NBA DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups, Injuries & More Today: Friday Playbook
Published: Mar 21, 2025
Happy Friday, March 21st! We have a robust NBA DFS main slate today with 7 games on DraftKings and 10 games on FanDuel.
This slate is already chalk full of big names being ruled out, headlined by Nikola Jokic who is out tonight for the Denver Nuggets with other notable players such as Jaylen Brown, Jalen Williams, Lauri Markkanen and Zion Williamson already ruled out as well.
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If this is your first time reading our column on NBA DFS picks, I just want to welcome you and give you a few tips and tricks on what you should be looking for each night.
- News outlets: reliable sources that give us injury news & starting lineups
- Pace of play: who's playing fast vs. who's playing slow. Which teams get a pace-up spot (more possessions) vs. pace-down (fewer possessions)
- Usage rates: is a percentage of how many plays that player is being used in
- NBA DFS Projections
- Lineup Generator
- NBA Ownership
NBA DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Today, March 21st
Be sure to like and subscribe to the Fantasy Alarm YouTube channel for more insights!
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Pre/Post-Lock Update
This section will cover any changes from this morning’s analysis up until roster lock. Expect injury updates, players we’re higher on as the day progresses, and more. All status updates after contest roster lock will be posted in the Fantasy Alarm Discord: https://discord.gg/2yATJxXe8G
UPDATE - 1:25 PM ET
- Jaden Springer - OUT
- Jordan Clarkson - Questionable
UPDATE - 6:00 PM ET
- Cole Anthony - Out
- Donovan Clingan - Questionable
NBA Injuries, News & Updates Today, 3/21
Here’s the latest injury report as of 7:30 AM on March 21, 2025, based on the provided NBA.com injury report:
Orlando Magic @ Washington Wizards (7:00 ET)
- Orlando Magic:
- Cole Anthony - Questionable (Left Big Toe Strain)
- Trevelin Queen - Questionable (Left Ankle Sprain)
- Jalen Suggs - Out (Left Knee Trochlea Cartilage Tear)
- Washington Wizards:
- Malcolm Brogdon - Out (Left Ankle Sprain)
- Bilal Coulibaly - Out (Right Hamstring Strain)
- Corey Kispert - Out (Left Thumb Surgery)
- Marcus Smart - Out (Right Index Finger Partial Extensor Hood Tear)
Charlotte Hornets @ Oklahoma City Thunder (8:00 ET)
- Charlotte Hornets: Not yet submitted
- Oklahoma City Thunder:
- Ousmane Dieng - Out (Left Calf Strain)
- Luguentz Dort - Out (Right Hip Impingement)
Houston Rockets @ Miami Heat (8:00 ET)
- Houston Rockets:
- Reed Sheppard - Out (Right Thumb Avulsion Fracture)
- Amen Thompson - Probable (Left Ankle Sprain)
- Miami Heat:
- Nikola Jovic - Out (Right Hand Broken)
- Andrew Wiggins - Questionable (Right Ankle Impingement)
New Orleans Pelicans @ Minnesota Timberwolves (8:00 ET)
- New Orleans Pelicans:
- Zion Williamson -Â Out (Back)
- Brandon Boston - Out (Left Ankle Stress Reaction)
- Herbert Jones - Out (Right Shoulder Torn Rotator Cuff)
- Trey Murphy - Out (Right Shoulder Torn Labrum)
- Dejounte Murray - Out (Right Achilles Rupture)
- Minnesota Timberwolves:
- No Notable Injuries
Philadelphia 76ers @ San Antonio Spurs (8:00 ET)
- Philadelphia 76ers:
- Adem Bona - Out (Left Ankle Sprain)
- Andre Drummond - Out (Left Toe Sprain)
- Joel Embiid - Out (Left Knee Injury Management)
- Paul George - Out (Left Groin Injury Recovery)
- Eric Gordon - Out (Right Wrist Surgery)
- Kyle Lowry - Out (Right Hip Injury Management)
- Tyrese Maxey - Out (Lower Back Sprain / Finger Sprain)
- Jared McCain - Out (Left Knee Meniscus Surgery)
- Kelly Oubre - Out (Right Knee Sprain)
- San Antonio Spurs:
- Charles Bassey - Out (Left Knee Acute-on-Chronic Bone Bruise)
- De’Aaron Fox - Out (Left Fifth Finger Extensor Tendon Surgery)
- Victor Wembanyama - Out (Right Shoulder Deep Vein Thrombosis)
Detroit Pistons @ Dallas Mavericks (8:30 ET)
- Detroit Pistons:
- Jaden Ivey - Out (Left Fibula Fracture)
- Dallas Mavericks:
- Anthony Davis - Out (Left Adductor Strain)
- Dante Exum - Out (Left Hand Fracture)
- Daniel Gafford - Out (Right Knee Sprain)
- Kyrie Irving - Out (Left Knee Sprain / Left ACL Tear)
- Dereck Lively - Out (Right Ankle Stress Fracture)
Boston Celtics @ Utah Jazz (9:30 ET)
- Boston Celtics:
- Jaylen Brown - Out (Right Knee Posterior Impingement)
- Xavier Tillman - Out (Left Knee Joint Sprain)
- Utah Jazz:
- John Collins - Out (Left Ankle Sprain)
- Lauri Markkanen - Out (Personal Reasons)
- KJ Martin - Out (Right Elbow Bursitis)
- Svi Mykhailiuk - Questionable (Right Foot Strain)
- Jaden Springer - Questionable (Low Back Injury Management)
- Oscar Tshiebwe - Out (G League - Two-Way)
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Phoenix Suns (10:00 ET)
- Cleveland Cavaliers:
- No Notable Injuries
- Phoenix Suns:
- Grayson Allen - Questionable (Left Foot Strain)
- Bradley Beal - Out (Left Hamstring Strain)
- Mason Plumlee - Out (Left Quadriceps Strain)
Denver Nuggets @ Portland Trail Blazers (10:00 ET)
- Denver Nuggets:
- Trey Alexander - Out (G League - Two-Way)
- Christian Braun - Probable (Left Foot Strain)
- Aaron Gordon - Probable (Right Calf Injury Management / Left Ankle Sprain)
- Nikola Jokic - Out (Left Ankle Impingement)
- Jamal Murray - Questionable (Right Ankle Sprain)
- Julian Strawther - Out (Left Knee Sprain)
- Portland Trail Blazers:
- Deandre Ayton - Out (Left Calf Strain)
- Jerami Grant - Doubtful (Right Knee Tendinitis)
- Jabari Walker - Out (Concussion Protocol)
- Robert Williams - Out (Left Knee Injury Management)
Memphis Grizzlies @ LA Clippers (10:30 ET)
- Memphis Grizzlies:
- Brandon Clarke - Out (Right Knee Soreness)
- GG Jackson - Out (G League - On Assignment)
- Ja Morant - Out (Left Hamstring Strain)
- LA Clippers:
- Patrick Baldwin - Out (G League - Two-Way)
- Jordan Miller - Out (Left Hamstring Tendinopathy)
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NBA DFS Slate - Spreads and Totals (March 21, 2025)
- Orlando Magic @ Washington Wizards (7:00 ET)
- Spread: Orlando -8.5
- Total: 215.5
- Charlotte Hornets @ Oklahoma City Thunder (8:00 ET)
- Spread: Oklahoma City -19.5
- Total: 223.5
- Houston Rockets @ Miami Heat (8:00 ET)
- Spread: Houston -5.5
- Total: 213.5
- New Orleans Pelicans @ Minnesota Timberwolves (8:00 ET)
- Spread: Minnesota -14.5
- Total: 225.5
- Philadelphia 76ers @ San Antonio Spurs (8:00 ET)
- Spread: San Antonio -5.5
- Total: 235.5
- Detroit Pistons @ Dallas Mavericks (8:30 ET)
- Spread: Detroit -9.5
- Total: 232.5
- Boston Celtics @ Utah Jazz (9:30 ET)
- Spread: Boston -13.5
- Total: 228.5
- Cleveland Cavaliers @ Phoenix Suns (10:00 ET)
- Spread: Cleveland -8.5
- Total: 234.5
- Denver Nuggets @ Portland Trail Blazers (10:00 ET)
- Spread: Portland -1.5
- Total: 226.5
- Memphis Grizzlies @ LA Clippers (10:30 ET)
- Spread: LA Clippers -6.5
- Total: 231.5
NBA DFS Core Player Pool & Lineup Picks
Here are the core players I’m looking at for my NBA DFS picks tonight. You can see the full analysis of tonight’s NBA DFS projections and player pool below or skip ahead to building the best lineups possible by locking these into the aforementioned lineup generator now.
High
Mid
- Jamal Murray, Ivica Zubac, Quentin Grimes, Deni Avdija, P.J. Washington, Devin Vassell, CJ McCollum, Jalen Duren, Derrick White, Michael Porter, Russell Westbrook, Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon, Tobias Harris, Spencer Dinwiddie
Value
- Jusuf Nurkic, KJ Simpson Scotty Pippen, Jrue Holiday, Payton Pritchard, Chris Paul, Jeremy Sochan, Santi Aldama, Keldon Johnson, Jose Alvarado, Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, Karlo Matkovic, Lonnie Walker, Jordan Hawkins,
Don't Miss The NBA DFS Playbook Live Show At 5:00 PM ET
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