This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
DET vs. TOR (-7.5), O/U: 213.5
IND (-5.5) vs. CLE, O/U: 216.5
UTA (-3.5) vs. PHI, O/U: 227.5
BKN (-8.5) vs. HOU, O/U: 226.5
ATL (-4.5) vs. ORL, O/U: 224.5
CHA (-1.5) vs. MIN, O/U: 229.5
CHI vs. NO (-5.5), O/U: 237.5
OKC vs. DAL (-7.5), O/U: 223.5
GS (-1.5) vs. POR, O/U: 234.5
LAL vs. SAC (-3.5), O/U: 226.5
Wednesday's DraftKings NBA slate tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and includes 10 games. LeBron James has been ruled out, while Kyle Kuzma, Marc Gasol and Alex Caruso are questionable. The Raptors will be without Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby due to the league's health and safety protocols. We can expect the Lakers and Raptors to be relatively chalky tonight. If Talen Horton-Tucker starts at small forward in LeBron's place, he will likely be the most popular player on the slate.
The LAL-SAC matchup is an appealing game to target. Both teams are shorthanded, and neither has played much defense recently. It's also among the final two games of the night, and flexibility for late-swap will likely be more important tonight with all the news to monitor. There will be multiple chalky pieces from the Lakers side while Marvin Bagley and Harrison Barnes make for viable run-backs from the Kings side. A less obvious fade could be the DET-TOR matchup. It's likely to be a popular target due to both teams being shorthanded, but it features the lowest total on the slate and tips off earliest. While there is some appealing mid-range value, no one stands out as a smash play. I don't have much interest in the game as a whole, but one-offs like Chris Boucher and Norman Powell make sense.
Injuries to Monitor
Luka Doncic (back): QUESTIONABLE
Doncic is listed as questionable for tonight due to back tightness. If he were to miss, Jalen Brunson ($5,300) and Trey Burke ($3,000) would be in line for expanded roles.
LeBron James (ankle): OUT
James will sit out tonight to rest a sprained ankle that has bothered him for most of the season. Markieff Morris ($3,700) and Talen Horton-Tucker ($3,400) should see increased run in his absence.
Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Patrick McCaw (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
The Raptors will be missing multiple key players tonight due to the league's health and safety protocols. Chris Boucher ($6,400), DeAndre' Bembry, Terence Davis ($3,400), Yuta Watanabe ($3,100) and Stanley Johnson ($3,000) could all see expanded roles.
Tobias Harris (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Harris has missed consecutive games with a bone bruise and is listed as questionable for tonight. Mike Scott ($3,500) started in his place last time out, while Shake Milton ($5,000) saw increased run off the bench.
Jerami Grant (quad): QUESTIONABLE
Grant missed practice yesterday with a bruised quad and is listed as questionable for tonight. If he were to miss, Sekou Doumbouya ($3,000), Saddiq Bey ($5,700) and Josh Jackson ($6,200) would likely see expanded roles.
Gordon Hayward (hand): QUESTIONABLE
Hayward has missed consecutive games with a bruised hand and is listed as questionable for tonight. Cody Martin ($4,000) started in his place last time out.
Evan Fournier (groin): QUESTIONABLE
Fournier is listed as questionable for tonight due to a groin strain. If he were to miss, Terrence Ross ($6,200) and Dwayne Bacon ($4,000) would likely see increased minutes.
Buddy Hield (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Hield is listed as questionable for tonight due to a sprained ankle. Tyler Haliburton (calf) will miss his fourth consecutive game. If Hield sits, Cory Joseph ($3,400) would likely start at shooting guard.
Eric Gordon (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Knee soreness kept Gordon out of Monday's game, and he's listed as questionable for tonight. Sterling Brown ($4,100) saw increased run off the bench last time out.
Kyle Kuzma (heel): QUESTIONABLE
Kuzma missed yesterday's game after being listed as probable and is currently listed as questionable for tonight. LeBron James is also out, so the Lakers could be shorthanded in the frontcourt. Montrezl Harrell ($5,500), Markieff Morris ($3,700) and Talen Horton-Tucker could all see expanded roles.
Danuel House (knee): QUESTIONABLE
House played just 11 minutes after bruising his knee on Monday and is listed as questionable for tonight. David Nwaba and Rodions Kurucs are also out, so the Rockets could be even more shorthanded in the frontcourt. If House were to miss, Jae'Sean Tate ($5,600) would likely start at small forward.
Elite Players
Guard:
James Harden ($11,000)
The Nets are still without Kevin Durant, and Harden is coming off a big triple-double that saw him score a whopping 80 DK points on Monday. I'd expect him to be a popular spend-up option tonight, especially given the matchup against the Rockets, as the revenge narrative will be a popular topic.
Damian Lillard ($10,600) and Stephen Curry ($9,900) will face each other tonight in a matchup that features a 234.5 total. Curry is coming off three consecutive duds as he continues to shoot the ball poorly. Lillard has scored at least 50 DK points in seven of his last eight games. I have interest in both guys tonight, but if I had to pick one, it'd be Curry based on the $700 salary savings.
Center:
Joel Embiid ($10,400)
Embiid was dominant again last time out despite coach Doc Rivers calling him "very questionable" before tip-off. He's topped 60 DK points in four of his last 10 games and gets a marquee matchup against Rudy Gobert tonight.
Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,000)
Blowouts and foul-trouble have kept his minutes in the low 30s each of the past three games. The Wolves are without another one of their top scorers after Malik Beasley was suspended, and tonight's matchup against the Hornets is a favorable one. I'd expect Towns to be a popular spend-up option.
Expected Chalk
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are significantly shorthanded tonight for an ideal matchup against the Kings. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are out, while Kyle Kuzma, Marc Gasol and Alex Caruso are questionable. Talen Horton-Tucker ($3,400) will likely be the slate's chalk if he starts for the resting LeBron at small forward. Dennis Schroder ($5,900) will be a popular mid-range option at point guard. If Kyle Kuzma ($5,800) ends up starting, I'd expect him to be popular as well. Markieff Morris ($3,400) would also garner some popularity should he start power forward. Keep an eye out for news and starting lineups.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors will be without Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby due to the league's health and safety protocols. Norman Powell ($6,700) and Chris Boucher ($6,400) will be popular mid-range options, and depending on the starting lineup, there could be some cheap value as well.
Value Picks
Kristaps Porzingis ($8,200)
Luka Doncic is listed as questionable tonight, and if he sits, I'd expect Porzingis to be a relatively popular play. He has only played twice since Feb. 14th, but he scored 40.5 DK points in 33 minutes last time out while shooting poorly from the field. He would likely see a significant bump in usage should Doncic miss.
Kyle Lowry ($8,100)
Lowry is coming off a triple-double that saw him put up 58.25 DK points last time out. He's seen a significant salary increase, and that might keep his popularity down, but he should see all the usage he can handle with Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam ruled out.
Norman Powell ($6,700) and Chris Boucher ($6,400)
As I mentioned above, Powell and Boucher are likely to be popular mid-range options, and rightfully so. The Raptors will be without Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, and that should mean increased minutes and usage for both.
Marvin Bagley ($6,600)
The Kings will be missing Tyler Haliburton and Hassan Whiteside, while Buddy Hield is listed as questionable. Bagley put up 46 DK points in 35 minutes last time out.
Dennis Schroder ($5,900)
Schroder should see a significant usage bump in the absence of LeBron James. Back-up point guard Alex Caruso is also listed as questionable. Keep an eye out for news, as the Lakers are playing the second game of a back-to-back, and Schroder played 38 minutes yesterday.
Dennis Smith ($4,900)
Smith has scored at least 30 DK points and played at least 26 minutes in three consecutive games while starting at point guard for the injured Delon Wright. The Pistons have a favorable matchup against the shorthanded Raptors tonight.
Justin Patton ($4,000)
Patton has started consecutive games at center for the shorthanded Rockets. He's played 26 and 32 minutes and could be in line for a few more if Danuel House (ankle) were to miss.
