NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Saturday, February 25

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Saturday, February 25

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview

TOR at DET: Raptors are on a three-game win streak. 

IND at ORL: Pacers are 8-20 on the road.  

MIA at CHA: Heat are on a three-game slide, while Hornets have won three straight. 

NOP at NYK: Knicks are on a four-game win streak.  

DEN at MEM: Nuggets are on a four-game win streak. 

BOS at PHI: 76ers are on a five-game win streak.  

SAS at UTA: Spurs are on a 15-game slide.   

For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks, articles and sportsbook bonus codes.

Injuries to Monitor  

For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report      

TOR - Fred VanVleet (personal): OUT
Look for Gary Trent and Scottie Barnes to handle most of the backcourt duties, while Chris Boucher and Precious Achiuwa play key roles off the bench. Malachi Flynn did not play in the last game that VanVleet missed. 

DET - Marvin Bagley (hand): Probable / Jalen Duren (ankle): OUT
James Wiseman should pick up more playing time in the absence of Duren. 

MIA - Kyle Lowry (knee): OUT
Gabe Vincent will continue to handle the starting point guard job. 

NOP - Dyson Daniels (ankle): Questionable / Zion Williamson (hamstring): OUT
Josh Richardson should continue to fill in the starting lineup in place of Williamson, while Herbert Jones and Brandon Ingram handle the forward positions. 

NYK - Evan Fournier (illness): Questionable 

DEN - Aaron Gordon (ribs): Questionable 
If Gordon remains out, Vlatko Cancar will continue to see a boost. 

MEM- Steven Adams (knee): OUT
Brandon Clarke and Xavier Tillman must continue to step up in the frontcourt. 

SAS - Jeremy Sochan (quadriceps): Probable / Tre Jones (foot): Questionable / Romeo Langford (thigh), Devin Vassell (knee), Isaiah Roby (ankle): OUT
Malaki Branham and Devonte' Graham get more opportunity in the backcourt, while Charles Bassey's playing time will depend on Sochan's status. 

UTA - Rudy Gay (nose), Kelly Olynyk (ankle): Questionable / Collin Sexton (hamstring): OUT
Talen Horton-Tucker and Juan Toscano-Anderson should get a boost if Olynyk is out, while Kris Dunn will see more playing time if Sexton remains out. 

Elite Players

Guards

Jalen Brunson, Knicks ($8,200) vs. Pelicans 

Brunson is coming off a relatively quiet outing, but he exceeded 50 DK points in three of the last five games, averaging 29.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists. He should shine against the Pelicans, who give up the league's eighth-most turnovers per game and are struggling while they remain shorthanded. The Pelicans also allow opponents to shoot an average of 47.4 percent from the field. 

Jordan Clarkson, Jazz ($7,300) vs. Spurs   

Clarkson continues to carry a more prominent role in the backcourt since the Jazz dealt Mike Conley, and Collin Sexton remains sidelined. Clarkson topped 34 DK points in the last four games, including a high of 40.3, while averaging 24.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists, and he should prosper against the Spurs, who give up a league-high 122.9 points per game while allowing opponents to shoot an average of 51.0 percent from the field. 

Forwards/Centers

Lauri Markkanen, Jazz ($9,300) vs. Spurs  

Markkanen is coming off a massive outing where he tallied 43 points, 10 rebounds and three assists for a total of 61 DK points, and he has averaged 29.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists across the past five games. He should be up for another big night against the Spurs, who struggle defensively, including allowing opponents to shoot an average of 39.7 percent from long range.

Jimmy Butler, Heat ($9,200) at Hornets 

Butler is coming off a few quieter outings but has averaged 21.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.5 steals over the last 10. He has a solid opportunity to get back on track against the Hornets, who give up the league's third-most points per game, including an average of 12.9 three-pointers. 

Bam Adebayo, Heat ($8,800) at Hornets  

Adebayo surpassed 50 DK points in three of the previous 10 games, averaging 21.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals. He has a great chance to shine against the Hornets, who give up the league's ninth-most points in the paint and allow opponents to shoot an average of 48.0 percent from the field. 

Expected Chalk 

Nikola Jokic, Nuggets ($11,700) at Grizzlies  

Jokic tallied more than 70 DK points twice in five games, averaging 24.8 points, 14.2 rebounds, 9.4 assists and 1.0 blocks. He should continue to thrive with a matchup against the Grizzlies, who are shorthanded in the frontcourt and give up an average of 11.1 offensive rebounds per game.

Value Picks

Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies ($4,600) vs. Nuggets 

Clarke has averaged 5.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals in back-to-back starts and must continue to step up in Steven Adams' absence. 

Herbert Jones, Pelicans ($4,600) at Knicks 

Jones notched a high of 42 DK points, averaging 8.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.2 steals in 33 minutes of action across the past 10 games. He'll continue to carry more responsibility in the frontcourt with Zion Williamson sidelined. 

Caleb Martin, Heat ($4,600) at Hornets  

Martin exceeded 20 DK points in eight of 10 outings, including a high of 39.8, and he has a great chance to pad his stats against the Hornets' lackluster defense. 

Josh Richardson, Pelicans ($4,200) at Knicks  

Richardson has averaged 9.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 3.3 steals and 1.0 blocks in three games since joining the Pelicans, and he must continue to step up as they remain without one of their top scorers. 

Devonte' Graham, Spurs ($4,500) at Jazz  

Graham is averaging 14.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.0 steals since joining the Spurs, and he should continue to see substantial playing time, especially while they remain shorthanded in the backcourt. 

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Dan Bruno plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: duelingdan.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dan Bruno
Dan has been writing all things NBA for RotoWire since 2014. He is an active fantasy sports player, with a love for DFS. Dan is a certified Coach with the Ontario Basketball Association and is a recreation professional in his home city.
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