Alex Hunter breaks down his top DraftKings DFS targets and value plays for Wednesday’s NBA slate.
Wednesday’s main slate includes the first seven games of the night. DraftKings continues to offer huge contests for DFS players, and below, I break down some of my favorite options at each position.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Zone Special [$100K to 1st]
Guard
Stud
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons at Atlanta Hawks, $10,200
Cunningham brings huge upside on Wednesday and is a great spend for all formats. Jaden Ivey (leg) remains sidelined and in the 11 games Cunningham has played without Ivey this season, Cunningham is amassing 53.8 FPTS per game with a 34.2% usage rate and a 39.9% assist percentage. The Hawks are a perfect matchup for the budding superstar, with Atlanta ranking second in pace and 19th in defensive efficiency.
Even with Ivey active, Cunningham posted a triple-double worth 60.8 FPTS in his lone meeting of the season with the Hawks back in November. Wednesday’s matchup carries a high 235-point total on the DraftKings Sportsbook and Cunningham should score nothing less than 50 FPTS.
Other Options: LaMelo Ball ($10,700), Trae Young ($9,600), Donovan Mitchell ($8,700), Darius Garland ($7,400)
Value
Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks at New Orleans Pelicans, $5,100
Middleton has been thriving as the Bucks’ sixth man recently. In his last four, Middleton is generating 29.4 FPTS in 23.8 minutes per game, while shooting 58.4% from the field. The veteran has led Milwaukee with a 46.3% assist percentage during this span and Middleton’s success should continue against this soft Pelicans defense that ranks 27th in efficiency.
Over 30 FPTS is a possibility for Middleton in this spot and he should come with low ownership as a bench player.
Other Options: D’Angelo Russell ($6,200), Malik Beasley ($5,100), Mike Conley ($4,000)
Forward
Stud
Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies vs. Charlotte Hornets, $8,400
Jackson Jr. is on the heels of a 44.25 FPTS outing against a Timberwolves defense that ranks seventh in defensive efficiency. Now, he faces a Hornets defense that ranks 15th in the metric in a game that sports a huge 238-point total on the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Jackson Jr. is scoring 1.4 FPTS per minute with a 29.5% usage rate this season, and he is averaging 41.7 FPTS per game in totals of 235 points or greater (13 games). Jackson Jr. has a great chance to exceed five times value Wednesday and is the best way to attack this Grizzlies offense that is expected to produce a huge amount of points. On the DraftKings Sportsbook, Memphis is a -130 favorite.
Other Options: Trey Murphy ($8,400), Amen Thompson ($8,000)
Value
Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves at Dallas Mavericks, $5,500
Reid is an elite value play with Donte DiVincenzo (toe) sidelined. With the ex-Knick unavailable for the last three, Reid has been terrific, providing 38.5 FPTS in 28 minutes per game off the bench. The big has knocked down five three-pointers per game while shooting 63% from beyond the arc during this stretch.
Reid scores 1.1 FPTS per minute with a 22.2% usage rate with DiVincenzo off the floor this season, and Reid brings much better upside than his salary suggests, regardless of this being a subpar matchup vs. the Mavericks, who rank 12th in defensive efficiency.
Other Options: Svi Mykhailiuk ($4,900, if Lauri Markkanen and John Collins are out), Cam Whitmore ($4,100)
Center
Stud
Mark Williams, Charlotte Hornets at Memphis Grizzlies, $7,000
Williams has been a force, scoring 51.2 FPTS in 32 minutes per game in his past four starts, all of which have been double-doubles. With Nick Richards now with the Suns and no longer backing up Williams, the center is locked into a 30+ minute role going forward and this matchup vs. the Grizzlies is very appealing, with Memphis leading the NBA in pace this season.
With a 21.9% usage rate, Williams is collecting 1.4 FPTS per minute this season and he has a ceiling of over 40 FPTS on Wednesday.
Other Options: Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,800)
Value
Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons at Atlanta Hawks, $5,500
Duren erupted for a double-double of 50 FPTS in Monday’s win over the Rockets and the center is now amassing 41.5 FPTS per game across his last three starts. Duren is supplying 1.2 FPTS per minute this season and the Hawks are a prime spot for the center, with Atlanta ranking second in pace and 19th in defensive efficiency.
Duren should tally a double-double in this spot and he is a strong, affordable way to gain a share of this likely shootout between the Pistons and Hawks, which carries a 235-point total on the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Other Options: Daniel Gafford ($6,000, if Dereck Lively is out), Onyeka Okongwu ($5,600), Nick Richards ($5,300)
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