Sunday features an eight-game main slate starting at 6 p.m. ET.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
You can also use our SimLabs Lineup Generator, a tool that creates the most user-friendly lineup generation process.
Note: Projections and Leverage Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
Stud
Finding stud targets down the stretch has been harder than usual, but the Hawks remain a prime option in that department. They play fast and are fighting for seeding in the Eastern Conference, which has made Trae Young a valuable asset. He’s coming off a subpar showing vs. the Knicks on Saturday, but he had scored at least 50.0 DraftKings points in each of his previous four games.
Young is in a prime bounce-back spot on Sunday. He’s taking on the Hawks in a game where they should do a ton of scoring. They’re dead last in defensive efficiency, and Atlanta’s 128.25 implied team total is the top mark on the slate by a wide margin. Young easily leads the position in terms of projected ceiling, and he has the third-highest ceiling projection on Sunday’s slate overall.
Value
The Bucks are another team on the second leg of a back-to-back on Sunday, and they’re another team with a phenomenal matchup. They’re taking on the Pelicans, who have been a disaster this season. They’re 29th in defensive efficiency, and they’re currently playing without most of their key players.
The Bucks also continue to be without Damian Lillard at point guard. Ryan Rollins has handled most of the backup PG responsibilities in his absence, but that wasn’t the case on Saturday. He saw just 14.3 minutes vs. the Heat, which allowed Kevin Porter Jr. to rack up 39.5 minutes off the bench. He responded with 53.5 DraftKings points in the overtime win.
Porter probably won’t play that much again on Sunday, but he’s still projected for 24 minutes in our NBA Models. That should be more than enough for him to pay off his $4,200 price tag. He’s historically been an elite per-minute producer, and he’s averaged 1.12 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. That gives him a solid floor, and he has an elite ceiling if he plays a bit more than expected.
Fast Break
T.J. McConnell doesn’t have the same upside as Porter because his minutes are capped behind Tyrese Haliburton. However, he’s an absolute stud whenever he’s on the floor. He’s averaged 1.23 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s scored at least 27.0 DraftKings points in back-to-back games. He’s too cheap at $4,000, resulting in a 92% Bargain Rating.
The Spurs have nothing to play for at this point, but they’ve still let Chris Paul play a bunch recently. He’s logged at least 27.4 minutes in five of his past six games, and he’s responded with a positive Plus/Minus in each of them. His matchup vs. the Blazers comes with an Opponent Plus/Minus of +3.33, and he’s displayed a ceiling of more than 40 DraftKings points in his recent outings.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
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NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Stephon Castle was considered a bit of a project when the Spurs drafted him at No. 4 overall, and his jump shot remains a work in progress. He’s shooting just 28.4% from 3-point range and 42.5% from the field, but that hasn’t stopped him from putting up some huge fantasy numbers recently. He’s taken over as the team’s top offensive option with Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox out of the lineup, increasing his production to 1.23 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
Castle’s price tag has increased to $7,400 on DraftKings, but he still has plenty of upside at that figure. He’s gone for at least 49.25 DraftKings points in two straight games, and he’s scored at least 34.0 in five of his past six. That gives him a nice combination of floor and ceiling.
Value
The Jazz have already locked in one of the three worst records in the NBA, guaranteeing them the maximum number of ping-pong balls in the 2025 NBA Draft lottery. That said, they’re still rolling out a rag-tag lineup for Sunday’s contest. They’ve already ruled out eight players, including most of their top veterans.
That opens up some playing time for Johnny Juzang. Juzang has played well in limited minutes recently, posting a positive Plus/Minus in eight of his past nine games. His playing time was capped at around 22 minutes in most of those contests, but he got all the way to 36 in his last outing. He’s projected for another 29 minutes on Sunday, which is a lot for someone priced at just $4,000. Historically, players with comparable salaries and minute projections have averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.03 (per the Trends tool). Juzang has also averaged a strong 0.83 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he’s a bit better on a per-minute basis than the typical player in this price range.
Fast Break
Julian Champagnie is another strong value option. He’s seen a boost in playing time for the Spurs recently, and he’s responded with at least 22.75 DraftKings points in four straight games. He’s projected for another 27 minutes on Sunday, and he’s averaged 0.82 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He also stands out as underpriced, with his $4,100 salary coming with an 82% Bargain Rating.
Mikal Bridges is an interesting target for tournaments. Jalen Brunson is expected to return for the Knicks on Sunday, which should result in lower ownership for Bridges. However, Brunson will almost certainly be limited after missing the past 15 games. It should allow Bridges to continue to handle a bit more of the load offensively, and he has the third-highest optimal lineup rate at the position per Sim Labs.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
It is impossible to ignore what Deni Avdija has done recently. His salary continues to rise, and he continues to absolutely blow it out of the water. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in nine straight games, and he’s had at least 60.25 DraftKings points in five of them. That includes each of his past three. Overall, he’s averaged 1.45 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, which is the top mark among Sunday’s small forwards.
Avdija is questionable on Sunday, but if he’s in the lineup, there’s no reason to expect much different. He’s playing at an elite level, and he draws a fantastic matchup vs. the Spurs. They’ve been dreadful defensively without Wembanyama this season, and Avdija leads the position with 11 Pro Trends.
Value
Every time it looks like the Suns may have turned the corner, they go right back to being an embarrassment. They’ve lost four straight games, and they remain on the outside looking in of the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. Considering where the Kings and Mavs have been over the second half of the year, that’s simply inexcusable. Now without Kevin Durant, they’re facing a massive uphill battle.
Durant’s absence at least makes Royce O’Neale a solid target for fantasy purposes. He’s projected for 26 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s averaged 0.93 DraftKings points per minute with Durant off the floor this season. He’s still priced fairly at $4,200, and he’s scored at least 24.0 DraftKings points in two of his past three games.
Fast Break
Jamal Cain is a possible punt play for the shorthanded Pelicans. He’s priced at the absolute minimum on DraftKings, resulting in a 95% Bargain Rating, and he’s projected for a respectable 23 minutes in our NBA Models. He racked up 26.6 minutes in his last outing, and he finished with 23.25 DraftKings points. Using him opens up some interesting possibilities with the rest of your lineup.
The Pacers are dealing with a few absences at the moment, which has allowed Jerace Walker to pick up a few additional minutes. That’s an appealing prospect for someone who has averaged 0.98 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in five straight games, and he remains very affordable at $3,600.
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NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a fascinating option on Sunday. On one hand, he’s been absolutely fantastic of late. He’s racked up 74.75, 94.25, and 69.25 DraftKings points in his past three outings, which is phenomenal even by his lofty standards. He’s had to carry the load for the Bucks with Lillard sidelined, and he’s absolutely smashed.
On the other hand, the Bucks will be on the second leg of a back-to-back after playing an overtime game on Saturday. They’re also facing the Pelicans, so it’s theoretically a spot where Giannis could play less than expected. Ultimately, he has plenty of upside in this contest, but he also has plenty of downside.
There’s also a chance that Giannis will be out of the lineup entirely, so make sure to monitor the injury report before tip-off. If he’s out – as well as some of the other Bucks’ veterans – they become a prime team to target.
Value
Pascal Siakam is one of the Pacers’ absences on Sunday. It will be just his second missed game of the season, and it should allow Obi Toppin to move into the starting lineup.
Toppin has been an elite per-minute producer all season, and he’s averaged 1.09 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He played more than 44 minutes in his only game without Toppin this season, and he racked up 34 points and 10 rebounds in an overtime win over the Timberwolves. He likely won’t play that much on Sunday – he’s currently projected for 27 minutes vs. the Nuggets – but that’s still enough to give him a massive ceiling at just $4,300.
Fast Break
Kyle Filipowski has been priced up to $7,300 on DraftKings, and it’s hard to imagine him garnering a ton of interest at that price tag. However, he’s projected for 31 minutes in our NBA models, and he’s been outstanding when he’s been on the floor this season. He’s been projected for at least 28 minutes in six previous contests this season, and he’s averaged just under 35 DraftKings points in those outings. He ultimately has the fifth-highest optimal lineup rate at the position, making him an interesting tournament target.
De’Andre Hunter is coming off a massive performance in his last game, finishing with 32.75 DraftKings points in 28.9 minutes. He has at least 30.75 DraftKings points in two of his past five games, so he has a solid ceiling at just $4,400.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Nikola Jokic is the other big stud to consider on this slate, and he doesn’t have nearly as many concerns as Antetokounmpo. The Nuggets are still fighting for a guaranteed playoff spot in the highly competitive Western Conference, so they can’t afford to take it easy on their best player. If anything, Jokic has had to do even more than usual recently: Jamal Murray has missed four straight games, and he’s questionable for Sunday’s showdown with the Pacers.
Jokic has scored at least 62.0 DraftKings points in four straight games without Murray, including a historic 60-point triple-double two games ago. Overall, he’s seen a team-high +4.66% bump to his usage rate with Murray off the floor this season, and he’s averaged 1.95 DraftKings points per minute in that split.
Even if Murray is able to return on Sunday, Jokic still has the highest ceiling on the slate in a fantastic matchup. Both of these teams have played at a top-eight pace this season, and the Nuggets’ 123.5 implied team total is the second-highest mark of the day.
Value
Karlo Matkovic stands out as one of the strongest values of the day, regardless of position. He’s thrived when he’s gotten the chance to play this season, and he’s averaged 1.09 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in six straight games despite playing 23.2 minutes or less in each of them. Matkovic is projected for 28 minutes on Sunday, so he can do some serious damage at just $4,600.
Fast Break
It’s been a quiet year for Myles Turner, but he is coming off 49.25 DraftKings points in his last outing. He remains a threat both offensively and as a shot blocker, and he could get more opportunities with Siakam out of the picture. He’s currently projected for 31 minutes vs. the Nuggets, and he’s averaged 1.14 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. That’s a solid combination for just $6,300.
Donovan Clingan has been limited for most of his rookie season, but the Blazers have loosed the reins on him down the stretch. He’s played at least 29.2 minutes in four straight games, and he’s scored at least 36.25 DraftKings points in two straight. He has a solid ceiling at a midrange salary.
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