NBA DFS Stacking Strategy: Correlation and Leverage in NBA DFS

When it comes to building NBA DFS lineups, stacking might not be as obvious as it is in sports like football or baseball, but it’s still an effective strategy to gain leverage in your contests. By taking advantage of Stokastic’s NBA DFS projections and Sims, you can create smart stacks that give you an edge over the competition. Here’s how to do it.

NBA DFS Stacking Strategy: Correlation and Leverage

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Game Stacking for High-Scoring Matchups

One of the most effective NBA DFS stacking strategies is to target high-scoring games. Games with fast pace and high over/under totals provide more opportunities for points, rebounds and assists. By stacking multiple players from the same game, you can benefit from the correlation of high team totals and fast pace. Stokastic’s NBA Boom/Bust Tool helps you identify players with high upside in relation to their ownership, perfect for finding the key pieces of your stack in these high-paced games.

Correlation Between Stars and Role Players

Stacking isn’t just about grabbing two or three stars from the same team. One strategy is pairing a high-usage player with a secondary role player from the same lineup. This works especially well when you anticipate that a star player will drive the majority of the team’s offense, which will then result in high assist or rebound opportunities for the role players around them.

Check for under-the-radar role players with low ownership according to Stokastic’s NBA DFS ownership projections who may benefit from being on the floor with a superstar. These players are often more affordable and provide salary relief, making your stack even more valuable in large-field GPPs.

Leveraging Late News for Sneaky Stacks

NBA DFS is extremely volatile with late-breaking news on injuries and rotations, which can make or break a lineup. This unpredictability opens up the opportunity to create last-minute stacks that other users may overlook. When a star player is ruled out late, stacking the key remaining players from that team can give you access to high minutes and usage at lower ownership.

Take advantage of Stokastic’s Late Swap Tool to pivot your lineups when news drops. It’s designed to quickly adjust your stacks and gain leverage, especially if you’re in multi-entry contests.


Designed for ease and effectiveness, the NBA Lineup Generator helps you create DFS lineups in a snap. Pick your DFS platform and slate, set the desired ownership level, and lock in must-have players. From there, the Lineup Generator crafts high-ROI lineups, providing insights to boost your lineup-building strategy.

For instance, see our DraftKings main slate example with a chalky lineup starring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. For more pointers, check out our NBA Lineup Generator guide.


Two-Man Stack with a Run-Back

This is a popular tactic in NFL DFS, but it can also be applied to NBA. The idea is to stack two players from one team, typically a star and a role player, and then include one player from the other team who you believe will have to step up and score in a competitive game. This strategy helps you capitalize on a high-scoring game environment.

Mini-Stacks for Specific Lineup Correlation

In smaller NBA slates or even single-game slates, consider building “mini-stacks” with players from the same team who share the floor for extended minutes. For instance, pairing a point guard with a high assist rate alongside a sharpshooting wing can lead to high-upside correlation.

The NBA Lineup Generator is a great way to experiment with mini-stacks, helping you visualize how different combinations will work together in your lineup while accounting for floor time and rotations.

Don’t Forget the Value Plays

No stack is complete without value. In NBA DFS, salary flexibility is crucial, especially when targeting star players in a stack. The key is to find cheap players who have the potential to return value and contribute to the overall success of your stack.

Use value rankings in Stokastic’s NBA DFS projections to find low-cost players who can complement your stack and create a balanced lineup. This will allow you to maximize the salary cap while ensuring you’re not sacrificing upside.

Conclusion: Maximizing Stacks with Stokastic’s Tools

Stacking in NBA DFS may not be as common as in other sports, but when done correctly, it can separate you from the field. Whether you’re targeting high-paced games, exploiting late news, or creating mini-stacks for smaller slates, the key is finding correlation between players and game environments. Stokastic’s wide range of tools — including the NBA Boom/Bust Tool, NBA DFS Projections, Sims and Lineup Generator — provide the data and insights you need to build optimal NBA DFS stacks.

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Author
Sam Smith is a writer and editor with Stokastic and OddsShopper. He has been immersed in the world of professional sports data since 2015, while also writing extensively on the NFL for a multitude of blogs and websites. With Stokastic, Sam looks to blend his sports and editorial expertise with Stokastic's data to bring you the best fantasy information possible.

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