DraftKings’ main NBA slate for Wednesday starts at 7:00 PM EST and features the first nine games of the night. 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 $300K Excellent 8’s [$100K to 1st]
Guard
Stud
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons vs. Chicago Bulls, $10,800
Cunningham destroyed the Knicks for 58.75 FPTS on Monday en route to a 31-point win for the Pistons. Jalen Duren (ankle) and Tobias Harris (hip) both missed this game and will remain out tonight, which solidifies a monster role for Cunningham.
With those two starters off the floor this season, Cunningham is scoring a massive 1.7 FPTS per minute, which is attributed to all his rates increasing, most notably with his usage rising 3.0 percentage points to 34.4%. Ranking third in pace and 24th in defensive rating this season, the Bulls are one of the best matchups in the NBA and Cunningham is the No. 1 play on the slate in this spot.
Other Options: Tyrese Maxey ($9,900), Brandon Ingram ($7,700), Trey Murphy ($7,300)
Value
Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz, $4,800
Mitchell is facing a Jazz defense that ranks dead last in defensive rating this season and Alex Caruso (back) being out guarantees Mitchell a large role. In the 10 games the guard has played with Caruso inactive this season, Mitchell is amassing 26.9 FPTS in 27 minutes per game with a 22% usage rate.
Also, the Thunder surprisingly downgraded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (knee) to questionable this morning and if the reigning MVP is ruled out, Mitchell will go from a strong play to a must play. While he only scored 15.5 FPTS in the lone game Gilgeous-Alexander has missed this season, ironically which was also vs. the Jazz, this was an anomaly performance that can be disregarded, as with both Gilgeous-Alexander and Caruso off the floor this season, Mitchell is producing 1.1 FPTS per minute with a 25.2% usage rate.
Other Options: CJ McCollum ($6,500), Duncan Robinson ($4,000), Jose Alvarado ($3,600)
Forward
Stud
Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks vs. New Orleans Pelicans, $10,600
If Trae Young (questionable, quad) sits as expected, Johnson will bring huge upside vs. the Pelicans, who rank 28th in defensive rating this season and are playing their second game in two nights. Young has missed five straight games and ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday that Young and the Hawks are working to find a trade to send Young out of Atlanta, so him playing tonight feels extremely unlikely.
The Hawks carry the second-highest implied team total on the slate tonight at 129.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook and with Young inactive this season, Johnson is leading Atlanta with 51.2 FPTS per game and a 26.9% usage rate (25 games).
Other Options: Kawhi Leonard ($10,100), Michael Porter Jr. ($8,700), Chet Holmgren ($7,600, if Gilgeous-Alexander is out), Jalen Williams ($7,400, if Gilgeous-Alexander is out)
Value
Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors at Charlotte Hornets, $4,500
The Raptors selected Murray-Boyles with the No. 9 pick from this past NBA draft and the rookie made some serious noise in a 118-100 win over the Hawks this past Monday night, going off for 46.25 FPTS across 31 minutes. Murray-Boyles started with Jakob Poeltl (back) out and with the starting job, he had an ultra-efficient showing, shooting 8-of-10 from the field, grabbing three steals and blocking two shots.
Murray-Boyles finished a team-best +24 in the box score and almost certainly will start again tonight with Poeltl still sidelined. Murray-Boyles is amassing 1.0 FPTS per minute with Poeltl off the floor and this is a great matchup vs. the Hornets, who rank 25th in defensive rating this season. Murray-Boyles is averaging 26.5 FPTS per game for the 10 he has logged at least 20 minutes in and he is a steal at only $4,500.
Other Options: RJ Barrett ($6,300), Derik Queen ($6,300), Kobe Sanders ($4,100, if James Harden is out), Aaron Wiggins ($3,900)
Center
Stud
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Washington Wizards, $9,200
Embiid (knee) is listed as questionable tonight, but he has played in four straight games without restrictions and this is an island game for the 76ers, so the former MVP feels likely to suit up. Embiid has logged at least 33 minutes in each of his last four and he has scored at least 46 FPTS in three of those four.
The big man is scoring 1.3 FPTS per minute with a 34.3% usage rate this season and this is an incredible matchup vs. the Wizards, who rank 29th in defensive rating this season. Embiid posted 43.25 FPTS in just 23 minutes when he faced Washington in October and with a much bigger workload this time around, Embiid could top 50 FPTS.
Other Options: Alex Sarr ($7,200)
Value
Paul Reed, Detroit Pistons vs. Chicago Bulls, $5,000
With Jalen Duren sidelined for the past two games, Reed has started at center for the Pistons and scored 25.5 FPTS vs. the Cavaliers and 21 FPTS vs. the Knicks. The big man logged at least 25 minutes in both of these starts and he should receive a similar workload tonight with Duren still out, giving Reed a terrific chance to outperform this $5,000 salary.
Reed is generating a strong 1.4 FPTS per minute this season and the Bulls are a very friendly matchup, with the club ranking third in pace and 24th in defensive rating this season. Reed actually got another spot start for Duren vs. Chicago back on Nov. 12 and he went nuts for 63.75 FPTS that night. While we can’t expect another outing like this, Reed should have no problems exceeding five-times value tonight.
Other Options: Moussa Diabate ($5,300), Jock Landale ($4,900), Luka Garza ($4,400)
