This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a massive 12-game slate on tap for FanDuel, with quite a few high-scoring affairs on the docket.
SLATE OVERVIEW
CHA (-1.5) vs. ATL O/U: 238.5
PHI (-4) @ CLE O/U: 217.5
DEN (--5.5) @ WAS O/U: 228.5
DAL (-1.5) @ BKN O/U: 220.5
NYK (-10.5) vs. POR O/U: 224
PHO (-10.5) @ HOU O/U: 235.5
MIN (-8.5) vs. LAL O/U: 237
SAS (-13) vs. OKC O/U: 234.5
UTA (-5.5) vs. CHI O/U: 225.5
GSW (-3) vs. BOS O/U: 231.5
TOR (-1.5) @ LAC O/U: 218
As you can see, we have high O/U projections all over the slate, but I prefer the more competitive matchups over potential blowouts like SAS/OKC and PHO/HOU. There are too many great spots to mention, but give an additional look at Boston, Golden State, and Minnesota beyond my listed projections.
INJURIES
ATL John Collins (finger) - OUT
Although Danilo Gallinari ($5,100) is dealing with an Achilles injury, he is listed as probable to play and should still be the pivot for Collins.
DEN Aaron Gordon (illness) - QUESTIONABLE
If Gordon misses, several Nuggets players should pop and the pivot is best avoided with so many other viable options on the slate.
BKN Kyrie Irving (home game) - OUT
BKN Seth Curry (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
Goran Dragic ($4,600) and Bruce Brown ($6,500) are my favorite pivots for the Nets. Curry could take the floor, so monitor his status.
POR Anfernee Simons (quad) - OUT
POR Jusuf Nurkic (foot) - OUT
POR Justise Winslow (Achilles) - QUESTIONABLE
Winslow received a status upgrade, so he is closer to recovery. The pivots remain the same as they have been throughout the week, with Josh Hart ($7,400), Brandon Williams ($5,200) and Trendon Watford ($6,700) all candidates for elevated output.
PHO Chris Paul (thumb) - OUT
PHO Cameron Johnson (quad) - QUESTIONABLE
If Johnson is out, I like Jae Crowder ($5,400) as a value candidate, and Landry Shamet ($3,700) should continue to hold duties for Paul.
LAL LeBron James - QUESTIONABLE
James is consistently touch-and-go. He's a good option if he plays, and there isn't a suitable pivot to like if he sits. I would give Carmelo Anthony ($5,300) some attention in either scenario, however.
MIN Jarred Vanderbilt (quad) - QUESTIONABLE
MIN Patrick Beverley (ear) - QUESTIONABLE
MIN Jaden McDaniels (ankle) - OUT
The team needs Vanderbilt to play, so keep an eye on this spot. Taurean Prince ($4,600) may see more time if these tags hold.
OKC Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
OKC Josh Giddey (hip) - OUT
An SGA absence would bring Tre Mann ($5,000) and Lindy Waters ($4,000) to the forefront.
TOR Fred VanVleet (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
TOR OG Anunoby (finger) - DOUBTFUL
It's once again wait-and-see for VanVleet, and Anunoby will still be out. We'll identify our favorite Raptors later in the article.
ELITE PLAYERS
We have nine players at 10k and above in Wednesday's pool of candidates, and some stand out more than others. Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,400) is of course a fine option at the top against the Kings, and I think the tangle between him and Domantas Sabonis ($8,400) will benefit both players.
Among an elite group at the top, I actually favor Luka Doncic ($10,600) over elites like Durant or Murray, although all of these players should have excellent totals. Doncic just seems to hold higher value with Kyrie Irving off the floor. For a lot of these elites, it comes down to salary and their floor relative to that salary. Any number of high-priced guys can burn you with an explosive night, but guys like Harden and Durant can burn you the other way as their totals are good, but not enough to justify the cost.
Elsewhere in the top echelon, I like Devin Booker ($9,700) in a great spot against the Rockets, and Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,400) joins Pascal Siakam ($8,400) as great frontcourt options for Wednesday.
EXPECTED CHALK AND CORE TARGETS
Donovan Mitchell, UTA ($8,300) vs. CHI
Mitchell is on an excellent two-game run with totals in the mid-40s to low-50s, and his history against Chicago would seem to indicate a favorable outcome. In his lone game against the Bulls, he racked up 44.4 FDFP. That's an excellent number for this salary, and I think it's safe to go this route in what should be a competitive shootout.
Khris Middleton, MIL ($7,500) @ SAC
It's hard to pass on Middleton at this salary level, especially against the Kings. The eternal question for Middleton is his ability to go beyond his reliable floor, but he did just that in his last matchup against Sacramento, netting 49.7 FDFP in that game. The Kings have a different setup now, but Middleton should be utilized in a similar way.
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($6,800) @ GSW
It's also difficult to see how Brown can be below 7K, although his recent play has fostered some doubt about his ability to get it done on a nightly basis. His upside can't be forgotten, however. The Celtics will need an explosive night from Brown and Jayson Tatum, and Brown is certainly a less-expensive way to get involved in this production opportunity.
Also consider: Rudy Gobert, UTA ($7,300) vs. CHI
VALUE PLAYS
As usual, several low-cost options exist in the injury section for your perusal.
Clint Capela, ATL ($6,000) @ CHA
It's usually a good idea to start centers against Charlotte, and Capela sits at an unbeatable salary. his shot value isn't where we'd like to be, and his history against the Hornets is up-and-down, but the added element of John Collins' potential absence and the height advantage over most of Charlotte's roster makes him a good candidate to exceed 30 FP (5x value).
Darius Bazley, OKC ($5,600) @ SAS
Bazley's already a good play, and his value is enhanced greatly if SGA is a scratch. He's enjoyed great stat lines of late, and due to the injuries on the roster, he is a good candidate to beat value at this sub-6K salary point.
Jalen Brunson, DAL ($5.500) @ BKN
The competitive nature of this game and the absence of Irving is why I am going back to Dallas' backcourt once again, this time with Brunson. I expect Doncic and Brunson to have their way with the Nets, who are much weaker without Irving directing things at the point. While Doncic will be all over the court, Brunson is a proven director of the offense and will also play a catch-and-shoot role when Doncic aborts a cut inside.
Some additional value options: Jordan Clarkson, UTA ($5,000) vs. CHI, Immanuel Quickley, NYK ($5,300) vs. POR, Devin Vassell, SAS ($5,400) vs. OKC, Trey Lyles, SAC ($4,400) vs. MIL
