RADIO
If you're a fan of gigantic NBA slates, today is the day you've been waiting for! With the All-Star break looming after a handful of games on Thursday, all 30 NBA teams take the floor on Wednesday. The DraftKings main slate includes 14 of those 15 games, omitting just the Grizzlies and Clippers from the 28-team player pool. The contests tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET when ESPN's nice doubleheader also begins. Of the 28 teams on the main slate, the Bulls, Pistons, Pacers, Knicks, Sixers, Suns, and Raptors are all playing for the second night in a row and 10 teams have a back-to-back that finishes tomorrow. With a week off just around the corner, though, teams should be able to keep their rotations pretty stable for the most part.
With so many options, finding the best plays can seem like a daunting task due to the sheer volume of options. However, there are a few players that stand out as awesome additions to your team even with so many potential plays on the board. Let's dive in and find some good options to build around from a DFS perspective on DraftKings. If you're looking for FanDuel-specific advantage, check out Thunder Dan's FanDuel picks!
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 2/12/25. 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
Anthony Edwards, MIN – PG/SG ($9,500)
Two of the top fantasy options go head-to-head with identical prices as Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves host Damian Lillard ($9,500) and the Bucks. While the easy answer is "both" as far as who to build around, I wanted to choose just one or the other and eventually landed on Edwards, who has been outstanding lately for Minnesota.
Edwards is questionable due to a hip injury that kept him on the sidelines last Saturday. However, when he has played, he has been outstanding. He returned on Monday with 44 points and 55.5 DraftKings points against the Cavs giving him 40+ points in three straight games and over 55 DraftKings points in three straight and five of his last six.
Anthony Edwards becomes the first player in @Timberwolves franchise history to record 3 consecutive 40+ PT games! pic.twitter.com/x5gm7Lqodc
— NBA (@NBA) February 11, 2025
Dame will have to continue to step up with Giannis out, but Edwards always carries a huge workload and since both are the same price, I'll go with Edwards but have Dame as an easy pivot if the hip issue is worse than expected.
Trey Murphy III, NOP – SG/SF ($8,200)
Not much has gone right for the Pelicans this year. The team has dropped nine straight games and at 12-41 occupies the basement of the Western Conference. One bright spot, though, has been the emergence of Trey Murphy III as a legitimate star.
Trey Murphy last six games:
30PPG
5.3RPG
5.3APG59/57/92 shooting splits
🔥🔥🔥
(DON'T CALL NO FIRE DEPARTMENT) pic.twitter.com/mGEeGmgKsn
— Pelicans Lead (@PelicansLead) February 11, 2025
Murphy and the Pelicans host the Kings on Wednesday in a favorable matchup for him to continue his breakout. He could be without teammate CJ McCollum ($7,900; personal, questionable), but whether McCollum plays or not, Murphy should get enough work to be a good play at this price with a high ceiling.
On Monday, Murphy had 23 points and 41.25 DraftKings points in a lopsided loss to the Thunder, giving him over 40 DraftKings points in six straight games including two games with over 55 DraftKings points. During that stretch, he had 20 points and 42 DraftKings points on Saturday against the Kings, and he'll look to attack that same matchup for another big total on Wednesday.
Jarrett Allen, CLE – C ($6,400)
The Cavaliers head north of the border for their final game before the All-Star break to take on the banged-up Raptors. Toronto has been without Brandon Ingram (ankle), RJ Barrett (concussion), and Jakob Poeltl (hip), and it seems unlikely that any of them will return on Wednesday although non official injury report has been released yet. With all those absences, Jarrett Allen stands out as a great mid-range play at center with a high ceiling and good chance to out-produce his mid-range salary.
Allen has at least 12 rebounds in four straight games and double-digit boards in 10 of his last 12. He has produced at least 37 DraftKings points in four straight and has spiked for over 45 DraftKings points in four games over the last five weeks.
THAT’S A MEAN BODY 🤮 pic.twitter.com/NzElz5RlaV
— Fastbreak Hoops (@FastbreakHoops5) February 12, 2025
Since the Raptors give up the third-most fantasy points per game in the NBA to opposing centers, Allen is set to go into the break with another dominant performance, and getting him under $7,000 makes him a great core option to consider.
Others Under Consideration: Damian Lillard - PG ($9,500), Trae Young - PG ($9,600), Kristaps Porzingis - C ($7,800), DeMar DeRozan - SF ($7,000)
DraftKings NBA DFS Tournament Pivots
Nikola Jokic, DEN - C ($12,500)
Any time Jokic is on the slate, he has to be a consideration at this point. He's enormously expensive but continues to produce good value since his stat totals are so staggering. He has over 65 DraftKings points in five of his last six games and is coming off a huge 40-point game against the Trail Blazers, who he'll face again on Wednesday. He added seven rebounds and eight assists to finish with 67.25 DraftKings points in Denver's win in Monday, and even more impressively, he did all that damage in just 31 minutes.
NIKOLA JOKIĆ YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS 🤯🤯
HITS THE TRIPLE FROM THE DEEP CORNER FADING OUT OF BOUNDS 🎯🎯 pic.twitter.com/fSKyJIE35h
— NBA (@NBA) February 11, 2025
The real question around playing Jokic is usually if you can make his salary work, but at this point of the season and with so many teams in the player pool, there are definitely enough salary-saving options to find the space. Jokic has been reliably excellent all season, averaging an absolutely bonkers 1.90 DraftKings points per minute, but over the last two weeks, he has been even better, averaging a jaw-dropping 2.01 DraftKings points per minute in his last seven contests.
Franz Wagner, ORL - SF ($8,700)
Wagner has been outstanding since returning from his oblique injury and has scored 30+ points in three of his last four games and four of his last six.
Franz Wagner has scored 30+ points in 13 games this season.
37 PTS
7 REB
3 AST
15-29 FG
3 3PM pic.twitter.com/Y74WO7aQXJ— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) February 11, 2025
In that game against the Hawks, he finished with 54.75 DraftKings points on Monday after posting 33 points, 12 rebounds and 58.5 DraftKings points on Saturday against San Antonio.
The Magic get a very favorable matchup against the banged-up Hornets, so Wagner again brings an elite ceiling from his salary under $9,000.
Christian Braun, DEN - SG/SF ($6,300)
The Nuggets have been excellent lately despite the absence of Russell Westbrook (hamstring) since Braun has taken his game to another level. Over his last nine games, the 23-year-old averaged 36.4 DraftKings points per game on 19.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals in 34.7 minutes per game.
On Monday, Braun went a sizzling 12-of-14 from the field and finished with 26 points, six rebounds, two assists, and 38 DraftKings points in 37 minutes against the Trail Blazers. He should carry a heavy workload in the rematch on Wednesday, especially if Michael Porter Jr. ($6,600; hamstring, questionable) is out.
Christian Braun MIP case.
2023-24. 2024-25
7.3 PPG. -> 15.0 PPG
52.5 eFG% -> 62.6 eFG% (!)
49.8 2PT% -> 65.2 2PT% (!)
3.7 RPG -> 5.0 RPG
0.5 STL -> 1.1 STLBiggest rise in efficiency among MIP candidates by a LOT. pic.twitter.com/gwPvaWKwQc
— Braunologist 🏀 (@ApplesBBL) February 11, 2025
Payton Pritchard, BOS - PG/SG ($6,000)
Pritchard is another midrange play that has stepped up lately and brings a very high ceiling. Pritchard has continued to come off the Boston bench but is getting more work with Jrue Holiday (shoulder) out. Since Jaylen Brown ($8,000; knee, questionable) is also uncertain after missing Monday's game, Pritchard could get even more work Wednesday against the Spurs.
Pritchard has at least 34 DraftKings points in each of his last three games, and even though he only had five points on Monday, he still had a good fantasy day since he supplemented with 10 boards and eight assists. He has shown the ability to score in bunches when given an expanded role this season, and getting him at $6,000 with plenty of work coming his way is a nice place to go if you need a mid-range guard.
Payton Pritchard shotmaking
The bag is very large 💼 pic.twitter.com/8Bkyl6lswu
— Pull up shoot (@NElGHT_) February 11, 2025
Others Under Consideration: Stephen Curry - PG ($8,900), LeBron James - SF/PF ($10,500), Cade Cunningham - PG ($10,400), Victor Wembanyama - C ($11,000), Kyrie Irving - PG ($9,300), Miles Bridges - PF ($8,800), Amen Thompson - PG/SF ($8,400), Paolo Banchero - PF ($8,300), Malik Monk - PG/SG ($7,500)
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DraftKings NBA DFS Value Picks
Moses Moody, GS – PG/SF ($4,100)
The Warriors are still settling into their new rotation after adding Jimmy Butler ($7,900) at the trade deadline, but the early returns for the tandem of Butler and Stephen Curry ($8,900) have been promising. One of the peripheral winners of the acquisition could be Moody, who seems ready to step into a larger role after all the pieces settle into place.
Moody got the start on Monday against the Bucks and had 13 points and 26.25 DraftKings points in 33 minutes. He has scored double-digit points in 11 of his last 13 games, averaging 12.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.2 three-pointers, and 1.8 assists in 25.9 minutes a contest. If he's in the starting five, the 22-year-old will be a great value at just over $4,000.
Moments Moses Moody made us go...HOW?! pic.twitter.com/Pvhuu7ZjMH
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 27, 2025
Nick Smith Jr., CHA – SG/SF ($4,500)
The Hornets have been value central this season with injuries and issues opening up playing time for players to step into larger roles and contribute great stats at low salaries. With LaMelo Ball (ankle), Josh Okogie (hamstring), and Mark Williams (trade uncertainty) all out, there will be usage available against Orlando. KJ Simpson ($4,400) will likely start at point guard, but he'll be in a tough matchup against Orlando, while Smith should have a little more room to operate on the wing.
Smith has flashed a high ceiling when available and returned from a back injury to play 36 minutes against the Nets on Monday. He finished with 13 points and 22.25 DraftKings points while shaking off some rust. He had over 27 DraftKings points in his previous four games, and he'll have enough work to expect him to return great value on Wednesday in Orlando.
Bol Bol, PHX – PF ($4,300)
The Suns have been shuffling their rotation all season trying to find a mix that works, and over their last few games, they've given a huge role to Bol Bol. Coming into February, the 25-year-old hadn't played more than 12 minutes in any game, but he has played more than double that in each of his last three games and posted great numbers.
Bol Bol over the last 3 games:
18 PTS - 14 REB - 4 BLK
19 PTS - 7 REB - 4 BLK
12 PTS - 3 REB - 3 BLK pic.twitter.com/YmLIuQMKl1— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 12, 2025
He had 40.75 DraftKings points against Denver and 52.5 DraftKings points against Memphis in his last two games, and he even moved into the starting lineup on Tuesday. The way the Suns have moved pieces around lately, who knows how long he'll stay so involved, but at just $4,300, I'm ready to sign up for the Bol Bol express for as long as the ride lasts!
Tidjane Salaun, CHA – SF/PF ($3,600)
Salaun has the most upside of the players under $4,000 coming into the day, but be sure to keep a close eye out for injury updates that can open up more value. In his rookie season, the 19-year-old from France has shown nice potential when given a bigger role.
He spent some time in the G League and dealing with an illness but has posted solid totals in his four games since returning to the team. Despite some shooting struggles, he has finished wit over 16 DraftKings points in each of those four games and had 16 points and 28.25 DraftKings points on Monday against the Nets.
Others Under Consideration: Thomas Bryant - C ($5,000), Gradey Dick - SG ($4,200), Max Christie SG/SF ($5,000), Malcolm Brogdon - PG/SG ($4,600), Jonathan Isaac - PF/C ($3,400), Olivier-Maxence Prosper ($4,200), Karlo Matkovic - PF/C ($4,100)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stack
Hawks at Knicks (240 total)
How big is Wednesday's slate? It's so big, there wasn't enough room for me to highlight any single player from this matchup even though it's the highest total on the board! The Hawks and Trae Young ($9,600) at Madison Square Garden always make for great theater and usually plenty of fantasy points. Dyson Daniels ($7,100) and Onyeka Okongwu ($6,100) are carrying more offensive workload without Jalen Johnson, and since the trade deadline, Caris LeVert ($4,800) and Mouhamed Gueye ($3,700) have been key contributors as well.
For the Knicks, the rotation isn't especially deep or cheap, but Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,400), Jalen Brunson ($8,400), and Josh Hart ($7,800) are all in good pace-up spots. Precious Achiuwa ($5,500) has also brought good value while filling in for OG Anunoby ($6,200; foot), but OG could be returning soon so be sure to check the injury report.
Kings at Pelicans (238.5 total)
The Kings have played at the sixth-fastest pace in the NBA over the last 15 games and the Pelicans have allowed the most points per game over that same span, giving up 124.3 points per contest. As a result, DeMar DeRozan ($7,000), Domanatas Sabonis ($9,500), Malik Monk ($7,500), and Zach LaVine ($7,300) all have high ceilings as they continue to find a way to mesh into a new starting five. Keegan Murray ($5,300) and Keon Ellis ($4,400) also have big enough roles to offer solid salary relief in this matchup.
The Pelicans' potential value depends heavily on the status of McCollum. If he misses another game, Jose Alvarado ($4,900) and Jordan Hawkins ($4,100) will get more playing time and usage. Trey Murphy III ($8,200) and Zion Williamson ($8,500) will continue to carry the offense either way, while Bruce Brown ($4,100) will be available to make his debut and Karlo Matkovic ($4,100) will look to follow up on his recent strong performances with three games of over 25 DraftKings points in his last four contests.
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: Nikola Jokic
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Anthony Edwards
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Nikola Jokic
- My favorite VALUE play: Bol Bol
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