NBA DFS: Top Daily Fantasy Expert Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (6/13/25)

June 13, 2025

Free daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Zach's NBA DFS expert picks to build winning DFS lineups on June 13, 2025.

Welcome back, RotoBallers! The NBA Finals continue this Friday night as the Indiana Pacers host the Oklahoma City Thunder for Game 4. After splitting the first two games of the series in OKC, the Pacers won Game 3 behind a 27-point game from Bennedict Mathurin. Indiana can take a commanding 3-1 lead with another home win on Friday, while the Thunder will be looking to even the series at 2-2 before heading home for Game 5 on Monday. The Thunder are six-point favorites in Game 4, but the Pacers have been excellent at home in these playoffs.

Let’s break down the DFS angles for Game 4 and identify the top plays. I’ll cover my top options for Captain or MVP, core flex plays, and a few value darts that could help unlock extra salary for the rest of your lineup. As always, stay locked in throughout the day — news and injury updates can shift the entire slate, so be ready to adjust if necessary.

It's always essential to have a game plan and zero in on the best players and spots before making those adjustments. This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 6/13/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 8:30 p.m. EDT on DraftKings. 

Today's NBA DFS MVP/Captain Picks

These players make the most sense in the prime spot of your lineup. On FanDuel, that spot is called the MVP position, while on DraftKings, it's called the Captain. On both sites, whichever player is in this spot costs 1.5 times their normal salary but also produces 1.5 times their normal fantasy points.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC - PG ($20.7 DK, $25.5K FD)

This year's MVP had a down game in Game 3 and will need to bounce back to tie the series back up. He only managed three points in the fourth quarter and finished with 24 points, his lowest total since Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. He still had eight rebounds, four assists, and three blocked shots, but his 43.5 DraftKings points in 42 minutes was not nearly a ceiling performance. He had over 55 DraftKings points in four straight before that and in six of his last seven.

He bounced back from his last down game with a 40-point double-double on the road that earned him 68.25 DraftKings points, and he has shown all season that he is a premier fantasy producer. He is an expensive option for MVP or Captain and stretches the salary cap for the rest of your roster, but his ceiling is so high that he needs to be considered.

Tyrese Haliburton, IND - PG/SG (FD Only) ($17.1K DK, $19.8K FD)

Haliburton has been much less consistent throughout the playoffs than SGA, but he brings a very high ceiling when he's at the top of his game. He was outstanding on Thursday and fell just one rebound short of a triple-double with 22 points, 11 assists, and nine boards.

HALIBURTON DOES IT ALL FOR INDY!

🏎️ 22 PTS
🏎️ 11 AST
🏎️ 9 REB
🏎️ 2 STL
🏎️ 4 3PM

Guides the @Pacers to a 2-1 series lead in the #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV. pic.twitter.com/triaern6Ru

— NBA (@NBA) June 12, 2025

Haliburton had under 40 DraftKings points in each of the first two games of the series, so his big performance was a huge bounce-back for him. The Pacers' point guard has 55+ DraftKings points in three straight playoff home games and has his team just two wins away from a championship. If the Pacers do go up 3-1, Haliburton will need to have another monster game, and the fact that he saves so much salary compared to SGA allows for plenty of flexibility in the rest of your roster.

Others To Consider: Pascal Siakam - PF

Today's NBA DFS Utility

These players are ones you may want to add to your Utility spots:

Jalen Williams, OKC - SF/PF ($10.2K DK, $11.8K FD)

Williams' salary dropped slightly for Game 4, even though his Game 3 showing was one of his best of the postseason. He had 26 points while helping to pick up some of the slack from SGA's off-night. The last time the Thunder lost on the road, he helped them roar back against the Timberwolves with a 34-point game that earned him 53.25 DraftKings points.

He had 33.5 DraftKings points in Game 1 and 34.25 DraftKings points in Game 2, falling just short of 20 points in each game, but contributing solid rebounds and assists. He consistently produces in enough categories to be a strong utility play on most nights, while also bringing a high ceiling with the potential to go off for a monster game. He is an underrated secondary option in the Thunder offense and can be a very nice utility play on Friday.

Alex Caruso, OKC - SG/PG (DK only)/SF (FD only) ($6.4K DK, $4.8K FD)

Caruso is another Thunder complementary player with tons of upside at his salary. He had 20 points in Game 2, but that was his lowest fantasy output of the series on FanDuel, where he has over 23 FanDuel points in each of the first three games of the series. He only had eight points in Game 3, but contributed five rebounds, four assists, and two steals to remain an outstanding value option.

Derrick White and Alex Caruso, the kind of guards who don't just play the game, they read it. Anticipation, grit, clutch DNA.

But you can only have one of these players on your team. Who are you taking?

🍀 2024 Finals Derrick White
⚡️2025 Finals Alex Caruso

Choose wisely. pic.twitter.com/iDiY6OKl5d

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 12, 2025

He has played 28, 27, and 32 minutes in the three games of the series, averaging 13.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game in the Finals. He had gotten more work since the Thunder played more smallball lineups, and he stuffed the box score with strong games as a result. Getting him at this salary is a great way to still have plenty to spend on stars in other spots.

If you want to play both superstar point guards in your lineup, Caruso is an affordable Captain or MVP play as well. He leaves enough salary available for plenty of strong options in utility spots.

Others To Consider: Myles Turner - C, Andrew Nembhard - PG/SG, Luguentz Dort - SG/SF

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Today's NBA DFS Value Picks

T.J. McConnell, IND - PG ($4.2K DK, $2.8K FD)

McConnell only played 15 minutes in Game 3 but went off for 31.7 FanDuel points and 27.75 DraftKings points on 10 points, five assists, five steals, and a rebound. He plays a Caruso-like role off the bench for the Pacers, coming in with the second unit and filling in the box score in multiple categories.

He also had a big Game 2 with 11 points, six assists, three rebounds, and 28.25 DraftKings points in 18 minutes off the bench. Even though he's not getting nearly as many minutes as the Thunder reserves, the smaller lineups and free-flowing play in the series give him a high ceiling, and his multi-category potential makes him a great value play. He remains especially under-priced on FanDuel, and if you use him as MVP, you can stuff the rest of your lineup with stars.

T.J. MCCONNELL: ALL HEART, ALL HUSTLE

😤 10 PTS
😤 5 AST
😤 5 STL

First player since 1973-74 to record these numbers off the bench in a Finals game 🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/sKcwp9U1d4

— NBA (@NBA) June 12, 2025

Bennedict Mathurin, IND - SG/SF ($4K DK, $2.4K FD)

While McConnell was stuffing the stat sheet in multiple areas, Mathurin was providing the scoring boost the Pacers needed. He led all scorers with 27 points and finished with 36 DraftKings points, his highest mark of the playoffs.

BENN MATHURIN LEADS ALL SCORERS!

🏁 27 PTS (playoff career high)
🏁 9-12 FGM
🏁 Youngest player to score 25+ PTS off the bench in the Finals (since recorded in 1970-71)@Pacers take a 2-1 NBA Finals lead 👏 pic.twitter.com/delHSkcuac

— NBA (@NBA) June 12, 2025

Mathurin only had 13.25 and 17.5 DraftKings points in the first two games of the series, so he isn't a lock, for sure, but he doesn't bring an impressive upside and feeds off the energy at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Even if he doesn't go off again, he's cheap enough that he doesn't have to be a solid value. The other players in this price range don't get as much usage as Mathurin, so they usually don't have as high a ceiling.

Others to Consider: Cason Wallace - PG/SG, Obi Toppin - PF/C (DK only)

As the NBA playoffs heat up, so do the opportunities to win more in Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) on DraftKings and FanDuel. Staying informed on late-breaking NBA injury news is critical for success, so be sure to leverage RotoBaller’s expert insights and tools throughout the day to gain an edge on the field.

Whether you're grinding out GPPs or locking in safe cash game picks, a smart NBA DFS strategy can make all the difference. Good luck tonight, and may your lineups crush!

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