Daily Fantasy Basketball: Expect a bounce back from Nikola Jokic on Wednesday

The NBA storms back from a quiet Tuesday with 10 games on the daily fantasy schedule Wednesday. Injuries will play a prominent role in the slate, with several teams missing key players. Darius Garland (eye) will be out when the Cavaliers face the Magic, marking his third straight game on the sidelines. The Hornets will have an uphill battle against the Knicks in New York with LaMelo Ball (ankle) out and Terry Rozier (ankle) listed as doubtful. The Rockets will be on the road against the Jazz, and they’ll have to take the floor without Alperen Sengun (illness) for the second consecutive game. As we filter through all of the healthy players on Yahoo, let’s discuss which ones might be best for your lineup, as well as a few to possibly avoid.

GUARDS

Donovan Mitchell, CLE vs. ORL ($39): Mitchell has been on a mission with Garland out, scoring at least 53.8 Yahoo points in back-to-back games. He’s scored at least 31 points in all three games this season while averaging 7.0 assists. Those assist numbers won’t hold once Garland returns, but with him out again, Mitchell has an extremely high floor in this matchup against the Magic.

Dennis Smith Jr., CHA at NY ($12): Smith moved into the starting five Sunday with both Ball and Rozier out, playing 33 minutes against the Hawks. He made the most of his opportunity, scoring 39.4 Yahoo points. With the Hornets set to be thin at guard again, Smith has the potential to provide significant value.

Guard to Avoid

Kyrie Irving, BKN at MIL ($40): After a quiet season debut, Irving has scored at least 30 in each of the last two games. In what was a shootout against the Grizzlies on Monday, he chipped in 37 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. The problem for this game is that he will likely spend most of his time on the floor being guarded by Jrue Holiday, who is one of the best defensive guards in the league. Mitchell has a better matchup and a slightly lower salary, so taking a chance on Irving in this tough matchup isn’t necessary.

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Consider passing on Kyrie Irving in your daily fantasy lineups tonight. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

FORWARDS

Keldon Johnson, SA at MIN ($28): Johnson has been one of the Spurs’ primary scoring options, averaging 20.5 points and 17.3 shot attempts per game. He just played these same Timberwolves Monday, posting 18 points on 20 shot attempts. Devin Vassell (knee) is listed as doubtful, and his absence would be big since he’s provided 19.8 points per game. With all of the shot attempts that he can handle likely coming his way, Johnson stands out for this matchup.

Jabari Smith Jr., HOU at UTA ($23): Smith hasn’t been efficient through his first four games, shooting just 35.7 percent from the field However, he’s averaging 7.8 three-point attempts, hitting them at a 35.5 percent rate. Add in the fact that he has at least seven rebounds in three of four games and he’s an excellent option for this potentially high-scoring matchup.

Forward to Avoid

Ben Simmons, BKN at MIL ($24): Simmons is not on the Nets to score. He hasn’t topped seven points in any of their three games and has attempted a total of 13 shots from the field. He can’t even stay on the floor, fouling out twice so far. There are plenty of other viable options for this packed slate, so steer clear of Simmons.

CENTERS

Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. LAL ($56): In something you don’t see every day, Jokic only scored nine points against the Trail Blazers on Monday. He was limited to 27 minutes because of foul trouble and the lopsided score, attempting just four shots along the way. This is a great spot for him to bounce back against the Lakers, who have very little quality size up front outside of Anthony Davis.

Kelly Olynyk, UTA vs. HOU ($14): Olynyk fell a rebound shy of a double-double when these two teams met Monday while also chipping in four assists. He’s proven to be a valuable addition for the Jazz, starting and averaging 29 minutes per game. If you want to fade Jokic and spend most of your budget on guards and forwards, Olynyk is someone to target at center.

Center to Avoid

Andre Drummond, CHI vs. IND ($17): Drummond is a big reason why the Bulls’ bench has played so well out of the gate. Despite logging just 15 minutes per game, he’s averaging 8.5 rebounds. That said, he won’t play significant minutes as long as Nikola Vucevic is healthy. Olynyk has a more significant role with the Jazz and a cheaper salary, making it difficult to justify rolling with Drummond in DFS.