The Golden State Warriors got back on track against the Orlando Magic on Monday night, but their loss to the Los Angeles Lakers speaks volumes about the potential for letdowns the rest of the way. The Warriors are sitting comfortably atop the Western Conference standings and while they have played their best in their biggest games this season it might make more sense to stay away from them from a fantasy perspective when they play in more favorable matchups. That will be the case on Wednesday night when they host the Utah Jazz, so look elsewhere when it comes to building the ideal lineup in DraftKings Daily NBA Fantasy Leagues. Here is some important advice to consider for Wednesday’s NBA fantasy action.
Weak Defense To Target: Houston Rockets
Houston ranks 26th in the NBA in scoring defense this season with an average of 106.9 points allowed per game and they have struggled on the road in particularly with a 14-18 record as the visiting team. The Rockets should inch closer to a .500 road record when they visit the lowly Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night, but it won’t be because of their defensive play. Ish Smith has been a major overachiever this season and could be worth taking a chance on in this matchup. Smith has averaged 21.0 points, 6.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 three-point shots and 1.3 steals per game over the last week of action and is very reasonably priced. Meanwhile, Hollis Thompson has also performed at a decent level of late and could be a strong sleeper value play. Thompson has averaged 13.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 three-point shots and 1.0 steal per game over that same span and is worth taking a chance on in in NBA fantasy order to target the Rockets’ weak defense.
Player Who’s Hot Right Now: Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets have won three straight as well as eight of their last 10 overall and Walker is among the biggest reasons for their success. Walker has averaged 29.7 points, 7.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 three-point shots and 1.0 steal per game over the last seven days and he should stay hot with the New Orleans Pelicans in town. Walker is still available at a very reasonable price on DraftKings so strongly consider riding the hot hand and plugging him in your lineup for Wednesday.
Injuries, Rest Create Opportunities For… J.J. Barea, Marco Belinelli
The Dallas Mavericks have leaned on J.J. Barea for only 21.0 minutes per game over the last week, but he has made the most of the opportunity with some strong production of late. Barea has averaged 13.3 points, 4.0 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 three-point shots per game over that span and is a decent value option with Dallas set to host the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, Marco Belinelli has played 22.0 minutes per game for the Sacramento Kings over the last week, but has made the most of his playing time as well. Belinelli has averaged 11.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 three-point shots per game over the past seven days and is another player that could be worth taking a chance with in NBA fantasy as Sacramento is set to host the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Highest Scoring Game Of The Night: LAC @ OKC
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers rank second and sixth respectively in points per game this season so it’s pretty obvious that Wednesday’s matchup will be another high scoring affair. The problem is that it’s hard to trust many options from the Thunder outside of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, who are two of the most expensive players on the board. The better bet is to look to the Clippers for a couple of value plays including Jamal Crawford and even Austin Rivers. Crawford has averaged 14.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 three-point shot over the past seven days and could easily top those averages against Oklahoma City. Meanwhile, Rivers has averaged 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 steal and 1.0 three-point shot over that same span and is a deep sleeper option if you are looking for someone with high upside at a very low NBA fantasy price to fill out your DraftKings lineup.
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