With only two days of games remaining before the NBA All-Star break, the league filled up the day with a packed slate. Using RotoWire's trusted NBA projections, I'll tackle the massive player pool and identify my best selections for FanDuel's Wednesday DFS contests. There are a few teams we need to keep tabs on as games lock, and I've identified where we need to check for injuries below.
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FanDuel Main Slate NBA Games Today
It's sometimes best to take games off the board when slates are this size, and tonight is no exception. Although the game was packed with stars, we witnessed the slow pace of Tuesday's matchup between the Rockets and Clippers. I'm excluding the game today, as I have little trust in value-beating numbers from the elites. The game between Toronto and Detroit is likely to be a defensive slugfest, so my usual smashes for Toronto were also removed.
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.
NBA Injuries Today
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.
WAS Kyshawn George (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
WAS Bilal Coulibaly (heel) - QUESTIONABLE
The Wizards could go any number of ways if these tags hold, and I'm not thrilled with any of the options. You could take a flier on Will Riley ($4,800), but I'm staying away.
CLE Evan Mobley (calf) - OUT
CLE Dean Wade (ankle) - OUT
Jaylon Tyson ($5,500) is your best pivot for this spot. You can also roster Jarrett Allen ($7,600) with some confidence.
ATL Jalen Johnson (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
ATL Dyson Daniels (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
ATL Zaccharie Risacher (quad) - QUESTIONABLE
We should see at least one of these players in Wednesday's game, but Johnson is the least likely to appear. More opportunities would open up for Corey Kispert ($4,000) if Johnson and/or Risacher miss, and you can safely go with CJ McCollum ($6,100) if Daniels is out.
CHI Josh Giddey (hamstring) - DOUBTFUL
CHI Jalen Smith (calf) - DOUBTFUL
CHI Tre Jones (hamstring) DOUBTFUL
Guerschon Yabusele ($4,800) is the favorite for the center spot, but the backcourt is a little tougher to nail down. Jaden Ivey ($5,800) and Anfernee Simons ($6,800) are good options, but Collin Sexton ($4,900) is also in the mix. I am a fan of the intangibles, so Simons would be my bet against his former team.
BKN Michael Porter (knee) - OUT
BKN Nic Claxton (hip) - QUESTIONABLE
Day'Ron Sharpe ($4,700) would be the favorite to replace Claxton if he is sidelined. A wider array of players will continue to cover for Porter, and I think it's a situation that's best avoided.
NYK OG Anunoby (toe) - QUESTIONABLE
Josh Hart ($6,600) is a great fill-in who will reap benefits even if Anunoby plays, so he's a good way to build early.
PHI Joel Embiid (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
PHI Quentin Grimes (illness) - QUESTIONABLE
PHI Dominick Barlow (illness) - QUESTIONABLE
Embiid is probably the least likely option to make the floor before Wednesday's game, but it's a game you need to monitor before moving forward with endorsements.
MiA Norman Powell (back) - OUT
MIA Tyler Herro (ribs) - OUT
MIA Pelle Larsson (elbow) - OUT
MIA Andrew Wiggins (toe) - QUESTIONABLE
Jaime Jaquez ($6,200) is a great fill-in option for Miami, and I'll limit my pivots to him in this scenario.
POR Shaedon Sharpe (calf) - OUT
Toumani Camara ($5,700) would be set for another encouraging game in Sharpe's absence, and Jerami Grant ($5,800) will remain in the lineup due to the absence.
Elite Players
We have seven players with five-figure salaries tonight, but we can excise Joel Embiid and Jalen Johnson from the list due to their injury tags. The tilt between the Rockets and Clippers provides some immediate data, and the numbers reveal that Kawhi Leonard ($10,600) and Alperen Sengun ($10,300) failed to hit 5x value. Given that news, Anthony Edwards ($10,200) moves to the forefront of my considerations at this level.
In the $9k range, Jaylen Brown ($9,600) is a little expensive but is a solid play in a great matchup against the Bulls. I'm also comfortable with taking a chance on James Harden ($9,200) against the short-handed Wizards. Donovan Mitchell ($9,900) is also fine, but a little too expensive for me.
The $8k tier has 11 players to choose from. I'm a fan of Karl-Anthony Towns' ($8,700) salary, but the back-to-back scenario is slightly concerning. Trey Murphy ($8,100) is a decent call against Atlanta, and I'll also put Julius Randle ($8,300) into the mix against Portland. There are several excellent options at this level, but I can't take them all.
Also consider: Pascal Siakam, IND ($8,200) @ BKN
Expected Chalk and Mid-Range Options
Derrick White, BOS ($8,100) vs. CHI
I'm a bit more confident in Brown, but the Celtics have played the Bulls multiple times this season, and White has hit close to 40 FDFPs in every outing. I need him above 40 to maximize value, and the smattering of absences gives me a bit more confidence. It also sets up as an interesting battle against his former backup.
Zion Williamson, NOP ($7,600) vs. MIA
Williamson's salary is a bit too good to pass up. We haven't seen recent blowups from Zion, but Miami appears to be quite short-handed tonight. I think the absences favor Murphy more, but Zion has faced the Heat only once over the past two seasons due to injury. The Heat will need a great defensive outing to handle both players.
Brandon Miller, CHA ($7,500) vs. ATL
I didn't mention the scuffle that involved Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate, but there's a chance that both frontcourt pieces will be missing Wednesday. Pressure will fall to the backcourt to get things done, and I think Miller has the best price in the first unit. Kon Knueppel ($6,900) also stands to benefit, and I'm fine with either player against the Hawks.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, ATL ($7,300) @ CHA
With some potential absences looming, I like Alexander-Walker's chances to beat 5x value tonight. Several players in the $7k range are underperforming as we near the All-Star break, but Alexander-Walker is an exception. He's enjoyed a consistent five-game run that exceeds 5x in every case. The injury scenario also favors him.
Nikola Vucevic, BOS ($6,900) vs. CHI
This is a revenge game of the first order. The longtime Bull will likely come off the bench, but who wouldn't want to get involved here? I suspect Vucevic will be itching to get involved in this matchup.
Also consider: Kelly Oubre, PHI ($6,200) vs. NYK
Value Plays
Per usual, refer to the injury section for the evening's best value pivots.
Tobias Harris, DET ($5,200) @ TOR
Harris is playing well enough to be viable at this salary, but I wouldn't consider him for much higher. The potential to hit 30 FDFPs is always a possibility for Harris, and I favor his defensive skills against Toronto.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, CHA ($4,200) vs. ATL
Refer to Miller above for the reasoning behind this selection. We'll have to wait and see if discipline is looming for them, but Kalkbrenner would find himself in a great spot if they ended up on the bench.
AJ Green, MIL ($4,000) @ ORL
I offer no guarantees for Green, but he'll soar past 5x value if his three-point shot stays hot. He's been able to log 30-plus minutes routinely, and the Bucks will need his sharpshooting skills to compete with Orlando.
