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Free daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Koby's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on October 23rd, 2025.
Welcome Back, RotoBallers! After a loaded 12-game slate that had us all locked into the games, we take a step back as we only have two games on this slate. The Indiana Pacers take on the Champions, the OKC Thunder, and the Denver Nuggets make their season debut against the Golden State Warriors. It should be a solid couple of games, so let's dive right in.
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This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 10/23/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:30 p.m. EST on FanDuel and DraftKings. Good luck tonight, RotoBallers!
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NBA DFS Core Picks
Nikola Jokic, DEN - C (DK $11,500, FD $12,100)
The runner-up MVP is back for another season of dominating the NBA. He averaged an absurd 63.2 FDPG last season, while averaging a triple-double in the process. This is going to be a cash play, I think you have to have one of Nikola Jokić or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Good luck if you try to fit both in your lineups.
The Golden State Warriors struggled last year against centers and made a slight downgrade in that position, going from Kevon Looney to Al Horford. Last year, Jokic garnered a 30% usage rate against a Warriors team that allowed the fifth most rebounds to centers and gave up 33 and 38 points to him last season. Jokic is once again in a great spot to dominate the Warriors.
Pascal Siakam, IND - PF (DK $8,200, FD $8,200)
Unfortunately, the Pacers will be without some big players in their lineup this season. No, Tyrese Haliburton and the loss of Myles Turner in the offseason are going to make Pascal Siakam the focal point of the season. Siakam had a 20% usage rate last season, but in games without Haliburton, that number jumped to 30%.
The Thunder were solid last season against PFs, but Alperen Sengun made them look silly in Game 1 of the season. The Thunder also looks to be down a couple of prominent defenders, as Alex Caruso is out and Luguentz Dort is questionable. This could spell trouble for the nine-point favorites, but it makes for a good spot for Siakam to take over.
NBA DFS GPP Pivots
Jimmy Butler III, GSW - SF/PF ($7,400 DK, $8,100 FD)
Butler might still grab some decent ownership on this two-game slate, but I still think he is a solid pivot to some of the core plays I listed above. He had an excellent season debut against the Lakers. He finished with a team-high 45 fantasy points, which had him finish with 31 points. This Warriors team looks very well-rounded, and having two stars in Butler and Stephen Curry is huge for them.
Jimmy Butler has a bet with Draymond Green that he will have a better free throw percentage than Steph Curry this season
“Probably a bad bet.”
Butler went 16-of-16 tonight. Curry went 8-of-8. pic.twitter.com/EzmjRiqbKp
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 22, 2025
Butler is the top-priced play in the SF position, but as for what's below him, not many have the potential usage he has. This game has the higher total of the two at 232.5; the Nuggets were top 10 in fantasy points given up to SFs last season. Butler finished with 48.6 fantasy points in their last matchup towards the end of the season, and he could be pushing towards a similar outcome in this one.
Andrew Nembhard, IND - PG ($6,400 DK, $6,200 FD)
I'm very big on Nembhard to start the season. Both T.J. McConnell and Haliburton are out for this one, putting Nembhard in the perfect slot for a big game. He is still relatively cheap at 6.2K for what value he brings to the table. In his career, he has played seven games without those two and has averaged a near double-double.
Nembhard is going to be the primary ballhandler for this offense this season and should see over a 6% increase in usage compared to last season. The Pacers were top 10 in pace last season, and while I do expect some regression, they will need to push the pace against OKC, which plays very quickly as well.
NBA DFS Value Picks
Cason Wallace, OKC - PG/SG (DK $4,500, FD $5,200)
Cason Wallace is questionable at the moment, so keep an eye on if he is limited or out before you slot him into your lineups. If he is all good to go, though, Wallace looks to improve on his first outing of the season, where he was just short of 40 fantasy points. His slotting into the starting lineup was big for his usage, and at his price, he should be considered a solid value play.
Cason Wallace is such an awesome player.
14 points, 7 boards, 5 assists, and 4 steals for OKC on opening night. Defended KD. Hit clutch shots. Does a little bit of everything at a high level for the Thunder. pic.twitter.com/kmJk5TU2wF
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnor) October 22, 2025
Like I mentioned above, both these teams play at a high pace, and the Pacers gave up the third-most points to PGs last season. The Thunder are down a few guards and could be down a few more if Lu Dort is also out. If these guys are all out, this also makes Ajay Mitchell a viable option, too, and he's near the bare minimum price. Look for him if Wallace happens to be ruled out as well, in addition to all the other injuries the Thunder are dealing with.
Buddy Hield, GSW - SG/SF (DK $5,100, FD $4,000)
There's a reason that Buddy Hield is so cheap, but that doesn't mean we haven't seen games where he has completely popped off. He finished with 17 points in 22 minutes in the first game of the season. He is getting a good matchup here, too. The Nuggets have given up the fourth-most points and third-most three-pointers to opposing SGs last season.
We have all seen how hot he can get from behind the arc, and for only 4k if we can get anything in the 20-25 point range, that will be a win on such a small slate.
Isaiah Jackson, IND - C (DK $5,500, FD $4,300)
If you are looking to not play Nikola Jokic, I recommend taking a shot on the punt option in Isaiah Jackson, who should see an expanded role this year and be the starting center. He has a little competition with Jay Huff sitting behind him, but for now, he should see the starting role. In games he has played 20+ minutes in his career, he has averaged 10.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1 steal, and 1.7 blocks per game.
I expect him to play more than that, and he has all the makings to be a double-double machine. If you choose to go the SGA route with your big spend up, then Isaiah Jackson is a great money saver at the center position to make up for it.
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
Thunder at Pacers (228.5 O/U)
This has the lower total on the slate, but with a bunch of guys questionable or out for both teams, there is plenty of value to choose from. Both teams were top 15 in pace last season, and even with a spread of nearly nine points, I think this game ends up being closer than we think.
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: Pascal Siakam
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Nikola Jokic
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Andrew Nembhard
- My favorite VALUE play: Cason Wallace
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