FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Wednesday 4/5/23

Since it's much simpler to predict than baseball or football, daily fantasy basketball would get plenty of votes as the best sport to play on FanDuel. Players usually stick to the same minutes and produce at roughly the same rate. Sounds easy, right?

As a result, NBA daily fantasy is highly reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to ensure that you're up-to-date with key injuries. Our projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news, we have player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a bunch of other great resources to help give you an edge.

We'll also come at you with this primer daily, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's break down today's main slate on FanDuel.

The Slate and Key Injuries

Today's injury report feels like a magazine article to yesterday's War and Peace.

The Celtics could make the East's second seed official with a win over Toronto tonight, but they'll likely clinch it over the weekend in time. That's why Jayson Tatum (hip) and Marcus Smart (neck) are questionable to play tonight, and Al Horford (back) is already confirmed resting. Gary Trent Jr. (back/elbow) is questionable for the Raptors.

Jalen Brunson (hand) is resting for the fifth-seeded Knicks tonight in Indiana, and RJ Barrett (illness) isn't too likely to play, either. The Pacers have already ruled out Tyrese Haliburton (ankle) and Chris Duarte (ankle), and Myles Turner (back) could join them.

I'd consider Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Delon Wright (illness) closer to doubtful after missing last night's game for the nearly-eliminated Wizards. Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, Deni Avdija, and Monte Morris are likely done for the season as they continue to sit. They're facing a Hawks squad with Trae Young (illness) questionable again on Wednesday. De'Andre Hunter (knee) is out.

We're watching the Lakers closely this afternoon on their back-to-back. Anthony Davis (foot), LeBron James (foot), and D'Angelo Russell (foot) were all listed in some capacity before their win over Utah yesterday. Marcus Morris (COVID-19 protocols) is questionable to return to the Clippers on the other side.

Memphis' status as an underdog in New Orleans this morning was fishy, and now we know why. Ja Morant (hip) and Luke Kennard (ankle) are doubtful to play tonight, and Xavier Tillman (ankle) is questionable.

The spread in Milwaukee also makes it curious if they rest others besides Khris Middleton (knee) and Grayson Allen (ankle), who both sat last night. The visiting Bulls are growing increasingly likely to be the East's 10th seed, so one might also presume they have news on the back-to-back.

Finally, we'll watch the Nets on a back-to-back, but Brooklyn is still battling for seeding, so there shouldn't be slate-altering news there. Detroit has Isaiah Livers (hip) as doubtful to play in addition to their myriad of season-ending injuries.

Guards

This slate actually has pretty solid depth around the top without a five-digit stud short of Luka Doncic.

Doncic's game environment is the best of the day with a 241.5-point total, but he's fallen short of 60 FanDuel points in 7 of his last 10 games in a "your turn, my turn" arrangement with Kyrie Irving ($9,000). It's easy to prefer Irving and De'Aaron Fox ($9,200) at salary with all live for a 40-piece.

Below them, Dejounte Murray ($8,600) could work again if Trae sits, but he's playing terribly of late, shooting just 20.0% from deep since March 1st. It's collapsed his scoring upside, but the matchup with the tanking Wizards could help.

In a revenge game I also forgot until today, Spencer Dinwiddie ($8,000) draws a Pistons squad that's allowed the third-most FanDuel points to point guards. It's just so deep in this range with C.J. McCollum ($7,800) and Immanuel Quickley ($7,400) -- in place of Brunson -- projecting well, too.

Of course, a cornerstone of value today is Tyus Jones ($5,800) in Ja Morant's stead. However, opposite Murray, Jordan Goodwin ($5,500), Kendrick Nunn ($4,500), and Johnny Davis ($4,200) all played huge offensive roles for the Wizards last night with Delon Wright sitting. I'd rather them than Quenton Jackson or Xavier Cooks, who combined for just 10 shots -- albeit in decent minutes.

Jrue Holiday ($7,700) and Malcolm Brogdon ($5,800) are two others projecting well in this area. Brogdon would be stellar if Tatum sits.

Wings

Admittedly, I'd be stunned given the current betting line if Giannis Antetokounmpo played. They're extremely likely to clinch the top seed at some point this weekend regardless of this one to force him into a back-to-back.

Tonight would go a long way to giving the Clippers the five seed, so Kawhi Leonard ($10,200) might put on a vintage performance. He's posted 49.2 FanDuel points per 36 minutes since Paul George went down, eclipsing 50 FanDuel points in two of the three non-blowout affairs.

Thankfully, Jaylen Brown ($8,900) has tumbled in value to provide supreme value if Tatum ends up sitting. He's averaged 46.7 FanDuel points per 36 in that floor condition this season. Desmond Bane ($7,800) should see a nice bump with Morant out, too.

With Brunson sitting, RJ Barrett ($6,400) and Josh Hart ($6,300) vault up the priority list as the Knicks' backcourt with Quickley. Quentin Grimes ($6,100) isn't shining through our projections based on his season-long production rate, but he's eclipsed 36 minutes and 35 FanDuel points in four of his last five. He's there if you believe he's taken a leap as a player.

The hot shooting for Corey Kispert ($5,200) dried up last night, but he still logged 34 minutes at a fair salary. Bennedict Mathurin ($5,700), Harrison Barnes ($5,200), Royce O'Neale ($4,900), and Eugene Omoruyi ($4,600) are others projecting well around him as of now.

If the Lakers do end up resting key guys, Austin Reaves ($6,300) would be a key piece here.

Bigs

You'll get deja vu from yesterday at the top here.

Anthony Davis didn't slow down in Utah, topping 55 FanDuel points again. He's just a real question mark to face the Clippers tonight, but if he's in, he deserves a long look. L.A. has ceded the 10th-most FanDuel points to centers this year. Jarred Vanderbilt ($5,100) and Rui Hachimura ($4,000) become value priorities if he sits.

It didn't quite work out for Domantas Sabonis ($10,100) despite another triple-double last night. He scored just 16 points, but Dallas' frontcourt is open for more. They just allowed 34 combined points to Cody Zeller and Clint Capela over the weekend and have coughed up the seventh-most points to the position in their last seven.

Depending on how the Grizzlies' report shakes out, Jaren Jackson Jr. ($8,200) could excel in this matchup. The Pels are another bottom-10 defense for opposing centers, and Triple J averages an absurd 50.0 FanDuel points per 36 with Ja off the floor this season.

I'll largely use this section for value today, though. Jay Huff ($3,500) is gleaming through our projections after 27 minutes for Washington last night; there's very little risk at a minimum salary.

Though it's a bit concerning John Collins ($5,400) was benched last night, it was for performance, and Huff's tanking Wizards aren't exactly a defensive juggernaut. Besides those two, Jalen Smith ($6,000), James Wiseman ($5,700), Santi Aldama ($5,300), and Maxi Kleber ($4,200) are also projecting well today.