As usual, the NBA is offering up a sizable slate of games on Wednesday. There are 10 contests to choose from, with the main slate on DraftKings starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of my favorite plays at each position.
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Guard
Studs
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks at Oklahoma City Thunder ($9,400) – Young has been in a bit of a cold spell recently. He’s scored 48.5 DKFP or fewer in eight straight games, and he’s failed return value in seven of them. However, he’s still posted a 31.5% usage rate and a 38.4% assist rate in those contests, both of which are in line with his season averages.
That gives him some buy-low appeal vs. the Thunder. His price tag is down to $9,400, and OKC has played at the fourth-fastest pace this season. The Hawks are currently implied for 119.75 points, so they have plenty of offensive upside in this matchup.
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets at Milwaukee Bucks ($7,400) – Conversely, Murray has been red-hot for the Nuggets recently. He’s exceeded salary-based expectations in five straight games, scoring at least 41 DKFP in each. His price has crept up to $7,400 for Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Bucks, but that’s still too cheap given his recent production.
The Nuggets’ injury report will be important to monitor on this slate. Michael Porter Jr. and Bones Hyland both missed Tuesday’s contest, and their status for Wednesday is still TBD. If both players are out once again, Murray would be an elite option in a pace-up spot vs. the Bucks. He’s seen a slight boost to his assist and usage rates with both players off the floor, so he’ll have a chance to improve upon his average of 1.15 DKFP per minute over the past month.
Other Options – Desmond Bane ($7,300), Bradley Beal ($7,200)
Value
T.J. McConnell, Indiana Pacers at Orlando Magic ($6,000) – McConnell is one of those players whom DFS people love. He may not get the chance to play big minutes very often, but when he does, he typically takes advantage.
McConnell has seen a nice spike in minutes with Tyrese Haliburton out of the lineup recently, and he’s responded with at least 35.75 DKFP in six of his past eight games. He’s played without Andrew Nembhard (questionable) in his past two, and he’s racked up 55.5 and 45.75 DKFP. McConnell would be a strong play even if Nembhard returns to the lineup on Tuesday, but he would be an absolute steal if Nembhard is out once again.
Other Options – Markelle Fultz ($5,900), Corey Kispert ($3,100)
Forward
Studs
Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards at Houston Rockets ($8,800) – Bradley Beal is officially back in the Wizards’ lineup, but his return has had little impact on Kuzma. Kuz has taken over as the team’s top offensive option, posting a 32.9% usage rate and a 25.8% assist rate over their past five games. He’s delivered plenty of fantasy value in that stretch, scoring at least 52 DKFP in three of those contests.
He draws one of the best possible matchups Wednesday vs. the Rockets. They rank 28th in defensive efficiency this season, and they’ve also played at an above-average pace. The Wizards implied team total of 117.75 represents a significant increase from their season average of 112.8 points per game, so Kuzma has a bit more upside than usual.
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers ($7,000) – Banchero came out of the gates red hot for the Magic this season, but the No. 1 overall pick has cooled down significantly since then. He’s failed to return value in five straight games, and he has 22.75 DKFP or less in two of his past three contests.
That’s caused his price tag to tumble to just $7,000, making him a very appealing buy-low option in an elite matchup vs. the Pacers. Indiana ranks seventh in pace and 26th in defensive efficiency, and the Magic are currently implied for 120 points. The only other time Banchero has been priced at $7,000 or lower was the first game of the year, and he responded with 47.75 DKFP.
Other Options – Anthony Edwards ($9,500), Keldon Johnson ($7,200)
Value
Deni Avdija, Washington Wizards at Houston Rockets ($4,000) – Part of the reason why the Wizards traded Rui Hachimura was to open up more playing time for Avdija. I’m not entirely sure why they needed to trade Hachimura to make that happen — last I checked, coaches were allowed to play whomever they want — but it’s undoubtedly a positive for Avdija’s fantasy value. He racked up 32.1 minutes in his first game since the Hachimura trade and responded with 39 DKFP.
As long as Avdija is going to continue to play 30-plus minutes per game, he’s way underpriced at $4,000. He’s averaged 0.86 DKFP per minute this season, and he’s averaged 34.48 DKFP in 11 games with at least 30 minutes. Add in an elite matchup vs. the Rockets, and Avdija stands out as one of the best values on the slate.
Other Options – KJ Martin ($5,100), Aaron Nesmith ($3,700)
Center
Stud
Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets vs. Washington Wizards ($8,700) – Sengun has been a dominant per-minute fantasy producer this season, and he’s taken his game to another level recently. The Rockets are playing without Kevin Porter Jr., which has allowed Sengun to serve as one of the team’s offensive focal points. He took a backseat to Jalen Green in their last contest, but he still finished with a respectable 38.25 DKFP in 34.8 minutes. Prior to that, Sengun had racked up at least 54 DKFP in three straight games, so he provides a nice combination of floor and ceiling at his current price tag.
The Wizards are a nice spot for Sengun to get back to work. They’ve struggled to defend the paint this season, and opposing centers have averaged the fifth-most points per game against the Wizards.
Other Options – Nikola Jokic ($11,600), Myles Turner ($7,100)
Value
Xavier Tillman, Memphis Grizzlies at Golden State Warriors ($3,200) – Steven Adams is currently sidelined for the Grizzlies, and Tillman earned the start in his stead on Monday. Things didn’t go particularly well for the Grizzlies in that contest — they lost by 33 points vs. the Kings — but Tillman still provided plenty of fantasy value for DFS players. He racked up 25.5 DKFP in 29.6 minutes despite being priced at the absolute minimum.
He’s up to $3,200 for Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Warriors, but Tillman would still be an excellent value play if he remains in the starting lineup. However, there’s a chance that the team could go back to Brandon Clarke in this spot, so make sure to follow along for updates.
Other Options – Daniel Gafford ($4,700), Zach Collins ($3,600)
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $350K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
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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.