The Knicks took the NBA Cup Tuesday night, and the NBA will wait a day before it kicks back into high gear. Wednesday's slate is a slim two-gamer, and we'll use our world-class NBA projections to discover our best selections for your FanDuel contests.
SLATE OVERVIEW
For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
When the slates are small, my contest strategy almost always shifts to cash games. You have to be near-perfect to hit in a tournament with this slate size, and you'll ultimately find more variance in head-to-heads or three-player contests where you have fewer opponents to beat. It's less exciting, but think of these slates as an opportunity to pad your bankroll with some double-ups.
INJURIES
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report. Below are some of the most recent and relevant injuries for Wednesday. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment when evaluating ongoing injury scenarios elsewhere on the slate.
CLE Evan Mobley (calf) - OUT
Dean Wade ($4,000) is the likely full-in for Mobley, and Jarrett Allen's ($6,100) numbers will get a boost over the next two weeks while Mobley is out.
MEM Ja Morant (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
MEM Cam Spencer (personal) - OUT
If Morant can't go, Vince Williams ($4,100) would likely step in with Spencer also absent.
MIN Anthony Edwards (foot) - QUESTIONABLE
Bones Hyland ($5,000), Donte DiVincenzo ($5,300) and Jaden McDaniels ($6,600) are three players to target if Edwards sits for another game. Remember these three players - they will come in handy regardless of Edwards' eventual status.
ELITE PLAYERS
We have zero players in the $10k range and only four above $8k, so our elite category will be very scarce. Donovan Mitchell ($9,700) is my favorite target of the group, and I would give Julius Randle ($8,900) extra consideration if Edwards is absent.
Also consider: Josh Giddey, CHI ($9,400) vs. CLE
EXPECTED CHALK AND VALUE PLAYS
Darius Garland, CLE ($7,200) @ CHI
If you believe Mitchell is too expensive, Garland is also a great choice. He led all Cleveland scorers against Charlotte last Sunday, and his minutes have been steady throughout the intermittent absences of the past month. He's had a few days of rest, so he should play without restrictions against the Bulls.
Jaren Jackson, MEM ($7,000) @ MIN
Jackson delivered his best game of the season on Monday against the Clippers, but there seems to be a positive correlation between Jackson's numbers and an active Ja Morant. I'd be much more inclined to take this route if Morant plays, but I would give Santi Aldama ($6,500) a bit more exposure if Morant is out.
Naz Reid, MIN ($6,700) vs. MEM
Minnesota is much deeper than Memphis under the basket, and the Timberwolves should be able to successfully implement Reid once the Grizzlies' first unit starts to lag. As you'll see below, I decided on another center besides Rudy Gobert, so Reid gives us a little more diversity as Jarrett Allen's likely counterpart at the PF position.
Nikola Vucevic, CHI ($6,400) vs. CLE
Since Jarrett Allen has dual eligibility, I was left with a decision between Gobert and Nikola Vucevic as my best center option, and I ultimately settled on Vucevic. The Cavs will still be functional under the basket, but Mobley's absence certainly takes the team's interior quality down a peg or two. The absence is my primary reason for targeting Vucevic, and I also think Matas Buzelis ($5,900) could bounce back after two underperforming games.
Cedric Coward, MEM ($5,600) @ MIN
Coward is another player to go with, contingent on Edwards' absence. Coward would be primed to strike at the heart of Minnesota's defense without Edwards guarding him, but the Grizzlies' overall strength will be a bit diluted if Morant is sidelined. You're counting on a role player like Coward to pick up the slack.
