Saturday’s six-game NBA DFS slate tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET and features a mix of competitive, high-scoring matchups and a few projected low-scoring games. The Chicago Bulls–Indiana Pacers (243 total) and Detroit Pistons–Miami Heat (239 total) matchups carry the highest totals on the slate and also have the closest spreads, both within four points. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks–Los Angeles Clippers (221.5 total), Brooklyn Nets–Milwaukee Bucks (222 total) and New Orleans Pelicans–Golden State Warriors (225 total) all feature lower totals with spreads of seven points or more.
With a wide range of spreads and totals — plus teams dealing with injuries and playing on zero days rest — lineup differentiation and identifying strong fantasy environments become crucial. With that in mind, here are some of the top plays and value options to consider for Saturday’s 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
Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF – MIL)
- DraftKings: $11,500
- FanDuel: $11,500
Giannis Antetokounmpo confirmed that he will play today and is expected to log more than the 28 minutes he saw in yesterday’s contest. Despite the limited run, he still delivered 30 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists and one steal against the New York Knicks, showing he’s in strong form following a four-game absense.
He now draws a matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, who rank 21st in defensive efficiency over their last four games. With an anticipated bump in minutes and a favorable defensive opponent, Antetokounmpo is set up for another strong outing.
Cade Cunningham (PG – DET)
- DraftKings: $10,300
- FanDuel: $10,600
Despite the Detroit Pistons dropping their last two games, Cade Cunningham has been tremendous, averaging 40.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and eight assists. He now draws an appealing matchup against the Miami Heat, who have been a top-five defense since Bam Adebayo returned but have also played at the No. 2 pace during that span. That combination of strong pace and elevated usage sets Cunningham up with another opportunity to post a big fantasy outing.
NBA DFS Cash Game Targets
Jimmy Butler (SF, PF – GSW)
- DraftKings: $8,800
- FanDuel: $8,400
The Golden State Warriors are dealing with numerous injuries, as Stephen Curry (quad), Al Horford (hamstring) and De’Anthony Melton (knee) have all been ruled out, while Jonathan Kuminga (knee) is questionable. With so many key pieces sidelined, the Warriors will need to rely heavily on Jimmy Butler this evening.
While Butler has been tough to trust at times this season, he draws an excellent matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans, who rank fifth in pace of play over their last four games. The uptempo environment, combined with Butler’s expanded role, sets him up for a strong fantasy performance.
Saddiq Bey (SF, PF – NOR)
- DraftKings: $5,500
- FanDuel: $6,300
The New Orleans Pelicans have multiple players sidelined for tonight’s contest, including Jordan Hawkins (illness), Herbert Jones (calf), Karlo Matkovic (illness) and Jordan Poole (quad), while Trey Murphy III is questionable. This opens the door for Saddiq Bey to take on another expanded role.
Bey has been excellent over his last three games, averaging 18.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and two steals. He now draws a favorable matchup against a Golden State Warriors team dealing with significant injuries of their own, putting him in a strong position to deliver another productive outing.
Brandin Podziemski (PG, SG – GSW)
- DraftKings: $6,800
- FanDuel: $5,800
With the Golden State Warriors banged up, Brandin Podziemski is expected to take on an expanded role against the New Orleans Pelicans. He’ll likely draw the start tonight, and we’ve already seen how effective he can be in that role — averaging 14 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 32 minutes as a starter. He also gets a favorable matchup against a Pelicans team that ranks 26th in defensive efficiency this season, putting him in a strong position to deliver solid value once again.
NBA DFS GPP Targets
James Harden (PG, SG – LAC)
- DraftKings: $9,600
- FanDuel: $9,800
James Harden will go up against the Dallas Mavericks this evening, a team he faced on November 14 when he posted one of his two triple-doubles this season — a massive 41-point, 14-rebound, 11-assist performance in an overtime win.
He’ll see them again tonight and should be asked to shoulder even more offensive responsibility with Anthony Davis (injury management) ruled out and the ptentially other key pieces rest on the second half of a back-to-back.
Daniel Gafford (C – DAL)
- DraftKings: $5,300
- FanDuel: $6,000
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd’s rotations can be unpredictable, but Daniel Gafford is likely to return to the starting lineup tonight and handle a healthy workload with Anthony Davis (injury management) ruled out. Davis has played in just one of the last eight games, and during that stretch Gafford has averaged 26 minutes while producing 10.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, one steal and 1.8 blocks.
He should be in line for 25-plus minutes again this evening in a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, who rank 29th in defensive efficiency over their last four games. Gafford’s per-minute production and the soft matchup make him an appealing mid-range option.
Peyton Watson (PF – DEN)
- DraftKings: $5,500
- FanDuel: $5,600
Peyton Watson continues to impress in an expanded role with Aaron Gordon (hamstring) sidelined, averaging 16.5 points, seven rebounds and 2.5 assists in 33.7 minutes per game. He’s showing he can produce across multiple categories and comes at a great price point.
Tonight, he faces the Phoenix Suns in a close matchup, with the Denver Nuggets favored by just five points and a 232.5-point total. This game environment sets Watson up for plenty of opportunity and upside, making him an intriguing play.
NBA DFS Value Plays
Jose Alvarado (PG – NOR)
- DraftKings: $4,300
- FanDuel: $4,800
With the New Orleans Pelicans dealing with multiple injuries, Jose Alvarado is set to see an expanded role once again on Saturday. Over his last two games, he’s averaged 20 points, 6.5 rebounds, five assists and two steals while logging at least 25 minutes in each contest.
Tonight, he draws a favorable matchup against a Golden State Warriors team that is also banged up, giving Alvarado the opportunity to produce across multiple categories and put up another big performance.
Egor Demin (PG, SG – BKN)
- DraftKings: $4,300
- FanDuel: $4,400
Egor Demin has been impressive over his last five games, averaging 12.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and four assists per contest. He came close to a double-double last night against the Philadelphia 76ers, posting a season-high 23 points and nine rebounds.
Tonight, he faces the Milwaukee Bucks, who have struggled recently with a 0-5 record over their last five games and a -8.7 net rating. This matchup sets Demin up for another strong performance and the opportunity to contribute across multiple categories.
Will Richard (SG, SF – GSW)
- DraftKings: $4,200
- FanDuel: $4,400
With the Golden State Warriors dealing with injuries, Will Richard is set to see an expanded role tonight. In his last two games, he’s logged 20+ minutes and averaged 13.5 points, six rebounds and two steals, showing he can contribute across multiple categories.
He faces the New Orleans Pelicans, who have struggled defensively all season and rank in the bottom eight in defensive efficiency. This matchup gives Richard a strong opportunity to produce, especially if he maintains heavy minutes.
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