) in this one, given that Denver has given up the second-most fantasy points in the league to opposing small forwards. Hart is one of the best pound-for-pound rebounders in NBA history, capable of fighting with Nikola Jokic ($12,300) for boards, and the Nuggets also allow the most assists per game in the league, which makes Hart a great bet to post his seventh triple-double of the season. New York’s offense has also been clicking, as the Knicks have put up 143 points in each of the past two games. Hart is questionable with a knee injury, but he’s missed only one game this season, so I expect he’ll play.
Clippers at Spurs
Interestingly, of all positions, the Spurs allow the most fantasy points to opposing centers, despite Victor Wembanyama ($11,100) being the rightful favorite for Defensive Player of the Year. I’m bullish on the Clippers’ Ivica Zubac ($7,500) to both slow down Wemby and put up reasonable numbers of his own; he posted 25 points and 16 rebounds (55.0 FPTS) in LA’s most recent game. I’m not so high on Kawhi Leonard ($6,900), who is still limited to 28 minutes per game as he works his way back from offseason knee surgery and is shooting just 29.4% from deep in his first eight games this season. Instead, the Clipper I’ll continue to back is Derrick Jones Jr. ($4,100), who has been starting with Kris Dunn ($3,600) sidelined with a knee injury. Jones has put up 25 or more FPTS in each of his past four games.
Mavericks at Pelicans
I already listed Kyrie Irving ($9,000) as a must-start against a New Orleans team that will continue to be without Brandon Ingram ($8,300) and Herbert Jones ($3,000), two of its better perimeter defenders, for the foreseeable future. I also like both starting centers in this contest. Daniel Gafford ($7,400) — who has averaged 18.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks (42.7 FPTS) per game since Dereck Lively II ($6,000) suffered an ankle fracture — should be able to cook a Pelicans defense that allows the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing centers. Rookie Yves Missi ($4,900) should also have plenty of value against a Dallas defense that allows the fifth-most fantasy points per game to fives and is perilously thin after the injuries to Lively, Maxi Kleber ($3,000), and Dwight Powell ($3,000).
