Bulls guard Josh Giddey put up his best fantasy game of the season in Week 25.
The regular season dwindles as the last game days of the final week are set to transpire.
For NBA Fantasy Salary Game players hoping to solidify ultimate position among their fellow competitors, the days to come are a last chance at gaining that extra edge.
Here are all the need-to-knows midway through Week 25:
Story so far
The firings of coaches Michael Malone on Tuesday and Taylor Jenkins on March 28 have shifted the spotlight to their respective teams ahead of the playoffs. The Denver Nuggets (48-32) sit fourth in the Western Conference with four other teams within 1.5 games, while the Memphis Grizzlies (47-32) are hot on their tail in sixth with two teams no more than 1.0 back.
On a mad dash to the finish line – seeking the best-possible seeding for the postseason – contributions from Nikola Jokić and Jaren Jackson Jr. will be paramount for Denver and Memphis, respectively. Each lead their squads in total fantasy points (TFP) and rank among the top 25 league-wide in that category.
Jokić is no longer in contention to top his 4610.4 TFP from last season, but his 4390.8 in 2024-25 on 64.6 fantasy points per game (FPPG) places him comfortably above the field in both respects. Jackson Jr. boasts 2767.5 TFP in his own right, averaging 38.4 across his 72 games played to offer a reliable scoring presence whether or not Ja Morant (39.8 FPPG) is on the court.
Now wrapping up his 10th regular season in the NBA, Jokić has scored 60.0 or more fantasy points in all of his last seven outings. He’s in position to become only the third player ever after Russell Westbrook (4x) and Oscar Robertson (1x) to average a triple-double for an entire season.
Top performances
Josh Giddey was the highlight of the early week with a fiery night on his red-hot run. He spearheaded a 119-111 victory for the Chicago Bulls (37-43) over the Miami Heat (36-44) on Wednesday with 74.7 fantasy points – ensuring a crucial 1.0-game lead for ninth place with two regular-season contests remaining. His 28 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists qualified as the fifth triple-double across his last 12 showings, while 74.7 narrowly edges his previous season-best of 74.5 set on March 22. The fourth-year guard has now tallied 45.0 or more fantasy points in 11 of his 13 most recent appearances despite averaging 37.7 FPPG.
After two-plus months of anticipation, Luka Dončić hit the Dallas hardwood on Wednesday for the first time since February’s blockbuster trade. He promptly reminded the franchise what it’s missing, submitting 45 points, eight rebounds and six assists as the Los Angeles Lakers (49-31) sank the Dallas Mavericks (38-42), 112-97. The five-time NBA All-Star put up 72.6 fantasy points in all – the most he’s scored as a Laker – and in the process, broke 60.0 for the first time since March 17. Despite missing 34 games this season, he ranks 37th for TFP.
Closing out the top three was Kyle Filipowski – also on Wednesday night. After scoring less than 10 points in three consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 7 to 11, he dropped 30 along with 18 rebounds and five assists as the Utah Jazz (17-63) scraped past the Portland Trail Blazers (35-45) in overtime, 133-126. His 69.1 fantasy points were far and away his best yet in 2024-25, not even having reached 50.0 beforehand. It also more than tripled his 21.0 FPPG – a glimpse of what might be to come in his sophomore campaign.
Transaction tips
Only four GameDays remain in the regular season, and that means you should target high-value additions on teams playing the most games through the week’s latter half. In all, 10 own that distinction, and eight of them are already destined for the playoffs.
Consider the Cleveland Cavaliers (63-16) and Detroit Pistons (43-36). The former has the Indiana Pacers (48-31) on tap for Thursday and Sunday, as well as the New York Knicks (50-29) awaiting Friday. Detroit, meanwhile, will battle the Knicks on Thursday, followed by bouts against the Milwaukee Bucks (45-34) on Friday and Sunday.
The No. 1 seed for the Eastern Conference Playoffs now belongs to Cleveland, so expect coach Kenny Atkinson to roll out the red carpet for his bench in the games to come. Ty Jerome and De’Andre Hunter should attract your interest as some of the top dogs in the NBA Sixth Man of the Year race. Jerome has racked up 1555.7 TFP on a salary of $5.7M, while Hunter has him beat at 1597.4 TFP but for a much-higher cost of $9.4M.
The Pistons do have something to fight for, trailing the Bucks by 2.0 games for the No. 5 seed and 3.0 behind the Pacers for No. 4. But even if Cade Cunningham (47.7 FPPG) and Jalen Duren (32.1) continue to dictate the floor, Malik Beasley will have a sizable impact. The ninth-year guard has been a force off the bench, accumulating 1887.9 TFP for an affordable price of $8.0M.
