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Free daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Kyle's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on November 2nd, 2025.
Welcome back, RotoBallers! We have a manageable six-game slate on tap in the NBA tonight, giving us a player pool of 12 teams to choose from on both DraftKings and FanDuel. The action starts a little earlier, with four games tipping off at 6:00 p.m. ET, one at 7:00 p.m. ET, and an exciting nightcap at 8:00 p.m. ET, with the Spurs taking on the Suns in Phoenix.
As always, we have a few key injury spots to monitor as we move throughout the day. Ja Morant is out with a suspension, Trae Young won't play due to a sprained MCL, and Donovan Mitchell is questionable after missing Friday's game against Toronto. There are many more players out, and there will likely be random players scratched, so keep a close eye on the NBA injury news and make adjustments as needed.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 11/2/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 6:00 p.m. EST on FanDuel and DraftKings. To keep up with all the latest developments and get access to updated projections, grab an NBA season pass and also gain access to our RotoBaller Premium Discord, where our experts are talking about the slate up until lineups lock!
NBA DFS Core Picks
Victor Wembanyama, SAS - C on DK, PF/C on FD (DK $11.8K, FD $12.7K)
There are only four players you build entire slates around: Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and now, Victor Wembanyama. We only have one of those four on this slate, so we need to be prioritizing the mega-ceiling that comes with a player like Wemby. He has at least 67.2 DK points in four of his five games, and he has already eclipsed 70 DK points three times in this young season. LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Maxey, and Devin Booker aren't giving us that type of ceiling.
Centers to average 30+ PPG in a 5-0 start:
Wilt Chamberlain (1960)
Victor Wembanyama (2025) pic.twitter.com/HskammiZgY— Real Sports (@realapp) October 31, 2025
The MVP contender holds a sparkling 33.7% usage rate and 1.95 FPTS/min so far this season. That's going to work against a Phoenix team that has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game and ranks 22nd in defensive rating. They allow the ninth-most fantasy points per game to Cs, and it's a pace-up spot for San Antonio as the Suns play at the 11th-fastest pace in the league. Does Mark Williams have what it takes to slow this alien down? No - he does not.
Tyrese Maxey, PHI - PG (DK $9.8K, FD $9.8K)
Maxey has been lights-out to start the season, averaging 61 DK PPG with a "floor" game of 52 DK points. He's taking a ton of shots, contributing 8.0 assists per game, and has been active in the "stocks" department as well. All of this will play up against the Nets, who sport arguably the worst defense in the league. They rank last in defensive rating, last in opponent FG%, and allow the second-most fantasy points per game.
He holds a healthy 30.5% usage rate and 1.40 FPTS/min, and he has clearly been benefiting from Joel Embiid being limited to only 20-25 minutes per game. He's out tonight, which means Maxey can play hero ball all game long. Maxey has a 33.7% usage rate and 1.37 FPTS/min with Embiid off the floor this season, so he shouldn't have any issues putting up a ceiling game against the porous Nets' defense tonight.
Keyonte George, UTA - PG on DK, PG/SG on FD (DK $7.7K, FD $7.2K)
George has been a steady fantasy producer through five games this season, beating 5x value at his salary in each game while averaging a healthy 42 DK PPG. He hasn't quite hit an actual 'ceiling' game yet, but that could be coming in a glorious matchup against a Charlotte team coming in on the second half of a back-to-back set.
Keyonte George in October of 2024 compared to Keyonte George in October of 2025
Do you buy the leap? pic.twitter.com/PrSsNlaMDv
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) October 30, 2025
The Hornets rank surprisingly well against opposing PGs, but their overall defense is exploitable. They've allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game and rank 28th in defensive rating. They're also permitting the second-most assists and the fifth-most field goal makes so far this season. This is a pace-up spot for the Jazz as well, with the Hornets playing at the seventh-fastest pace in the league this season. It's all systems go for George and the Jazz tonight.
NBA DFS GPP Pivots
Jalen Johnson, ATL - PF on DK, SF/PF on FD ($8.5K DK, $8.5K FD)
Johnson is an excellent 'secondary piece' on tonight's slate. He's priced up a bit, but he deserved the salary bump as he's coming off a 57.2 DK point outing and has produced at least 40 DK points in 4-of-5 games this season. His all-around game gives him upside every time he plays, and he has a favorable matchup against Cleveland on Sunday night.
The Cavs have allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing PFs this season. They're allowing the most points and rebounds to the position, which plays right into Johnson's hand as he's averaging 22 points and seven rebounds per game. There's also the matter of Trae Young being out for four weeks. Since the start of last season, Johnson has held a solid 26.1% usage rate and with a 1.38 FPTS/min rate when Young is off the floor. Johnson should be able to take advantage of a leaky Cleveland frontcourt and could easily post a ceiling game given the circumstances.
Cedric Coward, MEM - SF on DK, SG/SF on FD ($5.3K DK, $5.1K FD)
Someone is going to benefit from Ja Morant being out tonight, and it's impossible to trust Jaren Jackson Jr. (29 DK PPG) with how poorly he has been playing to start the season. Enter Coward, the 11th overall pick out of Washington State in the 2025 NBA Draft. Coward has had an up-and-down start to the year, but he's still averaging a healthy 29.1 DK PPG despite 28 minutes being his high-water mark for the season. He holds a solid 1.22 FPTS/min rate with Morant off the floor, and he should be walking into more of a primary ball-hander and playmaking role tonight.
Cedric Coward this season:
13 PTS — 10 REB — 3 AST — 4/11 FGM
14 PTS — 4 REB — 1 AST — 5/10 FGM
9 PTS — 4 REB — 2 AST — 4/6 FGM
27 PTS — 6 REB — 4 AST — 9/13 FGM
16 PTS — 2 REB — 2 AST — 5/9 FGM
14 PTS — 3 REB — 1 AST — 5/5 FGM pic.twitter.com/vAM5yKeJ1M— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 1, 2025
The best part of this is that the Raptors are a golden matchup for someone like Coward to pop. They've allowed the third-most fantasy points per game, rank 25th in defensive rating, and allow the second-highest FG% in the NBA (51.1%). Both teams play at a top-five pace, so there will likely be plenty of extra possessions to score fantasy points as well. Sprinkle in Santi Aldama and Jaylen Wells, but I'm looking for the rookie to provide significant value tonight.
Kelly Oubre Jr., PHI - SF on DK, SG/SF on FD ($5.9K DK, $5.5K FD)
With Embiid being given the day off, there's plenty of opportunity for several 76ers to go off against a terrible Nets defense. VJ Edgecombe looks great to start the year, but he's $1,500 more than Oubre Jr. on DraftKings, and Oubre has put up similar fantasy outputs to this point. The veteran produced 52 DK points on 10/27 against the Magic and is averaging 33.6 DK PPG this season. He's getting a ton of minutes, exceeding 40 in each of his last three contests.
Oubre Jr. is going to crush value if he keeps playing like he has against the Nets. His specialties are scoring, rebounding, and defensive stats, and, as mentioned in the Maxey blurb, the Nets are a prime matchup across all stat categories. I expect multiple 76ers to be in the winning lineup tonight, and Oubre Jr. has a strong chance to be a part of that group.
NBA DFS Value Picks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, ATL - PG/SF on DK, SG/SF on FD (DK $6.0K, FD $5.9K)
NAW isn't quite in the "value pick" pricing tier, but I'm including him here because he has a great shot at providing value at his salary tonight. He steps in as the de facto point guard with Trae Young out of the lineup, and he has thrived so far in that role: 27.8% usage rate at 1.12 FPTS/min. He needs 30 DK points for 5x value, and he has been right at or over that mark in 6 of 7 games, even with Young playing.
The matchup isn't ideal, but Cleveland has been more of a middle-of-the-pack defense this year than a force we need to avoid. They rank ninth in defensive rating while allowing the 15th-most fantasy points per game. Both teams rank in the top half in pace, so it should be a game where Alexander-Walker can see a few extra possessions, giving him a chance at a ceiling game.
Kevin Huerter, CHI - SG on DK, SG/SF on FD (DK $4.5K, FD $5.0K)
We have to play someone from the undefeated juggernaut that is the Chicago Bulls, right? Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic are too spendy, Matas Buzelis isn't in great form, and Tre Jones is overpriced following a few explosion games early on. That leaves us with Huerter, who is cheap despite posting at least 27.8 DK points in four of five games so far this season. He's a bit of a risk given that he doesn't play 30+ minutes per game, but he has been efficient and effective enough to consider on this small-ish slate.
The Knicks aren't a fun matchup, as they typically rank well on defense and slow the game down to a snail's pace. Surprisingly, the Knicks rank only 15th in defensive rating this season after parting ways with coach Tom Thibodeau. Chicago plays at the eighth-fastest pace, so that should speed things up a bit in this matchup.
Dean Wade, CLE - PF on DK, SF/PF on FD (DK $4.5K, FD $4.0K)
Listen, I don't like rostering Dean Wade any more than you do. He's a low-usage, low FPTS/min player who doesn't inspire confidence in any way. However, we now have an idea of what the Cavaliers want to do when their big man, Jarrett Allen, is out of the lineup. The answer isn't Larry Nance Jr. or Thomas Bryant, it's playing Dean Wade for 30 minutes and hoping for the best.
Wade crushed 5x value on Halloween night in that scenario, posting an all-around line of 5/4/4/2/3 over 30 minutes. If he can shoot better than 1-for-7 from the field tonight, he's going to crush value again. Of course, we're not going to go anywhere near him if Allen is ruled in, so stay tuned to the news on this one.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, CHA - C (DK $4.9K, FD $5.2K)
Finding ways to attack the Utah defense without playing LaMelo Ball feels like the smart play tonight. Ball is too expensive to fit with Wemby, so let's look to the frontcourt for a value pick that could pop. Kalkbrenner, the rookie out of Creighton, has been a steady contributor so far this season. He holds a 24.4 DK PPG average with a spike game of 32.2 DK points against Orlando on 10/30. He has played 31, 32, and 29 minutes over his last three games, which unlocks the potential for a higher ceiling at his sub-$5,000 salary.
The Jazz allow the fifth-most fantasy points per game, and while they rank well against Cs, that's with defensive menace Walker Kessler in the lineup. Kessler won't play tonight, leaving Kyle Filipowski and the corpse of Jusuf Nurkic to defend him. Kalkbrenner should be able to take advantage, making him an excellent value option on tonight's slate.
Terance Mann, BKN - SG on DK, SG/SF on FD (DK $4.1K, FD $4.4K)
This is brutal, but we have to do what we have to do for value until we get more injury news breaking. Mann isn't an exciting name to click on, but we can't argue with his results lately: 23.5, 30, 27.8 DK points over his last three contests coming into tonight's action. He played 31, 23, and 30 minutes in those games, and the Nets will continue to roll with him as their starting small forward.
The game environment is excellent despite being projected to be a slow-paced game. The 76ers rank 26th in defensive rating, and would likely fall to the bottom of that metric with Embiid off the floor, as he will be tonight. Philadelphia also allows the 12th-most fantasy points per game to SFs this season, so Mann should have a nice opportunity to keep the good times rolling in this one.
Honorable Mentions: Jusuf Nurkic (DK $4.1K, FD $4.2K), Cam Spencer (DK $3.5K), Kyle Filipowski (DK $4.7K, FD $4K)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
Jazz @ Hornets (236.5 O/U)
76ers @ Nets (233.5 O/U)
Grizzlies @ Raptors (239.5 O/U)
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: Victor Wembanyama
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Victor Wembanyama
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Keyonte George
- My favorite VALUE play: Nickeil Alexander-Walker
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