This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
After a quiet night Tuesday, the NBA is back in full force Wednesday with 13 games on the schedule. There are a lot of options to choose from on FanDuel, as a result, so let's dive right in and take a look at some players who could be in for big games.
DeMar DeRozan, TOR at HOU ($9,400): This is a dream matchup for DeRozan against the porous Rockets defense. This has the makings of a high-scoring game, and DeRozan will be right in the middle of the outburst. He is averaging 42.9 FanDuel points per game this season and should be worth his expensive price.
Kyrie Irving, CLE vs POR ($7,600): The defending champs are off to a great start this season and Irving has been a big reason for their success. He is averaging a career-high 24.0 points per game, but he's not just a scorer, as he is also averaging 5.0 assists per game. Irving has recorded at least 30 FanDuel points in all but one game this season and should be in for another big performance Wednesday against a Trail Blazers team that ranks dead last in defensive rating.
Josh Richardson, MIA at DET ($4,300):Richardson posted a dud Monday against the Sixers, but had recorded at least 22.1 FanDuel points in three straight games heading into that contest. The key for Richardson is he is getting consistent playing time, as he has played at least 28 minutes in each of his last seven games. Richardson is not going to cost you much, so I think he's worth the risk.
LeBron James, CLE vs POR ($9,800): I've said this before, but James is one of the safer expensive players to use as he is averaging 46.5 FanDuel points per game. He can fill all columns on the stat sheet any given night, but you don't need me to tell you that. The only thing that would hurt James is if the Cavaliers are blowing a team out and he sits in the fourth quarter. I think the Trail Blazers will make this competitive enough, though, so James remains a strong play.
Gordon Hayward, UTA vs DEN ($7,100): Hayward hasn't been excellent of late, posting 28.9 FanDuel points or less in three of his last four games. However, he can explode offensively on any given night and the Nuggets are not a very good defensive team. He has also stepped up his game on the glass this season, averaging a career-high 7.6 rebounds per game. I think this is the night to plug him in your lineup.
Ryan Anderson, HOU vs TOR ($4,700): It's hard to believe that Anderson is struggling so much this season. He seemed to be a perfect fit for the kind of offense the Rockets run, but he has failed to record more than 20.7 FanDuel points in five of his last six games. He has had a couple of outbursts on the season and I think he will eventually turn his season around, so I'm inclined to give him a shot at this price Wednesday.
Hassan Whiteside, MIA at DET ($9,200): I love a good big man battle and that's exactly what Wednesday shapes up to be as Whiteside will square off against Andre Drummond. Whiteside is having a monster season, averaging 18.8 points, 15.9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. It doesn't appear that anyone can slow him down and I expect another big performance in this contest.
Joel Embiid, PHI vs MEM ($5,800): When Embiid plays, he's usually a good value play as he's not very expensive. Although he is on a minutes restriction, that hasn't stopped him from posting at least 35 FanDuel points in each of his last two games and averaging 30.5 FanDuel points on the season. There has been no indication that he won't play Wednesday, so I'd roll with him if you are looking for a mid-tier priced center.
Tristan Thompson, CLE vs POR ($4,900): I like to use Thompson if I'm looking to save money as he's been pretty consistent of late, posting at least 24.4 FanDuel points in three of his last four games. He's not much of an offensive threat, but he is averaging 10.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. If you want a cheap center Wednesday, I'd try Thompson.
