Is Halloween Eve a thing? Like, there’s Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, but no love for October 30? That’s a shame.
Anyway, I propose that you spend your Halloween Eve watching basketball and making NBA DFS lineups on DraftKings. That sound good? Cool. Let’s break down everything that you’ll need to know.
Set your DraftKings NBA DFS lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
Key Injury News
QUESTIONABLE: Franz Wagner
OUT: Chet Holmgren, Brandon Miller, Norman Powell, Jalen Suggs, Luke Kornet
Click here for the slate’s full and updated injury report
Matchup Analysis
Best Defensive Rating (2025-26 Season)
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs. WAS (103.6)
- San Antonio Spurs vs. MIA (104.8)
- Miami Heat at SAS (106.4)
Worst Defensive Rating (2025-26 Season)
- Washington Wizards at OKC (119.1)
- Orlando Magic at CHA (118.3)
- Charlotte Hornets vs. ORL (117.1)
Fastest Pace (2025-26 Season)
- Miami Heat at SAS (109.1)
- Charlotte Hornets vs. ORL (106.4)
- Washington Wizards at OKC (106.1)
Slowest Pace (2025-26 Season)
- San Antonio Spurs vs. MIA (97.6)
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs. WAS (98.1)
- Golden State Warriors at MIL (100.4)
Highest Game Total
- Orlando Magic at Charlotte Hornets (239.5)
- Washington Wizards at Oklahoma City Thunder (231.5)
- Golden State Warriors at Milwaukee Bucks (231.5)
Top DFS Pick
PG LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets vs. Orlando Magic, $9,900
LaMelo Ball always carries a huge offensive load for the Hornets, but that has only been amplified with Brandon Miller (shoulder) in street clothes the past two games. It’s a span where Ball posted a monstrous 84.75 FPTS triple-double against the Wizards, while narrowly missing registering another against the Heat in limited run due to a blow out game script. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a small sample size in a season that’s only a week old, but in Charlotte’s last two contests, Ball has averaged a whopping 1.97 FPTS per minute played with an eye-popping 36.4% usage rate. The Hornets operate at a frenetic pace and, unsurprisingly, this tilt between them and the Magic has this slate’s highest implied total by a country mile. I’m just not sure how you can pass up on Ball in that environment with a price tag below $10,000.
Top Value Pick
PG Anthony Black, Orlando Magic at Charlotte Hornets, $4,300
Can I interest anyone in a little game stack? While he hasn’t been starting, there’s been a lot more on the plate of Anthony Black this season than we’ve ever seen in his NBA career — especially with Cole Anthony no longer in town to eat into his run. At 25.6 minutes per contest, the former lottery pick has been on the court more often than Jalen Suggs (knee) in 2025-26, as the Magic ease their point guard back from surgery. To that point, Suggs will not suit up for tonight’s game on the second night of a back-to-back set, which should translate into Black’s insertion into the starting five. Black shot only 38.2% from the field in his 10 opportunities as a starter last season, yet I’m optimistic that the 21-year-old can reach his fantasy ceiling on Thursday. Not only should Black be looking at over 30 minutes of action, but the Hornets are conceding 124.8 opponent points per game. If you have a pulse, you’re a viable DFS option in this matchup.
