This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The NBA has a huge 10-game slate Wednesday with plenty of intriguing players on FanDuel. The first lineup lock is at 7:00 p.m. ET for all of FanDuel's featured contests.
Slate Overview
Charlotte Hornets (-2.5) vs. Indiana Pacers O/U: 233
Minnesota Timberwolves (-6) @ Orlando Magic O/U: 225.5
Washington Wizards (-4.5) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder O/U: 228
Miami Heat (-1.5) @ Toronto Raptors O/U: 216
Boston Celtics (-3) vs. Atlanta Hawks O/U: 235.5
New Orleans Pelicans (-3) vs. Chicago Bulls O/U: 226.5
Milwaukee Bucks (-4) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers O/U: 219.5
Dallas Mavericks (-9) vs. Houston Rockets O/U: 221
Denver Nuggets (-3.5) vs. New York Knicks O/U: 225.5
Phoenix Suns (-1) vs. Golden State Warriors O/U: 226
If things aren't starting well Wednesday evening, the matchup between the Suns and Warriors is a great pivot swap in the nightcap. There are plenty of appealing players in the BOS/ATL contest, and DFS players can look beyond our endorsements for more value there.
Injuries
***NOTE: This is not a complete list of injuries. Ongoing and less consequential injuries are excluded. Use your best judgment for pivots in long-term situations.
IND Tyrese Haliburton (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
Bennedict Mathurin ($5,800), who has been featured frequently in previous articles, is a possible candidate to start after a lineup shift but will get a usage boost even if he isn't in the starting five.
ORL Paolo Banchero (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
ORL Wendell Carter (foot) - QUESTIONABLE
Look for Mo Bamba ($4,600) and Terrence Ross ($4,000) to have increased roles amid these potential absences.
MIA Bam Adebayo (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
MIA Dewayne Dedmon (foot) - QUESTIONABLE
MIA Tyler Herro (ankle) - OUT
Almost every center, including the ones not mentioned, is questionable Wednesday. It's best to wait and see who starts, but if the centers are a universal scratch, Caleb Martin ($4,600) will be a candidate for increased production. Gabe Vincent ($4,800) continues to work as a pivot.
TOR Fred VanVleet (illness) - QUESTIONABLE
TOR Gary Trent (hip) - QUESTIONABLE
Scottie Barnes ($7,600) will work the point, and Dalano Banton ($6,000) could start again if these absences hold.
NOR Zion Williamson (foot) - QUESTIONABLE
The start should go to Trey Murphy ($4,800) if Williamson is sidelined.
CLE Donovan Mitchell (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
CLE Jarrett Allen (ankle) - OUT
Lamar Stevens ($3,500) and Kevin Love ($4,900) will have increased roles, and Caris LeVert ($6,300) will shift to off-guard if Mitchell misses.
MIL Jrue Holiday (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
MIL Grayson Allen (ankle) - DOUBTFUL
Jevon Carter ($5,600) is the player to target if these absences hold.
DEN Nikola Jokic (COVID-19 protocols) - OUT
The elite big man will be sidelined, so look for Jeff Green ($3,500) and DeAndre Jordan ($4,000) to have increased involvement.
Elite Players
Our top three are all in favorable situations tonight, so you can't go wrong with Luka Doncic ($12,500), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,800), and Jayson Tatum ($10,600) as lineup anchors. A decimated Orlando frontcourt is also favorable for Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,000) tonight.
Moving down, I like LaMelo Ball ($8,300) and Jaylen Brown ($8,200) in the 8k range, as well as Brandon Ingram ($8,000) and DeMar DeRozan ($7,900) at the very bottom of the elite category.
Also consider: Stephen Curry, GSW ($10,300) @ PHO
Expected Chalk and Other Targets
Zach LaVine, CHI ($7,400) @ NOR
LaVine has been productive recently, and he also generated 38.8 FDFP against the Pelicans last week. His three appearances after a two-game absence have all featured solid totals in multiple categories, so he is an excellent candidate to meet value at this salary.
Josh Giddey, OKC ($6,800) @ WAS
Giddey regressed a bit after his masterful triple-double, but I expect him to bounce back against a porous Washington defense.
Spencer Dinwiddie, DAL ($6,800) @ HOU
This is an excellent matchup against Houston. While Kevin Porter and Jalen Green are offensive standouts, their backcourt defense leaves a bit to be desired, and the Rockets will already have their hands full with Luka Doncic. Dinwiddie can run hot and cold as a shooter, but his volume usually gives him a decent number when you add in his decent assist totals.
D'Angelo Russell, MIN ($6,400) @ ORL
I'm moving off my usual Edwards endorsement and going with Russell this time around, mainly because I think his assist numbers against the shorthanded Magic will be too valuable. Edwards' numbers should be just fine, but I sense that Russell's connections inside to Towns and Gobert may be plentiful tonight.
Clint Capela, ATL ($6,200) vs. BOS
You can get other big men with dual eligibility, but Capela is a nice median value for the sole center position. He's had decent results against the Celtics in his career, and his season totals are already littered with double-doubles.
Value Plays
There is a plethora of excellent values in the injury section, so be sure to refer back to them. I especially like DeAndre Jordan from that list.
Jalen Suggs, ORL ($5,900) vs. MIN
Orlando needs a scoring threat somewhere in its starting five, and it looks like Suggs will have little competition for volume if the injury tags hold. He had a bad game against Charlotte two nights ago, but that line was an aberration compared to his usual, which features good totals in multiple categories.
Al Horford, BOS ($5,500) @ ATL
Horford's salary still surprises me, but I won't complain, especially with his dual designations. I already endorsed Capela, so there will be a winner and loser in the rebound game among our endorsements, but I think both players should have totals that will meet their salary value.
MarJon Beauchamp, MIL ($3,800) vs. CLE
Khris Middleton's continued absence has forced the Bucks deeper into their depth chart, and the 2022 first-round pick has found some success off the bench. He's a volatile pick who won't always hit, but he has upside as long as his minutes stay consistent.
Also consider: Torrey Craig, PHO ($4,500) vs. GSW
