NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for December 26, 2024
Last updated: Dec 25, 2024, 1:57AM | Published: Dec 24, 2024, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest begins at 9:00am AEDT on December 26, 2024, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Thursday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate consists of these match-ups:
- Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best choices on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Stephen Curry (GSW, PG/SG) | $16,210 | 44.2 | 2.7 |
| Value | Stephen Curry (GSW, PG/SG) | $16,210 | 44.2 | 2.7 |
| Fade | Dennis Schröder (GSW, PG) | $10,650 | 24.2 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Trayce Jackson-Davis (GSW, C) | $7,080 | 18.6 | 2.6 |
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 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 | Stephen Curry (GSW) | $16,210 | 44.2 | 2.7 |
| Value | Stephen Curry (GSW) | $16,210 | 44.2 | 2.7 |
| Fade | Dennis Schröder (GSW) | $10,650 | 24.2 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Brandin Podziemski (GSW) | $8,470 | 19.9 | 2.4 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Stephen Curry (GSW) | $16,210 | 44.2 | 2.7 |
| Value | Stephen Curry (GSW) | $16,210 | 44.2 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Brandin Podziemski (GSW) | $8,470 | 19.9 | 2.4 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Andrew Wiggins (GSW) | $11,780 | 32 | 2.7 |
| Value | Andrew Wiggins (GSW) | $11,780 | 32 | 2.7 |
| Fade | Jonathan Kuminga (GSW) | $10,620 | 25 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Anderson (GSW) | $6,000 | 14.4 | 2.4 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Andrew Wiggins (GSW) | $11,780 | 32 | 2.7 |
| Value | Andrew Wiggins (GSW) | $11,780 | 32 | 2.7 |
| Fade | Jonathan Kuminga (GSW) | $10,620 | 25 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Anderson (GSW) | $6,000 | 14.4 | 2.4 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Draymond Green (GSW) | $11,460 | 31 | 2.7 |
| Value | Draymond Green (GSW) | $11,460 | 31 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Trayce Jackson-Davis (GSW) | $7,080 | 18.6 | 2.6 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Stephen Curry. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Stephen Curry is a strong option. If you're seeking 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, Dennis Schröder is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate closes at 9:00am AEDT 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 contest. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management 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.
