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Zach's top DraftKings NBA DFS picks for today, Friday, 4/4/25. His favorite daily fantasy basketball lineup sleepers and value picks for DraftKings DFS.
The NBA regular season is quickly winding down, with just over a week remaining before it comes to a close next Sunday. It's an especially wild part of the season with injuries, roster management, and playoff races, but it's also a fun time to get some unique opportunities for DFS fantasy basketball. This Friday, the NBA tips off the weekend with 10 games on the schedule, and the first seven are on the DraftKings main slate, which tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET. The seven matchups offer plenty of storylines and some great matchups to attack for your DFS lineup.
Of the 14 teams on the main slate, the Trail Blazers and Raptors are the only teams playing for a second night in a row, while the Pistons are the only team on Friday's main slate with another game on Saturday. While there is always last-minute availability news to adjust to at this point in the season, several players stand out as strong options from a DFS perspective on DraftKings. If you're looking for help for your FanDuel lineup, check out Thunder Dan's FanDuel picks!
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/4/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EST on DraftKings.
DraftKings NBA DFS Core Picks
Josh Giddey, CHI – PG ($9.9K)
The Bulls and Trail Blazers meet in Chicago in the game with the second-highest over/under on the slate and a great place for fantasy production. The Bulls seemed to wave the white flag on their season at the trade deadline by dealing Zach LaVine ($7.6K) for future assets, but Giddey's monster month of production has helped them claim a spot in the Play-in Tournament.
Giddey has been sensational since the All-Star break, producing an elite 1.60 DraftKings points per minute and 53.3 DraftKings points per game. In his 16 games during that stretch, he averaged 21.0 points, 9.9 rebounds, 9.1 assists, and 1.6 steals in 33.6 minutes per game. He's had several standout performances, and his half-court heave to complete a comeback win over the Lakers will be the iconic moment from this Bulls surge.
JOSH GIDDEY FOR THE WIN FROM HALF.@CHSN__ | @joshgiddey pic.twitter.com/p4UQyORSSt
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 28, 2025
Giddey posted three double-doubles in his last four games and over 47 fantasy points in eight of his last 10 games.
Deni Avdija, POR – SF/PF ($9.4K)
Avdija has also been turning in elite numbers over the last few weeks coming into this matchup against Giddey's Bulls. Since it is the second day of a back-to-back for the Trail Blazers, you'll want to double-check who is available in their rotation, but Avdija has proven he can produce monster games when he gets a heavy workload.
The 24-year-old from Israel has over 52 DraftKings points in three straight games and is coming off a massive game in Toronto on Thursday that earned him 60.75 DraftKings points.
Another Deni masterclass 😮💨🤌
▫️ 26 PTS
▫️ 15 REB
▫️ 6 AST
▫️ 2 STL
▫️ 2 BLK pic.twitter.com/s9alU8ginX— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) April 4, 2025
He was even better on Tuesday against the Hawks with a 32-point triple-double that earned him 72.25 DraftKings points. No matter who else is available or not available, Avdija has posted 40+ DraftKings points in eight straight games, including four games of over 60 DraftKings points. Both he and Giddey stuff the stat sheet in multiple categories, making them worth paying over $9K for due to their extremely high ceilings.
Isaiah Collier, UTA – PG ($6K)
The Jazz have been giving rookie Isaiah Collier plenty of room to learn on the job this season, and the late first-round pick is having a strong finish to his rookie campaign. Collier has always turned in good non-scoring numbers but has sometimes found points hard to come by. Lately, though, he has been more prolific on the offensive end, scoring at least 15 points in four of his last five games.
He turned in back-to-back double-doubles against the Hornets and Rockets in his last two games, finishing with 36 and 47.75 DraftKings points. His big game in Houston was one of his best overall performances of the season.
Isaiah Collier (416 AST) passes John Stockton for the most assists by a rookie in @utahjazz franchise history 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bbDjR4qi6e
— NBA (@NBA) April 1, 2025
Utah will remain very shorthanded for this matchup in Indiana, which should leave Collier plenty of room to operate and makes him an elite option at only $6K with a very high ceiling.
Others Under Consideration: Darius Garland - PG ($8K), Shaedon Sharpe - PG/SG ($7.6K), Tari Eason - SF/PF ($6.2K)
DraftKings NBA DFS Tournament Pivots
Donovan Mitchell, CLE - PG/SG ($9.3K)
The Cavaliers are visiting the Spurs in a smash spot since San Antonio has given up the third-most points in the NBA over their last 15 games, and Cleveland has scored the second-most points per game this season. Mitchell has been a huge part of the offense and comes into this matchup with over 50 DraftKings points in each of his last four games.
#Cavs Donovan Mitchell’s Last 5 Games:
26.0 PPG
6.8 RPG
6.6 APG
1.8 SPG
60.5 TS%
31.8 MPGHitting his stride at the right time. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/Hchesg4OXp
— jack (@TheCavsJack) April 3, 2025
He's stepping into more work as the playoffs approach, and Spida has a high enough ceiling to pay up for on Friday, especially in such a favorable matchup.
Stephon Castle, SA – PG/SG ($7.4K)
Castle has stepped into a huge role since re-entering the starting lineup after the season-ending injury to De'Aaron Fox (finger). In his 12 games since then, he averaged 18.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 35.8 DraftKings points per contest.
On Wednesday, he fell just one assist short of a triple-double, earning 49.25 DraftKings points on 15 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists to help the Spurs score an upset in Denver.
The Western Conference @Kia Rookie of the Month for March is Stephon Castle! #KiaROTM pic.twitter.com/OlzsKOZ3ur
— NBA (@NBA) April 1, 2025
He'll have a tough matchup against the Cavs, but still brings a high enough ceiling to be a strong option for tournament lineups.
Kyle Filipowski, UTA – PF/C ($7.1K)
The Jazz already ruled out Lauri Markkanen (knee), John Collins (ankle), and Walker Kessler (concussion) for their Friday night matchup in Indiana, so Filipowski will have a clear path to usage and playing time.
In his last eight games without Kessler dating back to just before the All-Star break, Filipowski is averaging 41.2 DraftKings points on 18.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. He had a rough shooting night against the Rockets on Wednesday, going 3-for-14 from the field, but it's a good sign that he got so many shots. He only finished with 28.25 DraftKings points in that contest but posted over 35 DraftKings points in each of his previous three games.
Jabari Smith Jr., HOU - PF/C ($5.4K)
Smith missed a huge portion of the season with a broken hand and returned to a crowded rotation that has normally forced him to come off the bench for the Rockets. He has still been productive, though, in his 22 games since returning after the All-Star break. He averaged 12.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 28.8 minutes per game over that stretch.
He has double-digit points in 10 of his last 11 games while helping the Rockets to go 9-2 over that stretch and climb to the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference. During that run, he averaged 28.6 DraftKings points per game and comes into this contest off back-to-back double-doubles with at least 15 points and 34 DraftKings points.
Jabari Smith Jr : 15 points on 6-16 shooting, 2-9 from 3 & tied his season-high 14 rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench pic.twitter.com/IJUbiza9LX
— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) April 3, 2025
This should be a great showdown between the Rockets and Thunder, and Smith is a way to get a productive piece of the action without paying a premium price.
Others Under Consideration: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - PG ($11.6K), Jayson Tatum - SF/PF ($11K), Coby White - SG/SF ($8.7K), DeMar DeRozan - SF ($8.4K), Pascal Siakam - PF ($7.6K), Jalen Duren - C ($7.5K), Immanuel Quickley - PG ($7.5K), Ausar Thompson - SF/PF ($6.2K), Kevin Huerter - SG/SF ($5.9K)
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DraftKings NBA DFS Value Picks
Harrison Barnes, SA – SF/PF ($3.8K)
The Spurs' rotation has been inconsistent from game to game recently, but Barnes has turned in several solid games and is still remarkably cheap under $4K. With Jeremy Sochan (back) out and Keldon Johnson ($5.1K; back) probable, Barnes should still have enough room to work to be a good value.
The veteran forward has scored at least nine points in eight of his last nine games and has scored 20 and 24 points in his last two games while producing 30.25 and 37.5 DraftKings points in those two contests.
HARRISON BARNES TONIGHT:
20 PTS
8 REB
3 AST
1 STL
8-15 FG
3-8 3PTHB40 LEADS THE WAY TO THE W pic.twitter.com/n5EHzbede0
— Spurs Lead (@SpursLead) April 3, 2025
The Spurs have mixed in some vets like Barnes and Chris Paul ($4.3K) with their young core, and there are a lot of positives to build around in San Antonio despite their underwhelming record.
Paul Reed, DET – C ($3.6K)
For last weekend's altercation with the Timberwolves, Pistons center Isaiah Stewart was the only player hit with a multiple-game suspension. He'll be finishing out that suspension on Friday, leaving more minutes available for Reed once again as the primary backup behind Jalen Duren.
Reed had nine points, nine rebounds, and 23.25 DraftKings points in just 14 minutes against the Thunder on Wednesday. He has proven he can be a good per-minute performer in the past and should get enough work to be a good value play again on Friday, especially in a game that could get lopsided in Toronto.
Ja'Kobe Walter, TOR – SG/SF ($4.4K)
The Raptors have been shuffling pieces around coming down the stretch, resting regulars and giving their younger players more time to shine. Especially since they're on the second night of a back-to-back, you'll want to check the injury report carefully before using any Raptors. The team's first-round pick out of Balyor, Ja'Kobe Walterhas been one young Rap stepping up lately, and he brings a good ceiling at still under $4.5K.
Walter has scored at least nine points and produced at least 20 DraftKings points in eight straight games. During that run, he had two big games with 42 DraftKings points against the 76ers and 31.5 DraftKings points against the Bulls. He has been involved enough to have a high floor and shown enough potential to also have a high ceiling in this matchup against Detroit.
Ja’Kobe Walter showing flashes of self creation; a thread. #ItsInTheName pic.twitter.com/6yT2C6LBeI
— cash🦦 (@RubberGuardKid) April 2, 2025
Check the injury report to be sure, but if he's lined up for playing time, he's definitely worth a look at this salary.
Cason Wallace, OKC – PG/SG ($4.2K)
Wallace is a great way to get some value exposure to the high-scoring Thunder. The second-year guard has started seven of his last nine games for OKC, averaging 12.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.1 steals for 26.7 DraftKings points per contest.
His defensive contributions are key for the Thunder, but he's getting enough offense to be a solid value play at just over $4K as well.
Others Under Consideration: KJ Simpson - PG ($4.9K), Brice Sensabaugh - SF/PF ($4.7K), Collin Gillespie - PG/SG ($4.5K), Chris Paul - PG ($4.3K), Johnny Juzang - SG/SF ($4.1K), Julian Champagnie - SG/SF ($4.1K), T.J. McConnell - PG ($3.8K), Patrick Williams - PF ($3.7K)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stack
Cavaliers at Spurs (241.5 total)
The Cavs and Spurs are the only teams that have a matchup with an over/under over 240 on Friday's slate. Cleveland offers plenty of great fantasy options led by Darius Garland (8K), Donovan Mitchell ($9.3K), Jarrett Allen ($6.9K), and Evan Mobley ($8.8K). They also have some interesting value options to round out the stack, though, with De'Andre Hunter ($4.1K) and Mas Strus ($4.3K) very affordable on the wing. Isaac Okoro ($3.1K) is also coming off back-to-back games with double-digit points.
The Spurs also have plenty of attractive options, headlined by Stephon Castle ($7.4K). Chris Paul ($4.3K) and Harrison Barnes ($3.8K) stepped up Wednesday, and other members of the Spurs rotation have also flashed upside. With Sochan out, the rest of the value plays become much more attractive with more usage available. Sandro Mamukelashvili ($3.7K) is an ultimate boom-or-bust play, given his uncertain role and high ceiling, but he could be a flier worth taking without Sochan.
Trail Blazers at Bulls (238 total)
The Trail Blazers are playing for the second night in a row, but in this up-tempo spot, figuring out their rotation will be key to your DFS fantasy strategy. Without Anfernee Simons ($6.7K; forearm) and Jerami Grant ($5K; knee), the Trail Blazers were left very short-handed when Toumani Camara ($6.3K; ankle) exited, leaving more work for Deni Avdija ($9.4K), Shaedon Sharpe ($7.6K), Dalano Banton ($4.8K), and Donovan Clingan ($5.8K). If those players are in line for big work again in Chicago, they'll be great plays
In addition to Josh Giddey ($9.9K), Coby White ($8.7K), Kevin Huerter ($5.9K), and Matas Buzelis ($5.4K) have been excellent fantasy options lately. If you choose to stack the Bulls against the Blazers, you can also check on Zach Collins ($3.4K) as a bargain to round out your stack as he faces his former team.
My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today
Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.
- My favorite OVERALL play on the slate: Josh Giddey
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Josh Giddey
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Isaiah Collier
- My favorite VALUE play: Ja'Kobe Walter
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