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Jim McCormick
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 | DFS picks | Odds & injury report
What you need to know for Saturday’s games
A seven-game schedule features a series of potential mismatches. Six of today’s seven games have spreads of at least seven points. During such a slate, we’ll want to identify which rotations offer value for fantasy and prop purposes. What games could prove productive or competitive?
The Golden State Warriors visit the Cleveland Cavaliers for their annual stop in Ohio. The Warriors won’t have Stephen Curry due to injury, while Jimmy Butler III’s questionable designation creates mystery ahead of tipoff.
If Butler is active, this game becomes more competitive and would shift how to price the Warriors’ odds. Cleveland, meanwhile, just earned a needed impressive win over San Antonio. There’s an emergent guard for the Cavs included in our streaming section below.
Can the Sacramento Kings keep up with the ultra-fast Miami Heat offense? The total for this one is a slate-high 239.5 points. Even as the Heat are sizable favorites, Miami’s style invites variance and volatility. The real appeal is offensive optimism appears appropriate when looking at this matchup.
The Washington Wizards aren’t very good on defense, but love to push the pace. This makes for fun offensive outcomes for opponents. The Atlanta Hawks are poised to produce a busy box score in a game with the second-highest total of the day.
With an eye on finding productive fantasy streamers and betting angles of interest, let’s take a look at the day ahead in the NBA.
Saturday’s fantasy stream team
Jaylon Tyson, SG, Cleveland Cavaliers (rostered in 17.9% of ESPN leagues): With Darius Garland sidelined, Tyson has been asked to start often this season. The production isn’t always impressive, but as a streaky scorer, Tyson can prove valuable when he’s hot. Last night’s strong showing against Denver could be part of a trend, especially with the team’s need for his energy and athleticism on the second leg of a back-to-back.
Ryan Nembhard, PG, Dallas Mavericks (22.4%): Helping organize an offense that had no real steward for the first month of the season, Nembhard has brought some composure to the Dallas pick-and-roll scheme that proves helpful throughout the rotation. The likes of Cooper Flagg and Naji Marshall become productive wings when able to work with a capable point guard. Nembhard is mostly valuable for dimes, but some scoring has surfaced in recent games.
Jeremiah Fears, SG/PG, New Orleans Pelicans (26.4%): A shooting guard learning to play point guard, essentially, Fears has no fear of finding his own shot. This is a positive for his production currently, as the team needs his perimeter scoring while Jordan Poole, Herbert Jones, and Zion Williamson are all sidelined. You will get some lean shooting outings from this rookie, but today’s matchup in Brooklyn is about as good as it gets.
Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, New Orleans Pelicans (40.8%): The matchup with the Nets combined with the aforementioned injuries affecting the New Orleans rotation means major minutes and touches for Bey. This Villanova product has produced between 18 and 22 points in seven straight games.
McCormick’s bets for Saturday
John Collins OVER 13.5 points (-113)
The Minnesota Timberwolves have the personnel to interrupt the rock solid pick-and-roll combo between James Harden and Ivica Zubac. As a result, Collins could surface as a key cutter and lob threat working off of the gravity Harden and Zubac create..
Kevin Porter Jr. OVER 6.5 assists (-110)
Averaging 6.8 assists since returning from injury, “KPJ” has had to help create offense for others and himself in recent outings.r There’s an angle to pursue his points and assists, but I’m most confident that Detroit’s elite rim protection and ability to pack the paint will result in Porter driving and kicking often this evening against the rival Pistons.
New Orleans Pelicans +3.5 points
The Pelicans are in Brooklyn this evening to face a Nets team that is rarely favored. Brooklyn has the second-worst defensive efficiency mark in the league at the moment and it 26th in rebounding percentage. The Pelicans are only marginally better in these categories, to be fair. The key is Brooklyn has very little creation coming from the backcourt, while the Pelicans at least have Fears and a number of wings ready to launch. This feels like a coin-flip matchup with plus odds.
Top Daily Fantasy values of the day
Play Daily Fantasy NBA at DraftKings
$8100+ salaries
Jalen Johnson, PF/SF, Atlanta Hawks ($10,000): In his past 12 games, Johnson has failed to top 50 DraftKings points just three times. Washington, meanwhile, is missing its best and really only rim protector, suggesting Johnson could bully the Wizards inside all night. With an elite ceiling and a stable floor, Johnson is a building block for lineups and ideal for those stacking the Hawks.
$6100-$8000 salaries
Nickiel Alexander-Walker, SG, Atlanta Hawks ($7,400): While his cousin chases history for the Thunder, Alexander-Walker is putting together his own awesome season for Atlanta. With an uptick in scoring opportunities and production in recent games, Alexander-Walker is peaking just in time to face a Wizards team missing its best defenders in Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr.
Kevin Porter Jr., SG/PG, Milwaukee Bucks ($6,100): This is a chance to target Porter’s entire skill set, as he’s capable of scoring and passing at a high level. Detroit’s defense is legit, so there is risk present in riding Porter on the second night of a back-to-back couplet. There’s also a risk in ignoring Porter’s Westbrookian usage rate with Giannis Antetokounmpo off the floor. With a high ceiling in a game he’ll likely play heavy minutes in, Porter is a strong target in this tier.
$3500-$6000 salaries
Kel’el Ware, C, Miami Heat ($5,600): I had the chance to see Miami play a few weeks back and was amazed at the comfort level Ware has established working outside of the paint on offense. He looked like a wing at times, something that just wasn’t occurring last season. This leap is yet another Heat success story, while today’s matchup with the Kings’ poor defensive frontcourt is ideal for a gifted and rangy big.
Donte DiVincenzo, SG/PG, Minnesota Timberwolves ($5,600): Expect big minutes from the “Big Ragu” tonight. He’s likely going to be tasked with chasing around James Harden and conversely getting the Timberwolves in transition when possible. With on-ball duties to create and distribute and with a green light to pull-up from deep, DiVincenzo is in a good spot against a Clippers defense sitting 24th in efficiency.
Projections and injury reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
New Orleans Pelicans at Brooklyn Nets
5 p.m. ET
Line: Pelicans +3.5 (-108) | Nets -3.5 (-112)
Money line: Pelicans +142 | Nets -170
Total: 227.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Nets by 2, straight up 56%, 228.6 total points.
Injury Report:
Pelicans: Dejounte Murray, (OUT – Achilles); Yves Missi, (GTD – Foot); Herbert Jones, (OUT – Calf); Jordan Poole, (OUT – Quadriceps); Zion Williamson, (OUT – Thigh)
Nets: Noah Clowney, (GTD – Back); Cam Thomas, (OUT – Hamstring); Haywood Highsmith, (OUT – Knee)
Atlanta Hawks at Washington Wizards
7 p.m. ET
Line: Hawks -9.5 (-105) | Wizards +9.5 (-115)
Money line: Hawks -395 | Wizards +310
Total: 236.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Hawks by 13.4, straight up 84%, 241.6 total points.
Injury Report:
Hawks: Jacob Toppin, (GTD – Shoulder); N’Faly Dante, (GTD – Concussion); Trae Young, (GTD – Knee)
Wizards: Cam Whitmore, (GTD – Illness); Khris Middleton, (GTD – Knee); Tristan Vukcevic, (GTD – Knee); Alex Sarr, (OUT – Thigh); Sharife Cooper, (OUT – Calf); Bilal Coulibaly, (OUT – Oblique); Corey Kispert, (OUT – Thumb); Tre Johnson, (OUT – Hip)
Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Warriors +7.5 (-105) | Cavaliers -7.5 (-115)
Money line: Warriors +245 | Cavaliers -305
Total: 227.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Cavaliers by 6.5, straight up 68%, 230.3 total points.
Injury Report:
Warriors: De’Anthony Melton, (GTD – Knee); Draymond Green, (GTD – Foot); Jimmy Butler III, (GTD – Knee); Al Horford, (OUT – Back); Alex Toohey, (OUT – Knee); Stephen Curry, (OUT – Quadriceps)
Cavaliers: Darius Garland, (GTD – Toe); Lonzo Ball, (GTD – Knee); Sam Merrill, (GTD – Hand); Tyrese Proctor, (GTD – Personal); Jarrett Allen, (OUT – Finger); Max Strus, (OUT – Foot); Larry Nance Jr., (OUT – Calf)
Milwaukee Bucks at Detroit Pistons
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Bucks +12.5 (-112) | Pistons -12.5 (-108)
Money line: Bucks +490 | Pistons -675
Total: 224.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Pistons by 10.7, straight up 78%, 229.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Bucks: Taurean Prince, (OUT – Neck); AJ Green, (GTD – Shoulder); Giannis Antetokounmpo, (OUT – Calf)
Pistons: Bobi Klintman, (GTD – Ankle); Marcus Sasser, (GTD – Hip)
Sacramento Kings at Miami Heat
8 p.m. ET
Line: Kings +8.5 (-102) | Heat -8.5 (-118)
Money line: Kings +295 | Heat -375
Total: 239.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Heat by 11.6, straight up 80%, 241.3 total points.
Injury Report:
Kings: Dennis Schroder, (OUT – Hip); Domantas Sabonis, (OUT – Knee)
Heat: None reported
LA Clippers at Minnesota Timberwolves
8 p.m. ET
Line: Clippers +10.5 (-118) | Timberwolves -10.5 (-102)
Money line: Clippers +370 | Timberwolves -485
Total: 227.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Timberwolves by 6.4, straight up 68%, 229.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Clippers: Bradley Beal, (OFS – Hip); Bogdan Bogdanovic, (GTD – Hip); Jordan Miller, (GTD – Back); Derrick Jones Jr., (OUT – Knee)
Timberwolves: None reported
Houston Rockets at Dallas Mavericks
8:30 p.m. ET
Line: Rockets -8.5 (-112) | Mavericks +8.5 (-108)
Money line: Rockets -360 | Mavericks +285
Total: 224.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Rockets by 7.8, straight up 72%, 227.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Rockets: Dorian Finney-Smith, (OUT – Ankle); Fred VanVleet, (OUT – Knee); Alperen Sengun, (GTD – Illness); Tari Eason, (OUT – Oblique)
Mavericks: Kyrie Irving, (OUT – Knee); Dante Exum, (OFS – Knee); Daniel Gafford, (GTD – Ankle); P.J. Washington, (GTD – Ankle); Dereck Lively II, (OUT – Foot)