Wednesday features an eight-game NBA slate, and the action on DraftKings gets underway at 7 p.m. ET. Let’s dive into some of the top options to consider at each position.
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Point Guard
Stud
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder @ Denver Nuggets ($10,000) – The Thunder are a tough team to figure out on Wednesday. On one hand, they have a brutal matchup vs. the Nuggets. The Nuggets are listed as 13-point favorites, and the Thunder are implied for just 106 points. That’s tied for the lowest mark on the slate.
However, Gilgeous-Alexander’s upside is undeniable if this game stays competitive. The Thunder are playing without Luguentz Dort and Josh Giddey, leaving the team without their best secondary playmakers. Gilgeous-Alexander has unsurprisingly crushed with both players off the court this season. He has increased his usage rate by 6.7 percentage points and his assist rate by 8.3 in that situation, resulting in an average of 1.56 DKFP. He was outstanding with both players out of the lineup on Monday, racking up 60.5 DraftKings points for the second straight game.
Other Options – Darius Garland ($7,700; questionable), Malcolm Brogdon ($7,100)
Value
Cameron Payne, Phoenix Suns vs. Portland Trail Blazers ($4,300) – Payne has been out of the lineup since Jan. 22, but he is probable to make his return vs. the Trail Blazers. He will likely be on a minute restriction, but Payne doesn’t usually play big minutes to begin with. He makes up for it with excellent efficiency, averaging 1.01 DKFP per minute this season. Payne has the potential to be even more productive than usual with Chris Paul out of the lineup.
Other Options – Gabe Vincent ($4,200), Devonte’ Graham ($4,000)
Shooting Guard
Stud
Editor’s note: Suns PG/SG Devin Booker (health protocols) has been ruled out for tonight’s game vs. the Trail Blazers.
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns vs. Portland Trail Blazers ($9,700) – Sticking with the Suns, it’s hard to ignore what Booker has done recently. He’s taken on some extra responsibilities as a distributor with Paul sidelined, increasing his assist rate by 11.6 percentage points over his past three games. Overall, he’s averaged 51.25 DKFP in those contests. The Suns also own one of the best matchups of the day vs. the Blazers. They rank just 28th in defensive efficiency, and the Suns’ implied team total of 121.25 ranks second on the slate.
Other Options – CJ McCollum ($9,000), Tyler Herro ($6,500)
Value
Alec Burks, New York Knicks @ Philadelphia 76ers ($5,300) – The Knicks are going to be extremely thin in the backcourt on Wednesday. Derrick Rose and Quentin Grimes are hurt, Kemba Walker is not with the team, and Miles McBride is in the G League. That leaves Burks to handle most of the point guard minutes. He’s logged at least 33.9 minutes in back-to-back games, and he’s averaged 0.85 DKFP per minute this season.
Other Options – Jalen Suggs ($5,600), Immanuel Quickley ($4,200)
Small Forward
Stud
Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings ($7,900) – The Pelicans are another team with a strong matchup on Wednesday. They’re taking on the Kings, who rank 29th in defensive efficiency this season, and they’re currently implied for 119.5 points. Ingram has taken a bit of a backseat to C.J. McCollum ($9,000) since the latter arrived in New Orleans, but Ingram is still capable of doing massive damage as a scorer. His price tag has also decreased significantly over the past two weeks, and he’s scored at least 39.75 DKFP in each of his past two games.
Other Options – Jimmy Butler ($9,200), Buddy Hield ($7,300)
Value
Aleksej Pokusevski, Oklahoma City Thunder @ Denver Nuggets ($4,100) – Pokusevski has spent time alternating between the G League and the Thunder this season, but he’s gotten the opportunity to play more for the big club recently. He’s coming off one of his best games of the season in his last outing, finishing with 34.0 DKFP over nearly 26 minutes, and Poku has the ability to contribute in every category across the board. He’s averaged 1.05 DKFP per minute over the past month, and he could approach 30 minutes Wednesday vs. the Nuggets. He’s one of the best values on the entire slate.
Other Options – Garrison Matthews ($3,400), Caleb Martin ($3,100)
Power Forward
Stud
Wendell Carter Jr., Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers ($7,700) – Carter has been playing some of his best basketball of the season recently. He’s been dominant over the past month, increasing his production to 1.27 DKFP, and he’s exceeded salary-based expectations in five of his past seven games. He should be able to keep things rolling against an inexperienced Pacers frontcourt.
Other Options – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,200), Miles Bridges ($7,600)
Value
Trey Lyles, Sacramento Kings @ New Orleans Pelicans ($3,300) – Lyles was acquired by the Kings in the trade that sent Marvin Bagley to Detroit, and he’s quietly had an excellent season. He’s averaged 1.01 DKFP per minute, albeit in limited playing time. However, Lyles’ minutes were increased to 30.7 in his last outing, and he has massive upside if he’s going to see that much playing time again on Wednesday. He finished with 34.5 DKFP in his last contest, and he could easily duplicate that production vs. the Pelicans.
Other Options – Jaxson Hayes ($4,900), Greg Brown ($3,800)
Center
Stud
Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz @ Houston Rockets ($7,800) – Center is absolutely loaded on Wednesday, but Gobert stands out as my favorite play at the position. He’s going to save you a decent chunk of salary compared to the top centers, and he’s in an elite spot vs. the Rockets. They rank first in pace, dead last in defensive efficiency, and 20th in rebound rate, and the Jazz lead the slate with an implied team total of 121.75 points. Gobert has also been priced down to $7,800, which is cheaper than usual.
Other Options – Nikola Jokic ($12,400), Joel Embiid ($11,600)
Value
Mo Bamba, Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers ($4,900) – Bamba is not playing as much as Carter at the moment, but that doesn’t mean he can’t pay off his current price tag. He’s still averaged 1.04 DKFP per minute this season, and he’s played at least 25 minutes in three straight games. He’s scored at least 25.75 DKFP in two of those contests, including 33.5 DKFP vs. the Pacers on Monday.
Other Options – PJ Washington ($5,200), Drew Eubanks ($4,300)
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