Ten more NBA games are on tap for Wednesday night, with the most interesting in Houston. Not 100% sure it’s a great play in daily fantasy, as both the Grizzlies and Rockets are excellent defensively, but with Dwight Howard (knee), Patrick Beverley (hamstring), Terrence Jones (leg) and Isaiah Canaan (ankle) all unavailable, I’m leaning heavily to Memphis.
Tonight almost has to be better than their first meeting, when James Harden $10700 was held to six points in 34 minutes. The Grizz won that laugher by 26; assuming the rematch is closer, Marc Gasol $9100 and Mike Conley $7700 will play more minutes. Zach Randolph $7900 is the third option, with Courtney Lee $4200 and Tony Allen $4300 willing defenders. Jon Leuer $3000 could surprise if he gets a chance.
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The Lakers, though good enough to beat Detroit last night, have nobody who can slow down John Wall $10200 or stop Marcin Gortat $7000 inside. They also rely heavily on 36-year-old Kobe Bryant $9400, who has been remarkably healthy but can’t be thrilled about road back-to-backs. The improving Wizards are the play, with Kris Humphries $4700 getting another start at PF, Bradley Beal $5700 due for an eruption and Rasual Butler $3700 recently hot off the bench.
Tim Duncan $8500 is rested and ready, but Tony Parker $7200 is nursing a bruised (or cracked) rib. Expected to play through it, he may not be 100% and Cory Joseph $3000 becomes a must-start if TP is scratched. Kawhi Leonard $7600 toyed with the Sixers on Monday. The Nets managed to win at Madison Square last night, as Joe Johnson $6200 came back to life, but the Spurs present a far more difficult challenge.
This is the definition of a letdown game for Dallas after last night’s epic battle in Chicago. While they should still win, predicting individual heroes is tough. Four Mavs starters played 40+ minutes, so it could be guys like Devin Harris $4900, Brandan Wright $4800 and J.J. Barea $3800 stepping up this evening. The Bucks are tired too; they dropped a close one in Cleveland despite rookie Jabari Parker $5300 playing his best all-around game yet as a professional. O.J. Mayo $4600, Giannis Antetokounmpo $5600 and Brandon Knight $7000 are all underpriced if they can repeat that fine effort. Ersan Ilyasova $5000 (face) is doubtful.
Thaddeus Young $7100 against his former team? Sign me up. This is a great opportunity for Young, who has been understandably quiet since his mother passed away, to showcase his versatile game. Andrew Wiggins $5400 has been playing through an illness and could be underpriced if feeling better; Shabazz Muhammad $4000 has taken advantage of those extra minutes for two straight games. Mo Williams $5700 and Gorgui Dieng $6900 are also worth considering vs. the winless Sixers, who do have Michael Carter-Williams $8000 and K.J. McDaniels $5600 playing well enough to use in DFS.
It’s a road back-to-back for Toronto, with no miracles anticipated. They got the job done in Sacramento and match up reasonably well with the Jazz. James Johnson $3800 was particularly inspired last night — heckling by Kings fans helped — and Kyle Lowry $8700 is almost always great. Since DeMar DeRozan (groin) went down, Terrence Ross $4500 and Greivis Vasquez $4300 have both stepped up. Utah has a much better chance if Derrick Favors $7300 is over an illness, and they need Enes Kanter $5800 to play well against Jonas Valanciunas $5900, but it’s mostly Gordon Hayward $8000 who the Raptors must stop.
Mismatch of the night is Orlando visiting the Clippers, 24 hours after losing a heartbreaker at Golden State. Kyle O’Quinn $3300 was a surprise starter when Nikola Vucevic $8300 was scratched with back spasms, so check for updates on that situation. Victor Oladipo $6400 was terrific, suggesting he’s finally in peak form after that facial fracture. Use Chris Paul $9900 and Blake Griffin $9800 at your own risk, as they will play big minutes only if the Magic are competitive. Guys like Jordan Farmar $3000 and Spencer Hawes $4100 gain value if it’s a blowout.
Today’s “short list” features 15 players to consider, at each position and in each price range. Once again I’m leaning away from the highest-salaried group and experimenting with balanced lineups.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | John Wall $10200 | Rajon Rondo $7500 | Greivis Vasquez $4300 |
| SG | James Harden $10700 | Dwyane Wade $7000 | O.J. Mayo $4600 |
| SF | Gordon Hayward $8000 | Jeff Green $6300 | Terrence Ross $4500 |
| PF | Blake Griffin $9800 | Zach Randolph $7900 | Kris Humphries $4700 |
| C | Marc Gasol $9100 | Enes Kanter $5800 | Kyle O’Quinn $3300 |
The slumping Celtics are still better than the Pistons, though both lost again last night. Rajon Rondo $7500 and Jared Sullinger $7300 are possibilities in a meaningless contest.
Other games I don’t like include Chicago at Charlotte, because the Bulls just played two overtime periods and will be trying to slow this one down. The Hornets have lost nine in a row, the latest a 30-point drubbing in Atlanta, so they do not inspire confidence.
At home off a day of rest, the Heat have a slight edge over the Hawks, but a high score seems unlikely. Note that Josh McRoberts $3300 has gradually taken over from Shawne Williams $3400; McBob is worth keeping an eye on as he continues to get stronger.
Good luck with all your teams. Hope to see you on the leaderboard.
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.