The NBA is offering up a solid slate of basketball on Wednesday, with nine different games to choose from. The DraftKings slate starts at 7:30 p.m. ET, so let’s break down some of the top studs and values at each position to help you build your DraftKings lineups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $450K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
Point Guard
Stud
Dejounte Murray, San Antonio Spurs @ Oklahoma City Thunder ($7,400) – This is going to be a very Spurs-heavy slate. They’re going to be extremely shorthanded today, with DeMar DeRozan out for personal reasons and Devin White, Keldon Johnson, Rudy Gay, Devin Vassell, and Quinndary Weatherspoon all out due to health and safety protocols.
Murray is one of the most likely candidates to assume additional offensive responsibilities. He’s already tied for the team lead in usage, and he’s averaged a stout 1.19 DKFP per minute over the past month. The Thunder also represent a solid matchup since they play at an above-average pace.
Other Options – Stephen Curry ($10,000), Malcolm Brogdon ($8,200)
Value
Saben Lee, Detroit Pistons @ New Orleans Pelicans ($3,800) – Dennis Smith Jr. ($4,400) has started at point guard for the Pistons in each of the past two games, but Lee is clearly the point guard to target in Detroit. Not only is he playing more minutes off the bench, but he’s also been more effective when on the court. He’s posted at least 30.0 DKFP in back-to-back games, and he has a chance for another big performance tonight vs. the Pelicans. They have been an elite fantasy matchup this season, ranking 28th in defensive efficiency.
Other Options – Patty Mills ($4,300), Jordan McLaughlin ($4,100)
Shooting Guard
Stud
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks ($8,400) – The Celtics are reeling at the moment. They’ve lost five of their past seven games, which has dropped them to just sixth place in the Eastern Conference. They’re just one game up on the Heat – who are all the way down in 10th – so they need to turn things around quickly.
That said, don’t blame Brown for their struggles. He’s scored at least 46.0 DKFP in back-to-back games, and he’s averaged 1.24 DKFP per minute this season. The Hawks are not as good of a matchup as they were last season, but Brown still seems underpriced.
Other Options – Zach LaVine ($9,600), Victor Oladipo ($7,600)
Value
Lonnie Walker IV, San Antonio Spurs @ Oklahoma City Thunder ($3,700) – Walker is another member of the Spurs who should see a boost in both volume and efficiency on today’s slate. The Spurs have no choice but to lean on him for big minutes, and he should post a higher usage rate than usual when on the court. If he can eclipse 30 minutes, he should have no problem returning value: He’s historically averaged 28.0 DKFP in games with at least 30 minutes of court time.
Other Options – Malik Beasley ($6,500), Garrett Temple ($4,800)
Small Forward
Stud
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers @ Utah Jazz ($10,900) – The Lakers have really struggled without Anthony Davis, and now they have to take on the Jazz in a potential Western Conference Finals preview. The Jazz have been absolutely dominant this season, ranking first in the league in winning percentage and Net Rating. Overall, Utah has won 21 of their past 23 games, and those losses have come on the road against the Clippers and Nuggets.
With that in mind, expect LeBron to have his hands full tonight in Utah. Still, LeBron should continue to see a few additional opportunities with Davis out of the lineup, and he’s coming off 62.25 DKFP and was one rebound shy of a triple-double in his last outing. He also played a whopping 43.3 minutes in that contest. LeBron is going to have to work for his points tonight, but he’s as matchup-proof as it gets.
Other Options – Jayson Tatum ($9,200), Jerami Grant ($7,600)
Value
Josh Hart, New Orleans Pelicans vs. Detroit Pistons ($4,900) – Hart has seen plenty of playing time for the Pelicans recently, and he’s one of the better per-minute producers that you’ll find in this price range. He’s averaged 0.93 DKFP per minute over the past month, thanks in no small part to his ability to rebound the basketball. Hart is one of the best rebounding guards in the league, and he’s grabbed at least nine boards in three of his past four games. That includes his last matchup, when he finished with a double-double en route to 55.5 DKFP.
Other Options – Royce O’Neale ($4,800), Cameron Johnson ($3,600)
Power Forward
Stud
Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers vs. Golden State Warriors ($10,500) – This is a pretty eye-popping price tag for Sabonis, who has been priced closer to $9,000 for most of the season. I normally would not advocate for paying up for someone with an elevated price tag, but there are reasons to like Sabonis on today’s slate. For starters, the Warriors are an excellent matchup. They’ve played at the second-fastest pace this season, which makes this a sizable pace-up spot for the Pacers. They’re currently implied for 116.25 points, which is the top mark on the slate. This is also a slate without a ton of superstars, which makes it easier to justify paying such a high premium for Sabonis.
I’m also going to take a little stroll down narrative street. Sabonis deserved to be an All-Star – at least in my opinion – after averaging 21.5 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 5.7 assists through his first 29 games this season. It would not surprise me at all if he took out his frustration on the Warriors on Wednesday.
Other Options – Zion Williamson ($8,800), LaMarcus Aldridge ($6,000)
Value
Dean Wade, Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Houston Rockets ($3,000) – The Cavaliers were on a 10-game losing streak heading into yesterday’s matchup vs. the Hawks, so they decided to shake things up by moving Wade into the starting lineup. The Cavs were able to win that contest, so expect to see another start for Wade vs. the Rockets. He didn’t exactly crush on Tuesday – he scored just 15.0 DKFP in 20.8 minutes – but that kind of production won’t kill you at just $3,000.
Other Options – Frank Kaminsky ($3,800), Keita Bates-Diop ($3,000)
Center
Stud
Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves @ Chicago Bulls ($9,700) – Towns has spent most of the year on the sidelines, but he’s starting to get his groove back. He played 35.8 minutes in his last game – which was his second-highest mark since returning to the lineup recently – and responded with 55.0 DKFP. If Towns is going to continue to see that much playing time, he’s almost certainly underpriced. He can do a lot of damage tonight vs. the Bulls, who have played at the fourth-fastest pace this season.
Other Options – Clint Capela ($7,800), Jarrett Allen ($7,700)
Value
Drew Eubanks, San Antonio Spurs @ Oklahoma City Thunder ($3,000) – You’re going to be able to go with a value option for the Spurs at virtually every position on today’s slate, and Eubanks is no exception at center. He’s priced at the absolute minimum, and he should see a few additional minutes given the Spurs’ current roster situation. Eubanks has averaged 1.06 DKFP per minute over the past month, so he’s an appealing punt play at the absolute minimum.
Other Options – Wendell Carter Jr. ($5,800), Kevon Looney ($3,000)
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $450K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
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