OwnersBox is one of the unique DFS sites that still has traditional daily salary cap contests in addition to their Lightning Lineups contests.
In Lightning Lineups, the OwnersBox app will provide three sets of lineups for a given sport and slate, each lineup with three players. From there, users pick which lineup they think will score the most points. If you don’t like the options, you can spin for new lineups.
Spin. Pick. Win. OwnersBox innovative Lighting Lineups format is the most electric way to play daily fantasy sports.
However, they also have a traditional DFS format, which will be the focus of this article.
For OwnersBox, you use four guards, four forwards/centers, and one Superflex.
Also, our OwnersBox promo code delivers new users a $500 sign-up offer. Their 100% deposit match of up to $500 is by far the best among DFS sites.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
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.
Note: Projections 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.
NBA DFS Guard Picks
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($8,400) vs. Charlotte Hornets
The Thunder start the day one game back of the Timberwolves for the top seed in the Western Conference and have a great home matchup against the Hornets on Friday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as an MVP candidate this season as the focus of the team’s offense. Of all the guards on Friday’s slate, he has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection and the most Pts/Sal.
SGA played through a questionable tag on Wednesday against the Nuggets and scored 34 points while adding seven rebounds, five assists, and two blocks to lead the Thunder to a five-point win over the defending champs. He has scored over 30 points in eight straight games, averaging 32.8 points, 6.8 assists, and 5.4 rebounds. Over that span, he has shot 51% from the field.
Jalen Williams (ankle) will miss this contest, leaving even more workload for Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA leads the team with a 33.2% usage rate overall this season, but that rate jumps to 38.5% with Williams off the floor.
Scotty Pippen Jr. ($3,100) vs. Golden State Warriors
The only negative with SGA is that he’s so expensive, so it’s great to have such a strong option to help balance out your salary cap space with a bargain. Scotty Pippen Jr. has emerged as a key contributor over the last few games for the Grizzlies, who are dealing with multiple key injuries in the backcourt. Even though he has only been with the team five games, he is helping carry the load with Derrick Rose, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and Ja Morant all sidelined.
Pippen has started each of the last two games for Memphis and reached double-digit points in both of those games. On Tuesday, he had 12 points, five assists, and three steals in 32 minutes against the Kings, and he followed that up with 10 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals in 23 minutes on Thursday against the Cavs.
The second-year guard has a 26.8-minute projection with a 21.4% usage rate projection against the Warriors, as the Grizzlies finish their back-to-back. He has the third-highest Pts/Sal of all guards on OwnersBox and is a great way to save salary and still get starter-like production.
NBA DFS Forward/Center Picks
Domantas Sabonis ($8,300) at Indiana Pacers
The Kings have all kinds of storylines coming into their Friday night matchup with the Pacers. It’s a homecoming for Domantas Sabonis, who played over four seasons with the Pacers before being traded to Sacramento. Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox could also be stinging from their All-Star snubs, and we’ve seen players post huge games to prove they should be in the game after being passed over.
The matchup itself is also a juicy one regardless of the storylines, and the Kings have the highest Implied Team Total on Friday’s slate along with the third-highest pace differential. The Kings and Pacers met in mid-January, and Indiana won 126-121, but Sabonis posted a triple-double of 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. That was one of seven triple-doubles for Sabonis in his 15 games in January. He averaged 20.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 9.0 assists for the month.
On Friday, Sabonis is the most expensive forward/center, but he also brings the highest ceiling and median projection at his position and ranks only behind SGA in those categories on the entire slate. He’s projected for 20.8% usage in 37 minutes against his former team, and he’s a pay-up play to consider if you have the salary to afford to build around him.
Kawhi Leonard ($6,500) at Detroit Pistons
The Clippers are in a great matchup in Detroit as they continue their road trip. Kawhi Leonard is barely in the top 10 salaries at the position but ranks fourth in median projection, third in floor projection, and second in Pts/Sal of all forward/centers.
Leonard had 31 points in just 30 minutes to lead the Clippers to a win in Washington on Wednesday, and his limited minutes should also help him be fresh for this contest. He has only had to play more than 30 minutes once in the four games on this trip. Since returning after missing four games at the end of 2023, Kawhi has averaged 23.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.3 blocks in 34.2 minutes per game and has played in 15 straight contests.
His elite stat production on offense and defense makes him a reliable producer, and he should lead the way in this great spot against the Pistons. Detroit has the second-worst defensive rating in the NBA and plays at the seventh-fastest pace. The game environment should set Kawhi up to post big numbers at a relatively affordable salary.
