Wednesday features a six-game slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays using the FantasyLabs Tools and metrics.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 150 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly. Consult the Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
Point Guard
Stud
The Mavericks enter the final week of the regular season with plenty still up for grabs. They’re just one game behind the Warriors for the No. 3 spot in the West, and they’re just two games up on the Jazz for No. 4.
They should be able to grab a win Wednesday vs. the Pistons, and Luka Doncic will assuredly be a big part of their offense. He’s saved some of his best basketball for the end of the year, racking up at least 70.5 DraftKings points in three of his past four games. He’s also increased his production to 1.64 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he should be able to do damage vs. the Pistons’ 23rd ranked defense.
Value
Cade Cunningham is not currently listed on the injury report, but it’s hard to believe he’s going to play much on Tuesday. He missed their last contest and was pulled after just 7.7 minutes the game prior. If he’s limited once again, there will be minutes available in the backcourt.
Carsen Edwards is one potential beneficiary. He racked up nearly 30.7 minutes in his last outing and responded with 34.75 DraftKings points. He wasn’t even particularly efficient in that contest – he shot just 5-15 from the field – so he has some room for improvement.
Fast Break
Kyrie Irving remains priced at a massive discount on FanDuel. His $8,600 price tag comes with a Bargain Rating of 97%, and his 10 Pro Trends are tied for the most at the position. Irving is also playing massive minutes for the Nets, who still have plenty to play for at this point in the year. He’s coming off 59.6 FanDuel points on Tuesday, and there’s no reason he can’t do it again vs. the Knicks.
Ayo Dosunmu’s role has decreased recently with the Bulls closer to full strength, but his price has also plummeted across the industry. He could see a few additional minutes on Wednesday with Alex Caruso unlikely to suit up, so he has some buy-low appeal.
Shooting Guard
Stud
The Jazz managed to secure a victory over the Grizzlies on Tuesday despite a pedestrian game from Donovan Mitchell. He shot just 6-24 from the field, which limited him to a pedestrian 40.75 DraftKings points over 41.5 minutes.
Mitchell should be able to bounce back vs. the Thunder. They are literally playing guys they just signed off the street, and Mitchell has averaged 1.27 DraftKings points per minute this season. The Jazz’s implied team total of 118.25 also ranks second on the slate.
Value
Frank Jackson is another potential value option for the Pistons. He’s racked up at least 33 minutes in back-to-back games, and he’s responded with at least 29.25 DraftKings points in both contests. Jackson has averaged a solid 0.80 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he should continue to thrive with increased playing time.
Fast Break
Marcus Smart has seen an uptick in production recently, increasing his fantasy output to 0.97 FanDuel points per minute over the past month. He’s coming off a poor performance in his last outing, but he was limited to just 23.9 minutes in a blowout win vs. the Wizards. That’s caused his price tag to dip to just $5,600 on FanDuel, and Smart has appeal at that figure. He’s currently projected for 34 minutes in our NBA Models, and his matchup vs. the Bulls results in an Opponent Plus/Minus of +3.44.
Coby White is priced at the minimum on FanDuel, and he’s tough to ignore at that price tag. He hasn’t been particularly effective recently, averaging just 0.70 FanDuel points per minute over the past month, but he should see a few additional minutes if Caruso sits.
Small Forward
Stud
The Bulls have slipped to sixth in the Eastern Conference standings, but they have locked up a guaranteed playoff spot. That may not be what they were hoping for after a red-hot start to the year, but it’s still an accomplishment.
Zach LaVine got the night off on Tuesday, but he’s expected to return to the lineup Wednesday vs. the Celtics. He’s a bit cheaper than usual at just $7,600, and he’s historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.70 with a comparable price tag (per the Trends tool). That makes him a solid buy-low option, even in a tough matchup vs. the Celtics.
Value
Georgios Kalaitzakis signed a 10-day hardship contract with the Thunder on Tuesday, and he immediately started and played 42.9 minutes in his debut. The Thunder are really taking tanking to a new extreme this season.
The Thunder have yet to release their injury report for Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Jazz, but it’s hard to imagine we’ll see their A squad. If Tre Mann and Aleksej Pokusevski are out once again, Kalaitzakis should be looking at another sizable workload. That would make him appealing at the absolute minimum.
Fast Break
Patrick Williams started in place of LaVine on Tuesday, and he’s been an excellent source of value recently. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in four straight games, and he’s scored at least 26.0 DraftKings points in each of his past three. His salary has yet to reflect his increased production, so he remains an excellent option at just $3,500.
Corey Kispert is one of the better value options on FanDuel, where his $3,700 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 94%. He’s a mediocre per-minute producer, but he should be able to return value through sheer volume. He’s currently projected for 32 minutes in our NBA Models, and players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +5.07.
Power Forward
Stud
The Nets are back in the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference, and they now control their own destiny. Finishing in eighth is a massive advantage over finishing ninth, so the Nets should continue to play hard down the stretch.
Kevin Durant took a backseat to Irving in the Nets’ last outing, but he has commanded a massive workload of late. He’s logged at least 39.4 minutes in five of his past seven games, and he’s scored at least 68.25 DraftKings points in three of them. That gives him one of the highest ceilings on the slate. The Knicks are a subpar matchup, but Durant is capable of going off against anyone.
Value
Julius Randle is likely done for the rest of the season, so Obi Toppin should continue to start at power forward. He’s averaged 1.09 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he’s unsurprisingly taken advantage of his additional playing time. He’s racked up at least 30.7 minutes in back-to-back games, and he’s scored at least 33.0 DraftKings points in both. Overall, Toppin is one of the best values on the slate.
Fast Break
Should you go back to the well with Jaylen Hoard? It might not be the worst idea. He’s averaged a stout 1.08 DraftKings points per minute in his limited playing time with the Thunder, and he’s scored at least 46.5 DraftKings points in his two games with significant minutes. If Pokusevski is out again, Hoard should garner significant attention.
Jayson Tatum is a viable stud option on FanDuel, where his $9,400 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 92%. His 11 Pro Trends also rank first at the position, and he’s increased his production to 1.33 FanDuel points per minute over the past month.
Center
Stud
Kristaps Porzingis has had a nice start to his tenure with the Wizards. He’s averaged 1.46 DraftKings points per minute over the past month – the top mark among Wednesday’s centers – and he’s scored at least 40.0 DraftKings points in six of his past seven games. He has some upside vs. the Hawks, who have played at the sixth-fastest pace over their past 10 games.
Value
The Pistons are down a host of options in their frontcourt, with Marvin Bagley, Kelly Olynyk, and Jerami Grant all currently out of the lineup. That should allow Isaiah Stewart to see a few additional minutes down the stretch. He’s averaged 0.90 DraftKings points per minute this season, and he could approach 30 minutes Wednesday vs. the Mavs.
Fast Break
Nikola Vucevic finally let us down on Tuesday, finishing with just 19.7 FanDuel points over 26.3 minutes. That snapped a streak of eight straight games with a positive Plus/Minus. His price has now decreased to $7,500 on FanDuel, and I remain very interested at that price tag. He leads the position with 14 Pro Trends, so this is an excellent buy-low opportunity.
Clint Capela hasn’t been as dominant on a per-minute basis this season, but he’s still averaged a solid 1.13 DraftKings points per minute. He’s also racked up at least 30.1 minutes in four of his past six games, which gives him solid upside vs. the Wizards. They rank just 25th in defensive efficiency and 16th in team rebound rate, so they’re an above-average matchup for centers.
