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Zach's top DraftKings NBA DFS picks for today, Monday, 3/24/25. His favorite daily fantasy basketball lineup sleepers and value picks for DraftKings DFS.
The NBA keeps a great March of basketball at all levels rolling on Monday night with six games on the main DFS slate on DraftKings. The contests lock at 7:00 p.m. ET when half of the six games get underway with three more spread throughout the rest of the evening, wrapping up with the 9:00 p.m. ET game between the Bulls and Nuggets and leaving the two late games for a separate slate.
Of the 12 teams on the main slate, the Nuggets, Pelicans, 76ers, and Raptors are playing for the second day in a row, while the Magic and the Mavericks have another game on Tuesday to keep in mind. Even with uncertainty in a few rotations, some players stand out as strong options from a DFS perspective on DraftKings.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 3/24/25. 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.
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DraftKings NBA DFS Core Picks
Josh Giddey, CHI – PG/SF ($9.1K)
The Bulls continue their road trip with a stop in the Mile High City on Monday night, and Giddey will have another chance to shine in a good game environment against the Nuggets, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.
Injuries have cost Giddey four games since the All-Star break, but his numbers have been off the charts in the 11 games he has played. He averaged 22.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 9.1 assists, and 1.7 steals in 34.5 minutes per game.
On Saturday, he returned to the starting lineup against the Lakers and went off for 73 DraftKings points in just 33 minutes.
JOSH GIDDEY'S STATLINE TONIGHT 😳
🏀 15 PTS
🏀 10 REB
🏀 17 AST (ties career-high)
🏀 8 STL (career-high)Getting it done in all phases in the Bulls win! pic.twitter.com/qsE0lFMNcJ
— NBA (@NBA) March 23, 2025
His non-scoring production has been elite, and he has at least 47 DraftKings points in five straight and 10 of his last 11, averaging 56.5 DraftKings points per contest over that span.
Aaron Gordon, DEN – PF ($6.5K)
On the other side of that matchup, Aaron Gordon is a great core play for the Nuggets since coach Mike Malone said Nikola Jokic ($12.5K; ankle) is unlikely to play on Monday. If the Joker misses a fifth straight game, Gordon will continue to get more work in the paint and bring both a high ceiling and a high floor to this matchup against Chicago.
Gordon has produced over 32 fantasy points in his last five games and eight of his last 10. One of the exceptions during that stretch was a game he exited early with an injury. He showed his high ceiling with 38 points and 48.5 DraftKings points against the Warriors last Monday.
On Sunday, he had 13 points and 32.5 DraftKings points against the Rockets while playing 37 minutes. As long as he isn't given the night off to recover, he should continue to fill in for Jokic and stuff the stat sheet against the Bulls.
AARON GORDON WITH A BIG TIME SHOT #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/fS3XeLTRtC
— PrimeMakar8 (@retro_colorado) March 24, 2025
Immanuel Quickley, TOR – PG ($6.6K)
Quickley and the Raptors are in a favorable matchup as they visit the Wizards on Monday night. On Sunday, Quickley rested in the first half of the Raptors back-to-back, but he'll be a great play at this salary if he returns to his normal role on Monday in this smash spot. No team in the NBA has given up more fantasy points to point guard this season, so Quickley should have lots of room to work.
IQ had 21 points and 43 DraftKings points in Thursday's loss to the Warriors.
Immanuel Quickley last 10GP :
21 PTS - 4 REBS - 8 ASTS
15 PTS - 7 REBS - 7 ASTS
20 PTS - 5 REBS - 5 ASTS
15 PTS - 6 ASTS - 6 REBS
34 PTS - 5 REBS - 5 ASTS
15 PTS - 4 REBS - 4 ASTS
24 PTS - 2 REBS - 4 ASTS
23 PTS - 5 REBS - 5 ASTS
18 PTS - 2 REBS - 6 ASTS
10 PTS - 6 REBS - 7 ASTS pic.twitter.com/vUrDbJYpCN— Sebastian (@suhbasschin) March 21, 2025
In his past 11 games, Quickley put up over 32 DraftKings points eight times, including each of his last five. He had a high point of 56.25 DraftKings points during that run in a monster 34-point game against the Jazz. He's a great play in this matchup at this salary, especially if the Raptors choose to rest other starters on Monday while Quickley returns.
Others Under Consideration: Coby White - PG/SG ($8K), P.J. Washington - PF/C ($8.2K), Cameron Johnson - SF/PF ($7K)
DraftKings NBA DFS Tournament Pivots
Paolo Banchero, ORL - PF ($9.9K)
Banchero's Magic host the Lakers on Monday night in one of the most interesting matchups on the board. The forward has been on a great run lately with over 48 DraftKings points in five straight games, highlighted by a pair of 30-point double-doubles in back-to-back games that earned him over 60 DraftKings points against the Pelicans and Timberwolves.
The Magic got the weekend off after dispatching the Wizards last Friday, and Banchero only had to play 31 minutes to pile up 30 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and 50 DraftKings points.
Paolo Banchero did it all for the Magic tonight!
💪 30 PTS
💪 8 REB
💪 5 AST
💪 3 3PM pic.twitter.com/GOvomHK7Mc— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2025
After those limited minutes and two days off, Banchero should be fresh and ready for the challenge of taking on the Lakers on Monday night. He hasn't faced the Lakers since November of 2023, and in that game, he had 25 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds against LeBron and company. The Magic will be looking to make a statement, and Banchero is a great pay-up option due to his extremely high ceiling.
CJ McCollum, NO – PG/SG ($7.4K)
The Pelicans host the Sixers in a matchup of two teams out of the playoff race. However, both teams are so short-handed that the remaining players have good fantasy value. McCollum has had to carry the load without Zion Williamson ($9.2K; back) for the last two games. Zion's status for Monday is uncertain but he sat on Sunday's loss to the Pistons, leaving McCollum to drop 40 points and 60.25 DraftKings points in the defeat.
CJ McCollum : 40 points on 16-28 shooting, 5-12 from 3, 3-5 from the FT line, 5 rebounds & 7 assists in 37 minutes (3rd 40-point game this season) pic.twitter.com/4FXk7Dj5Ux
— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) March 24, 2025
McCollum will likely have to step up again on Monday even if Zion does return since Dejounte Murray (Achilles) and Trey Murphy III (shoulder) are out for the season. He hasn't been quite consistent enough to be a core play, but he has a very high ceiling in what should be a favorable matchup.
Alexandre Sarr, WAS - C ($6.4K)
While watching the Wizards hasn't been much fun this season, Sarr has been one of the few bright spots, especially over the last few weeks. The No. 2 pick in last year's NBA Draft has averaged 17.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.6 blocked shots, and 35.9 DraftKings points per game.
He had over 35 DraftKings points in five straight before being held in check by the Knicks on Saturday on the second night of a back-to-back. The Raptors have given up more DraftKings points to centers than any other team in the NBA this season, and Sarr had 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 41.25 DraftKings points when he faced them earlier this month.
Alex Sarr in his last 12 games 👀🔥⬇️
17.5 PPG | 7.1 RPG | 2.7 APG | 1.3 BPG
As well as 2.5 3PM per game at a 40% clip
pic.twitter.com/XnjcthDKK5— 🚀 DC Rising 🚀 (@DC__Rising) March 22, 2025
The Wizards' rotation is sometimes unpredictable which is just enough to keep him out of my core plays for today, but I love his upside in this great matchup, so he's a great option for tournaments.
Kevin Huerter, CHI - SG/SF ($5.7K)
Huerter has been a big part of the Bulls' rotation since arriving in the Zach LaVine and De'Aaron Fox swap at the trade deadline. He has started six straight games, averaging 32.5 DraftKings points per contest, including a massive 25-point game against his former team the Kings that earned him 53.75 DraftKings points.
Kevin Huerter was feeling right at home 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BYqVJrxSZf
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 21, 2025
He has that kind of a high ceiling even though the Bulls' rotation is a little crowded with Giddey back in the mix. Huerter has scored double-digit points in 13 straight games for the Bulls, producing an average of 15.4 points over that stretch and adding 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.5 steals while logging 31.9 minutes per game over that stretch.
Others Under Consideration: Tyrese Haliburton - PG ($8.5K), Quentin Grimes - PG/sG ($9K), LeBron James - SF/PF ($10.3K), Scottie Barnes - PG/SG ($8.7K), Pascal Siakam - PF ($8.3K), Michael Porter Jr. - SF/PF ($6.8K), Jordan Poole - PG ($6.3K), Kyshawn George - SF/PF ($5.8K)
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DraftKings NBA DFS Value Picks
Justin Edwards, PHI – SF/PF ($5.0K)
The 12 teams in the player pool already bring so many strong value plays, and we haven't even gotten the last-minute injury absences yet. One play that isn't quite a bargain but is still an excellent value is Justin Edwards of the Sixers, whose salary has risen a little bit but is still vastly under-priced given his recent workload and production.
Justin Edwards in his last three games:
62 points
10 three-pointers
66.6 TS%A compilation of 10 Edwards baskets during this span, from quick-trigger spot-up shooting to self-created scoring and more: pic.twitter.com/h2O1Mw2vkJ
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) March 23, 2025
Edwards has at least 18 points and 31 DraftKings points in each of his last four games. He played at least 38 minutes in three of those four games, including on Sunday night against Atlanta when he finished with 22 points and 34.75 DraftKings points in Philly's 13-point loss.
With so few options available right now for the Sixers, Edwards is making the most of his expanded opportunity and should thrive in his Monday night matchup against the Pelicans.
Chuma Okeke, PHI – SF/PF ($4.5K)
Okeke has also been very involved for the Sixers even though he is still playing on his second 10-day contract with the team. He has played 30+ minutes in each of his last three games with at least 21 fantasy points in each contest.
🆗 Okeke! pic.twitter.com/GE5OBu5WZh
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 23, 2025
His ceiling isn't quite as high as Edwards' but still leaves him as a strong play under $5K. He had eight points and eight boards on Sunday night, so a double-double is well within range given his current workload. He had one last Wednesday against the Thunder, totaling 41.25 DraftKings points on 14 points and 15 boards.
Jordan Hawkins, NOP – PG/SG ($4K)
On the other side of the value extravaganza that is the Pelicans-Sixers matchup, Hawkins makes a nice play in the backcourt at only $4K. He has posted over 20 DraftKings points in three straight games and is getting significant minutes since the injury to Trey Murphy III.
Hawkins hit six three-pointers on Sunday and finished with 25 points and 33.25 DraftKings points against the Pistons, so the usage and potential should be there for him to have another big game on Monday against Philly.
Jordan Hawkins today:
🎯25 PTS
🎯3 REB
🎯2 AST
🎯six 3-pointers
🎯TIES his season high pic.twitter.com/oVzbyG36mx— Pelicans Lead (@PelicansLead) March 23, 2025
Peyton Watson, DEN – PF/C ($4.4K)
Without Jokic, Watson has also stepped into a larger role for the Nuggets. He has scored at least nine points in all four games Jokic missed and produced over 26 DraftKings points in two of those four matchups, including Sunday in Houston, where he had nine points, five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 21 minutes.
MICHAEL PORTER JR WITH A FULL COURT PASS TO PEYTON WATSON FOR THE AND ONE #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/A1Tcq17tCg
— PrimeMakar8 (@retro_colorado) March 24, 2025
Depending on exactly who the Nuggets have on the second half of their back-to-back, he could be in for a huge workload a more typical one like Sunday, but he showed he can be a fantasy contributor at this salary even with around 20 minutes of playing time.
Others Under Consideration: Jakob Poeltl - C ($5.8K), Nicolas Claxton - C ($5.7K), Jose Alvarado - PG ($4.9K), AJ Johnson - PG/SG ($4.4K), Karlo Matkovic - PF/C ($4.4K), Day'Ron Sharpe - C ($4.2K), Mike Conley - PG ($3.7K), Marcus Smart - SG/SF ($3.9K)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stack
Bulls at Nuggets (239 total)
The Bulls have the second-fastest pace in the NBA over the last 10 games and the Nuggets rank No. 6 in pace for the season. There should be plenty of points even if the teams aren't at full strength on Monday.
The Bulls won't have Tre Jones (foot) or Lonzo Ball (wrist) but Josh Giddey ($9.1K), Coby White ($8K) and Kevin Huerter ($5.7K) have all been doing a great job carrying the load. In the frontcourt, Nikola Vucevic ($7.6K) and Patrick Williams ($3.5K) also have upside, especially if they don't have to go up against the regular Nuggets frontcourt.
If Jokic is out as expected, the Nuggets will rely heavily on Jamal Murray ($8.1K) and Russell Westbrook ($7.5K) to carry the offense while Aaron Gordon ($6.5K) and Michael Porter Jr. ($6.8K) pick up more work at forward. Christian Braun ($6K) has been hit-or-miss lately but brings a high ceiling while Peyton Watson ($4.4K) and DeAndre Jordan ($3K) have been getting more work at center.
76ers at Pelicans (233.5 total)
Injuries have decimated both the Sixers and the Pelicans this season, leaving the remaining players as good options since they've had to shoulder such big workloads.
The Sixers have gotten good production from Quentin Grimes ($9K) lately while Guerschon Yabusele ($5.6K), Justin Edwards ($5K), Jeff Dowtin Jr. ($5K), and Ricky Council IV ($4.9K) have also had much bigger workloads. Chuma Okeke ($4.5K) has mixed in and even Alex Reese ($3.7K) got more minutes on Sunday after Oshae Brissett ($4K; knee) left the game early. Check the injury report to see who's available, but Philly should offer several good value options.
On the Pelicans side, the big name to watch for is Zion Williamson (back) who missed the team's last two games. He was joined on Sunday by Yves Missi ($4.5K; hip). If Missi returns, he'll be a solid play if Zion is out while Karlo Matkovic ($4.4K) and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl ($3.5K) will get more work if both are out. In the backcourt, CJ McCollum ($7.4K), Jose Alvarado ($4.9K) and Jordan Hawkins ($4K) each make sense at their price points with Bruce Brown ($4.8K) also in the mix for minutes and usage.
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: Aaron Gordon
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Alex Sarr
- My favorite VALUE play: Justin Edwards
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