ESPN's basketball daily cheat sheet is your pregame destination before you lock in daily fantasy and betting decisions for that night's games. Here you'll find our top insights for the slate, including players to target for your daily fantasy rosters, along with game-by-game injury reports.
What you need to know for Sunday
A seven-game Sunday slate features a series of potential competitive contests. Only one game on the docket claims a double-digit point spread -- a departure from a Saturday field that was full of large lines. The marquee matchup of the day features the Minnesota Timberwolves hosting the Toronto Raptors in a meeting of deep, darkhorse contenders.
Close games bode well for developing fantasy and betting angles, as rotations and workloads prove more predictable in competitive games. A good place to start during a busy day of basketball is the injury report, which tells us that we won't see Paolo Banchero, Zach Edey or Jalen Duren playing for their respective teams. Joel Embiid, meanwhile, is set to rest for the second leg of a back-to-back series for the Philadelphia 76ers.
While we're still learning how each rotation and coaching staff will react to the absence of big names from the gameplan, we can proactively make some decisions based on precedent and prediction.
For the Orlando Magic, a proven veteran big man is due for more minutes and work in the wake of Banchero's ankle injury, as you'll read below. What will Memphis do sans Edey? How will Detroit cope with being sans their interior anchor in South Philly tonight?
And, those 76ers don't have a one-to-one backup for Embiid like they did in seasons past in the form of Andre Drummond. They will instead likely turn to a collective and small-ball looks -- possible even some featuring LeBron at center. We'll learn a lot today about all of these sides, which can serve us in future slates, as well.
With an eye toward uncovering compelling betting angles and fantasy decisions, let's take a look at the day ahead in the NBA.
Fantasy stream team -- widely available players worth adding
Wendell Carter Jr., C, Orlando Magic (rostered in 23.5% of ESPN leagues)
With Banchero in street clothes for tonight's tilt with the New York Knicks, Carter should see more minutes, rebounding chances, and post touches as a result. The Knicks lack the interior defense and rebounding from last season's run, supporting confidence in double-double upside for this veteran big.
Paul Reed, C/PF, Detroit Pistons (14.2%)
Assuming Philadelphia decides to rest Embiid in the second game of a back-to-back, they will likely turn to a number of different looks to cover for him. Reed, who will consume a good bit of the work reserved for Duren, would then be facing a 76ers lineup badly lack rebounding acumen, establishing a nice floor for this active and unique frontcourt talent. It also helps that there is a fun narrative in play, as "B-ball Paul" began his career in Philly.
Egor Demin, PG/SG, Brooklyn Nets (48.3%)
The Nets haven't had many promising prospects in this recent era of drafting. Demin represents the closest thing to a rising playmaker, as he's capable of creating for both himself and others. Such a skill set is rare for this Nets group, which helps Demin project as a rewarding pickup for today's matchup with the uptempo Indiana Pacers.
Jalen Suggs, PG/SG, Magic (31.3%)
Independently valuable as a two-way guard when he's hot from the field, Suggs flashed more offense in Game 2 of the season and should take on more work today with the team's top star missing. Suggs can deliver a fun fantasy line even without much scoring, which is nice when looking to finish out the fantasy week in category formats.
Jim's bets to make on Sunday
Walker Kessler OVER 26.5 combined points and rebounds
Revenge narratives are usually overblown, but this setup -- with Kessler facing the Utah Jazz -- proves intriguing. The Jazz, without their incumbent starting center Jusuf Nurkic, are exposed to rebounding gaps and rim protection issues. Enter Kessler, who has thrived as a lob threat and rebounder on both sides of the floor as a Laker.
Jaylen Brown OVER 6.5 rebounds (-117)
Brown -- and not Embiid or LeBron James -- paces the 76ers with 13.5 rebounding chances per game this season. This is defined as being the closest player to the basketball at any point between when the ball crosses below the rim and when the rebound is completely secured. This seems good for potential rebounding success (assuming Embiid's absence) and no Duren cleaning the glass. Brown plays big minutes and spends time crashing the glass. Sign me up.
Wendell Carter Jr. OVER 7.5 rebounds (-109)
Building on the endorsement of "WCJ" as a fantasy streamer, his rebounding opportunities should spike with Banchero sidelined. Banchero, after all, leads the team in rebounding chances per game, even having missed time in the team's most-recent game. While the Knicks still have solid rebounding talent and scheme in their favor, Carter's mix of minutes, talent, and positioning support optimism for his rebounding results.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz
5 p.m. ET
Line: Lakers -6.5 (-105) | Jazz +6.5 (-115)
Money line: Lakers -245 | Jazz +200
Total: 237.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Lakers by 3.7, straight up 62%, 238.0 total points.
Injury Report:
Lakers: Adou Thiero (OUT); Cameron Carr (OUT)
Jazz: Trey Alexander (OUT); Jusuf Nurkic (OUT)
Indiana Pacers at Brooklyn Nets
6 p.m. ET
Line: Pacers -6.5 (-115) | Nets +6.5 (-105)
Money line: Pacers -265 | Nets +215
Total: 231.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Pacers by 4.6, straight up 64%, 228.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Pacers: Aaron Nesmith (GTD); T.J. McConnell (OUT); Ben Sheppard (OUT)
Nets: Tyler Bilodeau (GTD); Mikel Brown Jr. (OUT)
Orlando Magic at New York Knicks
7 p.m. ET
Line: Magic +7.5 (-110) | Knicks -7.5 (-110)
Money line: Magic +250 | Knicks -310
Total: 223.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Knicks by 6.8, straight up 70%, 224.2 total points.
Injury Report:
Magic: Anthony Black (GTD); Jonathan Isaac (OUT); Izaiyah Nelson (OUT); Noah Penda (OUT); Paolo Banchero (OUT)
Knicks: Jose Alvarado (GTD)
Toronto Raptors at Minnesota Timberwolves
7 p.m. ET on NBA TV
Line: Raptors +1.5 (-115) | Timberwolves -1.5 (-105)
Money line: Raptors -105 | Timberwolves -115
Total: 231.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Timberwolves by 3.3, straight up 60%, 226.2 total points.
Injury Report:
Raptors: None reported
Timberwolves: Donte DiVincenzo (OUT)
LA Clippers at Oklahoma City Thunder
7 p.m. ET
Line: Clippers +15.5 (-110) | Thunder -15.5 (-110)
Money line: Clippers +800 | Thunder -1350
Total: 222.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Thunder by 17.8, straight up 90%, 220.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Clippers: Jordan Miller (OUT); Bradley Beal (OUT); Brandon Ingram (OUT); Max Strus (OUT); Yanic Konan Niederhauser (OUT)
Thunder: Nikola Topic (OUT); Thomas Sorber (OUT)
Detroit Pistons at Philadelphia 76ers
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Pistons +2.5 (-115) | 76ers -2.5 (-105)
Money line: Pistons +120 | 76ers -142
Total: 227.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: 76ers by 4.7, straight up 64%, 227.6 total points.
Injury Report:
Pistons: Ausar Thompson (GTD); Jalen Duren (OUT)
76ers: Ariel Hukporti (OFS); Jabari Walker (GTD); LeBron James (GTD); Tacko Fall (GTD); Dominick Barlow (OUT)
Memphis Grizzlies at Sacramento Kings
9 p.m. ET
Line: Grizzlies -4.5 (-105) | Kings +4.5 (-115)
Money line: Grizzlies -175 | Kings +145
Total: 236.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Grizzlies by 3.5, straight up 61%, 232.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Grizzlies: Cedric Coward (GTD); Zach Edey (OUT)
Kings: Ben Simmons (OFS); Keegan Murray (GTD); Dylan Cardwell (OUT); Maxime Raynaud (OUT)