DFSGhost 
We’re back to a normal NBA slate before getting another three games tomorrow, so we’ll be taking full advantage of maximizing the potential of our player pool; not necessarily expanding it all that much, but getting the right plays will be key tonight with the Charlotte Hornets likely being the highest rostered players once again. It’s Wet Wednesday’s edition of the Gems – let’a ride.
One thing I want to clarify based on the questions I have received over the past few years is that I will never list a player under the $5,000 price tag simply because I use the projection model to identify all targets in this range and below. While there are often plenty of options that I like at $5,000 and less, since I often find myself with not only one – but multiple – in my NBA DFS lineups, you all have access to the very model I use to make my own selections, so when asking yourself: “Should I use player X or player Y?”, make sure to check the model because that is how I make all of my own decisions and I truly ride or die by it on a daily basis.
Before running to the DraftKings, FanDuel, or Yahoo lobby to construct your NBA DFS lineup after reading this article, please make sure to utilize the abundance of tools we have at Win Daily:
Before I dive into individual players at each respective position, please note that, for obvious reasons, the Charlotte Hornets are once again at the top of everyone’s priority list. With Ish Smith joining LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Mason Plumlee, and Jalen McDaniels in health and safety protocols, the Hornets are down to a 7-man rotation and will all be popular on tonight’s NBA slate once again.
Point Guards
Steph Curry ($11,400 DK / $10,700 FD)
Steph Curry needs 16 3-pointers to pass Ray Allen for the most 3PM all time in the NBA and I will be rostering him every night until then. Truth be told, with the way both Steve Kerr and Curry’s press conferences went the other night, it looks like he’s gunning for it in this game alone, which would also make him pass teammate Klay Thompson for the most 3PM in a single game. With the Blazers ranking dead last in defensive rating, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least to see Curry go bonkers tonight to set the record and break the NBA slate in the process.
Kyle Lowry ($7,200 DK / $6,500 FD)
With the Heat missing Jimmy Butler after leaving last game with an aggravated tailbone injury, in addition to Bam Adebayo being out for the next 4-6 weeks after surgery, both Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro are to be highly considered for tonight’s NBA slate. With the two franchise players off the court, Lowry sees an increase in FPPM from 0.96 to 1.03, including a 3.3% increase in usage rate.
Honorable Mentions:
- Luka Doncic ($11,500 DK / $9,900 FD)
- Dennis Schroder ($6,200 DK / $6,300 FD)
Shooting Guards
Brandon Ingram ($9,100 DK / $7,700 FD)
With Brandon Ingram sporting a 30.9% usage rate in his last four games, the former Duke Blue Devil has really turned it up for the Pelicans on the offensive side of the ball. Across 35.2 MPG, Ingram has posted 30 PPG on 54.2% shooting while taking over 20 FGA per night, while also chipping in over 5 RPG and 5 APG. With everyone prioritizing the Hornets and Joel Embiid, Ingram makes for an interesting pivot in NBA tournaments tonight.
Tyler Herro ($7,000 DK / $6,800 FD)
If I’m not rostering Kyle Lowry tomorrow, you can almost guarantee that I roster Tyler Herro. By now, you all should know how I feel about the third-year pro, and with both Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo sidelined, Herro will be tasked with logging a hefty number of minutes while also carrying the load on offense for the Heat versus the defending NBA champions. With both of his teammates off the court, Herro sees an increase in FPPM from 1.07 to 1.12, while also seeing his already astronomical usage rate of 29.3% off the bench rise to 31.5%.
Honorable Mentions
- Zach Lavine ($10,500 DK / $9,100 FD)
- Kelly Oubre Jr. ($7,500 DK / $6,800 FD)
Small Forwards
Anthony Edwards ($8,400 DK / $8,300 FD)
Edwards draws a tough matchup versus one of the NBA’s best defenses in the Utah Jazz, but with D’Angelo Russell doubtful to suit up tonight, his volume will take a notable uptick. Averaging 19 FGA per night, Edwards actually leads the Timberwolves in usage rate at 27.4%, most notably over Karl-Anthony Towns. With DLo sidelined, Edwards sees a whopping 5.5% increase in usage rate, while also seeing his 1.08 FPPM rise to 1.26 in over 365 minutes of action.
Cody Martin ($5,000 DK / $5,000 FD)
One of the few chalk Hornets on this NBA slate that intrigues me is none other than Cody Martin. While he does not offer the flashy upside of Miles Bridges, nor the scoring punch of Kelly Oubre Jr, Martin has logged over 37 MPG for the Hornets since the majority of his teammates landed on the healthy and safety protocol list, while chipping in a 16.5/6/4 scoring line on 50% shooting.
Honorable Mentions:
- Miles Bridges ($8,200 DK / $8,400 FD)
- Dillon Brooks ($6,100 DK / $5,900 FD)
Power Forwards
Domantas Sabonis ($10,300 DK / $8,800 FD)
With the New York Knicks making a notable change to their starting lineup with Nerlens Noel drawing the start for Mitch Robinson yesterday, Sabonis has an even easier matchup on the inside. On the second half of a back-to-back, it’s possible we see Tom Thibodeau make more changes tonight, but Sabonis remains a primary pay up spot for us regardless on this NBA slate; I wrote up him for a few games in a row now, where he has a 20.8% usage rate in his last four with a 20.5/15.3/5.8 scoring line on 66.7% shooting. The Knicks rank 22nd in defensive rating thus far, including being 17th against the roll man in a pick-and-roll offense.
Tobias Harris ($7,600 DK / $7,600 FD)
A pure tournament play for me on tonight’s NBA slate, Tobias Harris presents us with a situation where he can provide leverage to both Joel Embiid and Kelly Oubre Jr. While most will flock to Embiid after the last game, and rightfully so; I even wrote him up for that one; Harris can chip into his ceiling while also only being $100 more than Kelly Oubre Jr, the leverage is too much to pass up on. Sporting a 25.2% usage rate against these same Hornets on Monday, Harris dropped 21/11/4 on a mere 38.9% shooting, hitting only seven of eighteen shots on the night. Should Tyrese Maxey miss his second straight for the 76ers, Harris will be someone to keep an eye on leading up to lock.
Honorable Mentions:
- PJ Washington ($6,800 DK / $7,200 FD)
- Evan Mobley ($6,400 DK / $7,300 FD)
Centers
- Nikola Jokic ($11,900 DK / $11,000 FD)
- Joel Embiid ($11,700 DK / $10,400 FD)
Honorable Mentions:
- Nikola Vucevic ($9,500 DK / $9,000 FD)
- Rudy Gobert ($8,500 DK / $8,800 FD)
You can find us on Twitter @DFS_Ghost and @Bucn4life
