The NBA has six games lined up for a great Saturday night of DFS fantasy basketball action. The spotlight matchup on national TV features the Celtics visiting the Suns, but that’s just one of several intriguing matchups to consider as you assemble your fantasy squad. Of the 12 teams in action, the Hornets and the Trail Blazers are the only two playing for the second day in a row, while the Nets are on the front half of their back-to-back.
Injuries continue to be a major factor in daily fantasy basketball, especially at this point of the season. As news breaks throughout the day, be sure to always refresh the NBA Models for the latest updates and adjustments to how rotations will look with or without certain players available.
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 and Leverages 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.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
The Mavericks are in the Motor City to take on the Pistons this Saturday, and Luka Doncic has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections on the entire slate. Doncic is questionable with an elbow injury, but he has been the definition of dominant lately. While he does have the highest salary on the slate, he also ranks in the top five at point guard in Projected Plus/Minus, showing he actually brings good value since he has been so productive.
Doncic has exceeded his lofty salary-based expectations in six straight games on both FanDuel and DraftKings, averaging an impressive 1.92 DraftKings points and 1.73 FanDuel points per minute in 39.1 minutes per game. In each of his last five games, he has posted a triple-double with at least 30 points. He has a 37.2% usage rate in those five games and continues to do all the work for the Mavericks.
If he’s unable to play, Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr., Dante Exum and Jaden Hardy would each become interesting options. If he plays through his questionable tag, he should be set up for a great game against the Pistons, providing a great pay-up play to build around if you have the salary-saving options to make his price work under your cap.
Value
The only team on the slate that has a higher implied team total than Luka’s Mavs is the Nuggets, who are in Utah to face the Jazz. In that matchup, Jamal Murray has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard on DraftKings and the second-highest at the position on FanDuel. While he isn’t exactly a cheap play, his salary is more than $4,000 less than Luka’s on both sites, and he has a 71% Bargain Rating on DraftKings.
Murray has posted five strong games in his last six contests, averaging 1.20 DraftKings points and 1.13 FanDuel points per minute in 33.2 minutes per game over that span. His only down game came against the Heat when he was forced to leave after just 14 minutes with an ankle injury. He has at least eight assists in three straight games including a nice double-double last Saturday.
The Jazz should be a good matchup for Murray and the Nuggets since they have been giving up plenty of points lately and have been especially beatable by opposing point guards. If you can’t pay up for Doncic, Murray is a good way to still get a high floor and a high ceiling in a favorable matchup.
Fast Break
Immanuel Quickley has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards and all shooting guards on FanDuel. He also ranks in the top five in Projected Plus/Minus at the position on DraftKings. Quickley has stepped up for the Raptors, who are dealing with multiple injuries. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in eight straight on both DraftKings and FanDuel, producing 45.8 DraftKings points and 43.4 FanDuel points per game.
With Stephen Curry (ankle) out, Chris Paul and Brandin Podziemski will have to carry more of the workload at point guard. Paul has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards on FanDuel and the seventh-highest on DraftKings.
If you decide to go with a value play at point guard, Tre Jones is again a solid option since he gets more scoring chances with Victor Wembanyama (ankle) sidelined. An even cheaper play that pops in our projections is Javon Freeman-Liberty, whose salary is under $4,000. He has thrived in the G League, averaging 23.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.5 steals in 35.2 minutes per game over 25 games for the Raptors 905. He has played 18 minutes off the bench in each of his two games since signing a standard NBA contract and exceeded salary-based expectations in each of those two contests.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Without Wemby for a second straight game, Devin Vassell will step into an even bigger role in the Spurs offense against Golden State on Saturday night. He has the second-highest ceiling and floor projection at shooting guard on DraftKings and the highest Projected Plus/Minus. On FanDuel, he’s a little more expensive but still brings a top-three ceiling, median, and floor projection at the position and the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus.
Vassell had 30 points and nine assists in the Spurs’ two-point loss to the Kings on Thursday, exceeding salary-based expectations on FanDuel for the sixth straight game. Since the All-Star Break, he has averaged 1.18 DraftKings points and 1.16 FanDuel points per minute in 36.7 minutes per game with a 26.1% usage rate.
With Wembanyama off the floor this season, Vassell has a team-high 26.2% usage rate and has produced 1.10 DraftKings points and 1.08 FanDuel points per minute. With more work coming his way and plenty of recent success to build on, Vassell should be set up for another big game as he establishes himself as a key part of the Spurs’ young core.
Value
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has scored double-digit points in each of his last five games and exceeded salary-based expectations in six straight on FanDuel. KCP always plays heavy minutes in the Nuggets’ starting five but usually isn’t one of the first options on offense. Because he does get such reliable minutes, though, he’s a solid value play in this favorable spot against the Jazz.
He missed one game since the All-Star Break for personal reasons but has played 31.1 minutes per game when available, producing 0.74 DraftKings points and 0.75 FanDuel points per minute during that stretch. Caldwell-Pope has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards on FanDuel, behind only Vassell and Quickley. On DraftKings, KCP’s salary is still under $5,000, and he has the sixth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position.
Fast Break
Even if Luka is available, there’s a chance that Kyrie Irving will carry more of the Mavs’ offense against the Pistons. He has the highest ceiling projection at shooting guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel even with Luka in the projections. He has scored at least 19 points in 11 straight games, although he has fallen short of salary-based expectations in five straight contests.
The Trail Blazers were without Jerami Grant (hamstring), Jabari Walker (hip), Malcolm Brogdon (elbow), Deandre Ayton (hand), and Scoot Henderson (thigh) on Friday night in their loss to the Rockets, so Anfernee Simons continued to carry a heavy workload. Simons scored 23 points in 34 minutes and has scored at least that many in four straight games. He can be a little boom or bust, but he has a good ceiling in Saturday’s matchup against the Raptors. The Blazers’ injury report will be an important one to watch, but if he has to stay in the spotlight, Simons is a strong play.
Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick of the Raptors are good values, especially on FanDuel. On DraftKings, Dalano Banton of the Trail Blazers and Malaki Branham of the Spurs are strong options under $5,000 with good upside in potentially expanded roles.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
While the Celtics have lost back-to-back games on their current road trip, Jaylen Brown has been excellent for the team even though he has been dealing with a pelvis injury. His salary is still significantly lower than his teammate Jayson Tatum’s, even though Brown has been the better fantasy option lately. He has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at small forward and shooting guard on DraftKings this Saturday. On DraftKings, he has a 91% Bargain Rating and matches 10 Pro Trends, the most of any player at small forward.
He is questionable for Saturday night’s matchup with the Suns, but he played through a questionable tag and had 41 points and 14 boards in Thursday’s loss to the Nuggets. He exceeded salary-based expectations in six of his last seven games, averaging an impressive 1.35 DraftKings points and 1.31 FanDuel points per minute.
Brown has scored 21 points in seven straight games with at least 29 points in four of those contests. As long as he’s active despite the injury, he should be ready to help the Celtics bounce back with a win in the desert over the likely shorthanded Suns, although Devin Booker (ankle) was upgraded to questionable, so he still has a chance to play.
Value
The Jazz have been leaning into their youth movement since the trade deadline and are giving more work to rookie Brice Sensabaugh, whom they took in the first round out of Ohio State. Sensabaugh has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all small forwards on FanDuel and the fourth-highest at the position on DraftKings.
With Lauri Markkanen (quad) and Taylor Hendricks (toe) out on Wednesday against the Bulls, Sensabaugh got his first start of the season, producing 15 points and 12 rebounds in 30 minutes for the best game of his career.
He should continue to be very involved with Markkanen and Hendricks out again on Saturday. He may not be able to regularly produce double-doubles like he did on Wednesday, but that performance does show his upside.
Fast Break
Jayson Tatum always brings a high ceiling and can go off for a monster game in any matchup. He has the highest median and ceiling projections of all small forwards on both DraftKings and FanDuel. His shot has been a little out of form in the team’s two losses, but he’ll look to get back on track while facing Phoenix.
For the Hornets, Brandon Miller has taken on a large workload due to multiple injuries to his teammates. He has high enough usage to be a relatively safe play with a good ceiling against the Nets. Also in that game, Davis Bertans is a good value with the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at small forward on FanDuel and the fifth-highest at power forward on DraftKings. Bertans has scored 11+ points in four straight games for Charlotte, exceeding salary-based expectations in each of those contests.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Without Steph Curry, Jonathan Kuminga is one of the Warriors likely to step up. He has a great matchup against the Spurs and has emerged as a top-scoring option for Golden State over the past several weeks. On this slate, he has the third-highest ceiling projection of all power forwards on FanDuel and the fourth-highest on DraftKings. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position on FanDuel and the third-highest on DraftKings.
Kuminga has exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last eight games on FanDuel and five of his last six on DraftKings. In those eight games, he produced 1.23 DraftKings points and 1.25 FanDuel points per minute in 26.9 minutes per game. He had a double-double in the loss on Thursday and has scored 19 points or more in six of his last seven games.
With Curry off the floor over the last month, Kuminga has a 26.3% usage rate over the last month, second on the team behind only Klay Thompson. He can post big numbers and should thrive with extra usage on Saturday.
Value
Without Wemby, Jeremy Sochan should be another source of value from San Antonio. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all small forwards and all power forwards on DraftKings. On FanDuel, he has the fifth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at power forward and is also eligible at point guard, where he has the seventh-highest Projected Plus/Minus on the slate.
Sochan has exceeded salary-based expectations in four straight games on both DraftKings and FanDuel and seven of his last 10. In those 10 games, he posted 0.86 DraftKings points and 0.86 FanDuel points per minute in 30.5 minutes per game with a 17.8% usage. In Wemby’s absence on Thursday, Sochan had nine points, eight rebounds, and two blocks in 36 minutes. With the extra work in a good spot against the Warriors and Kuminga, Sochan is a great mid-range value option wherever he fits in your roster construction.
Fast Break
If Booker does end up missing Saturday’s game against the Celtics, Kevin Durant would have to carry more of the workload. He scored exactly 35 points in each of his last two games and always has a high ceiling when he gets the chance to be the focus of the offense.
With all the Trail Blazers’ injuries, Toumani Camara has been able to step into a larger role and be very productive for Portland. He has pulled down at least seven rebounds in four straight games, dating back to a big double-double against the Heat on Feb. 27. He missed two games with illness during that stretch but played 30 minutes in his return on Friday. In his last four games, he produced 0.85 DraftKings points and 0.81 FanDuel points per minute in 29.8 minutes per game. Depending on exactly whom the Blazers have available, Camara could again be in position for a big workload against the Raptors on Saturday.
Isaiah Stewart has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all power forwards under $5,000 on DraftKings with a slight advantage over Bertans. On FanDuel, Luka Semanic has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of power forwards with salaries under $5,000 and has an 89% Bargain Rating due to his salary under $4,000.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Nikola Jokic has the second-highest median, ceiling, and floor projection on the entire slate behind only Luka. He comes much cheaper than Luka on both sites, and he has an especially good relative value on FanDuel, where he has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers. Jokic matches 11 Pro Trends on FanDuel, which is more than any other center, and 10 on DraftKings.
Jokic has posted a double-double in each of his eight games since the All-Star Break, with five triple-doubles during that stretch. He had a triple-double of 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists against the Celtics on Thursday, exceeding salary-based expectations on DraftKings for the sixth time in those eight games. During that stretch, he averaged 1.82 DraftKings points and 1.72 FanDuel points per minute while playing 36.8 minutes per game.
The Jazz traded away Kelly Olynyk and won’t have Hendricks or Markkanen. They could also be missing Walker Kessler (foot, questionable), which would leave them very shorthanded in the front court and undermanned to try and slow down the Joker.
Value
Of all centers on the slate, Zach Collins has the highest Projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings and the second-highest on FanDuel. He had 22 points and seven boards while exceeding salary-based expectations on Thursday in his first start since January 19.
In his eight games since the All-Star Break, Collins has averaged a very solid 1.21 DraftKings points and 1.16 FanDuel points per minute in 18.4 minutes per game. He has 29.7 projected minutes on Saturday with Wemby out again, so he should end up a strong value, although he’ll have to contend with Draymond Green in this matchup.
Fast Break
Kristaps Porzingis has scored at least 22 points in each of his last five games for the Celtics and exceeded salary-based expectations in four straight. He has the second-highest median, ceiling and floor projection at the position behind only Jokic on Saturday, and he seems to be over the quad injury that sidelined him earlier this month.
With Jakob Poeltl (finger) out, Kelly Olynyk continues to be a strong mid-range play. He has averaged 1.12 DraftKings points and 1.18 FanDuel points per minute in 27.5 minutes per game over his four games in March. He’ll be a strong mid-range option for as long as he’s starting for the Raps.
As a cheap play at center, Daniel Gafford is a great option to consider. He had a double-double on Tuesday against the Pacers and earned the start against the Heat on Thursday. He had a solid 12 points and seven rebounds in that contest, and he’ll likely start again Saturday with Dereck Lively II (personal) away from the team. Gafford has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers on DraftKings, where he has a 99% Bargain Rating. On FanDuel, Chris Boucher and Trayce Jackson-Davis profile as the top bargain options at center.
