Wednesday’s NBA slate is a good one. There are nine games to choose from, and the main DraftKings slate gets underway at 7:00 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 vs. Houston Rockets ($9,700) – Point guard is a loaded position on Wednesday, with seven players priced at $9.4K or more. However, Murray stands out as the best bet at the position. Murray has been outstanding for most of the year, and he’s increased his production to 1.49 DKFP per minute over the past month. He should also continue to benefit from the absence of some of the Spurs’ key rotation players, including Derrick White, Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell.
Murray has one of the best matchups of the day, as well. The Rockets rank second in pace and dead-last in defensive efficiency, and the Spurs’ implied team total ranks first on the slate.
Other Options – De’Aaron Fox ($7,500), Cole Anthony ($7,400)
Value
Spencer Dinwiddie, Washington Wizards vs. Orlando Magic ($6,000) – Bradley Beal entered health and safety protocols on Tuesday, so he is not expected to suit up Wednesday for the Wizards. That makes Dinwiddie an elite option. He thrived in Beal’s absence in Washington’s last game, racking up 46.75 DKFP over 33.6 minutes. That doesn’t stand out as an outlier, either. Dinwiddie has averaged 45.54 DKFP in seven games without Beal this season.
Other Options – Tyrese Maxey ($5,400), Dennis Schroder ($4,800)
Shooting Guard
Stud
LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets at Philadelphia 76ers ($8,700) – Ball has eligibility at shooting guard in addition to point guard, and that’s where he’s most valuable. Shooting guard isn’t nearly as deep, so the ability to use him at that spot greatly increases his appeal.
Ball’s playing time is also on the rise. He racked up 35.4 minutes in his last outing, which was his top mark in his past 11 games. His salary has decreased by $1,400 over the past month, so he has some legit buy-low appeal.
Other Options – Tyler Herro ($7,800), Tyrese Haliburton ($7,000)
Value
Lonnie Walker IV, San Antonio Spurs vs. Houston Rockets ($4,600) – The Spurs stand out as one of the best sources of value on Wednesday’s slate. Their entire roster is very affordable outside of Murray, and they should all benefit from their matchup vs. the Rockets.
Walker stands out as one of their strongest options. He’s been extremely effective recently, averaging 1.01 DKFP per minute over the past month, and he’s averaged 30 minutes of playing time in his past two contests.
Other Options – Joshua Primo ($4,000), Davion Mitchell ($3,100)
Small Forward
Stud
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers at Sacramento Kings ($11,700) – The Lakers have had a disappointing season, but it certainly hasn’t been due to LeBron. The King continues to dominate in his 19th season, and he’s scored at least 61.75 DKFP in six of his past nine games. He’s increased his production to 1.62 DKFP per minute over the past month, which trails only Joel Embiid ($11,200) and his mark of 1.71 DKFP among Wednesday’s players.
LeBron has the potential for another big game vs. the Kings. The Kings rank ninth in pace and 26th in defensive efficiency, and the Lakers’ implied team total ranks third on the slate.
Other Options – Miles Bridges ($7,500)
Value
Chuma Okeke, Orlando Magic at Washington Wizards ($4,600) – Okeke could be a bit overlooked on this slate. He’s played well recently, increasing his fantasy production to 0.90 DKFP per minute over the past month, and he’s coming off 34.1 minutes in his last outing. He responded with 31.5 DKFP in that contest, and he’s capable of racking up fantasy points in a variety of ways. The Magic have already ruled out Wendell Carter Jr. (hamstring) and Mo Bamba (toe), so Okeke should be looking at another sizable workload.
Other Options – Caleb Martin ($4,400), Keita Bates-Diop ($3,900)
Power Forward
Stud
Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets at Chicago Bulls ($11,000) – The Nets have listed James Harden ($10,400; knee) and Kyrie Irving ($8,900; ankle) as questionable, and their statuses will obviously be vital on Wednesday’s slate. If both players are ruled out, Durant is going to be asked to carry a monster workload. He’s increased his usage rate to 36.6% in three games without both players this season, and he’s averaged nearly 43 minutes in those contests. Overall, he’s averaged an insane 66.92 DKFP per game in that situation. This one doesn’t tip off until 10:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, so make sure to leave yourself some late-swap flexibility to get to Durant if the Nets are shorthanded.
Other Options – DeMar DeRozan ($8,400)
Value
Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat ($3,900) – The Hawks are expected to be without Clint Capela ($7,900; ankle) vs. the Heat — he’s currently doubtful — so Okongwu should see a nice spike in playing time. He’s expected to see around 26 minutes, and he’s averaged an excellent 0.95 DKFP per minute this season. His matchup vs. the Heat is far from ideal, but Okongwu is simply too cheap to pass up if he enters the starting lineup.
Other Options – Marvin Bagley III ($4,600), Royce O’Neale ($4,400)
Center
Stud
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Charlotte Hornets ($11,200) – The 76ers have won seven straight games, largely due to the play of Embiid. He’s scored at least 31 points in each of those contests, and he’s been a dominant fantasy producer during that stretch. He racked up 55.0 DKFP in his last outing, and he did it in just 26.4 minutes.
Embiid should see significantly more playing time if today’s game is competitive, and he can do some serious damage vs. the Hornets. They’ve played at the fastest pace in the league this season, and they rank just 28th in defensive efficiency.
Other Options – Christian Wood ($6,900), Omer Yurtseven ($6,900)
Value
Editor’s Note: Jazz C Hassan Whiteside (health protocols) has been ruled out for tonight’s game vs. the Cavaliers.
Hassan Whiteside, Utah Jazz vs. Cleveland Cavaliers ($6,200) – Whiteside has gotten significantly more expensive recently, but he still stands out as one of the best values of the day. He’s one of the best producers in the league on a per-minute basis — he’s averaged 1.25 DKFP per minute this season — and he’s seen a nice spike in playing time with Rudy Gobert in the league protocols. He played more than 33.8 minutes in his last game and responded with 51.0 DKFP. The Jazz are going to need his size vs. the Cavaliers, so fire him up with confidence.
Other Options – Alex Len ($4,000)
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