We had our final day of group play in the NBA In-Season Tournament yesterday, but we’re back to normal games here. It’s a Wednesday, so we have a large slate to discuss. It’s not as big as most Wednesdays because we only have seven games on the docket. There are still plenty of options and numerous players in great spots, so let’s start by looking at the schedule and odds!

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer:

Schedule and Odds

• LAL at DET (LAL -6.5) O/U: 229
• WAS at ORL (ORL -10.5) O/U: 234.5
• PHX at TOR (PHX -1.5) O/U: 222
• PHI at NOP (NOP -0.5) O/U: 227
• UTA at MEM (MEM -4) O/U: 224.5
• HOU at DEN (DEN -5.5) O/U: 217
• LAC at SAC (LAC -1) O/U: 230.5

Check out our consensus game odds and the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros.

Injury Report

• Markelle Fultz (knee) OUT
• Wendell Carter Jr.(hand) OUT
• Kevin Durant (foot) Questionable
• Bradley Beal (back) OUT
• CJ McCollum (ribs) Questionable
• Ja Morant (suspension) OUT
• Marcus Smart (ankle) OUT
• Jamal Murray (hamstring) Questionable
• Nikola Jokic (back) Questionable
• LeBron James (calf) Questionable
• Lauri Markkanen (hamstring) OUT
• Jordan Clarkson (thigh) Questionable
• Aaron Gordon (heel) Questionable
• Keegan Murray (back) OUT
• Kelly Oubre (ribs) OUT

Core Plays

Devin Booker (PG/SG – PHX): $10,300 DraftKings, $10,400 FanDuel
Book has had difficulty staying on the floor this season, but he’s been one of the best players when he’s been healthy. The All-Star has scored at least 44 DraftKings points in every game, generating a 53-point average. That’s the highest total of his career, and it will continue since Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant could both possibly miss this game. Book should be the first player in everyone’s lineup if both guys are out again because he’s looking at 35 minutes, 20 shots, and a 35 percent usage rate.

Paolo Banchero (SF/PF – ORL): $8,200 DraftKings, $7,700 FanDuel
Using players against Washington has been wonderful all season. This team is 28th in defensive efficiency and 29th in points allowed. They’re also surrendering the third-most fantasy points to opposing forwards, which is terrifying against a breakout player like Banchero. Paolo has at least 33 DK points in 13 of his last 14 games while posting a 41-point average in that span. In his previous game against Washington, PB had 61 DK points!

Jalen Duren (C – DET): $6,900 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel
This kid is a stud. He’s not even old enough to drink, but he’s been dominating the paint all season. Duren is averaging over 35 DraftKings points per game this year, showcasing a 50-point ceiling numerous times. That’s scary because this kid is getting better every day, and we don’t want to fade him against an LA team that owns a 25th OPRK against opposing centers.

Cash Game Considerations

Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $12,800 DraftKings, $12,600 FanDuel
The Joker is guaranteed to be in this section on every slate. The big man leads the NBA with 64 DraftKings points per game and has established a 50-point floor. He’s got his average above 70 DK points when Jamal Murray is out, and there’s simply nobody in the NBA who can match this guy. The matchup against Houston is incredible, too, with Joker posting an 83-point average in their two meetings this season!

Joel Embiid (C – PHI): $11,800 DraftKings, $12,300 FanDuel
Embiid took down MVP honors last season over Jokic, and he’s having a better year than he did in his MVP campaign. Losing James Harden has allowed Embiid to take over this offense, recording a triple-double in his most recent outing. That gives him a 62-point average on the year, scoring at least 68 fantasy points in three straight fixtures. The matchup with New Orleans is not so bad either, with the Pelicans posting a 19th OPRK against opposing centers.

Desmond Bane (SG/SF – MEM): $8,500 DraftKings, $8,300 FanDuel
This is slightly risky with how Memphis has played, but the game script is positive for Bane. This is a rare Grizzlies game that is supposed to stay close, and blowouts have limited Bane all year. The bulky guard is still leading the team in usage in the absence of Ja Morant, averaging 41 DraftKings points per game. That might be his floor against Utah because they’re surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season. In their two meetings, DB is averaging 45 fantasy points per game!

GPP Targets

Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF/C – MEM): $7,400 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel
It’s been a rough season for JJJ and the rest of the Grizzlies, but this price drop intrigues us. Jackson was closer to $9K at the beginning of the season when he was the focal point of this offense, and we have to have some exposure to him south of $8K in what should be a competitive matchup. Despite some struggles, this guy has 60-point potential and is still averaging over 34 DK points per game. Facing Utah only adds to his value, with the Jazz ranked 26th in defensive efficiency and 25th in points allowed.

Jordan Poole (PG/SG – WAS): $7,200 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel
Poole has been one of the biggest busts this season, but there are some signs of him turning things around. The volatile guard had at least 34 DK points in three straight outings before a stinker on Monday. We’re willing to overlook that dud because he just came off of an injury. What made him so good in that fantastic week was the bump in usage, averaging 22 shots across 33 minutes a night. If this guy takes 20-plus shots, Poole could be one of the best GPP options out there.

Walker Kessler (C – UTA): $5,900 DraftKings, $5,900 FanDuel
Kessler just returned from an injury last week and has yet to get a full workload. The good news is that he’s returned to the stud we saw last season in limited playing time off the bench. It’s just a matter of time before he’s back to 30 minutes because we’ve seen Kessler score at least 31 DraftKings points in three straight outings despite playing just 26 minutes a night. We also don’t mind that Memphis is missing their starting center, Steven Adams.

Value Plays

Jaden Ivey (PG – DET): $5,700 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
This youngster was relegated to bench duties early on, but Detroit realizes that was a mistake. This 21-year-old has started the last four games for the Pistons, scoring 35 and 37 DK points in his two most recent outings. That’s absurd from a sub-$6K player, but we saw him do this for a month at the end of last season. You know he’ll also be hungry against the Lakers, who allowed the most fantasy points to opposing guards last season.

Bismack Biyombo (C – MEM): $5,200 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
Biz was sitting on his couch a few weeks ago, but he’s the starting center in Memphis now. Injuries to Adams and Xavier Tillman have earned him this gig, playing over 28 minutes a night as a starter. That’s all we can hope for when evaluating this guy’s per-minute averages, averaging 26 DK points per game in this expanded role. He’s done that despite some duds in some blowouts, but this game is expected to be close against one of the worst defenses in the NBA.

Goga Bitadze (C – ORL): $5,300 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
Goga and Biyombo are valuable for all the same reasons. Much like Biz, Bitadze has stepped into a starting center role for an injured player. In this newfound role, Goga averages 28 DK points per game across 23 minutes a night. That’s the studly per-minute production we’ve become accustomed to, and it’s scary to think how good he could be in a 30-minute role. The matchup is the icing on the cake, with the Wizards surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing centers.

Advantageous Pricing

• Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $9,800 DraftKings, $10,600 FanDuel
• Marcus Sasser (PG – DET): $4,900 DraftKings, $4,000 FanDuel
• Jakob Poeltl (C – TOR): $6,000 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel
• Brandon Ingram (SG/SF – NOP): $9,100 DraftKings, $8,100 DanDuel
• Michael Porter Jr.(SF – DEN): $7,900 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel
• Ivica Zubac (C – LAC): $5,500 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
• Kevin Huerter (SG/SF – SAC): $6,100 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel

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