Saturday’s eight-game NBA DFS slate tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET and features a mix of competitive matchups and potential blowouts to navigate. The Miami Heat-Portland Trail Blazers and Chicago Bulls-Cleveland Cavaliers contests headline the night with projected totals above 240 points, while the New Orleans Pelicans-San Antonio Spurs game sits at the bottom with a 227.5 total.
Two games carry notable blowout potential, as both the Pelicans-Spurs and Indiana Pacers-Denver Nuggets matchups feature double-digit spreads. With several key factors in play — including wide spreads, injuries and teams on back-to-backs — lineup differentiation and targeting the right environments will be essential to gaining an edge.
Let’s break down some of the top plays and value options to consider when building lineups for Saturday’s slate.
View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet 
Saturday’s eight-game NBA DFS slate tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET and features a mix of competitive matchups and potential blowouts to navigate. The Miami Heat-Portland Trail Blazers and Chicago Bulls-Cleveland Cavaliers contests headline the night with projected totals above 240 points, while the New Orleans Pelicans-San Antonio Spurs game sits at the bottom with a 227.5 total.
Two games carry notable blowout potential, as both the Pelicans-Spurs and Indiana Pacers-Denver Nuggets matchups feature double-digit spreads. With several key factors in play — including wide spreads, injuries and teams on back-to-backs — lineup differentiation and targeting the right environments will be essential to gaining an edge.
Let’s break down some of the top plays and value options to consider when building lineups 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
- DraftKings: $12,700
- FanDuel: $12,400
While Nikola Jokic will be playing on zero days of rest, the good news is he was limited to 28 minutes in Friday’s blowout win over the Golden State Warriors — yet still delivered an impressive 26 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and one block.
Tonight’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers carries an 11.5-point spread, which brings some blowout risk, but Indiana hasn’t played since Wednesday, so there’s reason to believe this one could stay competitive. Plus, it’s tough to fade Jokic when he’s facing a team ranked seventh in pace over its last five games, setting up plenty of opportunities for another big performance.
- DraftKings: $11,800
- FanDuel: $12,800
Luka Doncic leads the league with a 38.7% usage rate — and that alone makes him a fixture in any DFS discussion. He’s showcased tremendous upside to start the season, scoring at least 35 points in four out of five games while continuing to stuff the stat sheet across all categories.
Doncic is in another strong spot tonight against the Atlanta Hawks, who are playing on zero days of rest and have allowed more than 105 points in every game this season. Given his workload, consistency and ceiling, Doncic once again stands out as one of the top overall plays on the slate.
- DraftKings: $10,100
- FanDuel: $9,700
While the Philadelphia 76ers are slowly getting healthy, they continue to lean heavily on Tyrese Maxey. He leads the league in minutes per game at 41.3, and the heavy workload hasn’t hurt his efficiency — he’s averaging 33.5 points on 47.8% shooting, along with 5.1 rebounds and 8.5 assists per contest.
Maxey draws a favorable spot tonight against the Toronto Raptors, who are on the second leg of a back-to-back despite riding a four-game winning streak. With his elite usage, consistency and volume, Maxey remains one of the most reliable high-upside options on the slate.
NBA DFS Cash Game Targets
- DraftKings: $10,100
- FanDuel: $8,800
James Harden will return to the floor after missing one game due to personal reasons, and he’s expected to take on a major role with Kawhi Leonard (ankle) sidelined. With Leonard out, the Los Angeles Clippers will rely heavily on Harden to run the offense and generate scoring opportunities.
In his last game without Leonard on November 4th against the Oklahoma City Thunder — the team with the league’s best defensive rating — Harden delivered 25 points, six rebounds, six assists and one steal in 30 minutes while posting a 31.1% usage rate. Given the circumstances, he’s set up well to produce another strong all-around performance tonight.
- DraftKings: $6,500
- FanDuel: $8,000
Deni Avdija is on a roll, averaging 29.5 points, eight rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals with a 30.4% usage rate over his last two games. He’s been assertive offensively and continues to contribute across the board, showcasing the upside that makes him a strong DFS target.
Avdija draws another appealing matchup tonight against a banged-up Miami Heat squad that plays at the fastest pace in the league. With the game environment favoring extra possessions and Miami’s rotation thinned by injuries, Avdija is well-positioned to stay hot and post another big performance.
- DraftKings: $6,400
- FanDuel: $5,700
Jerami Grant doesn’t get talked about much, but the 31-year-old is quietly off to a fantastic start, averaging 20.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, two assists and 1.4 steals per game. He’s been a steady two-way presence for the Portland Trail Blazers, providing scoring punch while taking on tough defensive assignments nightly.
Grant is in a strong spot tonight against the Miami Heat, who play at the fastest pace in the league — an ideal setup for a player like Grant who thrives in transition and benefits from extra possessions. Given his consistency and balanced production, he’s a solid mid-range option with upside in this matchup.
NBA DFS GPP Targets
- DraftKings: $7,000
- FanDuel: $7,600
Alex Sarr has been excellent over his last three games, averaging 23.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and three blocks while leading the team with a 29.4% usage rate. He’s showing growing confidence on both ends of the floor and has quickly become a focal point of the offense.
Sarr carries major upside tonight against a shorthanded Dallas Mavericks squad dealing with multiple frontcourt injuries. With his versatility, athleticism and expanding role, Sarr is well-positioned to continue his strong stretch and deliver another big fantasy performance.
- DraftKings: $6,900
- FanDuel: $6,800
Cooper Flagg has been inconsistent to start his young NBA career — which is expected for a rookie — but tonight sets up as an ideal spot to take a chance on him. He faces the Washington Wizards, who rank last in defensive rating over their past five games while playing at the fourth-fastest pace in the league.
With a tight 3.5-point spread, this matchup projects to stay competitive, giving Flagg the opportunity to log significant minutes. Given the fast pace, weak opposing defense and his growing involvement in the offense, Flagg carries intriguing upside.
- DraftKings: $6,200
- FanDuel: $5,600
Jaime Jaquez Jr. continues to impress while playing with the second unit for the Miami Heat, averaging 17.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 29.5 minutes per game. He’s scored at least 18 points in three of his last four contests, showing the ability to provide consistent production in his role.
Tonight, he could see an even bigger opportunity if Norman Powell sits out after rolling his ankle in last night’s game. With increased minutes and his versatility on both ends, Jaquez Jr. offers strong upside as a mid-tier target.
NBA DFS Value Plays
- DraftKings: $4,700
- FanDuel: $4,100
Nikola Jovic could see a significant boost in minutes tonight with Norman Powell (ankle) and Bam Adebayo (foot) both potentially sidelined. He’s already shown this season that he can produce when given the opportunity — on October 24th against the Memphis Grizzlies, Jovic posted 20 points, six rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block in 27 minutes.
Fantasy managers should monitor the Miami Heat’s injury report closely, but if both Powell and Adebayo are limited or out, Jovic is positioned for a heavy workload and could deliver strong value.
- DraftKings: $4,200
- FanDuel: $4,000
With the Miami Heat dealing with multiple injuries, Pelle Larsson is another player poised for a big night. He saw 26 minutes of action last night and delivered 19 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal, showing he can contribute across multiple categories.
If Larsson reaches or exceeds 30 minutes tonight, he becomes even more appealing, especially at his price point. Increased playing time in a favorable role makes him a strong value option.
- DraftKings: $4,500
- FanDuel: $4,500
The New Orleans Pelicans will be without Zion Williamson (hamstring) and Yves Missi (illness), leaving their frontcourt thin and opening the door for Derik Queen to see extended minutes. Queen has already taken on an expanded role over his last two games, averaging 11.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.5 steals in 21.9 minutes.
Queen is in line to log 20+ minutes tonight. Despite a tough matchup against the San Antonio Spurs, Queen comes at a reasonable price and should have the opportunity to produce across multiple stat categories.
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