Wednesday’s DraftKings NBA DFS main slate features 11 games beginning at 7 p.m. ET, with several depleted rotations creating opportunities to save salary. Tyrese Haliburton, Ja Morant, and Yves Missi are among the players ruled out, opening up minutes for tonight’s three value picks.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $333K Zone Special [$100K to 1st]
PG/SG Quenton Jackson, Indiana Pacers at Memphis Grizzlies ($4,100)
It feels like a familiar story with the Pacers, but perhaps that’s because we were just here last season. Indiana’s backcourt is depleted with star point guard Tyrese Haliburton out for another week or longer with a hamstring injury, and so the Pacers will rely on Quenton Jackson, who will get an opportunity to fill in tonight. His price is appealing with both Haliburton and T.J. McConnell sidelined, and he started Monday against Atlanta and delivered 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists, four steals, and two blocks in 35 minutes, good for 43.25 FPTS despite shooting just 1-for-7 from three.
Across his last three appearances, Jackson has supplied 18.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 2.0 APG while averaging 12.3 FGA. We shouldn’t expect another six stocks, but his minutes and current usage give him room to outperform this salary pretty easily even without repeating those defensive numbers. Kelly Oubre Jr. also remains questionable, and another absence on the perimeter would further thin Indiana’s options.
C Karlo Matkovic, New Orleans Pelicans vs. Utah Jazz ($4,500)
Three straight starts have changed the outlook for Matkovic, who has averaged 15.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.7 made threes, and 3 stocks during that stretch. He’s coming off a huge game against Memphis, going for 25 points, six rebounds, and three stocks in 29 minutes, showing how much fantasy production he can provide when he gets playing time.
Missi remains out, which means Matkovic’s number will be called once again, while Utah is missing Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic and lists Mo Bamba as questionable. Trey Murphy III and Jordan Poole are probable, which should temper expectations for Matkovic’s scoring workload, but his recent rebounding and defensive contributions give him many ways to justify this price.
PG/SG Jrue Holiday, Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns ($5,700)
He’s really like fine wine. The veteran guard continues to win everywhere he goes, and he put his skills on full display against Denver while filling in for Ja Morant. He came off the bench for 17 points, eight boards, 10 assists, and two stocks in 31 minutes, racking up 48 FPTS while qualifying for the double double bonus. Yeah that’s juice. Holiday is averaging 13.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 4.8 APG this season in a reserve role, but the Blazers need him, and Micah Nori has to see the value that Holiday’s leadership, playmaking, and defense brings to this 5-1 Blazers squad.
Morant and Shaedon Sharpe remain out, leaving Portland without two backcourt scoring options and allowing Holiday more room to handle the ball and create for teammates. His 22 minutes in the previous game, a 22-point win over Utah, are a reminder that the workload can still fluctuate, but Monday displayed the upside when he gets extended run in a competitive matchup.
