The NBA is closing out 2025 with a strong push to the end of the calendar year, and on the final Saturday of the year, there are nine games on the scoreboard. Eight of those games tip off at either 7:00 p.m. ET or 8:00 p.m. ET, creating a nice overstuffed “turbo” style setup with plenty of action happening at once across the Association. Half of the 16 teams on the board on Saturday night are playing for the second day in a row, so keep a close eye on who’s in and who’s out leading up to tip-off. Be sure to check back for updates to our models as injury reports come out throughout the day.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
You can also use our SimLabs Lineup Generator, a tool that creates the most user-friendly lineup generation process.
Note: Projections and Leverage Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
The Knicks are in Atlanta to take on the Hawks in one of the most interesting matchups on the board this Saturday night, and Jalen Brunson has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections of all point guards.
Brunson and the Knicks will take the floor for the first time since their big comeback on Christmas against the Cavs. Brunson had 34 points and 46.75 DraftKings points in that win after posting an even more impressive 47 points, eight assists, and 65.75 DraftKings points against the Heat last Sunday.
He’ll be in another good matchup against the Hawks, who have been specifically allowing some big guard performances against them since Trae Young‘s return. Brunson vs. Young should be a great head-to-head matchup to enjoy, and he’s one of the best pay-up plays to consider on Saturday’s slate.
Value
The Jazz and Spurs meet in the game with the highest implied total on the board, according to our Vegas Dashboard. In that matchup, Isaiah Collier has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard on Saturday’s slate.
Collier is a bargain under $4,500 and has exceeded salary-based expectations in six straight games. The second-year guard from USC goes about his fantasy production a little differently than many point guards, focusing more on giving out assists than scoring points.
He has at least eight assists in seven straight contests, and in his last six games, he is averaging 30.4 DraftKings points per game on 10.8 points, 9.5 assists, and 1.3 steals in 27.7 minutes per game off the bench.
He had nine points and nine assists in the Jazz’s upset win over the Pistons on Friday and will look to turn in another strong bargain line on Saturday in San Antonio. The Jazz’s injury report will be key to seeing exactly what his role will be, but if he’s set for playing time, he has the potential to be a great bargain play at point guard.
Fast Break
Devin Booker has the second-highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at point guard as his Suns face the Pelicans for a second straight night. On Friday, he had 30 points and 49.2 DraftKings points in the same smashable matchup he’ll enjoy on Saturday.
The Spurs have the highest implied team total on the board, and De’Aaron Fox is a strong play if he can play through a questionable tag due to left adductor tightness. Fox had a huge Christmas game with 29 points and 43.5 DraftKings points, as the Spurs beat the Thunder again, and Fox has over 40 DraftKings points in two of his last three games. If he plays through the injury, he has a high ceiling and should bring good leverage as well.
If you’re shopping for a cheaper starter, check out Nets’ rookie Egor Demin, who has averaged 10.9 points, 3.8 assists, 3.2 boards, and 25.5 minutes per game since moving into the starting lineup. He posted double-digit points in four straight games and finished with 20 points, five assists, and 31 DraftKings points against the Sixers on Tuesday. He has 30+ DraftKings points in three of his last four games, and he’s a great bargain against the Timberwolves since his role is increasing and fairly stable compared to the other bargain guards.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Norman Powell has a top-five Plus/Minus projection at both shooting guard and small forward, and even though his salary is under $7,000, he has the third-highest ceiling projection of all small forwards and the eighth-highest ceiling projection of all shooting guards.
On Friday, Powell had to carry more of the workload for the Heat since both Tyler Herro (toe) and Bam Adebayo (back) were out. Adebayo could play on Saturday, but even in that situation, Powell should be a strong play with plenty of usage.
In Friday’s game against the Hawks, he played 33 minutes and finished with a balanced line of 25 points, seven rebounds, and five assists for over 40 DraftKings points. The veteran wing has put up at least 39 DraftKings points in six of his nine games this month, and he has exceeded salary-based expectations in eight of his last 11 contests.
Powell and the Heat get a great matchup at home against the Pacers on Saturday night. The Pacers have struggled without Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) amid many other injuries. They have the worst record in the Eastern Conference and just gave up 140 points last night to the Celtics. If Powell gets heavy usage again on Saturday, he should positively pound the Pacers.
Value
In some situations, it helps to have a different perspective on the slate, and one awesome way to get that is by using the ShotQuality projections, which can be built right into your models. In that set of projections, Collin Gillespie has a top-six Plus/Minus projection at both point guard and shooting guard.
Gillespie has impressed in his third year in the NBA, averaging 13.5 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game for an average of 29.7 DraftKings points per game. Those averages are still held back by his slow start, though, and he has been playing much better lately.
In each of his last four games, he has scored exactly 16 points, and he has at least 12 points in 15 of his last 16. He has at least 34 DraftKings points in four straight and six of his last eight games, including an impressive high point of 47.5 DraftKings points against the Lakers on Dec. 1.
Gillespie gets a great matchup against the Pelicans, and last night in the first game of this back-to-back against the same opponent, he had 37.2 DraftKings points on 16 points, nine assists, three rebounds, a block, and a steal in his 35 minutes. Depending on whom the Suns do and do not have available, Gillespie could get even more work on Saturday, so keep an eye on the injury report.
Fast Break
Anthony Edwards is questionable with a shoulder injury, but he has the second-highest ceiling, median, and floor projections in both sets of projections at shooting guard. Edwards has exceeded salary-based expectations in four of his last five games and is coming off 44 points on Christmas night.
For the Magic, Anthony Black has exceeded salary-based expectations in eight straight games while picking up more work in the absence of Franz Wagner (ankle) and Jalen Suggs (hip). Black’s salary is up to $7,000, but he has 44.2 and 40.75 DraftKings points in his last two games, so he still has enough upside to be useful as a hot option at either guard spot if Wagner and Suggs are out on Saturday.
Brice Sensabaugh is an interesting option for the Jazz in that potentially high-scoring matchup in San Antonio. Sensabaugh has flashed scoring potential when given opportunities in the past and is heating up once again. He helped fill in with Ace Bailey (hip) out on Friday, chipping in 20 points in 33 minutes against the Pistons. He has at least 12 points in four of his last five games and is finding ways to regularly return value in Utah’s second unit. See whom the Jazz have available Saturday, but if Sensabaugh is set for minutes, he has very solid upside.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Kevin Durant has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection at small forward in both sets of projections, as he and the Rockets host the Cavaliers, who have been a good matchup for forwards this season.
Durant had 48.5 DraftKings points on Christmas even though he only had to play 33 minutes in a rout of the Lakers. He finished with 25 points, eight assists, four rebounds, a steal, and two blocks.
KD has been rolling lately with at least 48 DraftKings points in five of his last six games, as he helps carry the young Rockets, who are looking like one of the best teams in the Western Conference.
Value
In Thursday’s matchup against the Lakers, Tari Eason joined Durant in the lineup, sending Josh Okogie to the bench. Eason brings a ton of upside if he can stay healthy in the starting five, and he showcased that potential on Christmas against the Lakers with 31.75 DraftKings points in 26 minutes. Eason had 13 points, three rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and four steals.
Eason missed about five weeks with a leg injury, but he has looked very strong in two of his three games since returning.
Not only does “The Bucket from the Bayou” bring plenty of quick scoring potential, he also brings high energy and can pile up production in non-scoring categories as well, as he did with his defense against the Lakers.
He has a top-seven Plus/Minus projection at both forward spots in both sets of projections, and he is a great option at only $4,500 if he gets another start on Saturday.
Fast Break
Michael Porter Jr. has thrived in his role as the focal point of the Nets’ offense, and he has the third-highest median and ceiling projections in both the FantasyLabs and ShotQuality projections on Saturday night. He has over 40 DraftKings points in three straight games and showed an even higher ceiling with over 60 DraftKings points against the Bulls early in the month.
For the Heat, Jaime Jaquez Jr. has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection at small forward on Saturday’s slate as he helps fill in for multiple Miami injuries. Jaquez had 16 points and 32.75 DraftKings points against the Hawks, and he has scored at least 14 points and 25 DraftKings points in five straight games.
If the Jazz rest regulars, Taylor Hendricks and Svi Mykhailiuk will have great value potential. They have the top two Plus/Minus projections at small forward ahead of Sensabaugh, with Bailey injured and other forwards potentially resting.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Even though Trae Young has returned to help shoulder the scoring load, Jalen Johnson continues his breakout season. With or without Trae, Johnson has posted monster stat lines all season long, and he has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projections of all power forwards on Saturday. He also has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position in the ShotQuality projections, showing he’s actually a little underpriced at $9,700 given his recent rate of production.
Even though the Hawks have dropped five straight, Johnson is averaging 23.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 35 minutes per game on the season. He’s put up 53.7 DraftKings points per contest and has been even better than those impressive numbers lately.
He posted almost identical lines of 24 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds in each of his last two games, coming up just short of a triple-double and earning 55.75 and 55.25 DraftKings points. He had four straight triple-doubles earlier this month, and he has been either one rebound or one assist short in four of his five games since then. Over his last nine games, he’s averaging an incredible 60.2 DraftKings points per game.
Value
The Milwaukee Bucks have been without Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf), and they’ve gone back to Bobby Portis as a larger part of their solution. Even with Giannis potentially returning on Saturday, Portis is in a solid spot as he faces his former team, the Bulls, in Chicago on Saturday night.
In each of his last four games, Portis has played over 31 minutes and has moved into the starting lineup for his last three. In those four games, he averaged 37.1 DraftKings points per game on 17.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.3 steals.
Portis had 15 points and 12 rebounds against the Grizzlies on Friday, and he is just one rebound short of posting a double-double in each of his last four and five of his last six contests. It will be interesting to see how he and Giannis meld with Myles Turner and Jericho Sims also in the mix, but Portis still brings solid GPP upside based on his recent form.
Fast Break
Rockets big man Alperen Sengun still has dual eligibility at power forward and center, and he’s questionable for Saturday’s matchup due to left calf tightness. If he’s out, Durant will be an even better play, but if he plays, he’ll be in a good spot against the Cavs. Sengun has the second-highest ceiling projection of all power forwards, behind only Johnson in the ShotQuality projections.
Spurs forward Keldon Johnson has at least nine points in five straight games and went off for 25 points and 29.75 DraftKings points on Tuesday. If the Spurs establish more of a lead early against the Jazz, Johnson could clean up in garbage time and end up being an excellent value.
Against the Pelicans, Ryan Dunn is another good play at power forward under $4,000, and he has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of the non-Jazz at the position. Dunn had nine points and eight rebounds for 24.5 DraftKings points in 21 minutes in the first game of the set, and he could get even more work depending on who sits on Saturday.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
As always when he’s on the slate, Nikola Jokic has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projections at center. He’s significantly more expensive than any other player expected to play, but he has proven that he can deliver excellent value even though his salary has climbed well over $12,000.
Jokic has looked like a player using a cheat code and has put up video game numbers in his last few contests. On Christmas, he had a jaw-dropping 106.5 DraftKings points on 56 points, 16 rebounds, 15 assists, two blocks, and four three-pointers. It took double overtime, but he got his team the win and posted the first ever 55-15-15 game in NBA history.
He’s capable of absolutely going off and being a “must-own” on any slate. However, he is pricey to build around, so you’ll need to find the right value picks to include around him.
Value
Last night against the Pelicans, Mark Williams played 27 minutes and had a big game with 24 points, 13 boards, and 49.2 DraftKings points. All season, though, the Suns have carefully managed Williams’ workload, meaning he sits out the second half of the Suns’ back-to-back games. He has missed four games this season on the second night of back-to-backs, and Oso Ighodaro typically steps into a bigger role.
In his four games without Williams this season, Ighodaro is averaging 22.3 fantasy points in 25.0 minutes per game. He started the last time Williams was out and posted eight points, eight boards, three assists, and 26 DraftKings points against Jokic and the Nuggets.
Ighodaro will be in a smash spot as a top value play if he’s in the starting lineup again on Saturday in the Big Easy. The rematch between these teams could be totally different depending on who is in and who is out, so keep a close eye on the injury report.
Fast Break
Karl-Anthony Towns had a “quiet” double-double with 11 points, 14 rebounds, and 34.5 DraftKings points against the Cavaliers on Christmas. He deferred a little more to Brunson and the rest of the Knicks after carrying the workload with 40 points and 13 boards on his way to 60.25 DraftKings points against the Timberwolves on Tuesday. He should bounce back and land somewhere between those extremes, although the matchup in Atlanta is juicy enough to expect him to be more toward his ceiling than his floor.
Wendell Carter Jr. has exceeded salary-based expectations in five of his last six games and posted over 30 DraftKings points in each of his last two games. He’ll have the unenviable task of slowing down Jokic on one end, but he should still be able to contribute value on offense as well if he can avoid foul trouble.
The Nets have been getting good minutes from Day’Ron Sharpe, who is still under $4,000. He has the fifth-highest Plus/Minus projections at the position in the ShotQuality projections. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in six of his last eight games, with two games over 34 DraftKings points.
