DraftKings NBA DFS Picks for Today (Wednesday, 3/5/25): Daily Fantasy Basketball Advice

March 5, 2025

Zach's top DraftKings NBA DFS picks for today, Wednesday, 3/5/25. His favorite daily fantasy basketball lineup sleepers and value picks for DraftKings DFS.

For the third straight day, the NBA has seven games on the main DFS fantasy basketball slate for DraftKings this Wednesday night. The first four games all tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET when contests lock with three more games getting underway by 9:30 p.m. ET. The late game between the Clippers and Pistons is not part of the main slate.

Of the 14 teams in the pool, the Cavs, Bucks, and Timberwolves are the only three playing for a second night in a row, but there are still many injury questions surrounding rotations across the board. While there is still some uncertainty, several options stand out as awesome additions to your fantasy lineup. Let's dive in and find some of the top options 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 3/5/25. 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

Jalen Williams, OKC – SF/PF ($8,200)

The Thunder and Grizzlies meet in Memphis on Wednesday in one of the most exciting matchups on the board. It should also be one of the highest-scoring and most productive for fantasy purposes. The Thunder will be pretty much at full strength with Chet Holmgren ($7,300) back in the mix. Alongside the brilliance of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,800), Jalen Williams has been excellent lately. He comes into this pace-up spot against the Grizzlies at a good time too, since Memphis will be without Jaren Jackson Jr. (ankle) for a while.

Williams has been cooking lately with at least 39 DraftKings points in five of his last six games. He has averaged 45.1 DraftKings points per contest over that span with a high point of a career-high 41 points and 65 DraftKings points last Sunday.

Jalen Williams over his last 5 games:

- 26.8 PPG
- 5.2 RPG
- 5.4 APG
- 50/44/83 splits
- 62% true shooting pic.twitter.com/2tlr777zV1

— The Lead (@TheLeadSM) March 4, 2025

The Thunder have scored at least 128 points in each of their seven games since the break and taking on the team with the highest pace in the NBA should mean plenty of points flowing their way on Wednesday night in Memphis. Williams has an elite ceiling and can produce in multiple categories. He should dominate his frontcourt matchup and put up another big number on Wednesday.

Desmond Bane, MEM – SG ($8,000)

On the other side of that matchup, Bane makes a solid play with or without Ja Morant ($8,300; shoulder, questionable) and Santi Aldama ($6,400; calf, questionable). If those two players are out, Bane will have to carry all the Grizzlies' offense, but even if they play, he'll get a boost from Jackson's absence.

Bane has produced over 45 DraftKings points in three straight games and is coming off a monster 35-point triple-double on Monday. He finished that game with 66 DraftKings points in 36 minutes with Morant out and Jackson leaving the game early.

Jalen Williams over his last 5 games:

- 26.8 PPG
- 5.2 RPG
- 5.4 APG
- 50/44/83 splits
- 62% true shooting pic.twitter.com/2tlr777zV1

— The Lead (@TheLeadSM) March 4, 2025

He has a very high ceiling against the Thunder since he'll be called on for a large workload and has a very high ceiling at $8,000 as a result.

Kyle Filipowski, UTA – C ($5,500)

Filipowski is another player with a huge chance to step up on Wednesday night since he'll be filling in once again for Walker Kessler (rest). John Collins (back), Lauri Markkanen (back), Collin Sexton (ankle), and Jordan Clarkson (foot) are all out as well, so the Jazz will have a limited squad available on the road in Washington.

When given a bigger role in the last month, the rookie from Duke has stepped up with several big games. Just before the All-Star break, he started in place of Kessler and had a 20-point double-double against the Clippers for 34.5 DraftKings points. Since the break, Filiposwki has made two more starts, totaling 49.75 DraftKings points against the Trail Blazers and 37.25 DraftKings points against the Pelicans in those two outings. He also has at least 29 DraftKings points in four of his last five overall.

Kyle Filipowski in his last 8 games for the Utah Jazz:

- 14.6 PPG
- 7.4 RPG
- 2.9 APG
- 56% from field
- 55.9% from three

He is doing all of that in just 24.2 minutes per game during that span. The rookie is starting to get comfortable! pic.twitter.com/1PeN9rp6KV

— Art Cummings (@ArtTakesNote) March 4, 2025

Filipowski will be an especially strong play in this great matchup since the Wizards have been one of the best matchups for centers all season.

Others Under Consideration: Jayson Tatum - SF/PF ($10,000), Chet Holmgren - PF/C ($7,300), DeMar DeRozan ($7,400), Bam Adebayo - PF/C ($8,900)

DraftKings NBA DFS Tournament Pivots

Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL - PF/C ($11,000)

With Nikola Jokic ($12,200; ankle, questionable) uncertain and potentially at less than 100%, Giannis steps in as a strong pay-up big man option. Giannis has been excellent since the All-Star break, posting at least 58 DraftKings points in four of his last five games.

One of those games was in this same matchup against the Mavericks, who are extremely thin in the frontcourt after multiple injuries and are also now without Kyrie Irving (knee). Giannis had 59.75 DraftKings points against the Mavs last Saturday and also went off against the Hawks on Tuesday with a 26-point triple-double that earned him 61 DraftKings points.

Sixth triple-double of the season for Giannis. pic.twitter.com/fllbmtLNEK

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) March 5, 2025

It's the second game of a back-to-back for the Bucks, but for tournament contests, Giannis's ceiling is worth the risk.

Donovan Mitchell, CLE - PG/SG ($8,800)

Keep a close eye on the injury report for the Cavs since they're finishing a back-to-back but if he's ready to roll at home against the Heat, there's lots to love about Mitchell's current form. He just rested a game on Sunday but returned with 28 points and 46.25 DraftKings points in Tuesday's win over the Bulls.

Mitchell has over 44 DraftKings points in four of his last five games and his Cavs continue to cruise to the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Even though the Heat aren't an easy matchup, Spida brings a very high ceiling and could end up with more work if other Cavs rest

The Eastern Conference @Kia Player of the Month for February is Donovan Mitchell! #KiaPOTM pic.twitter.com/VyxpKxWfhi

— NBA (@NBA) March 4, 2025

Keyonte George, UTA - PG ($6,400)

The Jazz will continue to let George and Isaiah Collier ($6,300) run the offense with Sexton and Clarkson out. George has shown a very high ceiling but has also been a little inconsistent since the All-Star break. He came out of the break red hot and had a 30-point game that earned him 51 DraftKings points in a win over the Rockets.

Keyonte George 30-8-6, 10/17 FG 🥶 pic.twitter.com/wi8gVy4ILs

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) February 23, 2025

He also had another big scoring performance with 28 points and 41.75 DraftKings points against the Pelicans on Sunday before cooling off against the Pistons on the second night of the back-to-back.

With a day off on Tuesday and a great matchup against the Wizards, George should be able to bounce back with a big game on Wednesday.

Max Christie, DAL - SG/SF ($5,200)

Without Kyrie now in addition to all the injuries in the frontcourt, Christie will have to step up and help carry the load for the Mavericks. Since arriving in the Luka trade, he has been a consistent contributor, but now he'll have to be much more active on offense.

He has shown spike potential in the past, with six straight games of over 30 DraftKings points right after joining the Mavs. He has cooled off in his last few contests, but with all the work he'll have to carry, he definitely has enough upside to be a good tournament option at just over $5,000.

Others Under Consideration: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - PG ($10,800), Zach LaVine - SG/SF ($7,900), Anthony Edwards - SG ($9,300), Evan Mobley - PF/C ($8,300), Jonas Valanciunas - C ($6,400), Tyler Herro- PG/SG ($8,700), Isaiah Collier - PG ($5,300), Spencer Dinwiddie - PG/SG ($5,100)

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DraftKings NBA DFS Value Picks

Bub Carrington, WAS - PG ($5,300)

Since the trade deadline, rookie Bub Carrington has looked very strong for the Wizards, and he has returned to the starting lineup for the last two games with Jordan Poole (elbow) out. With Poole out again on Wednesday, he'll likely start against the Jazz, who are short-handed as mentioned above. No team in the NBA has given up more fantasy points to point guards than the Jazz, so Carrington is in a great spot.

In his last two games without Poole, Carrington had 11 points and 28.75 DraftKings points in a win over Charlotte and then posted 14 points and 33.25 DraftKings points in a loss to the Heat.

Bub Carrington has been shooting the ball with a ton of confidence, and that goes hand-in-hand with him having more on-ball opportunities since the trade deadline

He’s 43% from 3 on 5.7 3PA/g since February 5th, while also averaging 4.8 assists to just 2.0 turnovers (2.4 AST/TO) pic.twitter.com/45vslxZppK

— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) March 4, 2025

He's poised to return great value on Wednesday and should thrive in the matchup with his bigger workload.

Kai Jones, DAL – C ($5,000)

The Mavericks just signed Jones to a two-way contract on March 1, but he stepped right into a very big role in his Mavericks' debut against the Kings. He played 34 minutes and racked up 32.5 DraftKings points on 21 points, eight rebounds, and one blocked shot against the Kings.

Kai Jones went off in his @dallasmavs debut! The #GLeagueAlum recorded a career-high in scoring, grabbed a season-high in rebounds, and shot an almost perfect 90% from the field. 💪 pic.twitter.com/7LW2zOnAfX

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) March 4, 2025

Jones has always been great for a highlight reel entry or two but is out to prove he can be a regular contributor. He should get every chance since the Mavs will remain without Anthony Davis (adductor), P.J. Washington (ankle), Daniel Gafford (knee), and Dereck Lively II (ankle) for the foreseeable future.

Cason Wallace, OKC – PG/SG ($4,500)

Wallace has been a key part of the Thunder's recent surge although he's not a big name like SGA, Jalen Williams, or Chet Holmgren. Wallace has scored double-digit points in four of his last five games and had over 21 DraftKings points in each of those five contests.

Cason Wallace last 5 games

13.2 PPG
4.0 RPG
3.0 APG
2.0 SPG
1.8 3/PG
32.0 MPG

This comes with Caruso & Joe missing 2/5 games each but Wallace is finding his role again in this rotation after injury and is a top stream option for 4 games in 6 nights Wed-Mon. #FantasyBasketball

— Fantasy 365 (@FantasyBall365) March 4, 2025

Wallace had 32.25 and 32.75 DraftKings points in his last two games, and he should continue to get more minutes with Alex Caruso (ankle) out on Wednesday.

Brandon Clarke, MEM – PF/C ($4,100)

Without Jackson, Clarke will likely have to step into a bigger role. He has been a good per-minute producer this season but has only been asked to play 18.5 minutes per game. He has had over 22 DraftKings points in three straight games and four of his last five.

He showed some solid upside while playing 27 minutes against the Magic right after the All-Star break, posting 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 32.75 DraftKings points.

🇨🇦 Represent The Canadians 🇨🇦

Brandon Clarke | vs. Orlando

13 POINTS
11 REBOUNDS
2 ASSISTS pic.twitter.com/HXauulixaK

— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) February 22, 2025

Especially if Aldama and JJJ are out, Clarke will need to take on more work on Wednesday.

Others Under Consideration: Kyshawn George - PF ($5,000), Zach Edey - C ($4,900), Luke Kennard - PG/SG ($4,800), Keon Ellis - PG/SG ($4,100), Justin Champagnie ($3,900), K.J. Martin ($4,100), Brice Sensabaugh - SF/PF ($4,300), Oscar Tshiebwe - C ($3,000)

Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stack

Thunder at Grizzlies (250.5 total)

This is a massive total for this Western Conference showdown and both teams should pile up points. I've already highlighted Jalen Williams ($8,200) and Cason Wallace ($4,500) as two of my favorite plays and mentioned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,800) and Chet Holmgren ($7,300) as other options. Aaron Wiggins ($5,100) is also a solid mid-salary target, while Luguentz Dort ($4,600) has good potential and usually gets heavy minutes but sometimes doesn't compile many stats.

Desmond Bane ($8,000) is the clear centerpiece of the Grizzlies stack to build around. Without JJJ, Brandon Clarke ($4,100) brings interesting value as well, especially if Santi Aldama ($6,400) is also out. If Aldama plays, he's worth a look along with Zach Edey ($4,900), and if Ja Morant ($8,300) is out, Luke Kennard ($4,800) will be a good option. GG Jackson II ($4,000), Vince Williams Jr. ($4,200), and Jaylen Wells ($4,900) are also plays that could flourish with more work available.

Kings at Nuggets (236.5 total)

The Kings won't have Domantas Sabonis (hamstring) for a second straight game, so Jonas Valanciunas ($6,400) will get more work. Zach LaVine ($7,900) has been very consistent for the Kings since joining DeMar DeRozan ($7,400) and both could get more work depending on if Malik Monk ($7,900; toe, questionable) plays. If Monk is out, Keon Ellis ($4,100) and Markelle Fultz ($3,200) will get more work as well.

Nikola Jokic ($12,200) is always a good option and his questionable tag should keep his ownership low. He'll be in a mismatch against Valanciunas if he plays and always brings a very high ceiling. Christian Braun ($5,900) has also been playing very well with over 35 DraftKings points in three straight games. Jamal Murray ($7,700) and Michael Porter Jr. ($6,500) also bring very high ceilings and would have to carry the load if Jokic is out or at less than 100%. Jalen Pickett ($3,000) is an interesting punt play to round out the Nuggets stack and could get more work with Julian Strawther (knee) out.

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: Kyle Filipowski
• My favorite CASH play on the slate: Kyle Filipowski
• My favorite GPP play on the slate: Jalen Williams
• My favorite VALUE play: Bub Carrington

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