RADIO
A total of 26 teams will be taking the floor on Wednesday, setting us up for a fun night of hoops! With so many players in action, filtering through to set your DraftKings lineup can be daunting, but that's where I come in. Before I give you my favorite DraftKings plays for Wednesday's 13-game slate, let's take a look at all of the game totals to see which matchups to attack.
- PHI @ CHA O/U: 215.5
- CHI @ CLE O/U: 211
- NYK @ IND O/U: 209
- WAS @ DET O/U: 209
- MIL @ MIA O/U: 216.5
- OKC @ TOR O/U: 208
- UTA @ MIN O/U: 221.5
- DAL @ MEM O/U: 213.5
- BKN @ HOU O/U: 226.5
- DEN @ NOP O/U: 214
- ORL @ SAC O/U: 224
- POR @ GSW O/U: 217.5
- BOS @ LAC O/U: 213
Six of the 13 games currently have O/U's greater than 215, so those will be the games to attack. The BKN/HOU matchup has the highest O/U on the slate at 226.5 but honestly, I fear this game won't be that competitive. Sure, the Nets are on the second night of a back-to-back set on the road, but Houston is banged up and have nowhere near the level of talent that Brooklyn does. It's certainly hard to go wrong when trotting out Kevin Durant or James Harden in your lineup, but my fear is that this game ends up being a blowout and thus lowers their fantasy ceilings. A matchup worth attacking looks to be the PHI/CHA rematch from Monday night after both teams combined for 251 total points in the Sixers' overtime win. I could really see this game hitting the over on total points scored once again.
With all that said, let's dive into my favorite plays for Wednesday's slate. This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 12/8/21. You can also check out today's FanDuel NBA DFS lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before lineups lock.
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DraftKings Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Dennis Smith Jr. - PG, POR @ GSW ($5,800)
DSJ has seen a massive uptick in playing time for the ailing Trailblazers and he should be locked into a large role once again on Wednesday with C.J. McCollum ruled out with a collapsed lung. He's scored no less than 32 DK points in each of his last two games and put up 30 DK points in his last game without Damian Lillard and McCollum in the lineup. Not to mention the Warriors have actually had a tough time slowing down opposing guards this season. Regardless, DSJ is basically matchup-proof due to Portland's lack of depth and should flirt with 40 minutes of playing time.
Dennis Schroder - PG, BOS @ LAC ($6,200)
Another day, another opportunity for Schroder to 5X his value without Jaylen Brown in the lineup. If you've been following along with these DFS pieces this season, you should know that Schroder is basically a free space with Brown out of the lineup. In 11 total games without Brown, he's seeing over 35 minutes a night and putting up nearly 24 points, 4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and just under 35 DK points. On the second night of a back-to-back on the road, Boston will certainly need his offense in order to take down the Clippers.
Cody Martin - SG, CHA vs. PHI ($5,000)
It's been no secret that the Hornets have been plagued with COVID protocols over the last week and that will carry into Wednesday's rematch against the Sixers. Terry Rozier, LaMelo Ball, and Mason Plumlee will all miss another game and the Hornets will have no choice but to start Martin once again. He's averaged 32 DK points over his last two games and played a season-high 42 minutes in Monday's loss to Philadelphia. While the casuals will look to Miles Bridges, Kelly Oubre, and Gordon Hayward, Martin is a nice pivot who could fly under the radar.
Tyler Herro - SG, MIA vs. MIL ($7,000)
The banged-up Heat will have no choice but to turn to Herro with Jimmy Butler ruled out after re-injuring his tailbone. He's scored at least 30 DK points in 11 of his last 14 games and has been gifted his lowest price tag since back on November 17th. He should start and serve as Miami's main offensive weapon against the Bucks, who have given up the second-most DK points to opposing guards this season.
Ayo Dosunmu - SG, CHI @ CLE ($3,900)
Ayo! The Bulls' second-round rookie sure was impressive in an increased role without DeMar DeRozan in the lineup. He went for 11 points, six rebounds, eight assists, and a season-high 31.5 DK points in their win over the Nuggets on Monday. With DeRozan out for an extended amount of time in the COVID protocols, Dosunmu should continue to see increased playing time and he's shown the ability to produce across the board. Don't ignore him against the Cavaliers on Wednesday.
Others to consider: Zach LaVine ($10,500), Brandon Ingram ($9,100), Cade Cunningham ($7,600)
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DraftKings Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Norman Powell - SF, POR @ GSW ($4,800)
Powell may be my favorite play of Wednesday's slate, mainly due to Portland struggling to find healthy bodies at this point in the season. For starters, Golden State gives up the eighth-most DK points per game to forwards this season, and Powell is locked into a massive role while being priced below $5,000. In his last game without C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard in the lineup, Powell went for 29 points and 36 DK points but somehow sees his price drop $200. It would behoove you to take advantage of this seemingly 'free space' on Wednesday.
Jae'Sean Tate - SF, HOU vs. BKN ($6,900)
Tate is the most expensive he's been by a longshot this season, but it's easy to ignore with the opportunity at hand. Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green will miss another game, leaving plenty of usage up for grabs in this starting lineup. Tate has produced just under 40 DK points over his last five games and should have no problem flirting with that number against the Nets, who are playing on the road in the second night of a back-to-back set.
P.J. Washington - PF/C, CHA vs. PHI ($6,800)
It seems like it was just last week that Washington was a value sitting in the $5,000's just waiting to be utilized. Despite his price tag inflating all the way to $6,800, I love him in a rematch against the Sixers on Wednesday. In the two teams first meeting on Monday, Washington went for a season-high 42 DK points and saw at least 32 minutes of playing time for the fifth-straight game. He may see more ownership than usual, but Charlotte's lack of depth has him locked into a safe role.
Evan Mobley - PF/C, CLE vs. CHI ($6,400)
Believe it or not, Mobley is actually priced the lowest he's been all season. Sure, it's taken him a few games to get back into rhythm after missing some time with a sprained elbow, but it's hard to ignore a rookie who's seen at least 30 minutes in all but three games this season. This matchup against the Bulls should be a fast-paced one, and Jarrett Allen should have his hands full with Nikola Vucevic. I like Mobley as a sneaky play who could be passed over by the masses after his average production over the last three contests.
Others to consider: Paul George ($10,700), Miles Bridges ($8,200), Jaren Jackson Jr. ($7,000), Lauri Markkanen ($5,700)
DraftKings Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Jusuf Nurkic - C, POR @ GSW ($6,900)
Nurkic flirted with 40 DK points in Monday's loss to the Clippers and he should be plenty busy once again with Portland operating at less than 100%. He's a good play for the exact same reason as Norman Powell and Dennis Smith Jr. are; simply a lack of options with Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum out. The Warriors have been stout against opposing centers, but Nurkic should produce regardless based on necessity.
Joel Embiid - C, PHI @ CHA ($11,700)
We all saw what Embiid was able to do against the short-handed Hornets on Monday when we went off for 43 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, and just under 75 DK points. Things should be more of the same in Wednesday's rematch as Mason Plumlee will remain out and in the COVID protocols. Embiid is sitting at his most expensive price of the season, but the matchup and his recent level of play is too hard to pass up here.
Nikola Vucevic - C, CHI @ CLE ($9,500)
Vucevic has taken a back seat offensively to Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan this season but has seemingly turned it around, averaging 22 points over his last four games. With DeRozan now in COVID protocols, Chicago will need his scoring now more than ever to keep up their momentum. Vucevic went for 40 DK points in his first game without DeRozan on Monday and is actually seeing his usage rate tick up by about 2.6% without the former on the floor this season. He should have his hands full against Cleveland's length, though he will be the best big man on the court.
Others to consider: Willy Hernangomez ($4,400), Bobby Portis ($7,500), Myles Turner ($6,100), Mitchell Robinson ($4,200)
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