Wednesday features a five-game main slate starting at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
You can also use our SimLabs Lineup Generator, a tool that creates the most user-friendly lineup generation process.
Note: Projections and Leverage Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Who says March basketball has to be boring? Bam Adebayo scored 83 points last night, more than anyone in a game besides Wilt Chamberlain. Some of his points at the end weren’t the most honorable, but no one will remember that 30 years from now. Hopefully, tonight’s five-game slate can offer a fraction of the same excitement.
Point guard doesn’t stand out as a particularly strong position on Wednesday. However, Jamal Murray is worth some stud consideration. His 35.5 projected minutes rank second at the position, while he’s averaged 1.25 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He leads all point guards with 10 Pro Trends, while his $8,400 salary comes with a 93% Bargain Rating.
Murray hasn’t been a particularly strong value of late, posting a negative Plus/Minus in back-to-back games, which could result in him being undervalued vs. the Rockets. His Sim Labs optimal lineup rate sits at just under 30%, while he’s projected for closer to 15% ownership.
Value
The Magic continue to play a bit shorthanded. They’re still without both Franz Wagner and Anthony Black, while Jace Richardson and Jonathan Isaac are listed as questionable.
That gives Jevon Carter the opportunity to play a bit more than usual. He’s coming off 24.3 minutes in his last outing, and he’s projected for another 19.5 minutes on Wednesday. That’s not a ton of playing time, but it’s enough to potentially return value at just $3,500. Carter leads all point guards in projected Plus/Minus, and he’s one of just three players at the position with a positive Plus/Minus projection.
Fast Break
The Raptors draw one of the best matchups of the day vs. the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans rank 26th in defensive efficiency, while Toronto’s 118.5 implied team total ranks third on the slate. Immanuel Quickley has struggled of late, which has caused his salary to dip to $7,300 for this matchup. However, he’s still averaged a respectable 1.06 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s an interesting buy-low candidate.
On the other side of that matchup, Dejounte Murray stands out for the Pels. He’s been outstanding since returning to the lineup from injury, leading all of Wednesday’s point guards with an average of 1.39 DraftKings points per minute. His playing time has been limited, but he’s still managed a positive Plus/Minus in four of his past five games. His most recent outing is the lone exception, but he played a bit less than expected after that game turned into a blowout.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Kon Knueppel continues to put together a historic rookie season for the Hornets. He’s already made more 3-pointers than any rookie in NBA history, and he’s shot a blistering 43.8% from 3-point range. He’s a big reason why the Hornets have emerged as legit threats in the East after a quiet start to the year.
For fantasy purposes, Knueppel has averaged 1.10 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s coming off back-to-back subpar games, but he draws a solid matchup vs. the Kings on Wednesday. Sacramento is one of many tanking teams at the moment, and they’re 28th in defensive efficiency for the year. The Hornets are tied with the Raptors for the third-highest implied team total on the slate.
Value
Bennedict Mathurin has become the Raptors’ second-best offensive option after being acquired from the Pacers before the deadline. He’s averaged 19.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 12 games with the Clippers, while his usage rate has skyrocketed. He was at just 23.0% with the Pacers this season, but that figure is all the way up to 29.6% in Los Angeles.
Mathurin has responded by averaging 1.13 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s scored at least 39.5 DraftKings points in three of his past four games, including two straight.
His price tag has yet to fully reflect his increased production. He sits at just $6,100 for Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Timberwolves, resulting in a 98% Bargain Rating. He ranks first at the position in projected Plus/Minus and optimal lineup rate, making him the clear top option at shooting guard.
Fast Break
Landry Shamet has become an important part of the Knicks’ rotation. They need his shooting, and as a result, he’s been on the floor much more than expected. He’s projected for 23 minutes Wednesday in an excellent matchup vs. the Jazz. They rank 29th in defensive efficiency this season, and the Knicks have the top implied team total of the day. It makes Shamet an interesting value option at $3,600.
Similarly, Reed Sheppard has become vital for the Rockets’ success. Their offense looks completely different when Sheppard is on the floor, which has resulted in more playing time as the year has progressed. He’s posted an average Plus/Minus of +7.45 across his past 10 games, and before his last outing, he had played at least 35 minutes in five straight games.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
RJ Barrett is arguably the Raptors’ strongest option on this slate. He enters this contest in excellent recent form, scoring at least 25 points in three straight games. He’s unsurprisingly posted a positive Plus/Minus in each of those contests, and he’s averaged 1.05 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
Barrett leads all small forwards in projected Plus/Minus in our NBA Models, and he also looks like an elite option using Sim Labs. His optimal lineup rate is more than 43.5%, while his projected ownership is closer to 32%.
Value
Tristan da Silva is one of the bigger winners from the Magic’s current injury situation. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in seven of his past eight games, and he’s averaged 0.90 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He played more than 31 minutes two games ago, and he’s projected for 28.5 minutes vs. the Cavaliers.
That makes him a solid option at $4,400. Historically, players with comparable salaries and minute projections have averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.14 (per the Trends tool). Da Silva has previously averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.20 in that split, and that figure jumps up to +6.26 in seven games this season.
Fast Break
Josh Hart is questionable for the Knicks on Wednesday, but he would be an interesting option if he’s able to suit up. He’s coming off 36.5 minutes in his last outing, and he’s always been an excellent per-minute producer. He’s averaged 0.99 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he has the third-highest optimal lineup rate at small forward on Wednesday.
The Jazz are tanking toward the finish line, and they could be particularly thin vs. the Knicks. They’ve already ruled out Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jusuf Nurkic, while Keyonte George is listed as questionable. That makes Bryce Sensabaugh an interesting option in the frontcourt. He’s seen a +5.19% usage bump with all four players off the floor this season, and he’s averaged 0.98 DraftKings points per minute in that split. Sensabaugh has scored at least 31.0 DraftKings points in back-to-back games, making him a bit underpriced at $5,600.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Miles Bridges has become the clear No. 4 option for the Hornets, which has had a negative impact on his fantasy production. He’s posted a negative Plus/Minus in five straight games, and he’s failed to eclipse 25.75 DraftKings points in any of those contests.
That’s caused his salary to dip to $6,100 for Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Kings, and he has some buy-low appeal at that figure. Bridges has still averaged a respectable 0.87 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s coming off more than 33 minutes in his last outing. There’s also a chance that the Hornets rest a player or two on the second leg of a back-to-back, so make sure to monitor the injury report for updates.
Value
The Clippers continue to play solid basketball despite trading away James Harden and Ivica Zubac before the deadline. Most of that has stemmed from Kawhi Leonard, but they’ve gotten nice contributions from some other players on the roster as well.
Derrick Jones is one of them. He’s averaged 0.81 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s logged more than 30 minutes in three straight games. He racked up 39.25 DraftKings points vs. the Knicks in his last outing, and with Yanic Konan Niederhauser suffering a Lisfranc injury in that contest, Jones might need to play even more moving forward.
Jones also stands out as one of the best pure values at power forward. His $4,600 salary comes with a 95% Bargain Rating, making him one of the best frontcourt targets on the slate.
Fast Break
Ace Bailey has not been nearly as consistent as some of the other top rookies this season, but he’s clearly uber talented. He put that on display two games ago, finishing with 32 points in a win over the Bucks. Things aren’t going to be quite as easy vs. the Knicks, but he has some upside with the Jazz so shorthanded.
OG Anunoby is priced at the exact same figure as Bailey, and he has a slightly higher optimal lineup rate in Sim Labs. Like Bailey, Anunoby hasn’t exactly been the model of consistency this season. However, he did erupt for 63.25 DraftKings points vs. the Nuggets last week. He followed that up with 36.0 DraftKings points in his most recent outing, and he certainly has the potential for another strong showing in a juicy matchup vs. the Jazz.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
The Nuggets are limping toward the playoffs, and they’re down to just sixth place in the Western Conference standings. They hold just a 1.0-game lead over the Suns for the No. 7 seed, so it’s possible that they’re going to need to go through the Play-In Tournament if they want to make a run at another title.
Nikola Jokic has struggled a bit with his scoring efficiency of late, though that hasn’t really hurt him for fantasy purposes. He’s still averaged an unreal 1.80 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s coming off 75.5 DraftKings points vs. the Thunder in his last outing.
Jokic has also seen his price come down to $12,100 for Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Rockets. While that would be exorbitant for most players, it represents a clear value for him. It results in a 95% Bargain Rating on DraftKings, and he’s averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.83 when priced below $12,500 this season.
Value
Jakob Poeltl is back for the Raptors, and he’s put together some solid performances in recent games. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in five of his past six outings, including 41.5 DraftKings points in his last game. Poeltl has averaged 1.04 DraftKings points per minute since returning from injury, and he’s playing right around 30 minutes in most contests.
That’s a pretty nice combination for someone priced at just $5,500. He leads all centers in projected Plus/Minus, and he has the top optimal lineup rate at the position as well.
Fast Break
Brook Lopez is another player who should benefit from the injury to Niederhauser. He’s projected for 29 minutes vs. the Timberwolves, and he’s averaged 0.96 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in three of his past four games, and the lone exception was a game where he played less than 12.5 minutes. Ultimately, he’s too cheap at $4,700.
Moussa Diabate is another reason for the Hornets’ recent emergence. He’s become a legit starting NBA center, and he’s averaged 1.02 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He has the fourth-best optimal lineup rate at the position, trailing only the three previously mentioned players.
Pictured: RJ Barrett
Photo Credit: Imagn
