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Free daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Kyle Ringstad's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on April 6th, 2025.
We’re in the thick of Silly Season—where rotations get weird, tanking is transparent, and late scratches can nuke a slate. It’s chaos, but there’s still an edge. I always write this article with a cash game floor in mind, but as a tournament-heavy player, the picks are generally packed with tourney-winning upside — high-minute roles, clean paths to value, and ceiling exposure in the right spots.
We have eight games on the docket tonight, including three with implied totals of at least 236.5 points. The Pacers-Nuggets and Jazz-Hawks matchups are the ones to target, but the Kings-Cavaliers game could be sneaky if it stays competitive throughout.
This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/6/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EST on DraftKings and FanDuel. Good luck, RotoBallers!
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Today's NBA DFS Core Picks
Here is a look at some of the higher-priced players we can use as building blocks for cash and GPP contests.
Nikola Jokic is the play here, though I can't fault you for wanting to get to Giannis Antetokounmpo, as he has scored 69.25, 94.25, and 74.75 DK points coming into tonight's action. He gets a favorable matchup against the Pelicans, but he's only $100 cheaper than Jokic, and this is the second half of a back-to-back for him after he played 43 minutes last night.
Jokic is averaging 74.3 DK PPG over his last four games, and a matchup with the fast-paced Pacers should result in another monster game for the big man.
I'll look to Trae Young as a secondary core piece. He's a little too expensive for my tastes, but he has easy 60+ DK point upside in a soft matchup against the Jazz. Utah has allowed the second-most fantasy points per game and the most to PGs this season.
We'll head to the mid-range for my final core piece. Donovan Clingan is set up for success at his price tag tonight, as the Portland big man has produced games with 36.25 and 37.5 DK points over his last two and gets a favorable matchup against a leaky Spurs frontcourt tonight. San Antonio allows the sixth-most fantasy points per game and the eighth-most to Cs this season.
Top Core Plays:
- Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. IND - C ($12.7K DK; $12.7K FD)
- Trae Young, ATL vs. UTA - PG ($10.2K DK; $9.5K FD)
- Donovan Clingan, POR vs. SAS - C ($6.1K DK; $5.9K FD)
Today's NBA DFS Value Picks
This is where we talk about saving salary. Whether it's a severely underpriced backup or even as simple as a guy playing like someone who should be priced higher, this is where you'll find guys who make lineups work.
Sorting the best value picks of the day by fantasy points per dollar:
We have a lot of value on the board for tonight's action. Kevin Porter Jr. unexpectedly took over PG duties from Ryan Rollins last night, going ballistic for 53 DK points over 40 minutes. We don't know if that will continue, but it's worth taking a gamble on him at $4.2K to find out. The Pelicans allow the fourth-most fantasy points per game overall and to PGs, ranking 27th in defensive rating.
Johnny Juzang is far too cheap considering his positionality and role on the short-handed Jazz. His production has been volatile lately, but he averages 1.05 FPTS/min with all the injured players off the floor this season. He put up 22.25 DK points over 36 minutes last game, so I'm willing to bet on him producing value at his salary in the top game environment on the slate.
Obi Toppin is the final piece I'll highlight here. His usage and FPTS/min rates stay the same when Pascal Siakam is off the floor, but the more important aspect of the vet sitting out is the potential for a bump in playing time. Toppin should play mid-20 minutes tonight, which will get the job done at his salary. There is upside in this spot, too, as the game environment is elite, and the Nuggets have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game over their last 15 games.
Top Value Plays:
- Kevin Porter Jr., MIL @ NOP - PG ($4.2K DK; $4.8K FD)
- Johnny Juzang, UTA @ ATL - SG/SF ($4K DK; $4K FD)
- Obi Toppin, IND @ DEN - PF/C ($4.3K DK; $4.7K FD)
- Karlo Matkovic, NOP vs. MIL - PF/C ($4.6K DK; $5.1K FD)
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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard
KPJ and Trae look great, but we have some other options to mix in. T.J. McConnell has been balling out in his limited minutes recently, popping off for 30.5, 27, and 32.75 DK points over his last five games. He can exceed five times his value in limited action in this game, as the game environment is excellent and Denver allows plenty of fantasy points.
He could also see some extra minutes as a trickle-down effect with Siakam sitting.
Chris Paul is another mid-range option to consider. The veteran has games with 28, 41.25, and 34.25 DK points over his last three contests, and he gets a Portland team that has allowed the 10th-most fantasy points per game to PGs over their previous seven games.
Top PG Options:
- Kevin Porter Jr., MIL @ NOP ($4.2K DK; $4.8K FD)
- Trae Young, ATL vs. UTA ($10.2K DK; $9.5K FD)
- T.J. McConnell, IND @ DEN ($4K DK) DraftKings Only
- Chris Paul, SAS @ POR ($5.1K DK; $5.3K FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard
Juzang, Julian Champagnie, Aaron Nesmith, and Caris LeVert are my picks at SG tonight, and they're all between $4K and $4.8K on DraftKings. Juzang is my top pick, but all four players average close to 1.00 FPTS/min and should see enough minutes to reach 5x value on this slate. Nesmith and LeVert are in the top game environments, and Nesmith has some bonus potential upside with Siakam already ruled out.
Top SG Options:
- Johnny Juzang, UTA @ ATL ($4K DK; $4K FD)
- Aaron Nesmith, IND @ DEN ($4.7K DK; $5.1K FD)
- Caris LeVert, ATL vs. UTA ($4.8K DK; $5.2K FD)
- Julian Champagnie, SAS @ POR ($4.1K DK) DraftKings Only
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward
All four SG picks qualify at SF, so we have solid positional flexibility. However, I'll also mix some Royce O'Neale, Jarace Walker, and Brice Sensabaugh. O'Neale's minutes and FPTS/min rate go up with Kevin Durant off the floor, and we should be able to bank on around 30 minutes and 25-ish DK points from the veteran forward.
Walker is averaging 24.5 DK PPG over his last five games, and we can feel safer about his playing time with Siakam out of the lineup. Sensabaugh has 35+ DK point upside on the injury-riddled Jazz, and the game environment will only help his chances of having a big game.
Top SF Options:
- Johnny Juzang, UTA @ ATL ($4K DK; $4K FD)
- Aaron Nesmith, IND @ DEN ($4.7K DK; $5.1K FD)
- Royce O'Neale, PHX @ NYK ($4.2K DK; $4.8K FD)
- Jarace Walker, IND @ DEN ($3.6K DK; $4.2K FD) Prefer on DraftKings
- Caris LeVert, ATL vs. UTA ($4.8K DK; $5.2K FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward
Top PF Options:
Karlo Matkovic has had some spike games at a cheap salary over the second half of the season, but his minutes have been tough to trust, so his production has been volatile. We should have a safer playing time projection with him tonight, as Kelly Olynyk has already been ruled out, and this matchup isn't terrible, as the Bucks have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points per game over their last seven games.
- Obi Toppin, IND @ DEN ($4.3K DK; $4.7K FD)
- Karlo Matkovic, NOP vs. MIL ($4.6K DK; $5.1K FD)
- Royce O'Neale, PHX @ NYK ($4.2K DK; $4.8K FD)
- Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, NOP vs. MIL ($3.6K DK; $4K FD)
- Jarace Walker, IND @ DEN ($3.6K DK; $4.2K FD) Prefer on DraftKings
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center
Top C Options:
Center is straightforward. Play Jokic, and pair him with either a mid-range guy with high upside (Clingan, Yves Missi, Turner), or a punt play like Matkovic, Toppin, or Bismack Biyombo. I prefer shooting for the upside with Clingan against an overmatched Spurs frontcourt.
- Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. IND ($12.7K DK; $12.7K FD)
- Donovan Clingan, POR vs. SAS ($6.1K DK; $5.9K FD)
- Obi Toppin, IND @ DEN ($4.3K DK; $4.7K FD)
- Karlo Matkovic, NOP vs. MIL ($4.6K DK; $5.1K FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Pacers @ Nuggets (240.5 o/u; 103.7 projected pace)
- Jazz @ Hawks (244.5 o/u; 105.0 projected pace)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
Celtics against the Wizards. Boston is a massive 20.5-point favorite at home against the worst team in the league, so I don't have any interest in paying up for Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, or Payton Pritchard. We'll have to look at Boston pieces if Tatum and Brown get ruled out, but I'm not touching them unless that is the case.
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: Nikola Jokic
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Nikola Jokic
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Donovan Clingan
- My favorite value play: Kevin Porter Jr.
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