Written By: Ryan Humphries on Twitter & LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries

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NBA DFS & Props Shows w/ Shannon & Tyler!

DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

A wild Wednesday lies ahead with 10 games worth of NBA action on the board! There are a handful of high-impact players whose statuses remain up in the air today so, as always, keep an eye out for the latest injury news which is always shared in the LineStar chat! Other than that, this looks like a great slate with plenty of evenly matched teams. Only one game (CHA @ IND) on the entire slate has a spread greater than five points and six games own at least a 230 over/under. Let’s try to crack the code and thicken our wallets ahead of the holiday weekend! Best of luck!

Today’s Key Injuries

Hornets: L. Ball - OUT, G. Hayward - Probable, M. Williams - Doubtful

Pacers: M. Turner - Questionable, A. Nembhard - OUT, J. Smith - Questionable

Timberwolves: None

76ers: R. Covington - Questionable, N. Batum - OUT, M. Morris Sr. - Questionable

Heat: J. Butler - OUT, K. Love - OUT

Magic: M. Fultz - OUT, J. Ingles - OUT

Jazz: J. Clarkson - OUT, K. George- OUT, O. Yurtseven - OUT

Cavaliers: D. Mitchell - Questionable, D. Garland - OUT, E. Mobley - OUT

Nuggets: A. Gordon - Probable

Raptors: None

Knicks: M. Robinson - OUT, J. Sims - OUT

Nets: B. Simmons - OUT, L. Walker IV - OUT, D. Smith Jr. - OUT

Lakers: A. Davis - Questionable, L. James - Questionable, G. Vincent - Probable, J. Vanderbilt - Probable

Bulls: Z. LaVine - OUT, P. Williams - Probable, A. Caruso - Probable, T. Craig - OUT

Hawks: B. Bogdanovic - Questionable, J. Johnson - OUT, AJ Griffin - OUT

Rockets: J. Tate - Questionable, A. Thompson - Questionable

Clippers: P. George - Questionable, N. Powell - Questionable, M. Plumlee - OUT, B. Hyland - Questionable

Mavericks: K. Irving - OUT, D. Lively II - OUT, J. Green - OUT, M. Kleber - OUT

Celtics: J. Tatum - OUT, A. Horford - OUT, K. Porzingis - Questionable, L. Kornet - OUT

Kings: None

Update: The Celtics injury news (Tatum & Horford both out) dropped as this newsletter was about to be sent out. No Celtics were spotlighted in today’s article but obviously we can now look at Boston for some value/usage boosts. Even more so if Porzingis is out again.

Main Slate Match-Ups w/ Game Totals & Point Spreads

Top DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Plays

Note: NBA position designations are never going to perfectly align between the major DFS sites. For the purposes of these newsletters, positional designations will default to DraftKings.

Point Guards/Shooting Guards to Consider 🏀

PG Luka Doncic, DAL | DK: $12.2k, FD: $12.5k | vs. LAC

As usual, Doncic is about as expensive as it gets but the floor/ceiling combo he provides is matched perhaps only by Joel Embiid on this slate. Kyrie Irving (heel/out) will miss his sixth consecutive game tonight. Over the previous five games without Kyrie, Doncic is playing over 40 minutes per game (no OT games), scoring 1.72 FPPM, and rocking a robust 36.4% usage rate. He’s also at home tonight where he has averaged 67.1 DKFP per game this season -- compared to 58.0 DKFP on the road (+15.7% more FPPG at home). The Clippers are middle-of-the-road defensively versus opposing point guards, though this is a bit of a pace-down match-up. Nonetheless, Luka will be his usual “do it all” self and we should see a competitive game atmosphere here with the Mavs being two-point home underdogs. On a slate of this size, there should be enough value that opens up to make the Luka spend-up a doable strategy today.

PG Coby White, CHI | DK: $8k, FD: $8.3k | vs. LAL

If the nine consecutive games that Zach LaVine (foot/out) has missed, Coby White has scored no fewer than 39.25 DKFP/37.3 FDFP. Over the previous five games, he’s averaging 49.2 DKFP/46.8 FDFP while playing 39.6 Mins/gm. On top of his scoring (26.4 PPG) during that five-game stretch, he’s filling out the stat sheet elsewhere with 7.4 APG, 6.4 RPG, and 1.0 STL+BLK/gm. White has seen a sizable salary bump since the beginning of LaVine’s extended absence but it’s been well-deserved. Realistically, he’s playing more like a $9k player and the consistency has been outstanding, so White is firmly on the DFS radar today. The Lakers have been a top-10 defensive team this season, but they’re less stout [defensively] on the road and they’re best attacked with opposing backcourt players, like White.

SG Sam Merrill, CLE | DK: $4.1k, FD: $4.1k | vs. UTA

We could get some safer guard value later on in the day but this play will certainly look better if Donovan Mitchell (illness/questionable) ends up sitting out tonight -- Mitchell did not participate in Cleveland’s morning shootaround. Even with Mitchell playing on Monday, Merrill still came out of nowhere to play a season-high 24 minutes and post a 19/4/3 stat line with a block and steal apiece (35.0 DKFP/34.3 FDFP). And, worth noting, Merrill played ahead of Caris LeVert in the overtime period on Monday versus the Rockets. Perhaps it was just a “going with the hot hand” approach, but the Cavs are down two of their top players at the moment (Evan Mobley & Darius Garland -- both out again tonight) and Merrill’s surprise performance on Monday may be enough to earn him extended run in today’s game. Who knows, he may even crack the starting lineup if Mitchell is ruled out -- probably not likely, but possible. Merrill will be a riskier investment if Mitchell is able to go this evening but keep him on the radar for now. This is a 7:00 ET tip-off so we’ll know Mitchell’s status before lock.

Other Guards to Consider

PG De’Aaron Fox, SAC | DK: $9.6k, FD: $10.1k | vs. BOS

SG Anthony Edwards, MIN | DK: $9k, FD: $9.5k | @ PHI

PG/SG Terry Rozier, CHA | DK: $8.9k, FD: $9.6k | @ IND

PG/SG Tyler Herro, MIA | DK: $8.8k, FD: $7.6k | @ ORL (FD Preferred)

PG James Harden, LAC | DK: $8.8k, FD: $9k | @ DAL (Preferred if P. George is out)

PG/SG Derrick White, BOS | DK: $7.8k, FD: $7.1k | @ SAC (FD Preferred)

PG/SG Collin Sexton, UTA | DK: $7.2k, FD: $7.1k | @ CLE

SG/SF Caris LeVert, CLE | DK: $6.2k, FD: $6.3k | vs. UTA (Preferred if D. Mitchell is out)

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

SF/PF Kawhi Leonard, LAC | DK: $8.7k, FD: $9.3k | @ DAL

I’m not crazy about spending up on many of the forward options on this slate but Kawhi will be worth a look, especially if Paul George (illness/questionable) is unable to play this evening. A blowout win over the Pacers limited Leonard’s minutes on Monday but perhaps that will only serve to drive down his ownership today. In the five games prior to Monday, Leonard had been averaging a sturdy 1.47 FPPM and 52.2 DKFP/51.5 FDFP per game. The Mavericks give up points in droves to opposing forwards, though Leonard’s two previous games against the Mavs this season have not been anything to write home about. Regardless, this is a sizable pace-up spot for the Clippers, the Mavs rank 23rd in DEFRTG, and Leonard could handle an increased role if Paul George sits out tonight.

SF/PF Tari Eason, HOU | DK: $6.1k, FD: $6.7k | vs. ATL

Eason has played 30+ minutes off of the bench in back-to-back games and has logged at least 27 minutes in four of his last five. In that five-game stretch, Eason is scoring an excellent 1.29 FPPM while averaging 36.1 DKFP/36.2 FDFP. He’s a better bargain on DraftKings and there’s no guarantee that the Rockets will continue to give Eason additional minutes but… he has impressed lately, so it’d be a bit of a surprise if he reverts back to low-20s/high-teens minutes. This is also a stellar match-up versus the fast-paced Hawks (5th in pace) who rank 27th in DEFRTG.

SF/PF Isaac Okoro, CLE | DK: $5.1k, FD: $5.1k | vs. UTA

We’ll go back to the Cavs well in search of some value today. Okoro isn’t the most productive per-minute fantasy scorer (0.70 FPPM) but he has started each of the last two games, playing 32 minutes in both, and logging scores of 29.75 DKFP/29.1 FDFP (vs. ATL) and 31.25 DKFP/31.4 FDFP (vs. HOU). It’s not an exciting play, but as long as he continues to start, Okoro has some DFS appeal on a shorthanded Cavs team and the Jazz tend to struggle defensively versus the wing.

Other Forwards to Consider

PF/C Anthony Davis, LAL | DK: $10.4k, FD: $11.4k | @ CHI (DK Preferred - AD is currently questionable)

SF/PF LeBron James, LAL | DK: $10.3k, FD: $10.5k | @ CHI (LeBron is currently questionable)

PF/C Julius Randle, NYK | DK: $8.7k, FD: $8.8k | @ BKN

SF/PF DeMar DeRozan, CHI | DK: $8.1k, FD: $8.1k | vs. LAL

PF Paolo Banchero, ORL | DK: $8k, FD: $8.1k | vs. MIA

SF/PF Gordon Hayward, CHA | DK: $6.9k, FD: $6.8k | @ IND

SF/SG Max Strus, CLE | DK: $6.6k, FD: $5.9k | vs. UTA (Boost if D. Mitchell is out)

PF Aaron Gordon, DEN | DK: $6.4k, FD: $6.8k | @ TOR

PF/C PJ Washington, CHA | DK: $6.3k, FD: $6.5k | @ IND

SF/PF RJ Barrett, NYK | DK: $6.2k, FD: $6.2k | @ BKN

PF Jabari Smith Jr., HOU | DK: $6.1k, FD: $6.4k | vs. ATL

SF Derrick Jones Jr., DAL | DK: $5k, FD: $5.3k | vs. LAC

Centers to Consider 🏀

C Alperen Sengun, HOU | DK: $8.6k, FD: $8.3k | vs. ATL

Some recent down games have knocked Sengun’s DFS salaries down a bit but he finds himself in a great spot today. The Hawks have ranked 28th against starting centers over their last 20 games and, as mentioned elsewhere in this newsletter, the Rockets will receive a significant pace bump from Atlanta. Sengun is a versatile big who contributes in all five stat categories and this is a spot where he could pop off for one of those 50+ FP performances that we were seeing out of him in late November.

C Isaiah Hartenstein, NYK | DK: $5.8k, FD: $6.4k | @ BKN

Mitchell Robinson (ankle/out) has missed the previous five games but the Knicks chose to keep Hartenstein in his bench role while starting Jericho Sims (ankle/out). Hartenstein would still end up playing the most center minutes, but Sims being the starter and playing around 18 minutes ultimately capped Hartenstein’s upside. Sims is now out today due to the ankle injury he sustained in Monday’s game. Sims exited that game after playing three minutes, while Hartenstein ended up playing 39 minutes. He corraled a career-high 17 rebounds and posted 40.75 DKFP/43.4 FDFP. Unless the Knicks do something unexpected, like moving Julius Randle to the five and starting another forward, Hartenstein should earn his first start of the season today. It’s not a smash match-up (BKN: 7th fewest FPPG allowed to centers L20Games) but Hartenstein, who has averaged 0.96 FPPM this season, will have ample room to return value if he plays 35+ minutes with the rest of the starters. He’s a better bargain on DraftKings but his 40+ FP upside keeps him firmly in play on FanDuel as well.

Other Centers to Consider

C Joel Embiid, PHI | DK: $11.6k, FD: $12.9k | vs. MIN (DK Preferred)

C Nikola Jokic, DEN | DK: $11.5k, FD: $12.3k | @ TOR

C Nikola Vucevic, CHI | DK: $7.9k, FD: $8.6k | vs. LAL

C Clint Capela, ATL | DK: $7.1k, FD: $7.3k | @ HOU

C Jarrett Allen, CLE | DK: $7k, FD: $7.1k | vs. UTA

C Walker Kessler, UTA | DK: $6.2k, FD: $7.8k | @ CLE (DK Preferred - Assuming he continues to start)

C Nick Richards, CHA | DK: $6.1k, FD: $6.1k | @ IND

C Isaiah Jackson, IND | DK: $5.7k, FD: $5.8k | vs. CHA (Only if M. Turner is out & Jackson starts)

PrizePicks NBA Power Play ⚡

Here is a two-pick “Power Play” I’m liking for today's NBA action over on PrizePicks! Nothing is ever a guarantee to hit but I put my own money on these bets so I don't just lightly throw these out there without believing they'll cash! If it hits, it will return 3x the wager.

Coby White MORE than 28.5 Points + Assists

Scottie Barnes MORE than 42.0 Fantasy Score

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That will wrap us up with today’s “Daily Dribble” edition! Once again, you can find me on Twitter or in LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries. Good luck everyone!