NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for December 4, 2025
Last updated: Dec 3, 2025, 11:57PM | Published: Dec 3, 2025, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest kicks off at 11:10am AEDT on December 4, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 December 4 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate consists of these match-ups:
- New York Knicks vs Charlotte Hornets
- Indiana Pacers vs Denver Nuggets
- Dallas Mavericks vs Miami Heat
- Chicago Bulls vs Brooklyn Nets
- Cleveland Cavaliers vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Atlanta Hawks vs LA Clippers
- Orlando Magic vs San Antonio Spurs
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Detroit Pistons
- Houston Rockets vs Sacramento Kings
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the strongest DFS projections in the world.
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 Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL, PF/C) | $21,680 | 63.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | Jevon Carter (CHI, PG) | $6,000 | 24.8 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Luke Kornet (SAS, C) | $11,530 | 22.4 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Ryan Nembhard (DAL, PG) | $9,010 | 30 | 3.3 |
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 | Cade Cunningham (DET) | $22,010 | 60.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jevon Carter (CHI) | $6,000 | 24.8 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Dennis Schröder (SAC) | $11,540 | 22.6 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Ryan Nembhard (DAL) | $9,010 | 30 | 3.3 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $19,360 | 49.6 | 2.6 |
| Value | Dalen Terry (CHI) | $6,000 | 19.7 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Devin Vassell (SAS) | $12,950 | 27.1 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Jaden Ivey (DET) | $6,080 | 18.8 | 3.1 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Josh Giddey (CHI) | $19,100 | 53.7 | 2.8 |
| Value | Cameron Johnson (DEN) | $11,430 | 35.5 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Michael Porter (BKN) | $16,910 | 34.9 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Vít Krejčí (ATL) | $6,900 | 21.1 | 3.1 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $21,680 | 63.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | Cameron Johnson (DEN) | $11,430 | 35.5 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Michael Porter (BKN) | $16,910 | 34.9 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Harrison Barnes (SAS) | $9,250 | 27.9 | 3 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $21,680 | 63.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | John Collins (LAC) | $10,390 | 32.1 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Luke Kornet (SAS) | $11,530 | 22.4 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Isaiah Jackson (IND) | $8,740 | 23.8 | 2.7 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Jevon Carter. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Giannis Antetokounmpo is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Ryan Nembhard.
On the other hand, according to our model, Luke Kornet 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 Thursday slate closes at 11:10am AEDT on Thursday. 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 Thursday slate. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your NBA DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NBA Thursday 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.
