NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for February 27, 2025
Last updated: Feb 26, 2025, 11:57PM | Published: Feb 26, 2025, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest starts at 11:10am AEDT on February 27, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must 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 the following games:
- New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers
- Detroit Pistons vs Boston Celtics
- Miami Heat vs Atlanta Hawks
- Brooklyn Nets vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Chicago Bulls vs LA Clippers
- Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs
- Washington Wizards vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Utah Jazz vs Sacramento Kings
- Indiana Pacers vs Toronto Raptors
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 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best selections on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC, PG) | $20,910 | 58.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Chris Boucher (TOR, PF/C) | $7,350 | 27.7 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Jordan Clarkson (UTA, SG) | $13,570 | 27.6 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Jonathan Mogbo (TOR, C) | $6,370 | 22.8 | 3.6 |
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 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 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | $20,910 | 58.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Andrew Nembhard (IND) | $9,510 | 29 | 3 |
| Fade | Josh Giddey (CHI) | $17,200 | 37.3 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Tre Jones (CHI) | $6,000 | 16.5 | 2.8 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zach LaVine (SAC) | $15,620 | 46.7 | 3 |
| Value | Gradey Dick (TOR) | $9,180 | 29.2 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Jordan Clarkson (UTA) | $13,570 | 27.6 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Andrew Nembhard (IND) | $9,510 | 29 | 3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zach LaVine (SAC) | $15,620 | 46.7 | 3 |
| Value | Sam Hauser (BOS) | $6,110 | 18.6 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | $10,400 | 22.7 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Bogdan Bogdanović (LAC) | $8,110 | 23.8 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jayson Tatum (BOS) | $18,840 | 51.5 | 2.7 |
| Value | Chris Boucher (TOR) | $7,350 | 27.7 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Obi Toppin (IND) | $10,090 | 21.7 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Jabari Smith (HOU) | $9,420 | 31.6 | 3.4 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Alperen Şengün (HOU) | $17,270 | 52.2 | 3 |
| Value | Chris Boucher (TOR) | $7,350 | 27.7 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Jalen Duren (DET) | $15,520 | 32.1 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Jonathan Mogbo (TOR) | $6,370 | 22.8 | 3.6 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Chris Boucher. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Jonathan Mogbo.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jordan Clarkson is one of the lowest 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 11:10am 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.
