This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a massive 14-game slate on tap for Wednesday, and FanDuel is offering a wide array of contests, with the $9 $22k NBA Shot as the headliner. The first tip-off is at the customary 7:00 p.m. ET start time.
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.
Wednesday is a spot where you want to be firing up lineups in GPPs due to the high variance present in large slates. I also recommend taking some single-entry shots and H2H contests because sharps are forced to make their best guess there and can't beat you with 150 optimized rosters.
We're hitting Utah, Charlotte, Denver and the Clippers hard tonight, and these four teams are great spots to research if you want to look beyond our endorsements.
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, of which there are several.
CLE
Donovan Mitchell (hamstring) - QUESTIONABLE
The Cavaliers are on a back-to-back, so there probably isn't much of a change to Mitchell's condition for Wednesday. Caris LeVert (knee) will miss Wednesday's game, so Darius Garland ($8,300) will carry a heavy load against the Heat.
SAC
Keegan Murray (back) - QUESTIONABLE
If Murray is unavailable, Kessler Edwards ($3,500) would be in line for more work.
ELITE PLAYERS
FanDuel's salary fluctuations have been remarkably stagnant this season, as some overvalued players stay overvalued, and vice-versa. As a result, we aren't seeing much movement off of daily endorsements due to the salary value, so we're relying more on the matchups. Wednesday's massive offering features 12 players with five-figure salaries. Domantas Sabonis ($10,100) is again the only player in this group who seems undervalued. Nikola Jokic's ($12,500) matchup against Orlando is a plum opportunity, but only a slate-breaking total would offset the salary difference for Sabonis. You also have three opportunities to roster Sabonis due to his dual eligibility.
Further down, LaMelo Ball ($9,900) is just under 10k and routinely matches 5x value at this salary. The game against Washington will be fast-paced and has a projected total of 242, and we will take some more value from the Charlotte lineup in a moment. Desmond Bane ($8,800) is valuable with his positional flexibility, and although the Grizzlies continue to struggle, they'll be in a competitive scenario on the road against Houston. I also expect Lauri Markkanen ($8,500) to light one up on the Trail Blazers, who are on the second half of a back-to-back set after a tough loss to Phoenix on Tuesday.
Finally, it's always entertaining to see players face familiar foes, and we just saw Kawhi Leonard ($8,200) lay down 37 FDFP on the Spurs. He'll meet them again Wednesday.
Also consider: Kristaps Porzingis, BOS
($8,000) vs. MIL
EXPECTED CHALK AND OTHER TARGETS
DeMar DeRozan, CHI
($7,400) @ OKC
Zach LaVine will be working through a foot issue, so expect DeRozan to take the lead against the Thunder, who have already shown much improvement. The Bulls will come in as a seven-point underdog, and Chicago would love to prove the bookmakers wrong. I think DeRozan's matchup is better than Nikola Vucevic versus Chet Holmgren, so I'll place my bets here.
James Harden, LAC
($7,400) @ SAS
As I predicted, Harden's salary keeps increasing, and he's still in a spot where I want to take the value. I'll probably move off him once he eclipses $8,000 because his volume isn't what it used to be, but this salary is still low compared to his potential. The Clippers have even moved mountains to accommodate him, with Russell Westbrook volunteering to play sixth man to get him involved.
Jrue Holiday, BOS ($6,900) vs. MIL
Count me in for the revenge scenario. Holiday will bring valuable insight for Boston when the Bucks visit the Garden on Wednesday. Although I think his lower salary is somewhat justified, he'll be extra motivated against his former team. It will be an uphill battle to outscore Damian Lillard, but it'll still be a fun game to watch.
Mark Williams, CHA
($6,800) vs. WAS
If you followed my Monday endorsements, you rode Williams to a cash. He came up big with 51 FDFP against a tough Boston squad, and I'm inclined to buy into the high total and fire him up again against the Wizards. His eligibility is limited to center, but Williams is an excellent way to set it and forget it. Place Sabonis or another PF-eligible center in the two available PF spots.
Aaron Gordon, DEN
($6,600) @ ORL
Here's an example of the undervalued staying undervalued. I have called Gordon's number frequently in this column, and he's never disappointed. This is an excellent spot against the team where he began his pro career, and he usually rises to the occasion against them. He put up 37 points and 13 rebounds in a game against the Magic last season, one of his best outings of the 2022-23 campaign.
Also consider: John Collins, UTA
($6,500) @ POR
VALUE PLAYS
Along with injury scenarios, here are some additional budget options to consider.
SG Klay Thompson, GSW
($5,400) @ PHX
PG Tyus Jones, WAS
($5,500) @ CHA
PG/SG Keyonte George, UTA ($5,300) @ POR
SG/SF Norman Powell, LAC ($4,900) @ SAS
