FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Friday 3/21/25

If you're looking to have some fun this basketball season, NBA DFS on FanDuel has you covered.

With NBA DFS, you can put your hoops knowledge to the test and ride with players you think will go off in a given night.

To help you along the way, we've got a bunch of tools here at FanDuel Research. Specifically, our NBA DFS projections update throughout the day to reflect current news.

On top of all that, we'll come at you each day with this NBA DFS primer, which breaks down some of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's dive into today's main slate on FanDuel.

Betting lines via the NBA odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. Projections and betting odds may change after this article is published.

NBA DFS Picks for Today

Guards

Top Priorities

James Harden ($9,600) -- We've gotten vintage James Harden recently, with the veteran guard contributing 46-plus FanDuel points (FDPs) in eight of his last nine starts. Harden has a decent shot to continue his recent stretch of success on Friday against a Memphis Grizzlies team that is 1st in pace, 16th in assist rate allowed (64.4%), and 25th in free-throw rate allowed (26.6%).

Russell Westbrook ($7,400) -- There's a chance the Denver Nuggets are without Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic for a third straight contest, which would pave the way for Russell Westbrook to make his fourth consecutive start. Westbrook has posted 43-plus FDPs in two of his last three starts, and the Portland Trail Blazers are coughing up the seventh-most FDPs per game to PGs (50.4).

Jrue Holiday ($5,900) -- It has been an up-and-down season for Jrue Holiday, but the experienced guard has notched 41-plus FDPs in three straight outings for the Boston Celtics. With Jaylen Brown already ruled out on Friday, that opens the door for Holiday and Payton Pritchard ($5,900) to see more usage against a Utah Jazz squad that is giving up the most FDPs per game to PGs (54.9).

Others to Consider

Derrick White ($7,000) -- Along with Holiday and Pritchard, Derrick White should generate more production sans Brown, especially with Utah ranking 29th in three-point rate allowed (44.7%) and 30th in steal rate allowed (9.8%). According to FantasyLabs' On/Off tool, White sees the highest usage rate increase (+6.1%) on the Celtics whenever Brown isn't on the court.

Isaiah Joe ($4,600) -- In a matchup where the Oklahoma City Thunder are around 20-point favorites over the Charlotte Hornets, Isaiah Joe can do some damage off the bench for OKC. The Hornets are 28th in three-point rate allowed (44.7%), and Joe would see an even bigger boost if Cason Wallace is sidelined for the a second straight contest.

Wings

Top Priorities

Paolo Banchero ($9,200) -- Paolo Banchero has been on a tear recently, supplying 46-plus FDPs in 6 of his last 10 outings, and he'll draw a fantastic matchup versus the Washington Wizards on Friday. On top of the Wizards operating at the 4th-fastest pace, they are 28th in adjusted defensive rating (117.4), 24th in effective field-goal percentage allowed (54.9%), and 25th in steal rate allowed (9.0%).

Kawhi Leonard ($8,700) -- Kawhi Leonard might be my favorite play on the entire slate, as he's registered 45-plus FDPs in four consecutive starts, and he's logged 35-plus minutes in 9 of his last 10 contests. Besides the Grizzlies permitting the 2nd-most FDPs per game to SFs (44.5) and 5th-most FDPs per game to PFs (49.5), they are 19th in steal rate allowed (8.5%).

Ryan Dunn ($4,600) -- The Phoenix Suns have reinserted Ryan Dunn into the starting lineup over their last four games, and he's responded by putting up 26-plus FDPs in each of those contests. The impending clash between the Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers is tied for the highest total on the slate, and this is a pace-up spot for Phoenix with Cleveland playing at the ninth-fastest pace.

Others to Consider

Naji Marshall ($7,300) -- While PJ Washington ($7,600) is also a fine option for a shorthanded Dallas Mavericks team, Naji Marshall has been consistent, accruing 36-plus FDPs in six of his last nine outings. In addition to the Detroit Pistons sitting at 22nd in three-point rate allowed (36.4%), they are 27th in steal rate allowed (9.1%).

Bruce Brown ($4,700) -- Given the season-ending injury to Trey Murphy III and the fact that the New Orleans Pelicans are double-digit underdogs versus the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, Bruce Brown Jr. should get plenty of run. Brown has scored 31-plus FDPs in two of his last three contests, and the Timberwolves are 20th in steal rate allowed (8.6%).

Bigs

Top Priorities

Kristaps Porzingis ($8,200) -- The Celtics likely aren't going to hand Kristaps Porzingis a heavy dose of minutes down the stretch, but he just racked up 53.1 FDPs in 29 minutes in Boston's most recent game. Porzingis could accumulate more stats with Jaylen Brown sidelined, while the Jazz are 30th in block rate allowed (13.0%) and are ceding the 3rd-most FDPs per game to Cs (58.5).

Donovan Clingan ($6,000) -- Donovan Clingan won't have to worry about guarding Nikola Jokic on Friday, and the Nuggets are 25th in rim field-goal percentage allowed (65.1%). Even when Jokic was active in the back-to-back meetings between Portland and Denver on February 10 and February 12, Clingan tallied 31.4 and 52 FDPs in those matchups.

Kai Jones ($4,100) -- The Mavericks went back to deploying Kai Jones as their starting center in their last contest, resulting in him producing 31.7 FDPs in 24 minutes. Even though the Pistons aren't an ideal matchup for Cs, our projections have Jones listed as the second-best points-per-dollar play (6.8x value) on the entire slate.

Others to Consider

Ivica Zubac ($8,100) -- If you're someone who won't have James Harden and/or Kawhi Leonard in your lineup on Friday, Ivica Zubac is another way to get exposure to the Los Angeles Clippers in a pace-up spot versus the Grizzlies. Zubac has notched 42-plus FDPs in five of his last six starts, and Memphis is allowing the seventh-most FDPs to Cs (56.7) over their last 30 games.

Aaron Gordon ($6,200) -- Aaron Gordon is probable to play for the Nuggets on Friday, and he's stepped up in a big way amid the absences of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, achieving 38-plus FDPs in back-to-back contests. Instead of playing a traditional center with Jokic inactive, Denver has deployed Gordon at the five, which should lead to positive results as Portland is 28th in offensive rebound rate allowed (27.6%) and 26th in block rate allowed (10.4%).

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.