This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Wednesday features 12 games. With the playoffs right around the corner, you have teams in a great variety of positions. Some teams are locked into their playoff spots, just making sure they stay fit and healthy going into the NBA's second season. Others are fighting for their lives, contending both for position and to simply clench their place in the playoff picture. Then you have the Los Angeles Lakers who can't even lose right. It's not too often that a game-winning shot in overtime is viewed so deplorably (sorry Jordan Clarkson).
The bottom dwellers want to lose every chance they get, doing what they can to ensure a good spot come lottery time. It's wise to stick with studs on teams that figure to be competitive, as how much playing time they'll actually see in other scenarios is questionable.
These scenarios do open up some good possibilities for minor players to get playing time they aren't accustomed to, so keep a strong eye on players sitting out with injury and rest who open up playing time for their backups.
There is no shortage of options Wednesday, below is some brief insight into some players that figure to provide considerable upside.
Wednesday Value Plays
Point Guard
Trey Burke, UTA, $5,700: Burke certainly isn't shy, he takes a high quantity of shots regardless of the amount of playing time he receives. Teammate Rodney Hood (concussion) will not play Wednesday, so Burke should get a healthy dose of minutes. More minutes, more points, more rebounds, more assists, more steals – Burke is a steal at $5,700 the way he's been scoring lately.
Zach LaVine, MIN, $5,700: LaVine has filled in admirably (at least stats wise) for Ricky Rubio (ankle). Its highly unlikely Rubio will see the court Wednesday, and as the starter, LaVine (though slightly inconsistently) is expected to get huge minutes and likely surpass his value.
Shooting Guard
Markel Brown, BKN, $3,500: Brown is my favorite minimum price special for Wednesday. He's a relatively new addition to the starting lineup, and in his last two starts, he has gotten over thirty minutes, double-digit points, and handful of rebounds, assists, and steals. His playing time appears solidified for the moment, and if the Nets do start to blow out the Knicks, he's likely the only starter that will still see a full slate of minutes regardless. Brown provides upside while also ensuring a fair allotment of minutes.
DeMar DeRozan, TOR, $8,000: Every stud comes with his respective asterisk. Toronto's opponent Minnesota Wednesday is DeRozan's. Look at it this way: DeRozan should give at least three quarters of superb scoring and rebounding, and if the game stays relatively close, DeRozan should have the opportunity to go off. He's on fire right now and faces added responsibility to produce with Kyle Lowry (back) out. Strike while the iron is hot.
Shooting Forward
Joe Ingles, UTA, $3,500: When given ample opportunity, Ingles has proven he can put up respectable numbers. Current circumstances with Rodney Hood (concussion) sitting out seem to point to Ingles getting the start. Give him thirty-plus minutes, he'll produce enough across the board to carry value.
Cleanthony Early, NYK, $3,800: Early has been getting some quality garbage time of late, a trend that seems likely to continue through the end of the season, and as a rookie on the Knicsks, he actually warrants some court time so they can see whether Early actually has a spot on the team going forward. He's averaging over 20 FanDuel points over his last two games. Another performance in that range would do well at his price.
Power Forward
Adreian Payne, MIN, $4,000: The Timberwolves are a strong contender for the worst of the worst, and sitting anyone with the slightest hint of an injury has resulted in some deeply-discounted options getting some increased court time. Payne has surpassed 30 minutes in each of his last two outings against very tough matchups with the Jazz and New Orleans. Assuming he continues this run of playing time, the Raptors aren't as good in the paint defensively as the Jazz with Rudy Gobert and New Orleans with Anthony Davis. A good rebounder that takes high-percentage shots makes him a strong contender for a double-double.
Jason Thompson/Derrick Williams, SAC, $3,700/$3,500:Rudy Gay (concussion) is definitely out, and DeMarcus Cousins (rest) looks like he'll be on the pine, too. Thompson will see a lot of minutes at center while Williams will fill in at both forward spots. Both players are extremely risky, even with their fair allotment of playing time, but at near-minimum prices, getting what should be starters minutes should encourage a second look.
Center
Jonas Valanciunas, TOR, $6,200: Valanciunas is the safest play at the center position. Cousins could very well sit for Sacramento, and even if they do play him on the road it'll be in a limited role. Really, all of the high-priced centers come with an asterisk that makes them risky at such high prices. If Derrick Favors (probable to play) sits out again, Gobert is much more attractive. Brook Lopez has been as hot as anyone lately, but as bad as the Knicks are by the fourth quarter, the games are often so out of hand that the normal starters are buried on the bench. Valanciunas also gets an extremely easy matchup in the Timberwolves who are sitting anybody with as much as a nervous twitch. So, the game could get out of hand and could prevent him from getting late minutes, but if that happens, at least you only spent $6,200 on him rather than over $8,000 for the top-priced centers. There hasn't been much word supporting this, but Al Jefferson is clearly not playing at 100 percent, maknig Bismack Biyombo makes a player to gamble on in a GPP.
