This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Wednesday's slate offers up nine games. Let's dive right into the action.
SLATE OVERVIEW
MIL (-11) vs. IND, O/U: 222.5
BOS (-2) @ CLE, O/U: 216.5
OKC (-7.5) @ DET, O/U: 212
UTA (-8) @ NY, O/U: 219
MIA (-7.5) vs. ORL, O/U: 217.5
BKN (-1.5) vs. MEM, O/U: 223.5
MIN (-3.5) vs. CHI, O/U: 229.5
DAL (-5.5) vs. NO, O/U: 238.5
POR (-7.5) vs. WAS, O/U: 240
I took a big risk today by fading the Pelicans across most of my lineups. Overall, the team didn't do a good job of load management with their marquee players. A tough loss against the Timberwolves was a huge hit to their playoff chances as well as their morale, so I'm letting them sit on this back-to-back. I should probably give a bit more love to the Washington frontcourt upon reviewing my selections, so keep them in mind as you make your builds.
INJURY SITUATIONS TO MONITOR
Damian Lillard (groin) PROBABLE
This is just a note to indicate that it's time to scale back on CJ McCollum because Lillard is likely to take the court tonight. He may be limited, but his presence will definitely put things back into place for the Trail Blazers, who have lost a lot of ground in his absence.
Jayson Tatum (illness) QUESTIONABLE
Jaylen Brown (hamstring) QUESTIONABLE
Kemba Walker (knee) OUT
Boston had solved the Tatum absence by sliding Jaylen Brown to the three and slotting Marcus Smart ($7,000) in at off-guard, so if both of these guys are out, one has to assume a lot of production for Grant Williams ($3,100). Even if Tatum isn't close to 100 percent, I think he may give it a go, especially if Brown can't make it. As for Walker, Smart is definitely worth a boost, and Brad Wanamaker ($3,500) should also see a few more minutes.
Andre Drummond (calf) OUT
Drummond has been ruled out for a second-straight game tonight. With Tristan Thompson also questionable, expect Larry Nance ($6,500) to follow up his 43 DKFP performance against Utah with another good stat line.
Derrick Rose (ankle) OUT
Bruce Brown (knee) DOUBTFUL
Brandon Knight (quad) QUESTIONABLE
I expect Langston Galloway ($3,600) to draw the start if any combo of these guards fail to play, and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk ($3,900) should get another start at the three.
ELITE PLAYERS
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL ($11,400) vs. IND
Even with Khris Middleton back, I think Giannis is an excellent play against the Pacers. Some may balk at the price, but in two games against the Pacers he's averaged around 60 DKFP per game, which puts Giannis ahead of 5x value. The Pacers are on their third straight road game, and could be a little gassed after two hard-fought wins.
Luka Doncic, DAL ($10,900) vs. NO
I like Doncic as a tournament core, due to a number of concerns that make him slightly less dependable. For one, his shot is still warming back up after a brief absence, and his history against New Orleans leaves a bit to be desired. Still, the upside is always there for Doncic, and sharps may choose to fade him with a few measurables stacked against him.
Bradley Beal, WAS ($10,600) @ POR
With the red-hot pace of this game, Beal is pretty much a lock for me in cash. This will be Beal's first game against Portland, and I think the Trail Blazers are likely to struggle in attempting to contain him. Damian Lillard will be back but could be on a minutes restriction. With Portland ranking 25th in defending the three, Beal could find a lot of openings from beyond the arc.
EXPECTED CHALK AND OTHER OPTIONS
Julius Randle, NY ($7,700) vs. UTA
Randle gets a little extra attention with Mitchell Robinson (hamstring) questionable tonight. Rudy Gobert is certainly no slouch, but Randle is hot and looking to log his fourth-straight double-double. Without Robinson, Randle's opportunities are almost certain to increase.
Christian Wood, DET ($7,700) vs. OKC
The Pistons should get Wood back tonight, so their fortunes against the Thunder increase dramatically. Oklahoma City can fend off most frontcourts, and they'll probably be successful in bottling up John Henson, but Wood presents an additional challenge as a player who's been exemplary in his new role as a starter. Over his past six games, he's averaged a staggering 21.5 points and 10.5 rebounds to go along with four double-doubles.
Ja Morant, MEM ($7,200) @ BKN
Morant dropped 50 DKFP on Brooklyn in their last meeting, and with a day of rest I expect a similar line from Morant today. The standout guard is especially well-rested, as his services were no longer needed after 23 minutes in a blowout against Atlanta. Although he had a few off-games, Morant had an excellent month, with averages of 18.7 points, 6.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds across 11 games in February.
Collin Sexton, CLE ($6,600) vs. BOS
The Cavs are catching the Celtics with a wide array of injuries, and they'll need Sexton to exploit the situation if they hope to claim an upset. While the Over/Under isn't especially encouraging, Boston's backcourt will be short-handed and Cleveland should have the upper hand with a lot of role players at those positions. Sexton's coming off a big 50 DKFP against the Jazz and will look to take it to another quality opponent tonight.
Coby White, CHI ($6,200) @ MIN
Zach LaVine's absence has opened up things for White, who is averaging 30 minutes per game from the bench. A look at White's most recent games shows a tremendous uptick in every category. Over his past five games, he's averaged 28.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and three assists. The O/U here is favorable against Minnesota's sub-par defense.
Also consider: T.J. Warren, IND ($6,100) @ MIL
VALUE PLAYS
Keep the injury pivots in mind from the injury section, where Marcus Smart is my favorite play, followed closely by Larry Nance. Keep an eye on Boston's starting lineup and consider firing up anyone who looks out of the ordinary if you need cap room.
Daniel Theis, BOS ($5,800) @ CLE
Theis will have his work cut out for him as one of the only healthy starters tonight against the Cavs. Although his minutes fluctuate from time to time, that shouldn't be a problem tonight as they'll need to lean on him more than usual. He's averaged a decent 25 DKFP over three games against Cleveland this year, and I expect a bit more than that tonight.
Terrence Ross, ORL ($5,700) @ MIA
If the price here were a bit lower, I'd have a lot more exposure here, but his potentially low ownership still keeps him on my radar. Ross has turned it on of late, with a respectable five-game average of almost 46 DKFP. That easily surpasses 5x value and settles him at a comfortable $158 per point if he can keep that kind of production going.
James Johnson, MIN ($4,700) vs. CHI
Johnson is currently the most viable option in Karl-Anthony Towns' absence, and he finds himself in a potentially exploitable spot against the Bulls, who have a lack of experience and injury concerns in their frontcourt. His upside has been spotty, but at this price you could definitely do a lot worse. Even 25 DKFP would make him a value-beating prospect at this price, and he's exceeded that total eight times over his past ten games.
