NBA Monday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 7, 2025
Apr 6, 2025, 8:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Monday DFS contest begins at 10:10am AEST on April 7, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on April 7 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Monday slate includes these games:
- New Orleans Pelicans vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets
- Denver Nuggets vs Indiana Pacers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Monday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $25,130 | 66.3 | 2.6 |
| Value | Jalen Pickett (DEN, SG/PG) | $6,070 | 24.5 | 4 |
| Fade | Tari Eason (HOU, PF) | $10,500 | 22.3 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Taurean Prince (MIL, PF/SF) | $7,580 | 27.3 | 3.6 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer 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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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 | Tyrese Haliburton (IND) | $16,960 | 45.2 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jalen Pickett (DEN) | $6,070 | 24.5 | 4 |
| Fade | Russell Westbrook (DEN) | $11,820 | 26.9 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | T.J. McConnell (IND) | $7,880 | 24.9 | 3.2 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Green (HOU) | $14,800 | 36.5 | 2.5 |
| Value | Jalen Pickett (DEN) | $6,070 | 24.5 | 4 |
| Fade | Brandin Podziemski (GSW) | $13,150 | 33.3 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Jamal Cain (NOP) | $6,000 | 21.1 | 3.5 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jimmy Butler (GSW) | $14,160 | 37.8 | 2.7 |
| Value | Taurean Prince (MIL) | $7,580 | 27.3 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Bennedict Mathurin (IND) | $11,370 | 25.1 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Jamal Cain (NOP) | $6,000 | 21.1 | 3.5 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kyle Kuzma (MIL) | $12,450 | 36.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | Taurean Prince (MIL) | $7,580 | 27.3 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Tari Eason (HOU) | $10,500 | 22.3 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Karlo Matkovic (NOP) | $9,890 | 27.5 | 2.8 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $25,130 | 66.3 | 2.6 |
| Value | Steven Adams (HOU) | $7,460 | 22.8 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Jabari Smith (HOU) | $10,780 | 23.7 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Thomas Bryant (IND) | $6,000 | 18 | 3 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Monday teams, consider starting with a value player like Jalen Pickett. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nikola Jokić is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Taurean Prince.
On the other hand, according to our model, Tari Eason is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Monday slate closes at 10:10am AEST 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 Monday contest. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your NBA DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NBA 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.
