FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Saturday 2/22/25

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. All injury news comes from the NBA's official injury report.

NBA DFS Picks for Today

Guards

Top Priorities

Luka Doncic ($10,500)

"Buying low on recent poor shooting" is kind of my thing in NBA DFS. I'm just surprised that Luka Doncic even fits into the category.

After an off day to rest his calf, Doncic should return on national television against the Denver Nuggets. It's been odd to see him struggle so mightily shooting with the Los Angeles Lakers to this point (35.6 FG%), but the peripheral usage (33.4% rate) has still been there.

The cold spell could certainly end opposite a Nuggets team allowing the 11th-most FanDuel points (FDP) per game to point guards (48.7), and Denver also plays at the fifth-quickest pace in the NBA.

Our NBA DFS projections shine favorably on Luka at this salary, forecasting 53.8 median FDP.

Killian Hayes ($3,800)

Killian Hayes is back on the NBA DFS landscape. Time is truly a flat circle.

Hayes has latched onto the Brooklyn Nets' tank parade, earning 21 minutes off the bench in his last game with the club. That was with D'Angelo Russell starting and logging 18 minutes, but Russell (ankle) won't play Saturday.

Could Hayes move into the starting lineup with Cameron Thomas (hamstring) also out? It's plausible, and this is a guy who -- general skill aside -- posted 23.5 FDP per 36 minutes in his debut and 30.3 FDP per 36 last season with the Detroit Pistons.

He's living, breathing proof that any starting point guard in the NBA is worth a look at a sub-$4,000 salary.

Others to Consider

Russell Westbrook ($6,000)

Russell Westbrook returned to 25 minutes on Thursday after the break, and averaging 42.3 FDP per 36 minutes, this salary is pretty low in a full-time role when -- playing the best basketball he has in years -- he'll probably want to stick it to the Lakers.

Collin Sexton ($5,800)

We'll see where the Utah Jazz's pending shenanigans on a back-to-back lead us, but Collin Sexton is projected well in FanDuel Research's model now (29.4 FDP), and that would only rise if Jordan Clarkson or Keyonte George catch the "Cooper Flagg flu" this evening.

Wings

Top Priorities

Paul George ($7,300)

Man, even as a Los Angeles Clippers fan, it bums me out to see the shell of himself that Paul George has been playing like recently.

George's February shooting is more arctic than frigid. He's at a cool 41.99 FG%, which is made worse by the fact he's just stopped firing. He's only taking 10.3 total shots a game in this time.

The worst effort was a 1-for-7 display opposite these same Brooklyn Nets, and a hunch lends me to believe the Philadelphia 76ers will want to get him going against a tanking squad that, otherwise, has allowed the ninth-most points per game to small forwards (22.2).

When George snaps out of it, he'll be extreme value at this salary. I wouldn't bet on that in cash formats, but there's a ceiling for tournaments here.

Rui Hachimura ($6,000)

The Lakers' undersized frontcourt is going to call on a man well familiar with guarding Nikola Jokic at this stage.

Rui Hachimura has had to do so in the Western Conference Finals, so a Saturday in February should be a cakewalk, right? Regardless, Hachimura's presence as L.A.'s "big" has done wonders for his fantasy basketball value.

In the seven games since the Luka deal, Hachimura has topped 30 FDP four times. More importantly, he's logged at least 33 minutes in six of them, putting to bed previous role concerns.

The Nuggets allow the fifth-most paint points per game (50.9), so there will be openings for the interior scorer if he can stay out of foul trouble.

Others to Consider

Lauri Markkanen ($6,700)

I think I just get "sticker shock" every time I see the former All-Star, who averaged 44.6 FDP per 36 minutes last year, in the $6,000 area. He just hasn't been that guy this season, but if Clarkson or John Collins take a seat on this short slate, I will roll the dice he can pop a little opposite a stingy Houston Rockets defense.

Jerami Grant ($5,500)

Jerami Grant isn't a sexy option, but he's topped 30 minutes in six straight games and eclipsed 25 FDP in four of those efforts. The Charlotte Hornets have allowed the seventh-most points per game to opposing small forwards, as well.

Bigs

Top Priorities

Nikola Jokic ($12,800)

I am all about Nikola Jokic on today's short slate.

On paper, the Lakers are a top-15 defense in paint points and second-chance points per game allowed since the Luka trade. They've also just faced bottom-10 two-point-scoring teams in five of seven games. Denver scores the highest rate of their points inside in the NBA (55.1%).

Jokic, of course, leads that charge, and Jaxson Hayes, Trey Jemison, and Jarred Vanderbilt -- plus a wing in Hachimura -- aren't primed to slow him down. Even with Anthony Davis in the fold, Jokic has posted 27.7 points and 13.8 rebounds per game in his last 20 (including postseason) against the Lakers.

He's topped 61 FDP in seven of his last eight games, and this just doesn't seem to be the matchup where the buck stops.

Jabari Smith ($5,200)

The guy I've dubbed "Mr. Floor" returned from a broken hand on Thursday -- doing his usual thing.

Though the FDP totals are rarely stellar (26.8 in that one), Jabari Smith returned to 38 minutes right away. Houston's defensive rating (DRTG) goes from 112.1 without Smith on the floor to 108.3 with him, so he's going to be out there.

This is a great spot where we could see his counting stats rise. In addition to Utah's league-worst 118.5 DRTG, the Jazz play at the 10th-fastest pace in the NBA.

We've got Smith projected for 25.5 FDP, which would work at an extremely thin power forward position.

Others to Consider

Robert Williams ($5,200)

If you're buying the Lakers' short-term metrics, Robert Williams could be an interesting pivot off Jokic. With Deandre Ayton (calf) out, he (25) stayed ahead of Donovan Clingan (16) in minutes, and Charlotte's leaky interior has given up the fifth-most FDP per game to centers this year (58.4).

Trendon Watford ($4,100)

The Nets' frontcourt is a mess, but Trendon Watford has exceeded 20 minutes in four straight games and averaged 25.1 FDP per game in those. If we don't get surprise injury news before lock, he's a high-floor punt to get toward Doncic and Jokic.

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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.