The NBA schedule for Wednesday is a busy one, with there being nine games including Oklahoma City's second trip to Oakland to face Golden State this season. Of course there are the obvious subplots of Kevin Durant ($10,400 FanDuel value) playing against his old team and Durant reuniting with Russell Westbrook ($12,300). But the biggest aspect of this game to keep an eye on is how the Warriors go about defending Westbrook. In the first meeting, a 122-96 Golden State victory, the Warriors managed to frustrate Westbrook some defensively. Westbrook shot 4-for-15 from the field, with the only thing keeping him from having a truly bad night was the free throw line.
Westbrook shot 10-for-14 from the charity stripe on that night, and in addition to the points he tallied ten assist, six rebounds and six turnovers. And against one of the NBA's best defensive teams, Westbrook will need to be more efficient from a scoring standpoint, which is where his ability to get to the foul line will be key. Golden State's coming off of a blowout win over the Cavaliers in which they held Cleveland to less than 40 percent shooting. Now able to devote their full attention to slowing down one man as opposed to three (LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love).
Here are our FanDuel picks for Wednesday's games, using the rules of a nine-player roster and a salary cap of $60,000. Stats used are courtesy of Basketball Reference. (Getty)
PG: Damian Lillard, Portland
Opponent: at Charlotte
Price: $8,400
Two of the top young point guards in the NBA meet Wednesday night, as Lillard and the Blazers visit Kemba Walker and the Hornets. Lillard's surpassed his FanDuel season average of 40.3 points just once in the six games he's played since returning from a sprained ankle, but given his role within the Portland offense he'll have plenty of opportunities to make plays offensively. Lillard's scored 20 points or more in five of his last six outings, but the key from a Fantasy standpoint will be what he does in other statistical categories. (Getty)
Malcolm Brogdon, Milwaukee
Opponent: at Miami
Price: $5,400
Averaging 19.6 FanDuel points per game on the season, Brodgon's tallied 23 FanDuel points or more in each of the last nine games for the Bucks. While Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker are at the top of the list when it comes to where Milwaukee looks for its offensive production, Brodgon's ability to play without the ball in his hands makes him a valuable piece for head coach Jason Kidd. And he's also a very good defender, which can lead to some production in steals category as well. (Getty)
SG: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee
Opponent: at Houston
Price: $10,600
As noted in the prior slide, Houston's pace lends itself to the game being a high-scoring one. And with Antetokounmpo being such a key player for Milwaukee as both a scorer and distributor, this could be a big night for Antetokounmpo on the offensive end of the floor. There's also his defensive ability, with Antetokounmpo's athleticism and length being attributes that aid him not only when it comes to blocking shots but when there's the chance to play the passing lanes for steals as well. (Getty)
SG: Tyreke Evans, New Orleans
Opponent: vs. Orlando
Price: $5,600
The Pelicans have been cautious when it comes to Evans' minutes, which is understandable given how long he was out of the lineup due to knee surgery late last season. His minutes have been in the twenties in each of the last five games, and Evans has accounted for 21.6 FanDuel points or more in four of those five outings. That isn't much, but the increase in minutes does show that head coach Alvin Gentry is gaining more confidence in the fact that the versatile wing is healthy. Orlando's been solid defensively, so Evans will have his work cut out for him, but he's skilled enough to put together a solid stat line. (Getty)
SF: Paul George, Indiana
Opponent: at Sacramento
Price: $7,500
The Pacers have played four games against Pacific Division teams this season, and in those games George has averaged 23.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. On Wednesday he and the Pacers visit the Kings, a team that's currently ranked 21st in points allowed per game and 24th in defensive rating. George and Kings starting small forward Rudy Gay may exchange some baskets, but in the end George's all-around game should result in a nice night by FanDuel standards on Wednesday. (Getty)
SF: DeMarre Carroll, Toronto
Opponent: at Philadelphia
Price: $4,200
Carroll has not been a prolific scorer by any stretch of the imagination this season; that's never been his M.O., and the Raptors rely a lot more on Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan for their offensive production. But prior to his nine-point outing against the Nets on Tuesday, Carroll scored in double figures in four consecutive games. A good "three and D" wing, Carroll can hit open shots while also making his biggest impact as a defender and on the glass. Philadelphia isn't loaded with "top-shelf" perimeter players, so this could be a game where Carroll winds up being a bargain for FanDuel players who add him to their rosters. (Getty)
PF: Draymond Green, Golden State
Opponent: vs. Oklahoma City
Price: $8,100
Green didn't have his best night scoring-wise against the Thunder in the first game the two teams played this season, scoring nine points on 2-for-9 shooting from the field. But he did account for ten rebounds and five assists in the 122-96 victory, showing how his versatility helps Green impact games without scoring at a high rate. Oklahoma City will be best equipped to attack Green when they have Enes Kanter on the court, but Green has the strength needed to defend Kanter and, Green's versatility on the offensive end should tilt things in his favor. (Getty)
PF: Tobias Harris, Detroit
Opponent: vs. Atlanta
Price: $6,000
Harris has tallied more than 26.7 FanDuel points (his season average) in seven of the last eight games for the Pistons. And he's been solid against the Hawks this year, averaging 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in two games while shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three. Harris has been a better offensive player off the bench, averaging 21.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game with an offensive rating of 121, but that doesn't mean he's been a bad offensive player while in the starting lineup. Defensively he'll have his work cut out for him in defending Paul Millsap, but Harris is good enough to score a few points himself in that matchup. (Getty)
C: Kelly Olynyk, Boston
Opponent: vs. New York
Price: $4,300
While he hasn't been a prolific scorer during his young career, Olynyk's ability to step out and make perimeter shots helps the Celtics offensively when he's on the court. Add in the fact that Boston's hosting a New York team that's both bad defensively and dealing with on-court drama, and this could be a night where the Celtics feast offensively. Olynyk's scored a total of 41 points over his last two games, averaging 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game against the Hawks and Hornets. (Getty)
FanDuel NBA Lineup Picks, Advice & Analysis for January 18