NBA Late Monday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for December 29, 2025
Last updated: Dec 29, 2025, 1:57AM | Published: Dec 28, 2025, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Late Monday DFS contest starts at 1:10pm AEDT on December 29, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Monday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Late Monday slate consists of these games:
- LA Clippers vs Detroit Pistons
- Los Angeles Lakers vs Sacramento Kings
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the most reliable DFS projections available.
With the best NBA fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more NBA fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best choices on Monday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $24,680 | 59.4 | 2.4 |
| Value | Nicolas Batum (LAC, PF/SF) | $6,000 | 18.7 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Maxime Raynaud (SAC, C) | $12,220 | 24.5 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Jake LaRavia (LAL, SF/PF) | $7,180 | 22.2 | 3.1 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide the most "bang for your buck," meaning they are expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For budget-conscious strategies, "cheapie" options refer to the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
PG (Point Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL) | $24,680 | 59.4 | 2.4 |
| Value | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $8,820 | 26.8 | 3 |
| Fade | Dennis Schröder (SAC) | $10,180 | 21.7 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Malik Monk (SAC) | $8,020 | 18.1 | 2.3 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $8,820 | 26.8 | 3 |
| Value | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $8,820 | 26.8 | 3 |
| Fade | Ausar Thompson (DET) | $10,420 | 24.9 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Keon Ellis (SAC) | $7,180 | 20.3 | 2.8 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $17,800 | 46.3 | 2.6 |
| Value | Nicolas Batum (LAC) | $6,000 | 18.7 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Ausar Thompson (DET) | $10,420 | 24.9 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Jake LaRavia (LAL) | $7,180 | 22.2 | 3.1 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $17,800 | 46.3 | 2.6 |
| Value | Nicolas Batum (LAC) | $6,000 | 18.7 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Tobias Harris (DET) | $10,240 | 24.1 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Jake LaRavia (LAL) | $7,180 | 22.2 | 3.1 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Deandre Ayton (LAL) | $13,420 | 38.4 | 2.9 |
| Value | Precious Achiuwa (SAC) | $8,110 | 23.4 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Maxime Raynaud (SAC) | $12,220 | 24.5 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Isaiah Stewart (DET) | $7,950 | 22.6 | 2.8 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Late Monday teams, consider starting with a value player like Nicolas Batum. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Luka Dončić is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Jake LaRavia.
On the other hand, according to our model, Maxime Raynaud is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Late Monday slate closes at 1:10pm AEDT on Monday. ENTER NOW!
As with all NBA DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven NBA fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the NBA Late Monday slate. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your NBA DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NBA Late Monday line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
