Fantasy Basketball Picks: Top DraftKings NBA DFS Showdown Strategy for Spurs vs. Lakers on 12/10/25
Zach Thompson preps you for Wednesday night’s NBA Cup Quarterfinal between the Spurs and Lakers with game-script analysis and Captain’s Picks for DFS.
After the Knicks and Magic advanced to Las Vegas on Tuesday, the NBA Cup Quarterfinals continue on Wednesday with two more matchups from the Western Conference. In the second game of a very nice doubleheader, the Los Angeles Lakers host the San Antonio Spurs to decide which team earns the final ticket to the semifinals on Saturday. The contest is also the focus of some NBA DFS fantasy basketball showdown contests on DraftKings, so let’s dive into the matchup and break down who should be in your lineup.
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams after the Lakers won a close game 118-116 in Los Angeles on November 5. This rematch will be different, though, since the Spurs won’t have Victor Wembanyama and the Lakers will have LeBron James and Austin Reaves, who each missed that first matchup.
In the rematch, the Lakers are 7.5-point home favorites, with the point total set at 240.5. The Lakers are -278 on the Moneyline while the Spurs are +225 to pull off the upset. This should be a strong matchup to close out the quarterfinals, as well as a good final game of the evening.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $150K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st] (SAS @ LAL)
Captain’s Picks
Luka Doncic ($19,500 CP): Luka Doncic is an extremely expensive captaincy option, but he’s just too good to dismiss because of his salary. He is averaging over 65 fantasy points per game while no one else who is expected to play is producing more than 42 fantasy points per game. Getting 1.5x on everything that Doncic does against the Spurs is a great way to start your lineup, even though it will mean searching for value on the rest of your roster.
In his first matchup with the Spurs, Doncic had 35 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds, and 81.2 fantasy points in a regular spot. That would give him 121.8 fantasy points in a CP spot, which makes him a centerpiece you have to consider spending up on. He recently missed two games to be with his family for the birth of his child, but returned with 31 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists, and 73.2 fantasy points against the Sixers on Sunday. He gets so much usage and does so much work that picking anyone else feels extremely high-risk since he brings so much potential to break the slate.
LeBron James ($13,900 CP): If you’re ready to walk on the wild side and go with an option besides Luka, you’ll have to maximize every dollar of salary. One player who has the triple-double potential to match Luka is his teammate LeBron James, who saves you about $5,500 to use on the rest of your roster.
James looked to be fully over his injuries and in vintage form in his most recent contest. He had 29 points, seven rebounds, six assists and 51.8 fantasy points against the Sixers. If Luka defers a little bit to the King for this NBA Cup run, James could take the extra usage and turn in a stronger per-dollar performance. LeBron is higher risk than Luka to build around and his ceiling is slightly lower, but it’s not inconceivable that he carries a little extra work in a game that could matter more to him. If we get full-scale “Playoff LeBron,” this will end up being a great value.
UTIL Plays
Stephon Castle ($7,600): Castle returned from his nine-game absence on Monday and knocked some of the rust off in a win over the Pelicans. He only played 23 minutes but posted 30.75 fantasy points on 18 points, five rebounds, and five assists. He took 15 shots in 23 minutes and should again get heavy usage on Wednesday. Castle had 37.75 fantasy points in the first meeting between these teams this season, and I expect him to step up with a big game on Wednesday as I outlined in my top player props for this matchup.
Dylan Harper ($4,400): Harper is my favorite value play on the board, especially since the rookie has been showing his upside lately. He had 34.2 fantasy points on 22 points, three rebounds, and six assists against the Pelicans on Monday, and he has scored at least 15 points in four of his last five games. He has a higher ceiling and a safer floor than the other options under $5,000.
Fades
De’Aaron Fox ($9,400): Fox showed a very high ceiling while running the show without Castle in the mix. He did it all for the Spurs much like he used to have to do with the Kings. However, with Castle back, he cooled off and had just 30.5 fantasy points on Monday. He still brings a high ceiling with plenty of potential, but he’s just too pricey compared to the other options on the board given the risk that Castle takes on more of the work.
The Outcome
The Spurs are a fun and plucky bunch, and I’m a fan of many of their young players. However, in a one-game format, the tandem of Luka and LeBron will likely be too much for the young team on the rise, especially with Wemby still absent. I hope the Spurs keep it close and entertaining, but ultimately, I don’t think they’ll be able to pull off the upset, as the Lakers set up a semifinal matchup with the Thunder or Suns this weekend.
Final Score: Lakers 133, Spurs 124
