NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for December 5, 2024
Last updated: Dec 4, 2024, 11:57PM | Published: Dec 4, 2024, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest kicks off at 11:30am AEDT on December 5, 2024, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you build 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 improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Thursday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate features the following match-ups:
- Boston Celtics vs Detroit Pistons
- Miami Heat vs Los Angeles Lakers
- LA Clippers vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Brooklyn Nets vs Indiana Pacers
- Philadelphia 76ers vs Orlando Magic
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the most reliable DFS projections available.
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 selections on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL, C/PF) | $23,820 | 59.2 | 2.5 |
| Value | Sam Hauser (BOS, PF/SF) | $6,610 | 25.3 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Moritz Wagner (ORL, C) | $11,860 | 21.1 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Kris Dunn (LAC, SG/PG) | $7,480 | 26.1 | 3.5 |
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'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 | Trae Young (ATL) | $18,290 | 49.6 | 2.7 |
| Value | Kris Dunn (LAC) | $7,480 | 26.1 | 3.5 |
| Fade | James Harden (LAC) | $20,950 | 39.5 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | T.J. McConnell (IND) | $9,500 | 28.7 | 3 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $17,050 | 42 | 2.5 |
| Value | Kris Dunn (LAC) | $7,480 | 26.1 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Franz Wagner (ORL) | $18,930 | 41.1 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Bogdan Bogdanović (ATL) | $8,910 | 24.3 | 2.7 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $18,740 | 53 | 2.8 |
| Value | Sam Hauser (BOS) | $6,610 | 25.3 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Jaime Jaquez (MIA) | $10,660 | 19.1 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Dalton Knecht (LAL) | $9,110 | 26.2 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $23,820 | 59.2 | 2.5 |
| Value | Sam Hauser (BOS) | $6,610 | 25.3 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Jaime Jaquez (MIA) | $10,660 | 19.1 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Dalton Knecht (LAL) | $9,110 | 26.2 | 2.9 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $23,820 | 59.2 | 2.5 |
| Value | Day'Ron Sharpe (BKN) | $6,000 | 17.3 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Moritz Wagner (ORL) | $11,860 | 21.1 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Mo Bamba (LAC) | $6,220 | 16.9 | 2.7 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Sam Hauser. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Giannis Antetokounmpo is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Kris Dunn.
On the other hand, according to our model, Moritz Wagner is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate closes at 11:30am 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 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.
