NBA Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for December 29, 2024
Last updated: Dec 28, 2024, 11:57PM | Published: Dec 28, 2024, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Sunday DFS contest begins at 11:10am AEDT on December 29, 2024, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Sunday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Sunday slate features the following match-ups:
- Los Angeles Lakers vs Sacramento Kings
- Golden State Warriors vs Phoenix Suns
- Washington Wizards vs New York Knicks
- Utah Jazz vs Philadelphia 76ers
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Dallas Mavericks
- Chicago Bulls vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Denver Nuggets vs Detroit Pistons
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the strongest DFS projections in the world.
With the latest NBA fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more NBA fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best choices on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $26,250 | 67.8 | 2.6 |
| Value | Mason Plumlee (PHX, C) | $6,070 | 24.7 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Deni Avdija (POR, PF/SF) | $12,680 | 23 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Trayce Jackson-Davis (GSW, C) | $9,460 | 30.8 | 3.3 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide the most "bang for your buck," meaning they're expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For those needing to stay under the salary cap, "cheapie" options highlight the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
PG (Point Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Brunson (NYK) | $17,340 | 50.8 | 2.9 |
| Value | Jalen Brunson (NYK) | $17,340 | 50.8 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Dennis Schröder (GSW) | $12,850 | 24.9 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Scoot Henderson (POR) | $9,550 | 26.9 | 2.8 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Stephen Curry (GSW) | $16,590 | 45.4 | 2.7 |
| Value | Paul George (PHI) | $14,180 | 43.6 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Bilal Coulibaly (WAS) | $13,990 | 25.5 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Andre Jackson (MIL) | $6,000 | 16.8 | 2.8 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $20,730 | 49.4 | 2.4 |
| Value | Paul George (PHI) | $14,180 | 43.6 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Deni Avdija (POR) | $12,680 | 23 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Tobias Harris (DET) | $9,750 | 28.7 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $20,730 | 49.4 | 2.4 |
| Value | Jerami Grant (POR) | $9,940 | 30.4 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Deni Avdija (POR) | $12,680 | 23 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Oso Ighodaro (PHX) | $6,000 | 18.2 | 3 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $26,250 | 67.8 | 2.6 |
| Value | Mason Plumlee (PHX) | $6,070 | 24.7 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Alex Sarr (WAS) | $11,930 | 26 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Trayce Jackson-Davis (GSW) | $9,460 | 30.8 | 3.3 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Sunday teams, consider starting with a value player like Mason Plumlee. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nikola Jokić is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Trayce Jackson-Davis.
On the other hand, according to our model, Deni Avdija is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Sunday slate closes at 11:10am AEDT on Sunday. ENTER NOW!
As with all NBA DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven NBA fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the NBA Sunday contest. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your NBA DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NBA Sunday line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
