This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
DET vs. CLE (-2.5), O/U: 214
IND vs. CHA (-1.5), O/U: 218.5
SAC vs. ORL (-1.5), O/U: 221
BKN (-7.5) vs. ATL, O/U: 235.5
DEN (-5.5) vs. MIA, O/U: 220.5
LAL (-2.5) vs. PHI, O/U: 221.5
MIL (-6.5) vs. TOR, O/U: 223.5
BOS (-3.5) vs. SA, O/U: 225
DAL vs. UTA (-4), O/U: 225
OKC vs. PHX (-6.5), O/U: 220.5
WAS vs. NO (-7.5), O/U: 228.5
MIN vs. GS (-7.5), O/U: 227.5
Wednesday's DraftKings NBA slate tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and includes 12 games. Devin Booker, Jimmy Butler and Blake Griffin have already been ruled out. Domantas Sabonis, DeAngelo Russell and Pascal Siakam are listed as questionable. Miami have listed Tyler Herro, Goran Dragic, Gabe Vincent and Avery Bradley as questionable. The Wizards still have multiple players out due to the league's health and safety protocols and could also rest Russell Westbrook on the second night of a back-to-back. Both the Heat and Wizards will be shorthanded again tonight.
The DEN-MIA and WAS-NO matchups are appealing targets due to the Heat and Wizards being shorthanded. I will be targeting the later games to keep my lineups flexible as we will likely get significant news with 24 teams playing tonight. The Suns have a favorable matchup against the Thunder and are playing without Devin Booker. Luka Doncic should be playing in a competitive game against the Jazz while Stephen Curry and Warriors have a rematch against a bad Minnesota defense after scoring 130 on them last time out.
Injuries to Monitor
Domantas Sabonis (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Sabonis left Monday's game early but appears to have avoided serious injury. If he sits tonight, Doug McDermott and Jeremy Lamb should see increased run.
LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Both guys have their usual questionable tags but are likely to play tonight.
D'Angelo Russell (quad): QUESTIONABLE
Russell missed Monday's game with a bruised quad and if he can't go tonight, Ricky Rubio ($5,400) will start again.
Pascal Siakam (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Siakam has missed the past two games with knee swelling. If he sits tonight, Stanley Johnson ($4,000) would likely start in his place again.
Devin Booker (hamstring): OUT
Booker will miss his second consecutive game. Mikal Bridges ($5,300) moved to shooting guard and Jae Crowder ($4,900) stepped into the starting lineup last time out.
Jimmy Butler (COVID-19): OUT
Butler was expected back but instead will miss his ninth straight game. KZ Okpala ($3,000) could start in his place again.
Tyler Herro (neck): QUESTIONABLE
Herro has missed the past six games with neck spasms. If he sits again tonight, Goran Dragic ($6,400) would likely start but he's also listed as questionable with a groin strain. Kendrick Nunn ($5,700) could be in line for increased minutes.
Larry Nance (wrist): QUESTIONABLE
Nance missed Monday's game after tweaking his wrist in Sunday's loss. Taurean Prince ($4,500) started in his place last time out.
Blake Griffin (rest): OUT
Griffin will be rested for the first game of a back-to-back. Saddiq Bey ($3,400) will likely step into the starting lineup.
Al Horford (personal): QUESTIONABLE
Horford has missed the past six games following the birth of his child but could return. Isaiah Roby ($5,000) has been starting at center in his place.
Elite Players
There are six players with five-figure salaries on tonight's slate. Luka Doncic ($10,900), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,700) and Nikola Jokic ($10,500) are the top options. Doncic is coming off a massive triple-double that saw him score 86.25 DK points. Giannis has been playing more minutes of late but has only topped 60 DK points twice in the past eight games. Jokic continues to be a model of consistency as he's averaging an assist shy of a triple-double and 60 DK points for the season. On a 12 game slate, it will be important to spend-up for the slate's highest scorer and Doncic has the highest upside tonight in what should be a competitive matchup against the Jazz.
Kevin Durant ($10,300), Bradley Beal ($10,200) and James Harden ($10,100) round out the players in the five-figure range. The Nets have a favorable matchup with Atlanta so Durant is in play tonight but Harden's salary seems to be too expensive for his new role. He hasn't scored more than 44 DK points in any of the last three games and hasn't taken more than 14 shots in any of the last four. Bradley Beal would be my pick from this range as the Wizards will be shorthanded again. If Russell Westbrook rests, expect Beal to be an even more popular spend-up option.
Joel Embiid ($9,400), Nikola Vucevic ($9,300), Clint Capela ($9,100) and Anthony Davis ($9,000) are the other elite options at center. Embiid was rested on Monday but has scored at least 58 DK points in his last three games and his salary has dropped to its lowest point in 10 games. Vucevic has a favorable matchup against the Kings while Capela came back down to earth last night after a string of massive performances. Anthony Davis ($9,000) has also seen his salary hit a low point and he always has the potential to be the slate's highest scorer. I think all four are viable options tonight but of the bunch, my pick is Embiid.
LeBron James ($9,900), Stephen Curry ($9,300) and Trae Young ($9,200) make up the other elite options at guard tonight. James is coming off his best game of the season in which he sunk seven threes in route to scoring 75 DK points. Curry is fresh off a good game against a bad Minnesota defense and the two teams will run it back tonight. Young has now put up at least 50 DK in five consecutive games as he's really found his form. Of the three, I'd choose Young as he seems to be the most consistent and also has big upside in what should be a high scoring matchup with the Nets.
Expected Chalk
Miami will be missing Jimmy Butler again and have listed Tyler Herro, Goran Dragic, Gabe Vincent and Avery Bradley as questionable. Bam Adebayo ($8,600) has been a popular play at center while the Heat have been shorthanded and will be significantly rostered again tonight. Depending on which guards are ruled out, Kendrick Nunn ($5,700) could also be popular. It's possible that we don't get this news until after lock so plan accordingly.
The Wizards will also be shorthanded again and could even rest Russell Westbrook on the second night of a back-to-back. Should that be the case, expect Bradley Beal ($10,200) to be a popular spend-up option while Raul Neto ($4,300) would be a popular value play. Even if Westbrook plays, there will be cheap value options at forward depending on who starts. Anthony Gill ($3,000) got the start last night and was one of the most popular plays on the slate.
Value Picks
Bam Adebayo ($8,600)
Adebayo has seen an uptick in minutes and usage as the Heat have been shorthanded for an extended period. He has put up at least 50 DK points in three of the past six games and will be a popular option at center tonight.
Chris Paul ($7,600)
Paul ran the show in the absence of Devin Booker on Saturday and scored a season-high 56 DK points. With Booker out again tonight and the Suns facing a bad Thunder team, Paul seems like a safe bet to hit value.
Deandre Ayton ($7,300)
Ayton has been taking more shots recently and Devin Booker being out gives a slight bump to his usage. With so many good spend-up options at center tonight, he could go overlooked.
Andrew Wiggins ($6,700)
Wiggins will face his old team again tonight after putting up 43 DK points against them on Monday. Minnesota has one of the league's worst defenses and Wiggins should have plenty of motivation.
Kendrick Nunn ($5,700)
Keep an eye on the Miami injury news as they currently have four guards listed as questionable. Nunn has played over 32 minutes in five straight games and hit value in four of them.
Jae Crowder ($4,900) and Cameron Johnson ($4,800)
Crowder stepped into the starting lineup for the injured Devin Booker on Saturday and put up 38 DK points while playing 45 minutes in a double-overtime game. Both Crowder and Johnson have affordable salaries and will see increased usage in the absence of Booker again tonight.
Darius Garland ($4,600)
Garland has come off the bench and seen his minutes restricted in three games since returning from injury. He has also seen a significant reduction in salary and it's only a matter of time before he's back in the starting lineup.
Saddiq Bey ($3,400)
Bey is likely to start in place of the resting Blake Griffin tonight.
