RADIO
We keep rolling along with "Silly Season" in the NBA, where we see a lot of instances of teams resting starters to tank for a better draft pick or preserve health for 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.
Three appealing matchups (Mavericks-Bulls, Pacers-Thunder, Lakers-Grizzlies) feature implied totals of at least 237 points and a fast projected pace. Two games are avoidable from a game environment perspective (Heat-76ers, Nets-Wizards). One game is in the middle (Celtics-Spurs) with a modest implied total and slow projected pace. It's late-season NBA, which means anything and everything is on the table. Stay on top of the news and be ready to pivot strategy throughout the day.
This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 3/29/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 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.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the only player I am interested in at the top of the salary board. He possesses a ceiling similar to Luka Doncic's (with LeBron James in the lineup) and costs $1,100 less on DraftKings. He also gets a high-total, pace-up matchup against the Pacers tonight. However, he needs 54 DK points to reach 5x value, and he has only beaten that mark once over his last five games. He's in the mix, but not my top priority.
That would be the ascendant Josh Giddey. Giddey is somehow underpriced at $9,200. He needs 46 DK points for 5x value and has exceeded that number in seven consecutive games heading into tonight's action. He has produced games with 66, 73, and 64.5 DK points during that stretch, showcasing his all-around abilities on a surging Bulls squad that has won 9-of-11 games. The Mavericks' defense has fallen off dramatically, as they're allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game over their last 15 games.
Despite their poor game environment, the "big two" on the Heat stand out as top plays. The 76ers have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game over their last 15 games, and the Bam Adebayo / Tyler Herro core controls all the usage and production in this iteration of the Heat. Herro leads the team in usage (27%) and FPTS/min (1.08) with Andrew Wiggins, Duncan Robinson, and Nikola Jovic off the floor. At the same time, Adebayo should see a production bump with the 76ers allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to Cs over their last 15 games. They don't have the personnel to slow either of these players down tonight.
Top Core Plays:
- Josh Giddey, CHI vs. DAL - PG ($9,200 DK; $9,700 FD)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC vs. IND - PG ($10,800 DK; $11,500 FD)
- Tyler Herro, MIA @ PHI - PG ($8,300 DK; $8,400 FD)
- Bam Adebayo, MIA @ PHI - PF/C ($8,400 DK; $8,400 FD)
- Coby White, CHI vs. DAL - SG/SF ($8,100 DK; $8,100 FD)
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:
It's time to get a little weird. Haywood Highsmith and Davion Mitchell should play around 30 minutes at low salaries against the tanking 76ers, and both would see blowout run if this game gets uncompetitive. The ceiling is ugly for both players, but the high minutes projections and the matchup have me gravitating toward these cheap role players on the Heat.
Jaylen Martin, Colby Jones, AJ Johnson, and Tristan Vukcevic should see enough run on the injury-riddled Wizards to provide value on this slate. Predicting rotations on this ever-changing team is challenging, but they're a good bet for at least 20 minutes against a Brooklyn defense that has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game over their last seven games. They're all worth the gamble, but make sure to diversify, as the minutes have been wildly inconsistent for weeks.
Top Value Plays:
- Davion Mitchell, MIA @ PHI - PG ($4,300 DK; $4,900 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
- Haywood Highsmith, MIA @ PHI - SF/PF ($3,400 DK; $4,100 FD)
- Julian Champagnie, SAS vs. BOS - SG/SF ($3,400 DK) DraftKings Only
- AJ Johnson, WAS vs. BKN - PG/SG ($4,300 DK; $4,900 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
- Jaylen Martin, WAS vs. BKN - SF ($3,100 DK; $4,500 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard
We have several routes we can take at PG tonight. Giddey will be a staple of my lineups due to his current form and elite matchup against the Mavericks, while Herro, Mitchell (and Alec Burks, if he plays) look great at their pricing against a vulnerable 76ers defense. AJ Johnson is a top value pick with the Wizards ruling out Kyshawn George, Khris Middleton, Malcolm Brogdon, and Saddiq Bey, while Keon Johnson can also be mixed in as a mid-range flier against the leaky Wizards defense.
Top PG Options:
- Josh Giddey, CHI vs. DAL ($9,200 DK; $9,700 FD)
- Tyler Herro, MIA @ PHI ($8,300 DK; $8,400 FD)
- Davion Mitchell, MIA @ PHI ($4,300 DK; $4,900 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC vs. IND ($10,800 DK; $11,500 FD)
- AJ Johnson, WAS vs. BKN ($4,300 DK; $4,900 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard
It's Coby White and a bunch of scrubs at SG. White looks excellent against a flailing Mavericks defense, and he's in great form with a 46.2 DK PPG average over his last five games. Burks, AJ Johnson, Keon Johnson, Julian Champagnie, and Jalen Wilson round out the recommendations at the position, with Champagnie standing out due to his high potential ceiling. He has games of 27.25 and 38.25 DK points over his last three contests, and it's likely he sees extra minutes tonight with the Spurs being 12.5-point underdogs against the Celtics.
Top SG Options:
- Coby White, CHI vs. DAL ($8,100 DK; $8,100 FD)
- Julian Champagnie, SAS vs. BOS ($3,400 DK) DraftKings Only
- AJ Johnson, WAS vs. BKN ($4,300 DK; $4,900 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward
Small forward doesn't look much better than the shooting guard position. Keldon Johnson is an appealing mid-range target, as he's at an affordable price point and has shown 35+ DK point upside twice over his last four games. The matchup against the Celtics is brutal, though, so I won't go too crazy with getting him in lineups.
Outside of White and Johnson, we're rolling with cheap lineup-fillers from Miami (Highsmith), Washington (Martin, Jones), San Antonio (Champagnie, Harrison Barnes), and Brooklyn (Wilson, Ziaire Williams).
Top SF Options:
- Coby White, CHI vs. DAL ($8,100 DK; $8,100 FD)
- Haywood Highsmith, MIA @ PHI ($3,400 DK; $4,100 FD)
- Julian Champagnie, SAS vs. BOS ($3,400 DK) DraftKings Only
- Keldon Johnson, SAS vs. BOS ($4,700 DK) DraftKings Only
- Jaylen Martin, WAS vs. BKN ($3,100 DK; $4,500 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward
Top PF Options:
Power forward is also ugly. Adebayo is the only high-priced player I am interested in, so we will also be heavy on punt options at this position. Highsmith, Kyle Anderson (*yeesh*), Patrick Williams, Barnes, and Keldon Johnson will be the guys I'm mixing in, with Highsmith, Williams, and Johnson being the top priorities from the group.
- Haywood Highsmith, MIA @ PHI ($3,400 DK; $4,100 FD)
- Bam Adebayo, MIA @ PHI ($8,400 DK; $8,400 FD)
- Patrick Williams, CHI vs. DAL ($3,800 DK; $3,900 FD)
- Keldon Johnson, SAS vs. BOS ($4,700 DK) DraftKings Only
- Harrison Barnes, SAS vs. BOS ($3,600 DK)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center
Center is the most interesting position on the slate. We have one viable punt option in Vukcevic, a few mid-rangers in Alexandre Sarr, Nikola Vucevic, and Myles Turner, and an expensive option in Adebayo. Vukcevic (27% usage rate, 1.21 FPTS/min) and Sarr (24% usage rate, 1.14 FPTS/min) stand out with everyone out for the Wizards, with Sarr standing out due to the 40-50 DK point upside he has shown recently. The Nets can't guard centers, allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to the position over their last seven games.
Vucevic has smashed a few times lately and gets a favorable matchup against the Mavericks, but I'm cautious about getting to him since I'm rolling with Giddey and White as core pieces. I'd rather take shots on Turner, who is in excellent form and will play in a game with a high implied total and fast projected pace.
Top C Options:
- Bam Adebayo, MIA @ PHI ($8,400 DK; $8,400 FD)
- Alexandre Sarr, WAS vs. BKN ($6,600 DK; $7,000 FD)
- Tristan Vukcevic, WAS vs. BKN ($4,000 DK) DraftKings Only
- Myles Turner, IND @ OKC ($6,600 DK; $7,000 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Mavericks @ Bulls (237 o/u; 104.5 projected pace)
- Pacers @ Thunder (237o/u; 103.3 projected pace)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
I am de-prioritizing most of the high-priced studs tonight: Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Ja Morant, Quentin Grimes, Tyrese Haliburton, Desmond Bane, and Austin Reaves. SGA is my preferred spend-up option, and Giddey looks unavoidable at his price point, so I won't have room to mix in any of the stars mentioned above. It's a risky strategy - one that could change with more injury updates - but you have to risk it for the biscuit to take down NBA DFS tournaments.
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: Josh Giddey
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Josh Giddey
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Coby White
- My favorite value play: Davion Mitchell
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