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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
Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks @ Cleveland Cavaliers ($12,000) – Despite this being an 11-game main slate, the stud options on Wednesday are a bit thin. Most of the best players in fantasy were active last night, so guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, and Kevin Durant are not available.
That makes Doncic even more valuable than usual. He racked up 75.0 DKFP in just 30 minutes in a demolition of the Lakers on Tuesday, and he should be asked to do a bit more than usual with Spencer Dinwiddie out of the lineup vs. the Cavaliers.
Other Options – LaMelo Ball ($9,200), R.J. Barrett ($8,100)
Value
Tyus Jones, Memphis Grizzlies @ San Antonio Spurs ($5,700) – Jones finally let us down in his last outing, but it wasn’t entirely his fault. He was still pretty effective on a per-minute basis, but he was limited to just 25.7 minutes in a blowout victory vs. the Warriors. Wednesday’s game vs. the Spurs is expected to be more competitive, with the Grizzlies listed as just 5.5-point road favorites.
As long as Jones returns to his usual workload, he’s a good bet to pay off this price tag. He’s averaged just under 30 minutes per game in 20 games without Ja Morant this season, and he’s averaged 0.89 DKFP per minute in those contests.
Other Options – Theo Maledon ($5,700), Jaylen Nowell ($3,500)
Shooting Guard
Stud
Tre Mann, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Atlanta Hawks ($6,000) – Mann is currently questionable, and it certainly wouldn’t be a shock if he ended up sitting. The Thunder are in hardcore tank mode at the moment, and Mann is one of their better remaining players.
If he is active, Mann should serve as one of the Thunder’s primary scoring threats vs. the Hawks. He returned value in eight straight games prior to sitting in their last contest, and he’s displayed a ceiling of more than 50 DKFP.
Other Options – Anthony Edwards ($7,300), Caris LeVert ($5,900)
Value
Immanuel Quickley, New York Knicks vs. Charlotte Hornets ($5,200) – The Knicks are finally – finally! – starting to give Quickley the run he deserves. It only took Tom Thibodeau 75 games, but better late than never. The Knicks have quietly won four straight games, and Quickley has logged at least 27 minutes in each of his past two. That number could be even higher on Wednesday if Evan Fournier is ultimately ruled out.
Quickley is capable of doing a ton of damage with that much playing time. He’s averaged 0.94 DKFP per minute for the season, and he’s increased that figure to 1.13 over the past month. The Hornets haven’t been nearly as good of a matchup recently as they were at the beginning of the season, but they still rank merely 20th in defensive rating over their past 10 games.
Other Options – Keon Johnson ($4,700), R.J. Hampton ($3,800)
Small Forward
Stud
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings @ Houston Rockets ($5,900) – The Kings are another team with nothing to play for at this point, but Barnes is still logging all the minutes he can handle. He’s played at least 37.9 minutes in three of his past four games, and there’s no reason to think they’ll ease up on him now. Barnes hasn’t been quite as effective on a per-minute basis recently, but he has a bit more upside than usual vs. the Rockets. They’ve been the best matchup in fantasy this season, ranking second in pace and 29th in defensive efficiency.
Other Options – Jimmy Butler ($8,600), OG Anunoby ($5,700)
Value
Garrison Mathews, Houston Rockets vs. Sacramento Kings ($3,200) – On the other side of that matchup, Mathews stands out as a viable punt play. He’s near the minimum at just $3,200, and he’s expected to see around 24 minutes on Wednesday. Mathews is a dreadful per-minute producer, but it’s hard to find players with comparable salaries and minute projections. The Kings are also a great matchup, ranking 28th in defensive efficiency for the year.
Other Options – Corey Kispert ($4,100), Josh Christopher ($3,900)
Power Forward
Stud
Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets vs. Sacramento Kings ($6,900) – Sengun is currently questionable, but he should be a popular option if he’s able to suit up. He’s been a fantastic fantasy producer as a rookie, averaging 1.13 DKFP per minute, but he’s played limited minutes behind Christian Wood. Wood has been ruled out for the Rockets on Wednesday, so Sengun should see a sizable boost in value. He’s played at least 26 minutes in seven previous games this season, and he’s averaged 37.11 DKFP in those contests. He should easily eclipse that threshold if he’s active vs. the Kings.
Other Options – Kevin Love ($6,900), Aleksej Pokusevski ($6,700)
Value
Jae’Sean Tate, Houston Rockets vs. Sacramento Kings ($4,500) – Tate is another player who should see a boost in playing time. Dennis Schroder and Eric Gordon will join Wood on the sidelines, and Tate has already been a nice source of value recently. He’s scored at least 21.75 DKFP in four of his past five games, and his 27.7 minutes in his last outing was his highest output since the end of February. He’s a very reasonable option at just $4,500.
Other Options – Brandon Clarke ($4,300), Chimezie Metu ($3,900)
Center
Stud
Kristaps Porzingis, Washington Wizards vs. Orlando Magic ($8,900) – Nikola Jokic ($12,400) headlines the position on Wednesday, but it’s hard to get too excited about him vs. the Pacers. The Nuggets are listed as 9.5-point road favorites, so the Nuggets shouldn’t need a huge performance from Jokic in this spot.
Instead, I’d rather pivot to Porzingis. He has been fantastic since joining the Wizards’ rotation, averaging 1.44 DKFP per minute. He’s also playing around 30 minutes per night, and his role should remain the same with Kyle Kuzma expected to sit. Porzingis has returned value in five of his past seven games, and I see no reason why he can’t do it again vs. the Magic.
Other Options – Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,600), Clint Capela ($6,500)
Value
Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks @ Oklahoma City Thunder ($3,500) – The Thunder have been demolished by opposing centers recently, giving Okongwu one of the best matchups at the position. He’s served as the Hawks’ clear No. 2 center behind Clint Capela, but that could actually work in his favor on Wednesday. He should see around 20 minutes if this game goes as expected, and he has the potential for a few additional minutes if this game turns into a blowout. Okongwu has averaged 1.00 DKFP per minute over the past month, so he doesn’t need a ton of playing time to return value.
Other Options – Damian Jones ($4,800), KJ Martin ($3,600)
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