This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
TEAM ANALYSIS
Defense To Avoid
Dallas Mavericks vs. New York Knicks: The Mavs have given up the fourth-fewest points per game (100.0) on the season and are tied with the Wizards with the third-most turnovers forced (14.9) per contest, as well. The Knicks are turning the ball over at a clip of 13.6 times per game, and shooting just 43.7 percent on the road. Dallas has also held four of their last five opponents under 100 points, including limiting the Lakers to 73 in their most recent contest.
Offense To Use
Houston Rockets at Boston Celtics: The Warriors and Thunder are also excellent candidates for this spot Wednesday, but the Rockets could be in prime position to light up the scoreboard against a Celtics team on the second game of a back-to-back that's given up between 117 and 127 points in its last three contests. Boston has surrendered 105.7 points per game overall, while the Rockets score the second-most points (114.5) per contest and boast the fourth-highest field-goal percentage (46.8).
Teams on a Back-to-Back Set
First game of a back-to-back: Mavericks, Thunder, Lakers
Second game of a back-to-back: Celtics, Bulls, Sixers, Raptors
DraftKings.com DAILY PLAYER RECOMMENDATIONS
Russell Westbrook, OKC at NO ($12,800): Westbrook has taken his jaw-dropping game to an even higher level over the last four contests, eclipsing the 70-fantasy point mark in three of them. He's also accomplished the feat on two other occasions over the last 10, and has surpassed the 80-mark once as well. Essentially, he's almost making a minimum of 60 fantasy points the norm, and he now draws a Pelicans defense that gives up the fourth-most fantasy points (57.1) and points (24.7), third-most rebounds (6.6) and most three-pointers (2.9) to point guards.
Dion Waiters, MIA at BKN ($6,600): With a full slate Wednesday, there's plenty of affordable options around this tier, including C.J. McCollum ($7,800), Goran Dragic ($7,300), Dwyane Wade ($6,400), Klay Thompson ($6,300) and Dennis Schroder ($6,200). Waiters also checks in as a highly appealing play, considering both recent performance and matchup. He's scored 44.25 and 48.75 fantasy points, respectively, over the last two games, and sports a 27.2 percent usage rate without Tyler Johnson (shoulder), who'll be out again Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Nets give up the second-most fantasy points (44.2), second-most points (23.0) and rebounds (6.0), and most steals (1.9) to shooting guards, along with the third-most fantasy points (48.5), over the last five games.
Ty Lawson, SAC at CLE ($4,100): Jordan Clarkson ($4,900), Terrence Ross ($4,500), Bojan Bogdanovic ($4,100), Garrett Temple ($4,000) and Marco Belinelli ($3,900) also make for viable options at this level, but Lawson checks in with the best combination of price and upside Wednesday. The veteran guard has scored between 21.75 and 34.25 fantasy points over the last three games, while also eclipsing the 20-fantasy point mark on three other occasions and the 30-mark once over the last 10. The Cavs have been a sieve against point guards, particularly lately, giving up the second-most fantasy points (64.4) to the position over the last five games, along with the third-most points (24.8) and third-highest field-goal percentage (46.9) on the season.
Kevin Durant, GS at CHA ($9,400): The Hornets have given up the eighth-most fantasy points (43.2) to small forwards on the season, along with the most assists (4.0). A couple of "average" games (by his standards) in which he's scored between 40.5 and 48.0 fantasy points have brought Durant's price down by $900 overall, making him the best potential points-per-dollar forward at the top tier on Wednesday, given his 70-fantasy point ceiling.
Robert Covington, PHI at MIL ($5,600): For those with the cash to spend, Terrence Jones ($7,100), Julius Randle ($6,700) and James Johnson ($5,900) all present strong options with good matchups at this price tier. For those in need of a discount, Covington is a bit mispriced based on recent production, having scored between 35.0 and 37.5 fantasy points over the last three games. The Bucks also give up the second-most fantasy points (47.3), most points (22.8), second-most assists (3.9), most three-pointers (3.0) and sixth-highest field-goal percentage (46.1) to small forwards on the season. Furthermore, Covington posted 28.3 fantasy points against this same squad in his one previous encounter with them this season.
Evan Turner, POR vs. LAL ($4,500): Turner has scored 23.25 and 28.0 fantasy points in two of his last three games, excellent returns on his current price. He's been getting run with the first unit and will face a Lakers defense Wednesday that's given up the third-most fantasy points (45.0), fourth-most points (21.2), second-most assists (3.9), third-most steals (1.9) and highest field-goal percentage (48.1) to small forwards on the season.
DeMarcus Cousins, SAC at CLE ($10,800): Cousins is averaging 58.0 fantasy points over his last five games and touched up this Cavs squad for 53.5 fantasy points in their one previous meeting this season. The mercurial big man also has scored 71.5 and 55.5 fantasy points, respectively, over the last two games, and has eclipsed the 60-mark on three other occasions during the last 10 as well. Cleveland has given up the third-most fantasy points (57.4) to power forwards over the last five, a stretch that includes a 63.75 fantasy point-performance by the Pelicans' Terrence Jones on Monday night.
Mason Plumlee, POR vs. LAL ($6,200): Brook Lopez ($6,300) is also a viable pivot at this price point, while Dirk Nowitzki ($5,500) and Enes Kanter ($5,400) are great options for those who need to save a few hundred in salary. Plumlee checks in as a highly appealing play in his own right against a Lakers squad that just suffered the worst loss in franchise history and that's surrendered the second-most fantasy points to centers on the season (52.7) and the last five games (67.0. They also rank in the bottom 10 against the position in several other categories, while Plumlee has scored 39.75 and 37.75 fantasy points, respectively, in his last two contests, and has averaged 30.0 fantasy points in his two previous games against the Lakers this season.
Zaza Pachulia, GS at CHA ($3,900): Pachulia has considerably upped his offensive involvement in recent games, averaging 23.4 fantasy points over his last five contests. He's scored between 23.75 and 27.75 fantasy points in his last three while playing at least 20 minutes in each game, and has eclipsed the 20-point mark on four other occasions in the last 10, as well. The Hornets are likely to be facilitators to more of the same, considering they've surrendered the fifth-most fantasy points (51.3) on the season, and over the last five games, to centers (58.9). While his talented teammates will naturally score more than their fair share, Pachulia appears to have settled in to a complementary offensive role that gives him the opportunity to provide strong returns on his current price.
INJURY REPORT
For the latest news on injured players heading into the games, check out our Injury Updates page.
