NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 17, 2025
Apr 16, 2025, 10:57PM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest begins at 9:30am AEST on April 17, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Thursday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate includes these games:
- Sacramento Kings vs Dallas Mavericks
- Chicago Bulls vs Miami Heat
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the best DFS projections in the world.
With the best 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 picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Domantas Sabonis (SAC, C) | $19,450 | 57.8 | 3 |
| Value | Daniel Gafford (DAL, C) | $7,730 | 29.2 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Matas Buzelis (CHI, PF/SF) | $11,440 | 26.9 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Klay Thompson (DAL, SG) | $8,480 | 25.3 | 3 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer the most "bang for your buck," meaning they are 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 budget-conscious strategies, "cheapie" options refer to 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 | Josh Giddey (CHI) | $17,400 | 48.9 | 2.8 |
| Value | Tyler Herro (MIA) | $16,730 | 47.5 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Davion Mitchell (MIA) | $10,400 | 28.9 | 2.8 |
| Cheapie | Devin Carter (SAC) | $6,000 | 16.7 | 2.8 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zach LaVine (SAC) | $16,610 | 47.1 | 2.8 |
| Value | Klay Thompson (DAL) | $8,480 | 25.3 | 3 |
| Fade | Kevin Huerter (CHI) | $10,770 | 28.2 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Max Christie (DAL) | $6,180 | 18.2 | 2.9 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | DeMar DeRozan (SAC) | $14,920 | 42.9 | 2.9 |
| Value | P.J. Washington (DAL) | $12,370 | 38.5 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Matas Buzelis (CHI) | $11,440 | 26.9 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Max Christie (DAL) | $6,180 | 18.2 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Davis (DAL) | $17,150 | 57.4 | 3.3 |
| Value | Anthony Davis (DAL) | $17,150 | 57.4 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Matas Buzelis (CHI) | $11,440 | 26.9 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Patrick Williams (CHI) | $6,070 | 18 | 3 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Domantas Sabonis (SAC) | $19,450 | 57.8 | 3 |
| Value | Daniel Gafford (DAL) | $7,730 | 29.2 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Nikola Vučević (CHI) | $16,460 | 40.7 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Dereck Lively (DAL) | $7,120 | 20.9 | 2.9 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Daniel Gafford. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Domantas Sabonis is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Klay Thompson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Matas Buzelis is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate closes at 9:30am AEST on Thursday. 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 Thursday slate. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your NBA DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NBA Thursday 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.
