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Free daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Mike Barner's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on March 25, 2024.
The NBA starts off the week with a packed 11-game schedule. DraftKings and FanDuel will both include the first nine games of the evening in their main slates.
The key to being successful in NBA DFS comes down to making adjustments during the day as injury information becomes available. But it's always really important to have a game plan, and the best players and spots circled first before making those adjustments. 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 @chiefjustice6 is talking about the slate up until lineups lock!
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 3/25/24. 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. EDT on FanDuel and DraftKings. Good luck RotoBallers!
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Today's NBA DFS Core Picks
Let's first take a look at our matchup rankings to see who we want to target for our top spend-ups tonight.
It’s not difficult to make an argument to roll with Jayson Tatum whenever the Celtics are included in the slate. This is not part of a back-to-back set for the Celtics, so expect Tatum to be deployed as usual. That leaves him with a tremendously high floor against a Hawks team that has played at the fifth-fastest pace and has the fifth-worst defensive rating in the league.
Jalen Green is one of the hottest scorers in the league right now. Over the Rockets’ last 12 games, he has averaged 28.3 points and 4.2 three-pointers, while shooting 49.6 percent from the field. Don’t expect a Trail Blazers team that has the eighth-worst defensive rating in the league to be the squad to slow him down.
The Wizards are one of the top teams to attack in DFS since they have played at the fastest pace and have the worst defensive rating in the league. Oddly enough, DeMar DeRozan only scored 13 points against them just over a week ago. He only attempted seven shots in that matchup, which is a far cry from his season average of 16.5 shot attempts per game. Look for him to be more aggressive and produce a better stat line in their rematch.
- Jayson Tatum, BOS at ATL – SF/PF ($10,000 DK; $10,100 FD)
- Jalen Green, HOU vs. POR – PG/SG ($8,800 DK; $8,500 FD)
- DeMar DeRozan, CHI vs. WAS – SF/PF ($8,200 DK; $8,400 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Value Picks
Another member of the Celtics who could take advantage of their favorable matchup with the Hawks is Payton Pritchard. Jrue Holiday (shoulder) has already been ruled out, while Derrick White (hand) is listed as questionable. With the Celtics resting some players lately, Pritchard has averaged 18.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 8.0 assists over their last five games. He might be too good to pass up at his cheap salary on both sites.
With OG Anunoby (elbow) back on the shelf, Miles McBride has started each of the last three games for the Knicks. McBride played at least 44 minutes in all three games and has logged at least 40 minutes in each of his last six starts. That leaves him with significant upside against a Pistons team that has the fourth-worst defensive rating in the league.
Already without Alperen Sengun (knee/ankle), Jabari Smith Jr. will not play Monday while serving a one-game suspension. That should mean even more playing time for Jock Landale. He has shown upside since Sengun went down, including when he finished with a double-double against the Bulls on Thursday.
Top Value Plays:
- Payton Pritchard, BOS at ATL – PG ($5,600 DK; $5,300 FD)
- Miles McBride, NY vs. DET – PG/SG ($5,400 DK; $5,900 FD)
- Jock Landale, HOU vs. POR – C ($5,300 DK; $5,500 FD)
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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard
Pritchard and McBride both present value options at point guard. For those going big-game hunting at the position, look no further than Luka Doncic. He’s a triple-double threat whenever he takes the floor and he has a great matchup versus the Jazz, who have the second-worst defensive rating in the league.
Top PG Options:
- Luka Doncic at UTA, ($12,800 DK; $12,800 FD)
- Payton Pritchard at ATL, ($5,600 DK; $5,300 FD)
- Miles McBride vs. DET, ($5,400 DK; $5,900 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard
Green has the potential to be the top shooting guard for this slate, but don’t sleep on Cam Thomas, either. He is never one to shy away from jacking up shots, and the Nets will need even more scoring from him Monday with Cameron Johnson (toe) out. In the last two games that Thomas played with Johnson sidelined, he scored 31 and 29 points.
Cam Thomas cashes in at the Q3 buzzer 🔥 pic.twitter.com/jnJszRQxYw
— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 23, 2024
Gary Trent Jr. is also a great option for staying in that same matchup between the Raptors and Nets. The Raptors are missing four of their five starters, which has thrust Trent into a prominent role. He has parlayed that into averages of 24.7 points and 3.7 three-pointers across his last six games.
Top SG Options:
- Jalen Green vs. POR, ($8,800 DK; $8,500 FD)
- Cam Thomas at TOR, ($7,300 DK; $7,200 FD)
- Gary Trent Jr. vs. BKN, ($6,300 DK; $6,800 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward
Working our way down the salary scale from DeRozan brings us to Mikal Bridges, who should also benefit from Johnson being sidelined. While his efficiency has been a disappointment this season, Bridges might not be met with much resistance against a Raptors team that has the seventh-worst defensive rating.
Amen Thompson has started each of the last six games since Sengun went down. He continues to showcase his versatile skillset, averaging 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 steals during that span. Smith also being out only further helps Thompson’s cause.
Top SF Options:
- DeMar DeRozan vs. WAS, ($8,200 DK; $8,400 FD)
- Mikal Bridges at TOR, ($6,900 DK; $7,300 FD)
- Amen Thompson vs. POR, ($6,800 DK; $7,800 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward
For those who can’t squeeze Tatum and his hefty salaries into their budgets, Josh Hart is an appealing mid-tier option. He continues to play a ton, logging an average of 42 minutes over the last 15 games. With such a hefty workload, he was able to average 13.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.2 steals over those 15 games.
Scoring could be a problem for the Wizards when they face the Bulls. Kyle Kuzma (shoulder) and Tyus Jones (back) have been ruled out, while Jordan Poole (ankle) is listed as questionable. Expect there to be added scoring opportunities for Corey Kispert, who has averaged 15.5 points and 3.3 three-pointers over the last eight games. He started all eight of those games, logging an average of 32 minutes along the way.
Top PF Options:
- Jayson Tatum at ATL, ($10,000 DK; $10,100 FD)
- Josh Hart vs. DET, ($7,400 DK; $7,500 FD)
- Corey Kispert at CHI, ($5,500 DK; $5,400 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center
The Wizards have problems slowing down opposing centers. While Marvin Bagley III and Richaun Holmes are back, neither of them is much of a defender. The last time he faced the Wizards, Nikola Vucevic smoked them for 29 points and 13 rebounds over just 31 minutes.
Vooch in the clutch!@NBCSChicago | @NikolaVucevic pic.twitter.com/xYO0sLt12m
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 19, 2024
Kelly Olynyk is locked into the starting center job for the Raptors with Jakob Poeltl (finger) likely done for the season. He has stepped up since being placed into that role, putting up 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.3 steals over the last ten games. While his salary is climbing, it’s still reasonable enough on both sites to make him worth considering.
Top C Options:
- Nikola Vucevic vs. WAS, ($8,500 DK; $8,300 FD)
- Kelly Olynyk vs. BKN, ($7,100 DK; $7,100 FD)
- Jock Landale vs. POR, ($5,300 DK; $5,500 FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Mavericks at Jazz (236 total)
- Suns at Spurs (233 total)
- Celtics at Hawks (226 total)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
- Evan Mobley played 21 minutes in his return from a knee injury Sunday. The Cavaliers have a quick turnaround on Monday, so if he does play, don’t expect him to spend enough time on the floor to be worth rostering in DFS.
- Be careful with the Nuggets. They could rest some of their starters against the lowly Grizzlies. Nikola Jokic (hip) and Jamal Murray (ankle) are both listed as questionable.
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: Jalen Green
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Jayson Tatum
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Cam Thomas
- My favorite value play: Miles McBride
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