NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 23, 2025
Last updated: Jan 22, 2025, 3:57PM | Published: Jan 22, 2025, 10:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest starts at 11:30am AEDT on January 23, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data 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 put together 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 match-ups:
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs Utah Jazz
- Dallas Mavericks vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Brooklyn Nets vs Phoenix Suns
- Sacramento Kings vs Golden State Warriors
- LA Clippers vs Boston Celtics
- New Orleans Pelicans vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Memphis Grizzlies vs Charlotte Hornets
- Atlanta Hawks vs Detroit Pistons
- Houston Rockets vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver some of the most reliable 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 | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL, C/PF) | $22,720 | 65.7 | 2.9 |
| Value | Nic Claxton (BKN, C) | $10,330 | 31.7 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Isaiah Collier (UTA, PG) | $12,570 | 17.5 | 1.4 |
| Cheapie | Gary Trent (MIL, SG/SF) | $7,180 | 21.7 | 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 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 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) | $21,090 | 60.3 | 2.9 |
| Value | Damian Lillard (MIL) | $17,460 | 51.6 | 3 |
| Fade | Isaiah Collier (UTA) | $12,570 | 17.5 | 1.4 |
| Cheapie | Ryan Rollins (MIL) | $6,120 | 18 | 2.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Devin Booker (PHX) | $18,300 | 47.2 | 2.6 |
| Value | Gary Trent (MIL) | $7,180 | 21.7 | 3 |
| Fade | Jalen Green (HOU) | $16,020 | 31.2 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Keon Johnson (BKN) | $6,750 | 20.2 | 3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jayson Tatum (BOS) | $19,790 | 51.1 | 2.6 |
| Value | Gary Trent (MIL) | $7,180 | 21.7 | 3 |
| Fade | Brice Sensabaugh (UTA) | $11,020 | 20.3 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Grayson Allen (PHX) | $8,800 | 23.7 | 2.7 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $22,720 | 65.7 | 2.9 |
| Value | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $22,720 | 65.7 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Santi Aldama (MEM) | $11,070 | 18.5 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Gui Santos (GSW) | $6,320 | 17.4 | 2.7 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $22,720 | 65.7 | 2.9 |
| Value | Nic Claxton (BKN) | $10,330 | 31.7 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Santi Aldama (MEM) | $11,070 | 18.5 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Day'Ron Sharpe (BKN) | $7,660 | 22.3 | 2.9 |
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 Nic Claxton. 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 Gary Trent.
On the other hand, according to our model, Isaiah Collier 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 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 contest. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap 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.
