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Free expert daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use John's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on February 25, 2024.
It's a Sunday in the NBA and we're back after the All-Star Break. I hope you all had a fantastic start to 2024, and let's head forward with a massive win and get our bankrolls prepared for the long haul.
We have just one team on a back-to-back on tonight's slate: the Orlando Magic. Let's see how that affects some of our lineups and how we want to attack this slate.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 2/25/23. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome new NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 PM EST on FanDuel and DraftKings.
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Today's NBA DFS Core Plays
I have to start this slate with Victor Wembanyama. Wemby is in a prime spot tonight as both San Antonio and Utah rank in the top ten in pace and the bottom third of defensive efficiency. Utah ranks dead last in defensive efficiency against power forwards and 20th against centers, so I have a feeling that the rookie has himself a night no matter how he's used. He projects to a 29.83% usage rate across 31 minutes.
a work of art 🤩 pic.twitter.com/M3LnVaUHkZ
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 24, 2024
I'll flip the court for my second core play here in Keyonte George. The Spurs rank dead last in defensive efficiency against the point guard position. George has seen a bit of a usage increase of late, and projects to a 20.93% usage rate across 32 minutes according to my model. For his price, I think this is an absolute steal of a play.
oops he did it again 💜 pic.twitter.com/EOtVnyIM8X
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 23, 2024
Top Core Plays:
- Victor Wembanyama, SA vs. UTA – PF/C ($9,600 DK; $11,600 FD)
- Keyonte George, UTA vs. SA – PG ($5,300 DK; $6,000 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Value Plays
Starting value plays with Jalen Suggs who comes into this one while the Magic are on a back-to-back, traveling down from Detroit. Suggs should have himself a night in the ATL, and while he projects to just a 19.21% usage rate in 29 minutes on the court, he should make the most of his usage against an Atlanta defense that ranks 29th in defensive efficiency against point guards.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a guy who I've played in DFS year after year. He falls into my favorite category of high-minute, low-usage players who you only play when they're primed to succeed. This is a GPP-specific play, as KCP projects just a 14.17% usage rate across 32 minutes tonight. He does draw a solid matchup against this Warriors defense that ranks 26th against shooting guards.
Top Value Plays:
- Jalen Suggs, ORL vs. ATL - PG/SG ($5,000 DK; $5,600 FD)
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, DEN vs. GS - SG ($4,400 DK; $4,600 FD)
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Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Point Guard
Starting the position-by-position breakdowns here I'll be looking at the point guard position as we have one mid-tiered player in terms of price and two relative value guys in Keyonte George and Jalen Suggs. Those are my top two guys at the point guard position. I mentioned George in terms of value plays, and George and Jalen Suggs will likely be my top point guard pair on this slate.
Top PG Options:
- Keyonte George vs. SA ($5,300 DK; $6,000 FD)
- Jalen Suggs vs. ATL ($5,000 DK; $5,600 FD)
- Anfernee Simons vs. CHA ($7,600 DK; $7,600 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Shooting Guard
There isn't a ton to offer at the shooting guard position tonight, but we do have some value starting with the aforementioned Kentavious-Caldwell Pope. Along with KCP, Devin Vassell and Collin Sexton will go back and forth in their matchup tonight. Neither the Jazz nor the Spurs defense the position well, coming into this matchup ranked 24th and 29th in defensive efficiency against the position, respectively.
Top SG Options:
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope vs. GS ($4,400 DK; $4,600 FD)
- Devin Vassell vs. UTA ($6,800 DK; $7,400 FD)
- Collin Sexton vs. SA ($6,500 DK; $6,700 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Small Forward
There isn't much to offer at the small forward position either, as I only have three guys I have on my radar. Paul George is in the best spot, followed marginally by Brandon Miller. These are two of my three game scripts on tonight's slate. Lauri Markkanen is also in a fantastic matchup against a Spurs team that ranks 25th in efficiency against the position. I feel as though Lauri will "leak" into a power forward role in tonight's game though, which devalues him in this spot in my opinion.
Top SF Options:
- Paul George vs. SAC ($7,900 DK; $8,100 FD)
- Brandon Miller vs. POR ($6,900 DK; $7,100 FD)
- Lauri Markkanen vs. SA ($8,200 DK; $7,900 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Power Forward
The power forward position is the deepest on the slate tonight. It's likely going to be my buy-up position, as I'll want a ton of the aforementioned Victor Wembanyama in my lineups. You can sort around in the upper-mid tier with Kawhi Leonard and Paolo Banchero, or pay down for a guy like Aaron Gordon. However, my most-rostered power forwards tonight will most likely be Wemby and Jerami Grant.
Top PF Options:
- Victor Wembanyama vs. MIA ($9,600 DK; $11,600 FD)
- Kawhi Leonard vs. SAC ($8,600 DK; $8,900 FD)
- Jerami Grant vs. CHA ($7,000 DK; $7,300 FD)
- Aaron Gordon vs. GS ($6,600 DK; $6,300 FD)
- Paolo Banchero vs. ATL ($8,400 DK; $8,700 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Center
Similar to power forward, we have some deep value at the center position tonight. Unless I'm moving Wemby to the center spot, I'll be digging in the low-to-mid tier here. Guys like Wendell Carter and John Collins are in huge pace-up spots while Nick Richards should play around 30 minutes if he starts for Charlotte against the 26th-ranked Blazers defense. I'll be getting creative here, especially on FanDuel where you can only run one center (although Collins has power forward eligibility as well).
Top C Options:
- Wendell Carter vs. ATL ($5,100 DK; $5,300 FD)
- Nick Richards vs. POR ($5,500 DK; $5,900 FD)
- John Collins vs. SA ($6,300 DK; $6,600 FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Spurs @ Jazz (242.5 total)
- Blazers @ Hornets (219.5 total)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
- I'm a bit back-and-forth on fading the Hawks. While Orlando is super strong defensively, they are on a back-to-back and had to travel from Detroit to Atlanta last night.
- I'm not a huge fan of the Warriors tonight either, as the Nuggets rank 12th in defensive efficiency and should slow the pace down.
My Favorite NBA DFS Lineup 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: Keyonte George
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- My favorite value play: Jalen Suggs
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