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There are no shortage of storylines emanating out of Wednesday’s 10-game slate, from the showdown between Luka Doncic and Trae Young -- who were traded for one another on Draft night in 2018 -- to Chris Paul’s return to New Orleans, to John Wall and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missing Houston and OKC’s collision due to respective injuries.
With only three players clocking in with salaries at or north of $10,000, there should be ample room for fantasy managers to get creative with two-star lineups.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 2/3/21. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. With COVID-19 a significant factor globally, remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Victor Oladipo - PG/SG, HOU @ OKC ($7,900)
In the three games that Oladipo has played since joining the Rockets where Wall (Achilles) has not been available, he has produced three distinctly different scoring outputs: 32, 22, and 13 points. Inherently, that gives him some of the highest GPP upside on the slate, especially when factoring in his price tag, which is amenable enough to combine with two additional players at or above $8,500.
Despite having played just 25 minutes in each of his last two games, Oladipo has dished out seven dimes in both outings. Playing alongside Christian Wood has boosted Oladipo's assists potential, with the 5.4 per game that he has averaged since joining Houston putting him on pace for a new career high.
Malik Beasley - SG, MIN @ SA ($6,400)
Beasley’s offensive aggressiveness can never be disputed. With Karl-Anthony Towns still working his way through the league’s health and safety protocols, Beasley’s scoring upside receives a boost. He is coming off a 10-point outing Monday, which marked both his lowest points total since Dec. 27, as well as his 17th consecutive game scoring in double figures.
Beasley has knocked down multiple triples in 16 of his first 20 games. Over his last five contests, he is averaging 8.8 three-point attempts on a nightly basis. Should he bring that long range mentality into Wednesday, it figures to work in his favor as the Spurs are allowing opponents to knock down a league-high 39.3 percent of their looks from behind the arc.
Hamidou Diallo - SG/SF, OKC vs. HOU ($4,500)
The aforementioned absence of Gilgeous-Alexander is arguably the most crucial of the entire slate as it completely changes the Thunder’s dynamic. Even with all of the moving parts that the team’s youth movement has created thus far in 2020-21, Gilgeous-Alexander has been the one constant. Without him, look to Diallo, who has scored in double figures in six straight contests, to potentially take on the largest offensive role of the group.
With outings of 23 and 25 points scored earlier this season, Diallo’s scoring upside is evident, and there’s little reason to believe that he won’t be able to show off that skill Wednesday. Theo Maledon and Luguentz Dort will also see DK intrigue and have increased upsides with George Hill (thumb) joining Gilgeous-Alexander in street clothes.
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DraftKings DFS Forwards
Jayson Tatum - PF, BOS @ SAC ($8,900)
With more than a month of data at our disposal, one thing is abundantly clear: the Sacramento Kings’ defense is exploitable. Even with Boston coming to town on the second leg of a back-to-back Wednesday, there’s little reason to fear that Tatum, who went for 28 points and nine rebounds Tuesday, won’t be able to impose his will. On zero days of rest this season, Tatum has accumulated a staggering 158 oRTG.
No defense yields more DK points on a nightly basis than Sacramento, which also tosses Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker into consideration. Boston’s star trio combined to take 57 of the team’s 84 shots in their first game together without Marcus Smart (calf) available. Having gone for at least 24 points in nine straight outings, Tatum is an elite cash contest play against the Kings.
Lauri Markkanen - PF/C, CHI vs. NY ($7,100)
Just two days ago, Markkanen dropped 30 points against the Knicks while shooting 11-for-18 overall, including going 6-for-12 from behind the arc. It marked not only his second straight game of reaching the 30-point plateau, but his second consecutive outing of having hoisted double-digit three-point attempts.
There is ample reason to buy into the Markkanen offensive revival, as he has averaged 22.1 points on 15.5 field-goal attempts per contest since returning on Jan. 15. Chicago’s offense has consistently revolved around the trio of Markkanen, Zach LaVine, and Coby White, establishing the fourth-year big man as a contrarian GPP upside selection due to New York’s impressive defensive prowess.
Rudy Gay - PF, SA vs. MIN ($4,000)
It’s difficult to ascertain who will specifically benefit from LaMarcus Aldridge’s (hip) absence Wednesday, but Gay’s lowered price tag and stable role with the second unit makes him jump off the page as a cash contest option. Having taken between 6-11 field-goal attempts in 15 of his last 16 games, Gay’s scoring floor is as consistent as they come, with Aldridge's absence potentially leading to increased rebounding opportunities.
Also working in the favor of Gay and his teammates is Minnesota’s exploitable defense, which owns the seventh-worst defensive efficiency (110.3) along with the sixth-highest PPG allowed average (115.6) in the league.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Joel Embiid - C, PHI @ CHA ($10,000)
On the heels of being named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month, Embiid enters Wednesday’s matchup with the Hornets as the game’s preeminent dominant force on the low-post. While his back tightness continues to flare up -- thereby limiting his availability -- when he’s cleared to play, he has been a force. Over his last five games, he is averaging 35.6 PPG, all while shooting 56 percent overall, getting to the free-throw line just shy of 17 times per contest.
Both previous matchups between Embiid and Charlotte this season concluded with the All-Star compiling a double-double. But in those outings, he took just 21 combined shots; should he look for his own shot with added frequency against Cody Zeller, Bismack Biyombo and Co., Embiid stands out as the premier slate-breaker at any position Wednesday.
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