As usual, the NBA is offering up plenty of basketball on Wednesday. There’s a 10-game main slate starting at 7 p.m. ET, so there a plenty of DFS options to choose from.
Let’s dive into some of my favorite plays at each position.
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Guard
Studs
Jordan Poole, Golden State Warriors at Indiana Pacers ($7,800) – The first stud guard spot is pretty easy on Wednesday’s slate. The Warriors are going to be on the second leg of a back-to-back, which makes it a near certainty that Klay Thompson will be out of the lineup. He’s yet to play in a back-to-back this season, and head coach Steve Kerr has previously stated that Thompson might not play both ends of a back-to-back all year. The team is already without Andrew Wiggins, so there will be plenty of usage and minutes available vs. the Pacers.
Poole has reached the point where he’s basically a no-brainer whenever Thompson is out of the lineup. He’s averaged 43.65 DKFP per 36 minutes in five games without Thompson this year. He’s also increased his usage rate by 2.6% with Thompson and Wiggins off the court in general, so he carries significantly more upside than usual.
Add in an elite matchup vs. the Pacers, and it’s hard to avoid Poole on Wednesday’s slate.
Tyler Herro, Miami Heat at Oklahoma City Thunder ($8,100) – The Heat have provided us with another unnecessarily long injury report for Wednesday, but there was one actionable piece of news sprinkled in among the garbage. The team has ruled out Butler for injury management, which is a big deal. He ranks first on the team in assist rate and third in usage, so other players are going to have to pick up the slack.
Herro is the most likely option. He’s increased his usage rate by a team-high 2.6% with Butler off the floor this season, resulting in an average of 1.11 DKFP per minute. He’s averaging a career-best 34.3 minutes per game as a full-time starter this season, and that number could easily approach 38 with Butler sidelined.
The Thunder are also a fantastic matchup for Herro. They’ve played at the third-fastest pace this season, while Miami ranks just 23rd. That makes this a significant pace up spot, giving the Heat more scoring potential than usual.
Other Options – Fred VanVleet ($7,500), Jalen Brunson ($6,800; questionable)
Value
Gary Trent Jr., Toronto Raptors vs. Sacramento Kings ($5,700) – The Raptors are going to be without OG Anunoby on Wednesday, which means that Nick Nurse is going to push his remaining starters even harder than usual. The Raptors’ starters already carry some of the largest workloads in basketball, but Trent got to 43.5 minutes in his last outing. That game wasn’t even particularly competitive — the Raptors lost to the Magic by 12 points — so don’t expect Nurse to ease up on the gas pedal too much on Wednesday.
Trent has already been a decent source of value recently, returning positive value in four straight games. He got to 32.25 DKFP in his last outing, and he’ll have the chance to duplicate that feat vs. the Kings. They’re a below-average team in terms of defensive efficiency, and they’ll be on the second leg of a back-to-back.
Other Options – Josh Richardson ($4,200; questionable), Coby White ($3,700)
Forward
Studs
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Clippers ($9,200) – The Timberwolves are coming off a disappointing showing in their last contest. They suffered a 21-point defeat vs. the Blazers, which impacted the fantasy numbers for the entire roster.
Still, Edwards has been a pretty nice source of value recently. He’s scored at least 43 DKFP in five of his past seven games, and he’s seen an uptick in usage following the injury to Karl-Anthony Towns. D’Angelo Russell is also questionable for the Timberwolves on Wednesday, and it would be tough to avoid Edwards if Russell is ruled out. He’s increased his usage rate by 6.6% with KAT and Russell off the floor, resulting in an average of 1.43 DKFP per minute. None of Wednesday’s forwards have been as good over the past month, with Pascal Siakam leading the way at 1.41 DKFP per minute.
PJ Washington, Charlotte Hornets vs. Detroit Pistons ($5,500) – It sounds as though LaMelo Ball will return to the Hornets’ rotation on Wednesday, and boy, do they need him. They’re currently riding a five-game losing streak, and they’ve won just three of their past 12 games.
Even with Ball back in the fold, Washington still has plenty of upside. He’s had a wide range of outcomes recently, but he does have at least 30.75 DKFP in two of his past four games. That gives him a nice ceiling in a great matchup vs. the Pistons, who rank 29th in defensive efficiency.
Other Options – Terry Rozier ($8,000), Kawhi Leonard ($6,900)
Value
Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic ($5,000) – Bogdanovic got the night off in the Hawks’ last contest, but he should be back in full force on Wednesday. He’s suited up in just five games this season, but the Hawks have had no choice but to unleash him following the injury to Dejounte Murray. He’s logged 33.5 and 35.7 minutes in his past two games, and he’s responded with at least 42.5 DKFP in both. He’s probably due for a big of regression as a scorer — he’s knocked down at least six 3-pointers in back-to-back games — but he still stands out as one of the best values of the day at $5,000.
Other Options – Aleksej Pokusevski ($4,300), Isaiah Roby ($3,300)
Center
Stud
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat at Oklahoma City Thunder ($8,300) – Adebayo is another member of the Heat who should benefit from the absence of Butler. He’s increased his usage rate (+1.8%), assist rate (+4.6%) and rebound rate (+1.2%) with Butler off the floor this season, giving him significantly more upside than usual. The Thunder also stand out as an elite matchup for big men, ranking just 28th in team rebound rate and 27th in points in the paint allowed per game. Adebayo is capable of impact games in multiple areas, so this sets up as a potential smash spot.
Other Options – Myles Turner ($7,000), Clint Capela ($6,700)
Value
Charles Bassey, San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers ($4,100) – Bassey has emerged as a favorite for DFS players this season. The second-round pick from the 2021 NBA Draft has been fantastic when given the chance to play, averaging 1.17 DKFP per minute. He has the chance to play a significant role for the Spurs on Wednesday, who are dealing with plenty of injuries in the frontcourt. Jakob Poeltl remains out with a knee injury, while Zack Collins is doubtful with an ankle injury.
Other Options – Mitchell Robinson ($5,200), Nick Richards ($3,500)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is mlamarca) 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.