NBA DFS: Top Daily Fantasy Expert Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (2/23/25)

We have officially survived the All-Star break and are on to the final stretch of the NBA season as we barrel toward the playoffs. In these articles, I focus on the top plays, traditionally geared toward cash games. However, with over a decade of NBA DFS experience under my belt—and as someone who rarely dives into cash formats—I'm selecting picks that also typically come with high upside. That means they offer the steady floor needed for cash games while packing the high ceiling we need for tournaments.

I'm excited to move on to this slate after getting destroyed by Luka Doncic and picking the wrong Portland pieces last night. We have a seven-game slate tonight (six games on FanDuel), highlighted by a highly-anticipated showdown between top teams in the Memphis Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers. This game features a lofty 249-point implied total and the fastest projected pace on the slate, so we'll want to try to target it in our lineup construction if we can. The Cavs have listed Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland as questionable, so we'll need that news before finalizing our strategy for tonight.

This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 2/23/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 6:00 p.m. EST on DraftKings and FanDuel. Good luck, RotoBallers!

Today's NBA DFS Core Picks

Here is a look at some of the higher-priced players we can use as building blocks for cash and GPP contests.

I won't be paying up for Giannis Antetokounmpo or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as Giannis is on a minutes limit, and SGA gets a tough, slow-paced matchup against the Wolves. I am interested in Cade Cunningham, though, despite his recent trend of failing to hit 50 DK points in three straight contests. He had exceeded 52 DK points in nine of his previous ten games before that stretch, so I like his chances to get back on track against a Hawks defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game this season. The game environment also helps, as it features a high implied total (237.5) and the second-fastest projected pace on the slate.

Trae Young looks excellent on the other side of that matchup in the same game environment, as he needs just 46.5 DK points for 5x value, and he has games of 52.25, 67.25, and 59.5 DK points over his last four outings. Anthony Edwards is the same price, and while his matchup is tougher against OKC, he has hit 5x value at his current salary in eight of his last nine games and holds substantial upside with his 36.7% usage rate with Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, and Donte DiVincenzo off the floor this season.

Then, we have the group in the high $8,000 range. Zion Williamson, De'Aaron Fox, and Paolo Banchero look superb at their salaries. Banchero feels like a lock for a big game against the putrid Wizards, while Zion and Fox should thrive as their team's primary options in a high total (241.5) game with little defensive resistance on either side. The Pelicans allow the third-most fantasy points per game; the Spurs have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game over their last 15 games.

Lastly, as mentioned in the introduction, we need to monitor Cleveland closely. If Darius Garland and/or Jarrett Allen are ruled out, I'd be more interested in Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and some value pieces (Ty Jerome, Craig Porter Jr.). They project as the best team to target on the slate, but, like the Celtics, it isn't easy to prioritize any of them when they're all healthy.

Top Core Plays:

1. Cade Cunningham, DET @ ATL - PG ($10,400 DK; $10,400 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
2. Trae Young, ATL vs. DET - PG ($9,300 DK; $9,400 FD)
3. Anthony Edwards, MIN vs. OKC - PG/SG ($9,300 DK)
4. Paolo Banchero, ORL vs. WAS - PF ($8,600 DK; $8,800 FD)
5. Zion Williamson, NOP vs. SAS - SF/PF ($8,800 DK; $9,100 FD)
6. De'Aaron Fox, SAS @ NOP - PG/SG ($8,800 DK; $9,700 FD) Prefer on DraftKings

Today's NBA DFS Value Picks

This is where we talk about saving salary. Whether it's a severely underpriced backup or even as simple as a guy playing like someone who should be priced higher, this is where you'll find guys who make lineups work.

Sorting the best value picks of the day by fantasy points per dollar:

Oddly enough, we start with two players from Orlando in the 'Values' section today. Wendell Carter Jr. and Cole Anthony have been solid lately, and their pricing hasn't been updated to reflect their recent form or current role with the team. Anthony has thrived with Jalen Suggs out, posting 44.25 and 35.25 DK points in back-to-back starts. WCJ has averaged 27.6 DK points over 29.7 minutes per game over his last three, relegating Goga Bitadze to a bench role. They both get the Wizards at home, so both are firmly in play as excellent value options tonight.

Immanuel Quickly isn't quite priced in the "value" territory, but he looks great at his mid-range pricing against a Phoenix team that has allowed the most fantasy points per game over their last seven games. He has games of 40.25, 34.75, and 36 DK points over his previous four, with the only letdown coming against Cleveland's stifling defense on 2/12.

Continuing with a mid-range value, Jalen Duren is $7,000 and has been crushing his price tags lately. He has put up 52.25 and 49.5 DK points over his last two games, and while the Hawks are middle-of-the-pack at defending centers, the fast-paced and high-scoring nature of this game should boost Duren's prospects. He has sneaky upside in this spot, and he's not projecting to be popular as he's showing single-digit ownership in the optimizer.

Top Value Plays:

1. Wendell Carter Jr., ORL vs. WAS - C ($4,800 DK; $5,200 FD)
2. Cole Anthony, ORL vs. WAS - PG/SG ($5,100 DK; $5,800 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
3. Immanuel Quickley, TOR vs. PHX - PG ($6,400 DK) DraftKings Only
4. Jalen Duren, DET @ ATL - C ($7,000 DK; $7,400 FD)
5. Chris Paul, SAS @ NOP - PG ($6,000 DK; $5,800 FD)

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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard

Cole Anthony is the obvious choice here, but he will be popular and may not be the route we want to take if we want to win a GPP tournament. Fox, Young, Edwards, and Cunningham are the top plays, and thankfully, we can get to Fox and Edwards at both PG and SG tonight.

Chris Paul sees a massive usage rate increase (13.8% to 18.8%) with Victor Wembanyama off the floor, and now he has a sharpshooter in Fox to kick it to and rack up assists. His production is volatile, but the veteran has games of 40.25, 28, and 31.75 DK points over his last four outings. He also gets a great game environment against New Orleans, a team that has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to PGs over their last seven games.

Jose Alvarado is the only other PG option that I am interested in at this juncture. He's cheap, plays at least 30 minutes per night, and gets the same excellent game environment as CP3. The Spurs aren't as imposing defensively without Wemby, and Alvarado has shown 40+ DK point upside as recently as 2/13 and 2/12 (both against Sacramento).

Top PG Options:

1. Cole Anthony, ORL vs. WAS ($5,100 DK; $5,800 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
2. Cade Cunningham, DET @ ATL ($10,400 DK; $10,400 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
3. Trae Young, ATL vs. DET ($9,300 DK; $9,400 FD)
4. Anthony Edwards, MIN vs. OKC ($9,300 DK)
5. De'Aaron Fox, SAS @ NOP ($8,800 DK; $9,700 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
6. Immanuel Quickley, TOR vs. PHX ($6,400 DK) DraftKings Only

Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard

My SG exposure will be similar to my PG exposure, as Anthony, Edwards, and Fox are eligible for both positions. However, Dyson Daniels, Bradley Beal, and Caris LeVert are mid-range options worth considering. Daniels and LeVert get an elite game environment in a matchup with the Pistons, though I'd rather save salary by taking shots on LeVert. Daniels has been solid, but I don't see a clear path for him to hit a "ceiling" game that will help us win tournaments.

Beal is intriguing. He needs 30.5 DK points for 5x value tonight and has averaged 40.3 DK PPG over his last four outings. The Raptors allow the sixth-most fantasy points per game overall and the third-most to SFs, so he'll have an opportunity to continue his hot streak in Canada tonight.

Top SG Options:

1. Cole Anthony, ORL vs. WAS ($5,100 DK; $5,800 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
2. Anthony Edwards, MIN vs. OKC ($9,300 DK)
3. De'Aaron Fox, SAS @ NOP ($8,800 DK; $9,700 FD) Prefer on DraftKings

Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward

Zion Williamson is the star of the show at SF for me tonight. He's being limited to under 30 minutes per game to keep him healthy, but that doesn't matter as much when you're as productive as he has been. He holds a 1.68 FPTS/min rate for the season and an eye-popping 38.2% usage rate with Brandon Ingram off the floor. As mentioned previously, the game environment is ideal, and the Wemby-less Spurs won't be able to slow Zion down.

Royce O'Neale and Vince Williams Jr. are uninspiring mid-range and cheap plays at the position, but I will focus on Zion, Beal, and LeVert.

Top SF Options:

1. Zion Williamson, NOP vs. SAS ($8,800 DK; $9,100 FD)
2. Bradley Beal, PHX @ TOR ($6,100 DK) DraftKings Only
3. Caris LeVert, ATL vs. DET ($5,400 DK; $5,900 FD) Prefer on DraftKings

Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward

Zion and Banchero are my top picks at PF tonight. As mentioned in the 'Core' section, Banchero gets the most forgiving defense in the NBA in the Wizards, who allow the most fantasy points per game overall, the most to PGs, and the second-most to PGs. Banchero plays a hybrid point-forward role and checks all the boxes for archetypes Washington struggles to defend. He also leads the team in usage rate (34.3%) since returning to action on 1/10/25 and has exceeded what he needs for 5x value in three of his last four games.

Naz Reid needs to be mentioned. He's expensive, but he's been hitting 40+ DK points with regularity lately and showed off his upside with a 60 DK point game just two games ago. That came against this same Thunder squad, so we know he can do it again, with Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle continuing to miss time.

Top PF Options:

1. Paolo Banchero, ORL vs. WAS - PF ($8,600 DK; $8,800 FD)
2. Zion Williamson, NOP vs. SAS ($8,800 DK; $9,100 FD)
3. Kyshawn George, WAS @ ORL ($4,900 DK) DraftKings Only
4. Kelly Olynyk, NOP vs. SAS ($4,200 DK; $4,400 FD)
5. Naz Reid, MIN vs. OKC ($4,800 DK) DraftKings Only

Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center

We will save some salary at center today with Wendell Carter Jr. He's under $5,000 despite going well over value in his last three games. Now he gets a Washington defense that can't stop anyone at any position. Sign me up.

Jarrett Allen looks excellent at his price tag if he plays, as Memphis has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game over their last 30 games. This is also the best game environment on the slate by a wide margin, so I'd prioritize Allen if he suits up and has no restrictions.

Top C Options:

1. Wendell Carter Jr., ORL vs. WAS ($4,800 DK; $5,200 FD)
2. Jalen Duren, DET @ ATL - C ($7,000 DK; $7,400 FD)
3. Naz Reid, MIN vs. OKC ($4,800 DK) DraftKings Only

Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks

1. Grizzlies @ Cavaliers (249 o/u; 105.5 projected pace)
2. Spurs @ Pelicans (241.5 o/u; 102.7 projected pace)
3. Pistons @ Hawks (237.5 o/u; 105.3 projected pace)

Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids

I won't be paying all the way up for Giannis or SGA tonight. Giannis has a 28-minute restriction, making his prospects of hitting value against the Heat very unlikely. SGA hasn't been living up to his price tag recently, failing to hit 5x value at his current tag in five of his last six outings. He also gets a brutal, slow-paced game environment against Minnesota, which has allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game over its last 15 games.

My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today

Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.

• My favorite overall play on the slate: Fox / Zion / Paolo (can play them all in the same lineup)
• My favorite CASH play on the slate: Wendell Carter Jr.
• My favorite GPP play on the slate: Anthony Edwards
• My favorite value play: Wendell Carter Jr.

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