This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
NY (-4.5) vs. ORL, O/U: 209.5
ATL vs. BOS (-4.5), O/U: 223.5
HOU vs. PHI (-11.5), O/U: 225.5
DEN (-3.5) vs. WAS, O/U: 232.5
DET vs. CHI (-4.5), O/U: 222.5
IND (-5.5) vs. MIN, O/U: 227.5
OKC vs. MEM (-7.5), O/U: 223.5
POR vs. NO (-3.5), O/U: 231.5
MIA (-1) vs. GS, O/U: 223.5
UTA (-3.5) vs. LAC, O/U: 227.5
Wednesday's DraftKings NBA slate tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and includes 10 games. Kawhi Leonard is listed as questionable while Paul George is out for the Clippers. Victor Oladipo and Eric Gordon are expected to be out again for the Rockets. The Nuggets were chalky yesterday as they were significantly shorthanded at multiple positions, and they have listed five players as questionable for the second night of a back-to-back. Monte Morris's status will be among the most important news on the slate as Facundo Campazzo would be the chalk should he get another start at shooting guard.
The DEN-WAS matchup will be a popular game to target. The shorthanded Nuggets are still favorites against a bad Wizards defense, and the game features the highest total of the night. Facundo Campazzo would be a chalky value play if Monte Morris sits out again and Nikola Jokic is the elite spend-up option on the slate. Even if Morris plays, Denver will have other appealing value to choose from, while Russell Westbrook makes sense as a run-back from the Washington side. The MIA-GS matchup is a less obvious target. Both teams are still dealing with injuries, while Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry are elite options tonight. The game starts at 10:00 p.m. EST, and it's been very advantageous to target the late games this season with the amount of unexpected news that comes after lock on a nightly basis.
Injuries to Monitor
Kawhi Leonard (leg): QUESTIONABLE
Leonard has missed consecutive games with a bruised leg and is listed as questionable for tonight. Lou Williams ($6,900) has been starting in his absence.
Paul George (knee): OUT
George will miss his seventh consecutive game tonight. Reggie Jackson ($5,100) will likely start again at shooting guard.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Gilgeous-Alexander has missed the past four games but is "really close" to a return, according to the head coach. If he sits again, Kenrich Williams ($5,400) and Justin Jackson ($5,100) will continue to see extra run.
Victor Oladipo (foot) and Eric Gordon (groin): DOUBTFUL
Oladipo is likely to miss a third consecutive game tonight, while Gordon is expected to be sidelined for a second in a row. David Nwaba ($4,300) and Danuel House ($5,000) started last time out.
D'Angelo Russell (knee): OUT
Russell will have surgery and is expected to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks. Ricky Rubio ($6,100) will start at point guard.
Mike Conley (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
Conley has missed the last five games with hamstring soreness but could return tonight. Joe Ingles ($5,900) has been starting in his place.
Evan Fournier (back) and James Ennis (groin): QUESTIONABLE
Fournier has missed five consecutive games with back spasms while Ennis sat out on Sunday with a strained groin. Terrence Ross ($6,300), Michael Carter-Williams ($4,900) and Dwayne Bacon ($4,800) have been seeing increased run.
Will Barton (personal), Paul Millsap (knee), Gary Harris (thigh), Monte Morris (shoulder), PJ Dozier (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
The Nuggets have listed five players questionable for the second night of a back-to-back after all five missed yesterday's game. Facundo Campazzo ($3,500), Michael Porter ($6,200) and JaMychal Green ($4,700) stepped into the starting lineup while RJ Hampton ($3,400) saw extra run off the bench.
Elite Players
Center:
Nikola Jokic ($11,000) and Joel Embiid ($10,800)
Jokic and Embiid project as the best two plays on the slate from a raw points perspective. Jokic will be playing the second half of a back-to-back for a Nuggets team that's likely to be significantly shorthanded again. The matchup against Washington is about as favorable as it gets. Embiid sat out on Monday to rest his sore back but should be ready to go tonight. He has put up at least 50 DK points in eight of his last 10 but has just one game with over 60 in that span. The Sixers are 11.5 point favorites against a depleted Rockets team. Choosing between the two, I lean towards Jokic for the following reasons: The Nuggets are missing multiple key players while the Sixers are healthy, Jokic has more ceiling games in him based on recent evidence, and The Sixers game has a decent chance of blowing out while the DEN-WAS matchup is expected to be competitive.
Nikola Vucevic ($10,100) deserves mention as he's seen his salary rise to over 10K for the first time this season after a string of big performances for the short-handed Magic. I won't have much interest tonight as the matchup against the Knicks is among the least appealing in the league from a DFS perspective. The ORL-NY matchup features the lowest total on the slate by a significant margin.
Guard:
Stephen Curry ($10,500), Damian Lillard ($10,300) and Russell Westbrook ($10,000) are the guards with five-figure salaries on tonight's slate. All three have been playing well, and all three have seen recent salary increases. Westbrook had a salary of $8,400 just three games ago. Lillard is coming off consecutive games of 57.75 and 61.25 DK points, but we haven't seen him hit Curry's heights. Steph has put up over 67 DK points three times in his last eight, and his recent numbers would look even better if the Warriors hadn't been involved in a few blowouts. Westbrook is coming off a big triple-double as he played the second half of a back-to-back for the first time all season on Monday. It finally seems like he's healthy and rounding into form. Assuming we get some Denver value again, it would make sense to run those lineups back with Westbrook.
Forward:
Kawhi Leonard ($9,900) is questionable after missing the past two games with a bruised leg. He has been playing well in Paul George's absence, and it's been reflected in a steady salary increase. I prefer to save a bit of money and roster Jimmy Butler ($8,800). Butler has scored at least 56 DK points in three of his last four games and has two triple-doubles in that span. His matchup against the Warriors is also more favorable than Kawhi's against the Jazz.
Expected Chalk
Facundo Campazzo ($3,500)
Campazzo started at shooting guard yesterday as the Nuggets were without Monte Morris, Gary Harris and PJ Dozier. He put up 37.25 DK points while playing a whopping 40 minutes. Denver is playing the second half of a back-to-back tonight, and if Campazzo gets another start, I'd expect him to be the most popular play on the slate.
David Nwaba ($4,300)
Victor Oladipo and Eric Gordon missed Monday's game, and both are considered doubtful for tonight. Nwaba started at shooting guard and scored 41.75 DK points while seeing 41 minutes. He was the chalkiest of the Rocket's value last time out, and I'd expect that to be the case again tonight.
Value Picks
Delon Wright ($6,000)
Wright has seen a bump in minutes and usage since Derrick Rose was traded, and now the Pistons will be without Blake Griffin as well. Wright has put up 43 DK points twice in the past four games, and his $6,000 salary is too cheap for tonight's matchup against the Bulls.
Danuel House ($5,000)
House would get another start at power forward if PJ Tucker, listed as questionable, sits again. He scored 30.25 DK points last time out while playing 36 minutes for the shorthanded Rockets.
Michael Carter-Williams ($4,900)
Carter-Williams will get another start at point guard for the injured Cole Anthony. The Magic may also be without Evan Fournier and James Ennis, as both are listed as questionable. Carter-Williams has played 27 and 30 minutes in two games since returning from an extended injury absence.
JaMychal Green ($4,700)
Green was chalky last night as he started at power forward for the shorthanded Nuggets. He was quite disappointing, scoring just 12.5 DK points in 29 minutes of action. Assuming Will Barton and Paul Millsap are out again, I'd have no problem going back to Green in a favorable matchup against the Wizards.
Moritz Wagner ($3,800)
Wagner has started consecutive games at center and has seen low 20s minutes while splitting time with Robin Lopez. I don't love the idea of paying down at center with Jokic and Embiid in play tonight, but Wagner is a viable option if you want to go that route.
