DraftKings NBA: Wednesday Cheat Sheet

DraftKings NBA: Wednesday Cheat Sheet

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview

ATL (-5.5) at DET, O/U: 225

SAC at IND (-5.5), O/U: 236

NYK at CHA (-6.5), O/U: 226  

UTA at BOS (-5.5), O/U: 220 

GSW at MIA (-6.5), O/U: 213.5   

BKN (-3) at MEM, O/U: 235.5  

PHX (-1.5) at MIN, O/U: 235.5 

ORL (-2) at OKC, O/U: 219.5 

HOU at DAL (-9.5), O/U: 225.5  

PHI (-7.5) at LAL, O/U: 229.5  

SAS (-7.5) at POR, O/U: 233.5

The Kings-Pacers, Nets-Grizzlies, Suns-Timberwolves and Spurs-Trail Blazers matchups are expected to be the most high-scoring games of the night. Each of the four matchups have key players missing from one or both sides, resulting in good value opportunities. 

Jazz-Celtics should be a hard-fought game and features multiple top-tier players that will have to come up big to keep their sides competitive. Both sides also feature reliable mid-priced options, including Jordan Clarkson and Al Horford

Rockets-Mavs is not the most anticipated matchup of the night, especially without Luka Doncic, but it should be a high-scoring game and provides a number of strong value opportunities from both lineups. 

Injuries to Monitor 

ATL - Lou Williams (personal): Questionable
John Collins (finger): OUT

Danilo Gallinari continues to start in place of Collins, while Onyeka Okongwu is also up for a boost. 

DET - Isaiah Livers (concussion): Doubtful 
Hamidou Diallo (finger), Frank Jackson (back): OUT

Killian Hayes is in line for more action in the backcourt. 

SAC - De'Aaron Fox (hand): Doubtful
Domantas Sabonis (knee): OUT

Davion Mitchell is up for another start if Fox is out. Damian Jones is expected to start in place of Sabonis.  

IND - Chris Duarte (toe), Tyrese Haliburton (back), Isaiah Jackson (concussion): Questionable
Myles Turner (foot) OUT

Duane Washington has to step up if Duarte and/or Haliburton are out.  Jalen Smith and Goga Bitadze are up for a boost in the frontcourt. 

NYK - Julius Randle (quadriceps), Nerlens Noel (foot): Questionable
Derrick Rose (ankle), Cam Reddish (shoulder): OUT

Immanuel Quickley continues to pick up extra minutes in the backcourt. Jericho Sims and Obi Toppin are up for a boost in the frontcourt. 

CHA - Gordon Hayward (ankle): OUT

Kelly Oubre and P.J. Washington continue to get a boost. 

UTA - Bojan Bogdanovic (calf), Danuel House (knee): OUT 

Jordan Clarkson and Rudy Gay will pick up extra playing time. 

GSW - Moses Moody (shoulder): Questionable
Stephen Curry (foot), Andre Iguodala (back): OUT

Jordan Poole is up for another start in place of Curry. Jonathan Kuminga and Otto Porter continue to get extra minutes.  

MIA - Caleb Martin (knee), Jimmy Butler (ankle), Tyler Herro (knee), Victor Oladipo (back): Questionable
Gabe Vincent (toe): OUT

Max Strus will have to step up if Butler, Herro, Martin or Oladipo are out.  

BKN - Goran Dragic (knee), Seth Curry (ankle): Questionable
LaMarcus Aldridge (hip), Ben Simmons (back): OUT

Nicolas Claxton is up for a boost in the frontcourt. Patty Mills has to step up if Dragic and/or Curry are out.    

MEM - Ja Morant (knee): OUT

Tyus Jones gets the start. Desmond Bane has to step up on offense.

PHX - Chris Paul (thumb), Cameron Johnson (quadriceps): OUT

Cameron Payne continues to start in place of Paul, while Aaron Holiday also gets a boost. Torrey Craig and Landry Shamet get more opportunities in the absence of Johnson.    

MIN - Karl-Anthony Towns (forearm): Questionable
Jaden McDaniels (ankle): OUT

Naz Reid would have a major role if Towns is out in addition to McDaniels. 

ORL - Jalen Suggs (ankle), Wendell Carter (ankle), Gary Harris (knee): Questionable 
Markelle Fultz (rest): OUT

R.J. Hampton is up for another start in place of Suggs. Chuma Okeke and Moritz Wagner are in line for more minutes if Carter is out. Terrence Ross has to step up if Harris is out. 

OKC - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle), Olivier Sarr (illness): Questionable 
Kenrich Williams (knee), Derrick Favors (back), Josh Giddey (hip), Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (foot): OUT

Tre Mann and Theo Maledon continue to see more responsibility in the backcourt, while Aleksej Pokusevski gets a boost in the frontcourt. 

DAL - Davis Bertans (knee), Luka Doncic (ankle): OUT 

Spencer Dinwiddie and Jalen Brunson have to step up to lead the offense. Maxi Kleber is up for additional playing time without Bertans. 

LAL - Talen Horton-Tucker (ankle), LeBron James (knee): Questionable
Anthony Davis (foot): OUT

Wenyen Gabriel, Stanley Johnson, Austin Reaves and Carmelo Anthony will pick up extra minutes if Tucker and/or James are out in addition to Davis. 

SAS - Keita Bates-Diop (back): Questionable
Doug McDermott (ankle), Lonnie Walker (back): OUT 

Joshua Primo and Devin Vassell are expected to start.     

POR - Anfernee Simons (quadriceps), Damian Lillard (abdomen), Eric Bledsoe (Achilles), Josh Hart (knee), Jusuf Nurkic (foot): OUT

Brandon Williams, CJ Elleby, Justise Winslow, Trendon Watford and Drew Eubanks are expected to start. 

Elite Players

Guards

Dejounte Murray ($10,300)

Murray has a favorable matchup against the Trail Blazers, who are shorthanded and give up an average of 114.2 points per game, which is fourth most in the league. Murray is averaging 24.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 2.4 steals over his last 10 games, including seven games where he topped 50 DK points.  

James Harden ($9,900)

Harden has an advantage against the Lakers in his matchup at shooting guard. He is averaging 22.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 9.6 assists and 1.8 steals over his last five games, including two outings where he topped 50 DK points. 

Forwards/Centers

Cade Cunningham ($8,700)

Cunningham has a favorable matchup against the Hawks, who are allowing opponents to shoot an average of 47.0 percent from the field, which is sixth highest in the league. He is averaging 22.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.1 steals over the last 10 games, including three games where he topped 50 DK points. 

Jayson Tatum ($10,100)

The Celtics have a tough matchup against the Jazz, and Tatum will have to come up big to help lift his squad at home. He has been playing great lately, averaging 34.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists over the last 10 games, including three games where he topped 60 DK points. 

Joel Embiid ($11,000)

Embiid has an advantage against the Lakers' shorthanded frontcourt. He is averaging 29.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks over his last 10 games, including six games where he topped 50 DK points. 

Expected Chalk 

Kyrie Irving ($10,200)

Irving is back in action for the first time in a week and will have plenty of gas in the tank to make the most of his opportunity. Irving has been fantastic in his limited appearances this season, averaging 27.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.4 steals through 19 games, including a 60-point outburst in his last game. He has an advantage against the Grizzlies, who will be without Ja Morant

Value Picks 

Tyus Jones ($4,600)

Jones logged 30.3 DK points in the Grizzlies' last game, and he is up for another start in place of Ja Morant.

Reggie Bullock ($4,200)

Bullock logged 34.8 DK points in the last game and will have room to step up on offense in the absence of Luka Doncic. He has a favorable matchup against the Rockets, who are giving up a league-high in points per game. 

Eric Gordon ($3,600)

Gordon is averaging 12.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists over his last 10 games, and he topped 20 DK points five times. He has a favorable matchup against the shorthanded Mavs.  

Torrey Craig ($4,700)

Craig continues to get a boost in the absence of Cameron Johnson. He is averaging 12.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists over the last five games, including one outing where he generated 49.5 DK points. 

Damian Jones ($3,700)

Jones is expected to start in place of Domantas Sabonis. He logged 29.3 DK points in the last game and topped 20 DK points in three of his last six games. 

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Dan Bruno plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: duelingdan.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dan Bruno
Dan has been writing all things NBA for RotoWire since 2014. He is an active fantasy sports player, with a love for DFS. Dan is a certified Coach with the Ontario Basketball Association and is a recreation professional in his home city.
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