Welcome to the Thursday NBA DFS slate. Each NBA playoff series enters Game 3 tonight. If you’re going to play NBA DFS, you have to keep in mind lineup announcements and stay tuned for late swapping. That will be the easiest way to stay ahead of the field and make money.
In the playoffs, there are fewer games with usually clearer injury reports and lineups, but late swapping is never off the table. We have a three-game playoff slate tonight, so you will have to get creative with your GPP lineups. In the end, it’s about making the right choices and picking your spots, which is why I’m here. Let’s break down the top plays for this slate.
View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer
NBA DFS Core Plays
- DraftKings: $11,600
- FanDuel: $11,800
Nikola Jokic’s price tag has been much more reasonable in the $11,000 range lately compared to the $13,000 it’s been at before. That alone should show why he’s always going to be an ideal play. His ceiling is the highest on the slate, as he’s already 2-for-2 in going over 60 DraftKings points.
The series returns to Los Angeles tonight, and Jokic offers a late-swap opportunity in GPPs if you care to get risky with the three-game slate. Honestly, his rostership is lower than I expected, but otherwise, do what you can to get Jokic in your lineup.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (PG – OKC)
- DraftKings: $10,000
- FanDuel: $10,200
Having Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic on the same slate is a dream and a nightmare. Gilgeous-Alexander may not have the same ceiling, but he is consistent. He only saw the court 23 minutes in Game 1, but outside of that, he’s yet to have a game in 2025 under 40 DraftKings points.
Playing in Memphis helps the chances that this game isn’t a blowout, and Gilgeous-Alexander will see the court for a full 35-38 minutes. He’s going to see more time if this game is close. This game has the highest total by about 13 points, so I imagine rostership will end up on this game, and I’m more than good with that.
- DraftKings: $7,600
- FanDuel: $8,000
I was tempted to just keep it with Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic, but Ja Morant’s price is simply too low to not go all-in on him tonight. His usage rate is at 33% and he’ll play 38 minutes, maybe more, if the game is close.
Morant is Memphis’ go-to guy. If the Grizzlies want to keep this game close, they need to go to Morant, and it wouldn’t be a surprise for him to put up a career effort with 50 fantasy points to follow. Memphis will be highly rostered tonight, and a lot of that will go to Morant.
NBA DFS Cash Game Targets
- DraftKings: $6,700
- FanDuel: $7,000
Josh Hart has been a steady climber in terms of usage rate over the last 10 or so games of the season. He’s been steady over 27 fantasy points in 10 straight games, and I project him for around 35 tonight for some clear value at a relatively cheaper price.
Hart saw the floor for 40 minutes last game when it mattered, and he’s about a fantasy point per minute player, so getting to 35 fantasy points seems within reason. He’s going to be highly rostered, but I’m buying the chalk.
- DraftKings: $6,900
- FanDuel: $7,700
This is a bit of a riskier cash play, but you only have so many options with a three-game slate. Desmond Bane also makes for a much better DraftKings option at nearly $1,000 cheaper there compared to FanDuel. After struggling in Game 1, Bane bounced back with a solid 46 DraftKings points in Game 2. We should see similar output tonight.
It helps that Bane has guard-forward status, which means you can mix-and-match your lineups with Bane. His price tag has dropped a bit, and despite the Thunder’s solid lineup, this is the fastest-paced game of the day with the highest total. Bane’s usage has stayed steady at around 25% this season and in the playoffs, so the opportunity will be there.
Scotty Pippen Jr. (PG, SG – MEM)
- DraftKings: $5,000
- FanDuel: $4,600
Any player I like who is cheaper on FanDuel, I have to give a shoutout to. I understand most readers likely use DraftKings primarily, but I can’t forget the FanDuel lovers. Either way, Scotty Pippen Jr. is lining up as a solid spend-down option at guard tonight.
Memphis is a cheap team with a high pace and high total. Yes, they are big underdogs and facing the best defense in the league, but maybe returning home will give them some momentum. They might try to risk some roster shake-up to win a game, but as things stand, Memphis is the team to roster tonight. Let’s hope they don’t get mauled again.
NBA DFS GPP Targets
- DraftKings: $9,400
- FanDuel: $9,700
Cade Cunningham has made a home here in GPP Land because his ownership simply doesn’t ever seem to get as high as I believe it should. In the Game 2 win against New York, Cunningham balled out with 56 DraftKings points and could put up a repeat performance at home.
I project Cunningham as the third-highest scorer today, but it seems like Gilgeous-Alexander and a cheaper James Harden are getting a bit more love. It also doesn’t help that the Knicks are the fifth-slowest team in the league, and a 214 total isn’t crazy promising, but that’s why he’s a GPP option. The ceiling is still there, so don’t be afraid to sprinkle him in your lineups.
- DraftKings: $7,300
- FanDuel: $7,600
There’s a chance Michael Porter Jr. misses tonight’s game with a left shoulder injury. Again, keep track of injury news for some late swap options. As things stand, nothing stands out for Denver, particularly on the road against a grueling Clippers team, where the game total is the lowest on the slate. But that means they are perfect for GPP options.
Jamal Murray sits at sub-20% rostership, and I don’t think it will end up any higher than that. He’s been solid in the first two playoff games, going over his average fantasy production in both. Expecting similar high minutes, it’s hard not to see Murray with another solid performance.
NBA DFS Value Plays
- DraftKings: $4,700
- FanDuel: $5,000
Ausar Thompson’s minutes haven’t been what you’d like to see early on, but it doesn’t help that he’s been in foul trouble in both games this series after fouling out last game. He is nearly $1,000 cheaper on DraftKings from where he started the playoffs, so this is a clear buy-low spot for someone who should play closer to 27 minutes rather than the 21 he’s averaged in the playoffs so far.
Finding a sub-$5,000 starter in a three-game slate is usually a good plan for a spend-down option, and Thompson leads that list for me and seemingly plenty of others based on his rostership projection for tonight.
- DraftKings: $3,900
- FanDuel: $4,400
Alex Caruso may not start, but he should play his normal minutes tonight — around 22. He is coming off a 32-point effort on DraftKings in the last game, so we can see his potential. Caruso peaked over 40 right before the playoffs, showing off his ceiling, and Memphis has been the fastest-paced team in the league this year.
Oklahoma City has shown no pause to its steamrolling offense. While Memphis might get a small home crowd boost, I don’t expect that to stop the Thunder. Caruso will contribute his minutes with a fine usage rate and makes for an excellent value option.
- DraftKings: $4,000
- FanDuel: $4,700
On that same strategy of finding cheap starters, Kris Dunn is a cheap option who has seen the court 28+ minutes in both games against Denver so far. The Nuggets are a pace-up spot with a sub-par defense over their final 20+ games, and Dunn has relatively capitalized on that with two 20+ fantasy point efforts. He’s an easy punt spot if you’re looking for it.
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