DFSGhost 
Many NBA stars have been battling injuries lately. Tonight is no different, but there are plenty of elite game environments to be excited about. It’s a Wet Wednesday edition of the Gems – let’s ride.
Be sure to use our proprietary NBA projections and cheat sheet to build your lineups as the news rolls in. Moreover, join the conversation in the Win Daily Discord to get the insight you need from both subscribers and staff.
Indiana Pacers @ Oklahoma City Thunder (-4.5)
Indiana Pacers (+4.5)
Since losing Tyrese Haliburton to a knee injury, the Pacers have lost three straight. However, without their best player, comes many opportunities for others. During those three games, TJ McConnell continues to be one of the most popular players on any given NBA slate. He has averaged 18.3/6.7/9 on 63.9% shooting. There is also intrigue in Myles Turner, who figures to be a core player on this slate. In his return to the lineup a few days ago, Turner saw many more minutes and came through with 30/8/2 and four blocks, making five three-pointers along the way. With Oklahoma City ranked 27th in the league versus true centers and struggling to find a replacement in the absences of Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Aleksej Pokusevski, Turner is set to dominate the paint on both ends of the court tonight.
Oklahoma City Thunder (-4.5)
This game has tremendous stack ability and is one of the best on the NBA slate. On the Thunder’s side of the ball, it begins with their backcourt duo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey. Over their last six games, OKC is 5-1. During that span, SGA has averaged 29.2/5.3/4.3 on 54.3% shooting. However, Giddey has been phenomenal in his own right. Giddey has averaged 20.2/8.2/7.8 on 51.5% shooting. With the Pacers perimeter defense taking a serious hit in the absence of Haliburton, both SGA and Giddey are in a great spot.
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Memphis Grizzlies (-6.5)
Cleveland Cavaliers (+6.5)
Donovan Mitchell did not practice yesterday and has since been downgraded to doubtful tonight. Thus, the offense will fall on Darius Garland, should Mitchell in fact miss this game. While the former has taken a back seat to the newly acquired Mitchell, Garland is a polarizing talent on offense. On the season, Garland has posted 1.08 fantasy points per minute through a 27% usage rate, averaging 21.4/2.8/7.8. While both his usage rate and fantasy output is lower than Mitchell’s, Garland excels with his teammate off the floor. Garland sees an increase to 1.22 fantasy points per minute through a 30% usage rate without Mitchell. Thus, he is one of the best plays in the mid range of this pricing grid on this NBA slate.
Memphis Grizzlies (-6.5)
Memphis boasts a complete roster on both sides of the court. They have a star player in Ja Morant, a defensive force in Jaren Jackson Jr., and solid role players in Desmond Bane, Steven Adams, Dillion Brooks, and others. However, this can make things complicated in fantasy hoops. Morant will lead the charge without a doubt, but Cleveland has the #2 defense in the NBA. Thus, a matchup play in this one is Steven Adams. While he certainly will have few shot attempts, he will be needed to log heavy minutes versus Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Moreover, with Jaren Jackson Jr. still battling foul trouble, Adams has tremendous potential for a double-double in this one in nearly 30+ minutes of play.
Sacramento Kings @ Los Angeles Lakers (OTB)
Sacramento Kings (OTB)
The Kings have been a pleasant surprise this season. After years of mediocrity and struggling to find their groove, they are now leading a division that has Golden State, Phoenix, and both Los Angeles teams in it. Thanks to their All-Star duo of De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento fans should be excited for the near future. Most notably, the latter came into town with lofty expectations after being acquired for Tyrese Haliburton. However, Sabonis has truly dominated this season. He leads the NBA in both total rebounds and rebounds per game, while averaging 18.9/12.6/7.1 on 61% shooting. The Lakers rank 29th in the league versus playmaking centers, making this a tremendous matchup for Sabonis.
Los Angeles Lakers (OTB)
There is little to like about this offense other than LeBron James. However, in doing so, NBA lineup construction becomes increasingly difficult. Thus, fear not in fading the Lakers tonight. However, both LeBron and Sabonis make for an excellent 1-2 punch in the last game of the slate. James has 24 or more points in each of his last seven games, including three 40-point outings. Moreover, he has averaged 37/9.7/8.6 during that span through a whopping 36.4% usage rate.
Honorable Mentions:
- Atlanta Hawks @ Dallas Mavericks (OTB)
- Miami Heat @ New Orleans Pelicans (+1.5)
- Charlotte Hornets @ Houston Rockets (+2.5)
You can find me on Twitter @BetsByGhost and in the Win Daily Discord
