NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for May 15, 2025
Last updated: May 14, 2025, 10:57PM | Published: May 14, 2025, 9:57PM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest starts at 9:05am AEST on May 15, 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 crucial for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Thursday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate includes the following match-ups:
- Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks
- Minnesota Timberwolves vs Golden State Warriors
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 most accurate 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 | Anthony Edwards (MIN, SG/PG) | $19,810 | 53.6 | 2.7 |
| Value | Trayce Jackson-Davis (GSW, C) | $6,420 | 20 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Al Horford (BOS, PF/C) | $12,290 | 25 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Donte DiVincenzo (MIN, PG/SG) | $8,370 | 23.1 | 2.8 |
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 | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $19,810 | 53.6 | 2.7 |
| Value | Donte DiVincenzo (MIN) | $8,370 | 23.1 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Jalen Brunson (NYK) | $18,660 | 44.2 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Mike Conley (MIN) | $8,560 | 20.1 | 2.3 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $19,810 | 53.6 | 2.7 |
| Value | Mikal Bridges (NYK) | $12,940 | 36.5 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $17,590 | 42.9 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Donte DiVincenzo (MIN) | $8,370 | 23.1 | 2.8 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jimmy Butler (GSW) | $16,400 | 44.7 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jaden McDaniels (MIN) | $12,550 | 38.2 | 3 |
| Fade | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $17,590 | 42.9 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Gary Payton (GSW) | $7,540 | 17.9 | 2.4 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Julius Randle (MIN) | $16,800 | 44.7 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jonathan Kuminga (GSW) | $12,220 | 34.5 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Al Horford (BOS) | $12,290 | 25 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Naz Reid (MIN) | $9,350 | 25 | 2.7 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK) | $17,180 | 40.4 | 2.4 |
| Value | Trayce Jackson-Davis (GSW) | $6,420 | 20 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Al Horford (BOS) | $12,290 | 25 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Naz Reid (MIN) | $9,350 | 25 | 2.7 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Trayce Jackson-Davis. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Anthony Edwards is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Donte DiVincenzo.
On the other hand, according to our model, Al Horford is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate closes at 9:05am AEST 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 give you an edge 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.
