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Eric Moody
ESPN’s fantasy basketball daily cheat sheet is your pregame destination before you set your lineups for that night’s games. Here you’ll read our best advice for the night, including a selection of players you can stream as well as game-by-game injury reports.
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Top streamers | Best bets | Odds & Injury report
What you need to know for Thursday’s games
Thursday offers just two games, but both feature championship storylines and MVP star power. Out East, the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Indiana Pacers in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals. Indiana begins life without Tyrese Haliburton, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks to continue his MVP pace.
In San Francisco, Stephen Curry and the veteran Golden State Warriors host Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in a clash between two title-tested teams fighting to keep their championship windows open. Both games deliver elite talent, compelling storylines, and plenty of fantasy and betting intrigue.
Thursday’s fantasy stream team
Buddy Hield, SG/SF, Golden State Warriors (rostered in 30.5% of ESPN leagues)
Hield posted 24 fantasy points in 22 minutes during Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers. It appears he’ll operate as the Warriors’ sixth or seventh man in most games. He’s in a favorable spot against a Nuggets team that ranked among the top 10 last season in fantasy points allowed to shooting guards.
Cason Wallace, SG, Oklahoma City Thunder (26.6%)
Wallace scored 45 fantasy points in 32 minutes during the Thunder’s double-overtime win over the Rockets on Tuesday. He’s currently questionable with a knee injury, so monitor his status before inserting him into lineups. Wallace remains firmly on the streaming radar with Jalen Williams (wrist), Isaiah Joe (knee), and Alex Caruso (concussion) all sidelined. If Wallace can’t go, fantasy managers can pivot to Aaron Wiggins.
Isaiah Jackson, C, Indiana Pacers (6.1%)
Jackson should see an expanded role this season as the Pacers starting center. With little competition behind him with Jay Huff and James Wiseman, he carries a high fantasy ceiling. In his career, Jackson has averaged 13.1 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 2.5 BPG in games where he’s played 25 or more minutes. He has the makings of a double-double machine this season.
Moody’s favorite bets for Thursday
Chet Holmgren Over 17.5 points (-120)
Holmgren came out hot in Tuesday’s opener against the Houston Rockets, making his first seven shots and keeping the Thunder in it early. He finished with 28 points in their double-overtime win, including 22 in regulation, stepping up offensively for an Oklahoma City team without Jalen Williams. The Pacers struggled to defend power forwards last season and lost key bigs this offseason. Holmgren cleared this line in three of his past five games without Jalen Williams last season, with both unders coming in blowouts. While he didn’t perform well against Indiana in the Finals as the pace slowed and physicality increased, the Pacers play much faster in the regular season. That’s the tempo I expect to see Thursday night.
Aaron Nesmith Under 14.5 points (-125)
The Pacers will be without Tyrese Haliburton for the season and T.J. McConnell for the next month, which doesn’t bode well for Nesmith. He’s not the type of player who can consistently create his own shot and relies on a point guard to set him up. Nesmith went under this line in 71% of his 88 games last season, including the postseason, and in all eight matchups against the Thunder’s elite defense.
Stephen Curry Over 34.5 points, rebounds and assists (-114)
Curry looked sharp in the Warriors’ season opener on the road against the Lakers, delivering a complete stat line and consistently getting to the free-throw line. The 37-year-old veteran will look to produce a vintage performance in Golden State’s home opener. Curry cleared this line in 57% of 35 games with Butler last season and in 77% of 22 such games when playing 33 or more minutes. He also cleared this mark in two of three matchups against the Nuggets, and with a narrow spread suggesting a close game, Curry should play heavy minutes and have every opportunity to clear the line.
Jonathan Kuminga Over 15.5 points (-120)
Kuminga scored 17 points in 33 minutes during Tuesday’s win over the Lakers. It was an encouraging showing after the offseason contract drama, and his minutes suggest he’ll be a vital part of the Warriors’ rotation this year. He cleared this line in only 47% of his 55 games last season, but in the 12 games where he played 29 or more minutes, he went over every time.
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Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds by ESPN BET
Oklahoma City Thunder at Indiana Pacers
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Thunder -8.5 (-105) | Pacers +8.5 (-115)
Money line: Thunder -290 | Pacers +240
Total: 232.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Thunder by 3.5, straight up 60%, 232.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Thunder: Thomas Sorber, (OFS – Knee); Cason Wallace, (GTD – Knee); Luguentz Dort, (GTD – Ankle); Isaiah Joe, (OUT – Knee); Jalen Williams, (OUT – Wrist); Alex Caruso, (OUT – Concussion); Kenrich Williams, (OUT – Knee); Nikola Topic, (OUT – Groin)
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, (OFS – Achilles); Quenton Jackson, (OUT – Hamstring); Kam Jones, (OUT – Back); T.J. McConnell, (OUT – Hamstring)
Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors
10 p.m. ET
Line: Nuggets +1.5 (-105) | Warriors -1.5 (-115)
Money line: Nuggets +110 | Warriors -130
Total: 234.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Nuggets by 1.8, straight up 55%, 232.3 total points.
Injury Report:
Nuggets: None reported
Warriors: Alex Toohey, (OUT – Knee); Moses Moody, (OUT – Calf); De’Anthony Melton, (OUT – Knee)