This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
A whopping 22 teams hit the court on Wednesday with e wide assortment of lines to take in your DFS lineup construction. I'm here to help you out, so let's first dive into some intangibles before we get to the players.
Five teams will be on the tail-end of back-to-backs on Wednesday. Miami is flying high after a surprising win over Toronto on the road, so they will travel into Indy with a lot of momentum. After a hard-fought game, both the Blazers and the Thunder travel into hostile territory, with Portland looking to be the most vulnerable against the Rockets. The Magic got pummeled by the Mavericks and will have their hands full against Giannis and the Bucks for their second straight, while Dallas flies to more hospitable waters against the Hornets.
As of publication, the Over/Under deviation isn't particularly wide over the 11 games, but POR/HOU and NO/MEM both strike me as games where we'll see a lot of production on both ends. While you don't often think of the Grizzlies as a fast-paced team, they've had streaks where they have upped their possessions per game, and the Pelicans play fast when their backcourt is passing the ball well. Both Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo match up well against Memphis.
We'll now take a look at the elite players that clock in at 10K or more on Wednesday's slate.
With Blake Griffin (concussion) potentially out, the Warriors will be huge favorites at home against the Clippers, so Stephen Curry ($10,800) and every other Golden State starter should be in for big numbers, including Kevin Durant ($8,500), who practiced on Tuesday and is likely to return to action.
Russell Westbrook ($11,400) also has a favorable matchup against the Timberwolves despite a back-to-back, as he's gone for 52.5 DKFP over three contests against Minnesota this season. DeMarcus Cousins ($11,100) has also enjoyed 50 DKFP-plus production against the Grizzlies, and with Anthony Davis a likely scratch, Cousins becomes an even better play.
Orlando will be a bit fatigued but I think Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,700) is the most likely to fall short of value in this group as the Magic will be emboldened after a big win and Giannis' numbers have failed to meet projections in three of his last five games. Of course, "falling short" means 45 DKFP, but if you're going to spend up, Curry, Cousins and Westbrook are the best candidates.
I'll now highlight three players by position, with a non-highlighted list of others that hold equal weight in my predictions. I'll be endeavoring to include at least one budget pick for each slot.
GUARDS
Jimmy Butler, MIN vs. OKC ($8,700): Butler's had a good history against the Thunder this year, and has logged 22.8 points, 7.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds over his last five contests. This should be a relatively close game so look for Butler to stay on the court for a full complement of minutes.
Eric Gordon, HOU vs. POR ($7,200): I found compelling reasons to fade a lot of the guards in the 6K range, save Shabazz Napier ($6,200) who will be a good value if Damian Lillard sits. As a result, I floated up to Gordon, who's been an excellent value since James Harden (hamstring) was sidelined. He's a reliable contributor in all categories and even though Portland can be tough defensively, they are a bit vulnerable in this back-to-back after suffering a tough loss.
Gary Harris, UTA vs. ATL ($5,900): You could go a variety of ways in this game, with Jamal Murray ($6,500) and Will Barton ($5,600) also in line to exploit the Hawks at high altitude. I'm highlighting Harris as I feel like he will be the lowest-owned of this trio, which makes him an excellent tournament option. He should be in line for 35 DKFP here, which is appropriate value at this price point.
Other guards to consider:John Wall, WAS vs. UTA ($8,500); C.J. McCollum, POR at HOU ($7,800); Goran Dragic, MIA at NO ($6,500); Wayne Ellington, MIA at NO ($4,600)
FORWARDS
Tobias Harris, DET at BKN ($6,900): Harris is finally starting to reward seasonal owners who sacrificed a high draft pick or auction value to snag him, and he's also a great DFS option as his price has stated in this range for weeks. He's averaging at a healthy 33 DKFP clip over his past five, and could very well exceed that against the Nets, who are vulnerable defensively and play at a frenetic pace.
Trey Lyles, DEN vs. ATL ($6,100): I'm reaching down further to find exploitable spots in this matchup, and for the money you can't do a lot better than Lyles. I still like him at this price against Atlanta, even though his salary keeps climbing higher and higher with each productive game. He put up almost 40 DKFP against the Warriors – think about what he could do to the Hawks.
Thabo Sefolosha, UTA at WAS ($4,400): Probably my lowest pick of the night, Sefolosha appears to be winning the battle at power forward against Jonas Jerebko, as this position will most likely remain in flux until Rudy Gobert (knee) returns. Derrick Favors will likely slide back to the four at that point, but in the meantime, there is an ample DFS opportunity for Sefolosha.
Other forwards to consider: Harrison Barnes, DAL at CHA ($6,700); Enes Kanter, NY vs. CHI ($6,200); Otto Porter, Jr., WAS vs. UTA ($6,100); Gerald Green, HOU vs. POR ($5,300)
CENTERS
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. OKC ($8,900): Three games in an NBA season is a pretty decent sample size in gauging a matchup, and Towns has torched the Thunder for an average of 50.7 DKFP over three contests. I think spending down at forward is the way to go Wednesday, so if you're left with enough room at center, Towns is an excellent play.
Clint Capela, HOU vs. POR ($6,800): When you've got one of the premier dime-droppers in the league, your center is always a candidate to go off. The Chris Paul-to-Capela connection should be in full swing against Portland at home, as almost every team has a problem defending the nifty side alley-oop they often employ for the big man.
Mason Plumlee, DEN vs. ATL ($4,500): Detecting a pattern here? So sue me, I like this matchup. Even though Plumlee is playing behind Lyles, I think it's fully conceivable to see Plumlee spell Nikola Jokic and Lyles evenly, giving Plumlee a chance to replicate his 32.3 DKFP performance against the Hawks earlier this season.
Other centers to consider:Andre Drummond, DET at BKN ($8,700); Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. ATL ($8,600); Domantas Sabonis, IND vs. MIA ($6,400)
With so many teams active on Wednesday, the probability of breaking news near tip-off increases, so be sure to double-check your lineups for any late scratches!
