Wednesday’s NBA slate should be a good one. There are 11 games to choose from, 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
Dejounte Murray, San Antonio Spurs @ Portland Trail Blazers ($10,300) – Murray has had an incredible season for the Spurs, but he’s coming off back-to-back subpar games. He finished with just 38.75 DKFP Thursday vs. the Pelicans and followed that up with 38.5 DKFP Sunday vs. the Warriors.
That said, the Blazers are the perfect spot for him to bounce back. They’ve been one of the worst defensive teams in basketball this season, ranking 29th in defensive efficiency, and the Spurs are currently implied for 120.25 points. That’s the second-highest mark on the slate.
Other Options – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($9,700; questionable), R.J. Barrett ($7,900)
Value
Tyus Jones, Memphis Grizzlies vs. Brooklyn Nets ($4,600) – Ja Morant has been ruled out for the Grizzlies, which means Jones will almost certainly move into the starting lineup. He’s started in place of Morant in two of the Grizzlies’ past three games, and he’s provided at least 28.5 DKFP in both contests. Overall, Jones has averaged 26.69 DKFP in 16 games without Morant this season, so there’s no reason he can’t pay off his current salary vs. the Nets.
Other Options – Patrick Beverley ($4,800), R.J. Hampton ($4,100)
Shooting Guard
Stud
Spencer Dinwiddie, Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets ($6,400) – Dinwiddie is not priced like a true stud, but he has the potential for stud-like production. Luka Doncic has been ruled out vs. the Rockets, and Dinwiddie has seen a substantial boost in value with Doncic off the floor. Since joining the Mavericks, Dinwiddie has seen a 10.9 percentage point usage bump in that situation, resulting in an average of 1.29 DKFP per minute. The Rockets are also arguably the best matchup in fantasy, ranking second in pace and dead last in defensive efficiency. Dinwiddie can do serious damage in this spot.
Other Options – Devin Booker ($9,300), D’Angelo Russell ($7,200)
Value
Davion Mitchell, Sacramento Kings vs. Indiana Pacers ($5,200) – The injuries at point guard on Wednesday are plentiful. De’Aaron Fox is another player who is not expected to suit up, leaving Mitchell to run the show vs. the Pacers. He thrived in that role on Monday, leading the team with a 27.9% usage rate and piling up 46.75 DKFP over 46.2 minutes. That game went to overtime, but Mitchell still has a chance to play 40+ minutes in an outstanding matchup vs. the Pacers.
Debating between all the guard options on Wednesday’s slate is tough, but Dinwiddie, Jones, and Mitchell stand out as elite values. Plugging all three into your lineup is very doable thanks to multi-position eligibility, and that should be the default strategy in cash games.
Other Options – Jalen Brunson ($6,700), Joshua Primo ($3,500)
Small Forward
Stud
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings @ Indiana Pacers ($5,500) – Barnes is another player who warrants attention for the Kings. He hasn’t been quite as impactful as Mitchell on a per-minute basis of late, but he should also see a monster workload. He’s coming off 41.1 minutes in their last outing, and that was with Domantas Sabonis logging 31 minutes of his own. Sabonis is out on Wednesday, so Barnes should be extremely busy.
Other Options – Jimmy Butler ($8,300), Dillon Brooks ($5,600)
Value
Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets ($4,200) – Bullock has played an important role for the Mavericks of late, and he’s coming off 34.75 DKFP over 36.5 minutes in his last outing. He doesn’t figure to see nearly the same boost as Dinwiddie or Jalen Brunson with Doncic out of the lineup, but he should continue to play huge minutes at a very reasonable price tag. That’s always appealing.
Other Options – Chuma Okeke ($4,200), Jeremy Lamb ($3,300)
Power Forward
Stud
Editor’s note: Lakers PF LeBron James (knee) has been ruled out for tonight’s game vs. the 76ers.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers ($11,600) – We’ve saved plenty of money so far, which is going to allow us to splurge a bit in the frontcourt. Paying up for LeBron is one possibility, and he has played some of his best basketball recently. The Lakers have needed LeBron to deliver monster performances just to stay competitive, and he’s responded with at least 61.25 DKFP in six of his past nine games. That includes 76.75 DKFP in his last outing thanks to a 38-point triple-double.
Unfortunately, LeBron has a brutal matchup vs. the 76ers on Wednesday. They’ve played at the second-slowest pace in the league this season, and they also rank 10th in defensive efficiency. LeBron is capable of going off against anyone, but this game environment is not expected to be fantasy-friendly.
Other Options – Wendell Carter Jr. ($8,400), Darius Bazley ($5,500)
Value
Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors @ Miami Heat ($4,100) – The Warriors continue to play without Stephen Curry, and things have been ugly in his absence. They suffered a two-point defeat vs. the Spurs on Sunday, and they managed just 90 points in Tuesday’s loss vs. the lowly Magic. They’ve fallen two games behind the Grizzlies in the standings, and they could slip further if they’re not careful.
Still, the absence of Curry does give their other players more fantasy upside. Kuminga has seen a 1.9 percentage point usage bump with Curry off the court this season, resulting in an average of 1.01 DKFP per minute. His playing time has waned with Draymond Green back in the lineup, but he should see enough minutes to pay off his minimal salary vs. the Heat.
Other Options – Maxi Kleber ($4,100), Chimezie Metu ($3,400)
Center
Stud
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers @ Los Angeles Lakers ($11,000) – Embiid is my favorite pay-up option on this slate. While the 76ers are a terrible matchup for the Lakers, the Lakers are a great matchup for Philly. They’ve played at the sixth-fastest pace this season, and they’ve also been subpar defensively. The 76ers’ implied team total of 118.75 ranks fifth on Wednesday’s slate.
Embiid also rested in the 76ers’ last contest, so he should be fresh vs. the Lakers. His production has decreased slightly with James Harden joining the rotation, but he’s still averaged a stout 1.60 DKFP per minute over the past month. That’s the top mark among Wednesday’s players.
Other Options – Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,000), Bam Adebayo ($7,900)
Value
Damian Jones, Sacramento Kings @ Indiana Pacers ($3,700) – On a slate loaded with value, Jones stands out as arguably the best. The Kings are going to be without Sabonis and Richaun Holmes on Wednesday, leaving the team without their top two center options. Jones figures to step into the starting lineup and play heavy minutes, and he’s averaged 0.92 DKFP per minute this season. The Pacers are also an outstanding matchup for centers, so Jones checks all the boxes.
Other Options – Jakob Poeltl ($6,400), Wenyen Gabriel ($3,500)
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