NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for May 8, 2025
Last updated: May 7, 2025, 10:57PM | Published: May 7, 2025, 8:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest kicks off at 9:06am AEST on May 8, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is a must 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 May 8 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate features these match-ups:
- Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce 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 picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $23,890 | 70.9 | 3 |
| Value | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC, PG) | $19,940 | 64.7 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Jayson Tatum (BOS, SF/PF) | $21,080 | 50.3 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Payton Pritchard (BOS, PG) | $7,470 | 22.1 | 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'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 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 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | $19,940 | 64.7 | 3.2 |
| Value | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | $19,940 | 64.7 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Jalen Brunson (NYK) | $17,910 | 43.3 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Payton Pritchard (BOS) | $7,470 | 22.1 | 3 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jamal Murray (DEN) | $14,970 | 45.7 | 3.1 |
| Value | Christian Braun (DEN) | $11,480 | 36 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Alex Caruso (OKC) | $10,280 | 26.4 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Cason Wallace (OKC) | $6,000 | 16.8 | 2.8 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jayson Tatum (BOS) | $21,080 | 50.3 | 2.4 |
| Value | Christian Braun (DEN) | $11,480 | 36 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Josh Hart (NYK) | $13,350 | 35.7 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Cason Wallace (OKC) | $6,000 | 16.8 | 2.8 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jayson Tatum (BOS) | $21,080 | 50.3 | 2.4 |
| Value | OG Anunoby (NYK) | $12,180 | 38.1 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Josh Hart (NYK) | $13,350 | 35.7 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Michael Porter (DEN) | $9,960 | 27 | 2.7 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $23,890 | 70.9 | 3 |
| Value | Kristaps Porziņģis (BOS) | $11,370 | 34.8 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK) | $16,790 | 41 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Al Horford (BOS) | $9,150 | 20.2 | 2.2 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 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, take a look at our cheapie options, including Payton Pritchard.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jayson Tatum is one of the lowest 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 9:06am 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 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.
