NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Wednesday (12/27)

Having such a short slate on a Wednesday is weird, but that’s what we have here. We have just six games in total, but I love some of these matchups. The biggest news is the absence of Joel Embiid. That’s even more problematic with Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo on the injury report, but you better believe we’ll recommend some Philly players with Embiid out!

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

• PHI at ORL (ORL -2.5) O/U: 225.5
• TOR at WAS (TOR -6.5) O/U: 238
• MIL at BKN (MIL -3.5) O/U: 240.5
• PHX at HOU (PHX -1) O/U: 224.5
• NYK at OKC (OKC -2.5) O/U: 238
• CLE at DAL (DAL -) O/U: 231.5

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

Injury Report

• Joel Embiid (ankle) OUT
• Markelle Fultz (knee) OUT
• Ben Simmons (back) OUT
• Jusuf Nurkic (personal) Probable
• Mitchell Robinson (ankle) OUT
• Darius Garland (face) OUT
• Evan Mobley (knee) OUT
• Donovan Mitchell (illness) Questionable
• Luka Doncic (quad) Questionable
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) Questionable
• Kyrie Irving (foot) OUT
• Bradley Beal (back) OUT

Core Plays

Tyrese Maxey (PG/SG – PHI): $8,800 DraftKings, $8,400 FanDuel
With Embiid missing this game, we need to kickstart the article with Maxey. This kid has already become an All-Star caliber player, but it’s scary to think how good he could be without Embiid. That means Maxey will be looking at 40 minutes, 20-25 shots, and a 30 percent usage rate. This guard was already averaging 45 DraftKings points per game in a complementary role to Embiid, but that could be his floor here!

Scottie Barnes (SF/PF – TOR): $8,700 DraftKings, $9,800 FanDuel
Barnes has truly taken another step this season. He’s been one of the primary playmakers in Toronto, averaging 48 DraftKings points per game. He’s been even better recently, scoring at least 43 fantasy points in 11 of his last 12 games. He’s averaging nearly 55 fantasy points per game in that span, and we can’t fade him against Washington. They’re surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing forwards.

Tobias Harris (SF/PF – PHI): $6,400 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel
Let’s keep the Philly stack rolling with Harris. This had been one of the most underrated players in the league over the last decade, and he’s incredible when a superstar has been out. When either Embiid or James Harden has been out over the last three years, Harris averages nearly 40 DraftKings points per game. That’s absurd from a $7K player, and you know Harris will be motivated in a revenge game against his former team.

Cash Game Considerations

Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $11,800 DraftKings, $12,800 FanDuel
Luka is the best player in fantasy right now. He put a show on in the Christmas game, collecting nearly 100 DraftKings points. That gives him at least 67 DK points in six of his last seven outings, and not many players have done that in the history of the NBA. That directly correlates with the absence of Kyrie Irving, and he’ll continue to put up ridiculous numbers as long as he’s out as well.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (PG/SG – OKC): $10,500 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
SGA is the showman for this OKC team, averaging 55 DraftKings points per game. He’s also scored at least 46 fantasy points in 20 of his last 21 games, flirting with a 60-point average in that span. A guy like this will definitely show up in a showcase game against the Knicks, averaging 56 DK points per game in their two matchups last season.

Kevin Durant (SF/PF – PHX): $9,500 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel
It’s hard to believe that Phoenix is below .500 with how Durant has been balling. The perennial All-Star has scored at least 36 DraftKings points every game this year en route to a 50-point average. That’s an absurd floor and average from a player barely cracking five figures, and it doesn’t matter who KD plays because he’s the mismatch in every game.

GPP Targets

Khris Middleton (SF/PF – MIL): $6,400 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel
We’ve had Middleton in this section nearly every day for two weeks, and he’s been treating us well. We were waiting for the former All-Star to return to a full workload, and we saw him play 33 minutes in his two most recent outings. He was an $8K player in that type of role in the past, and we’ve seen Mid maintain a 34-point average since seeing this expanded role two weeks ago. Not to mention, Brooklyn owns a 22nd OPRK against opposing forwards.

Isaiah Hartenstein (PF/C – NYK): $5,700 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel
There’s a massive void in NY’s frontcourt with Mitchell Robinson out, but it looks like Hartenstein will fill it. He’s started the last three games, playing 33 minutes a night over his last six outings. He’s also got a 33-point average in that span and needs a price bump in this expanded role. We saw him start against OKC last season, dropping 26 DK points across 23 minutes. Imagine how good that could be with 10 more minutes!

Paul Reed (C – PHI): $4,800 DraftKings, $5,300 FanDuel
Reed was the biggest bust on the Christmas slate a few days ago, but he’s still an intriguing GPP option. We expect him to start at center for Embiid, and we’ve seen him drop 30-40 fantasy points in that type of role in the past. It’s hard to get excited after seeing what he did a few days ago, but it’s a great time to go back to him in a GPP and bank on one of those upside games in an expanded role.

Value Plays

Daniel Gafford (C – WAS): $6,000 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
Gafford is spread throughout my season-long leagues, and he’s finally giving us the value we’ve been waiting for. This guy has always been a per-minute stud in the past, and we loved that he’s the only true center in Washington. That’s led to DG averaging 35 DK points per game across his last 14 fixtures. He had one of those against Toronto, totaling 37 DK points against them, despite playing just 26 minutes.

OG Anunoby (SF – TOR): $5,900 DraftKings, $5,900 FanDuel
It’s always bizarre to see OG below $6K. This defensive stud is averaging 29 DraftKings points per game across his last 11 outings. That’s all you can ask for from a sub-$6K player, but we’ve seen OG post a 40-point average for weeks at a time just last season. The best part about this is the matchup, though, because Washington is last in both points allowed and defensive efficiency.

De’Anthony Melton (PG/SG – PHI): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel
Let’s cap off our Philly stack with Melton. This guy was already stepping up with James Harden out of town, and he should be asked to do even more with Embiid out as well. We saw him post 42 DK points in the first game without Embiid, and he should stuff the stat sheet at will in a 35-minute role with a bump in usage.

Advantageous Pricing

• Scottie Barnes (SF/PF – TOR): $8,700 DraftKings, $9,800 FanDuel
• Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $11,800 DraftKings, $12,800 FanDuel
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (PG/SG – OKC): $10,500 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
• Brook Lopez (C – MIL): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel
• Dante Exum (PG/SG – DAL): $6,000 DraftKings, $7,100 FanDuel
• Craig Porter Jr.(PG/SG – CLE): $6,500 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel

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