NBA Thursday Late Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 16, 2025
Last updated: Jan 16, 2025, 1:58AM | Published: Jan 15, 2025, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday Late DFS contest starts at 2:10pm AEDT on January 16, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together 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 Late slate includes these games:
- LA Clippers vs Brooklyn Nets
- Los Angeles Lakers 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 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'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 | Anthony Davis (LAL, C) | $22,460 | 53.9 | 2.4 |
| Value | Kawhi Leonard (LAC, SF/PF) | $7,650 | 28.6 | 3.7 |
| Fade | D'Angelo Russell (BKN, PG) | $11,230 | 24.1 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Day'Ron Sharpe (BKN, C) | $8,740 | 24.6 | 2.8 |
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'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 | James Harden (LAC) | $17,930 | 46 | 2.6 |
| Value | Terry Rozier (MIA) | $8,980 | 24.9 | 2.8 |
| Fade | D'Angelo Russell (BKN) | $11,230 | 24.1 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Kris Dunn (LAC) | $7,070 | 17.6 | 2.5 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tyler Herro (MIA) | $17,050 | 41.2 | 2.4 |
| Value | Ziaire Williams (BKN) | $10,230 | 27.2 | 2.7 |
| Fade | Austin Reaves (LAL) | $15,330 | 35.6 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Tyrese Martin (BKN) | $9,580 | 24 | 2.5 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $18,860 | 51.7 | 2.7 |
| Value | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $7,650 | 28.6 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Norman Powell (LAC) | $13,810 | 33.3 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Duncan Robinson (MIA) | $7,410 | 18.6 | 2.5 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $18,860 | 51.7 | 2.7 |
| Value | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $7,650 | 28.6 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Noah Clowney (BKN) | $10,600 | 23 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Haywood Highsmith (MIA) | $9,400 | 23.6 | 2.5 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Davis (LAL) | $22,460 | 53.9 | 2.4 |
| Value | Day'Ron Sharpe (BKN) | $8,740 | 24.6 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Nic Claxton (BKN) | $11,280 | 28.1 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Kel'el Ware (MIA) | $8,860 | 18.9 | 2.1 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Thursday Late teams, consider starting with a value player like Kawhi Leonard. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Anthony Davis is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Day'Ron Sharpe.
On the other hand, according to our model, D'Angelo Russell is one of the lowest 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 Late slate closes at 2:10pm 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 Late slate. 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 Late 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.
