Wednesday's NBA slate consists of six games set to tip off between 7 and 8:30 p.m. ET. There's no shortage of quality betting options ahead of the action. Are you looking to find an edge? We've gone over each pairing to identify moneyline, spread and player prop picks for the slate as well as strong daily fantasy plays.
Moneyline: Orlando Magic (-130) vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers fell to the Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat 119-113 on Christmas Day and won't get Joel Embiid or Nic Batum back for Wednesday's game. While Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris are capable of making this game competitive, missing that much offense against one of the NBA's best defenses will likely be too difficult. The Magic have gone 2-0 since Wendell Carter Jr. returned from a 20-game absence and have gone 9-1 straight up in their previous 10 home games. Orlando topped the Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics during that span. The Magic's length and defensive versatility should get the job done here.
Spread: Phoenix Suns -2.5 (-110) @ Houston Rockets
The Rockets will play their second night of a back-to-back against a Suns squad that's looking to bounce back from a Christmas Day loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The Rockets lost Dillon Brooks to an oblique strain against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday and Phoenix is set to bolster its frontcourt with Jusuf Nurkic returning to the rotation. I like the Suns' odds to win by more than one possession with the home team missing the anchor of its perimeter defense.
Player prop: Scottie Barnes to record a double-double (-143)
Barnes has notched five double-doubles and a triple-double in his previous 10 games. The Toronto Raptors point forward fell just short with 19 points and nine rebounds in his first matchup with the Washington Wizards. That was far from his best performance and Washington gives up more rebounds and assists to opposing teams than any other franchise. Barnes has plenty of pathways to reach a double-double, so I like his odds against one of the league's worst defensive units.
Daily fantasy picks
Stud: Tyrese Maxey
Don't let Maxey's underwhelming Christmas Day performance stop you from rostering him against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. The 76ers guard seems poised for a bounce-back game after making just four of his 20 field goal attempts against the Miami Heat on Monday. Joel Embiid has been ruled out in Orlando and Maxey's increased shot volume should help him return plenty of value, even against one of the league's better defensive teams. He averaged 30.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.7 rebounds without Embiid on the road in 2022-23.
Mid-tier: Khris Middleton
Middleton is fresh off one of his best fantasy performances of the year. He scored a season-high 24 points on 10-of-20 shooting and matched a season-high with 33 minutes against the New York Knicks on Christmas Day. His price is sure to rise in January to account for his adjusted workload, so capitalizing on his current discounted price now is critical. While Middleton's numbers have been watered down by injuries in recent years he boasts career averages of 21.6 points, 5.4 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game in head-to-head matchups with Mikal Bridges.
Value: Day'Ron Sharpe
The light bulb appears to have turned on for Sharpe. The Brooklyn Nets' backup center started at power forward against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday and amassed 11 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks, and a pair of steals. While there's no guarantee that he'll start again and replicating those numbers against Giannis Antetokounmpo seems unlikely, it's clear that he's found some momentum as an important part of his team's rotation. He's tallied at least nine points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and a steal in three of his previous four outings. A return to his regular reserve role could work wonders for his production, as Milwaukee's size could get Brooklyn's other bigs into foul trouble. Fantasy managers should consider Sharpe an enticing pivot from Paul Reed in the main slate.
