NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for March 6, 2025
Last updated: Mar 5, 2025, 10:58PM | Published: Mar 5, 2025, 8:02AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest commences at 11:00am AEDT on March 6, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Thursday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate includes these match-ups:
- Charlotte Hornets vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Dallas Mavericks
- Cleveland Cavaliers vs Miami Heat
- Boston Celtics vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Denver Nuggets vs Sacramento Kings
- LA Clippers vs Detroit Pistons
- Memphis Grizzlies vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Washington Wizards vs Utah Jazz
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make 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 find the best selections on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $24,610 | 73.5 | 3 |
| Value | Tristan Vukčević (WAS, C) | $6,000 | 25 | 4.2 |
| Fade | Dennis Schröder (DET, PG/SG) | $10,200 | 16.2 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Luke Kornet (BOS, C) | $6,270 | 25.1 | 4 |
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're 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 highlight 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 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | $22,520 | 60.4 | 2.7 |
| Value | Keon Ellis (SAC) | $8,630 | 28.1 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Dennis Schröder (DET) | $10,200 | 16.2 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | AJ Green (MIL) | $6,350 | 18.7 | 2.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $19,410 | 45.8 | 2.4 |
| Value | Keon Ellis (SAC) | $8,630 | 28.1 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Dennis Schröder (DET) | $10,200 | 16.2 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Bogdan Bogdanović (LAC) | $8,520 | 27 | 3.2 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Williams (OKC) | $17,150 | 45.5 | 2.7 |
| Value | Bogdan Bogdanović (LAC) | $8,520 | 27 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | $14,190 | 29.2 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Taurean Prince (MIL) | $7,460 | 23.2 | 3.1 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $22,310 | 62.7 | 2.8 |
| Value | Taurean Prince (MIL) | $7,460 | 23.2 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Brice Sensabaugh (UTA) | $10,980 | 24 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Jake LaRavia (SAC) | $6,760 | 20.8 | 3.1 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $24,610 | 73.5 | 3 |
| Value | Tristan Vukčević (WAS) | $6,000 | 25 | 4.2 |
| Fade | Kai Jones (DAL) | $13,220 | 22.9 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Luke Kornet (BOS) | $6,270 | 25.1 | 4 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Tristan Vukčević. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nikola Jokić is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Luke Kornet.
On the other hand, according to our model, Dennis Schröder is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate closes at 11:00am 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 contest. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management 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.
