This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
With 10 games on the schedule for Wednesday's slate, there's a ton of options to sort through at all levels of the price scale. The following list should provide a handful of players to consider building your lineup around:
GUARDS:
Dennis Schroder, ATL vs NOP ($7,800): Schroder has a couple of things going for him that makes this a strong play overall. First off is the matchup. The Pelicans have given up the second most FanDuel points to point guards on the season, so Schroder should have no trouble finding his spots to score and thrive with his typical play making ability. Adding on to that is Schroder's strong play of late. He's posted back-to-back outings of 40.5 and 54.1 FanDuel points, while also surpassing 35 FanDuel points in four of his last five contests. With increased production of late and a favorable matchup, go ahead and get Schroder in your lineup.
Goran Dragic, MIA at MIL ($7,100): As has been the case all season, the Heat continue to be without a handful of key players. Two, specifically, are Dion Waiters, who's out for the season with an ankle injury, and Tyler Johnson (ankle). That's two prominent players to make up for in the backcourt, so Dragic should be looking at increased usage once again. Dragic has a safe floor and almost never drops below 30 FanDuel points, but can also hit the upper 40s on any given night, which would be great value for a $7,100 price.
Zach LaVine, CHI vs GSW ($4,100): Yes, I realize this may be a bit of a risky pick due to LaVine's recent restrictions. Over his first two games back from injury, the Bulls have kept him on a strict 20-minute limit. However, LaVine himself admitted that he's 100 percent and ready for a full workload, so there's a chance his minutes are upped going into a matchup with the defending champs. Even when he was limited for Monday's game, LaVine still ended up posting 36.5 FanDuel points, so grab the discounted price while you can if you're willing to risk it. That said, LaVine should only be a tournament play.
FORWARDS:
Kevin Durant, GSW at CHI ($10,600): The Warriors are set to be without Draymond Green (shoulder) and Andre Iguodala (calf) on Wednesday, so Durant's going to be relied upon in the frontcourt to take on even more of the usage. Green's absence is particularly key here, as it should allow Durant to become even a bigger factor on the boards. An increase in usage for a player that already has one of the highest ceilings in the league is a great recipe for success. I like Durant as the top $10,000-plus priced player.
Kyle Kuzma, LAL at OKC ($5,900): I originally wrote this pick down when I saw it was uncertain if Larry Nance would be able to play. Nance has since been upgraded to probable, though I still think Kuzma is a solid option overall. Over his last three games, Kuzma has averaged 15.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.7 steals across 31.7 minutes, which was good enough for 33.9 FanDuel points. That alone is hitting value for a $5,900 price and we've all seen what Kuzma can do when he gets hot, so plenty of upside here. Kuzma has surpassed 40 FanDuel points six times already this season.
Justise Winslow, MIA at MIL ($3,800): I already talked about the extensive injuries to the Heat above, but that's also the reason I'm rolling with Winslow on this list. Tyler Johnson (ankle) is set to sit out, which means more Josh Richardson at shooting guard and opens more minutes for Winslow at small forward. Winslow played 21 minutes the last time out, posting 19.2 FanDuel points, and with an expected jump in playing time, his overall numbers should climb. With a near minimum price, Winslow becomes one of the better value plays of the night.
CENTERS:
Nikola Jokic, DEN at LAC ($9,600): The Clippers are set to be without DeAndre Jordan (ankle) once again, which makes this matchup even more intriguing for Jokic, who should get to battle with either Willie Reed or Montrezl Harrell for most of the night. Jokic himself has already been hot of late, posting 65.1 and 48.3 FanDuel points over the last few games. With a strong matchup, I see no problems for Jokic continuing his recent surge. He's a rare center that can do it all, making him my top play at the position for Wednesday's slate.
Willie Reed, LAC vs DEN ($4,200): I just mentioned above that Reed would combine with Montrezl Harrell to fill in for the ailing DeAndre Jordan. This pick certainly comes with some risk, however, as Reed played just 10 minutes in his absence the last time out. That said, a game prior to that, Reed logged 26 minutes and recorded 44.6 FanDuel points, which shows his upside. Harrell is priced at $6,000 and is the safer player here, but for his price, he doesn't nearly have the upside that Reed does while sitting at just $4,200. If you're in a tournament setting and need a salary break at the center position, Reed can be considered.
