Wednesday’s main NBA DFS slate on DraftKings includes the seven games that tipoff between 7-9 PM EST. DraftKings continues to offer huge contests for DFS players, and below, I break down some of my favorite NBA DFS options at each position for Wednesday’s NBA action.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Zone Special [$100K to 1st]
Guard
Stud
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks at Brooklyn Nets, $9,100
Young is on the heels of his best performance of the season, posting 51.75 FPTS vs. the Bulls on Monday. The guard is amassing 1.2 FPTS per minute with a 28.4% usage rate and a 39.2% assist rate this season, and up next for Young is a date with the 0-4 Nets, who rank dead last in defensive rating this season.
The Hawks carry the second-highest implied team total on the slate at 123.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook and for the 19 times he has played behind an implied team total of 120 points or greater the last two seasons, Young is producing 49.7 FPTS per game.
Other Options: Josh Giddey ($8,800), Jamal Murray ($7,800), Jrue Holiday ($6,800)
Value
Russell Westbrook, Sacramento Kings at Chicago Bulls, $4,500
After finishing with 37.5 FPTS vs. the Lakers this past Sunday, Westbrook was moved into the Kings’ starting lineup last night, with Keon Ellis reverting to the bench and Westbrook didn’t disappoint, delivering 36.25 FPTS vs. the Thunder. While Sacramento lost this game by six points, Westbrook finished third in plus/minus for the Kings.
Role wise, Westbrook saw a strong workload, logging 30 minutes and handling a 25.6% usage rate, which was the third-highest for Sacramento. The former MVP is leading the team with 1.13 FPTS per minute this season and while he is facing a Bulls team tonight that ranks second in defensive rating, Chicago ranks seventh in pace and this matchup is expected to be high scoring, with this contest carrying the second-highest total on the slate at 238.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. If Westbrook is confirmed a starter again, he will be a great bet for his third straight 30+ FPTS performance and an elite value play at this $4,500 salary, that is far too low for him with a starting role.
Other Options: Tre Jones ($5,800), Ben Sheppard ($4,200), Rayj Dennis ($3,800)
Forward
Stud
Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers at Dallas Mavericks, $8,400
Siakam has topped 60 FPTS in two of his three games this season, which is a direct result of the Pacers being extremely shorthanded this season. On top of Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) being out for the season, Bennedict Mathurin (toe), Andrew Nembhard (shoulder), T.J. McConnell (hamstring) and Obi Toppin (foot) all will be out tonight. In this situation, Indiana simply has no choice but to make Siakam their featured player and feed him a huge usage rate.
Albeit a limited sample of 35 minutes, with those five players listed above off the floor the last two seasons, Siakam is producing 1.4 FPTS per minute with a 30% usage rate and a 38% assist rate. These are incredible numbers for a player priced at only $8,400 and Siakam should exceed five-times value with ease vs. the Mavericks, who rank 10th in pace this season.
Other Options: Anthony Davis ($10,100), Paolo Banchero ($8,500)
Value
Jarace Walker, Indiana Pacers at Dallas Mavericks, $4,500
Continuing with the depleted Pacers, Walker is a great bargain at only $4,500. With Haliburton, Mathurin, Nembhard and McConnell all out Sunday vs. the Timberwolves, Walker finished with 21.25 FPTS across 26.2 minutes. Toppin saw 16 minutes of work in this contest, but now will be joining Indiana’s crowded inactive list, opening up more minutes for Walker in the front-court.
In the 92 minutes Walker has played with Haliburton, Mathurin, Nembhard, McConnell and Toppin off the floor the last two seasons, Walker is generating 1.1 FPTS per minute with a 24.7% usage rate. With all those players out of the picture tonight, Walker has 30 FPTS upside.
Other Options: P.J. Washington ($6,000), Matas Buzelis ($5,700), Aaron Nesmith ($5,500), Josh Minot ($4,000, if starting)
Center
Stud
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets vs. New Orleans Pelicans, $11,500
Jokic is the unquestioned top overall play tonight and paying up for the three-time MVP is easy with plenty of appealing punt plays on the slate. Jokic is already in midseason form, notching three triple-doubles in his first three starts of the season. The superstar is supplying 65.2 FPTS per game and a godly 1.8 FPTS per minute. All of his rates are outstanding, but Jokic is notably handling a career-high 25.6% rebound rate this season.
The Pelicans rank 25th in defensive rating and the Nuggets boast the highest implied team total on the slate at 125.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. To put a cherry on top, Jokic will be on his home floor and when competing at home and behind an implied team total of at least 120 points the last two seasons, Jokic is averaging an absurd 72.7 FPTS per game and he has surpassed 70 FPTS in nine of those 14 contests.
Other Options: Nikola Vucevic ($8,300), Walker Kessler ($6,600)
Value
Tony Bradley, Indiana Pacers at Dallas Mavericks, $3,500
With the Pacers struggling to find production at the center spot and Toppin exiting early due to injury this past Sunday vs. the Timberwolves, Bradley saw 25 minutes off the bench, en route to 23.75 FPTS, both of which easily set season-highs for the veteran. Indiana likes to use Toppin at center for small ball lineups and with him out tonight, the Pacers are very thin on big men and while Bradley likely won’t start, he should see around 25 minutes again, which is plenty of time for him to beat his near minimum salary.
Bradley is producing 0.8 FPTS per minute this season and in the four games he has logged at least 20 minutes the last two seasons, Bradley is contributing 31.2 FPTS per game.
Other Options: Neemias Queta ($5,000), Derik Queen ($4,300, if Zion Williamson is out), Jusuf Nurkic ($3,800), Jay Huff ($3,300)
