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 Monday
The NBA starts off this week with eight games on the docket, including three between two teams that both enter with winning records.
The first such matchup features the red-hot Los Angeles Lakers traveling to Atlanta to face the Hawks. The Lakers defeated the Detroit Pistons on Sunday even with Luka Doncic (back) sidelined, behind 43 points from Austin Reaves. Doncic is questionable to return for tonight's game.
The Memphis Grizzlies (6-3) head north of the border to face the Toronto Raptors (5-4). Memphis' Ty Jerome has scored more than 20 points in three straight games, his second such streak of the season, and will try to get to a fourth tonight.
And in Houston, two early-season MVP candidates lock horns when the Rockets (7-3) host the Denver Nuggets (5-3). The key to tonight's win might be which of Nikola Jokic and Kevin Durant are able to put on a more MVP-caliber performance.
With an eye toward uncovering compelling betting angles and potential fantasy streamers, let's take a closer look at all of tonight's action.
Fantasy stream team
Players available in at least 50% of leagues
Jakob Poeltl, C, Toronto Raptors (rostered in 36.3% of ESPN basketball leagues)
Poeltl has been dealing with a shoulder injury that slowed his start to the season, but he had a breakout in his last outing that suggested he is on the road to recovery. On Friday, with Scottie Barnes (groin) sidelined, Poeltl dropped 19 points, 11 boards and 3 steals in 31 minutes. This marked his second double-double in his last three games played.
Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, New Orleans Pelicans (35.9%)
Bey is fully settled in to his role as the shooting/scoring sixth man for the Pelicans. In his last five games, he has averaged 19.8 PPG, 1.8 3PG and 1.4 SPG in 29.6 MPG.
P.J. Washington, PF/SF, Dallas Mavericks (36.8%)
Washington has started every game this season, notching double digits in either points or rebounds, or both, in nine of 10 games. He has scored 20 or more points in two of his last three games, including a 21-point/10-rebound game that marked his second 20-10 effort of the season.
Quenton Jackson, PG/SG, Indiana Pacers (5.0%)
Jackson has stepped into a larger role with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined. In his last five games, he has averaged 15.0 PPG, 1.8 3PG and 1.6 SPG in 24.2 MPG.
Dre's bets to make on Monday
Odds by DraftKings
and subject to change.
Austin Reaves OVER 22.5 points (-110)
This is an interesting line for Reaves. On the one hand, Doncic will play tonight after missing last night's game. Reaves dropped 43 on the Pistons yesterday with Doncic out. But even in games with Doncic, Reaves has scored more than 23 points in six of nine contests. It's a reasonable line for him.
Editor's Note: Reaves is listed as questionable (illness) for this game.
Ty Jerome OVER 21.5 points (-116)
Jerome enters this game averaging 26.6 PPG, having scored 21 or more in three straight and six of his eight games so far. Jerome dealt with back issues late in October that caused him to miss a game right after his two lowest scoring games of the season, but otherwise has been instant offense all season. He dropped 21 points in his last outing against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team that has allowed by-far the fewest points to opposing point guards (18.6 PPG) in the NBA this season. Tonight, he'll face a friendlier Raptors defense that is middle of the pack (25.6 PPG allowed to opposing point guards, 15th in NBA) in points allowed to his position.
Dallas Mavericks -3.5 OVER Indiana Pacers (-112)
The Mavericks (6-4) are off to a solid start, and have won two straight games. The Pacers (3-7) are struggling, with losses in six of their last seven games. The most recent five of those losses were all by more than 3.5 points. With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined, the Pacers don't have the same ceiling. Playing at home, with their relative levels of play, the Mavericks should be favored to win this game by a solid margin.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Los Angeles Lakers at Atlanta Hawks
7 p.m. ET
Line: Lakers +1.5 (-106) | Hawks -1.5 (-114)
Money line: Lakers +105 | Hawks -125
Total: 236.5 (-106 O, -114 U)
BPI Projection: Hawks by 2.9, straight up 59%, 235.0 total points.
Injury Report:
Lakers: Luka Doncic (GTD); Quentin Grimes (GTD)
Hawks: Jock Landale (GTD); Henri Veesaar (OFS); Mouhamed Gueye (OUT)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Charlotte Hornets
7 p.m. ET
Line: Cavaliers -8.5 (-116) | Hornets +8.5 (-104)
Money line: Cavaliers -337 | Hornets +270
Total: 214.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Cavaliers by 9, straight up 76%, 221.1 total points.
Injury Report:
Cavaliers: Jarrett Allen (GTD); Jaylon Tyson (OUT); Sam Merrill (OUT)
Hornets: Moussa Diabate (GTD); Brandon Miller (OUT); Grant Williams (OUT); Dennis Schroder (OUT); Kon Knueppel (OUT)
Washington Wizards at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m. ET
Line: Wizards +10.5 (-112) | Pistons -10.5 (-108)
Money line: Wizards +376 | Pistons -490
Total: 218.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Pistons by 9.8, straight up 78%, 219.9 total points.
Injury Report:
Wizards: Justin Champagnie (OUT); Jamir Watkins (OUT); Anthony Davis (GTD); Tristan Vukcevic (OUT); Reece Beekman (OUT)
Pistons: Isaiah Joe (GTD); Jalen Duren (OUT)
Memphis Grizzlies at Toronto Raptors
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Grizzlies +2.5 (-102) | Raptors -2.5 (-119)
Money line: Grizzlies +124 | Raptors -148
Total: 228.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Raptors by 0.3, straight up 51%, 229.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Grizzlies: Isaiah Stewart (OUT); Scotty Pippen Jr. (OUT); Richie Saunders (OUT)
Raptors: Immanuel Quickley (GTD); Scottie Barnes (GTD); Kawhi Leonard (OUT)
Indiana Pacers at Dallas Mavericks
8 p.m. ET
Line: Pacers +3.5 (-112) | Mavericks -3.5 (-108)
Money line: Pacers +131 | Mavericks -156
Total: 225.5 (-115 O, -106 U)
BPI Projection: Mavericks by 8, straight up 74%, 223.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Pacers: Ben Sheppard (OUT); Johnny Furphy (OUT); T.J. McConnell (GTD); Tyrese Haliburton (OUT)
Mavericks: Dereck Lively II (OUT); Sergio de Larrea (OUT); Tarik Biberovic (OUT)
Denver Nuggets at Houston Rockets
8:30 p.m. ET
Line: Nuggets +9.5 (-118) | Rockets -9.5 (-103)
Money line: Nuggets +276 | Rockets -344
Total: 219.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Rockets by 10, straight up 78%, 224.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Nuggets: Aaron Gordon (GTD); Cameron Johnson (GTD); Christian Braun (GTD); DeMar DeRozan (GTD); Jamal Murray (GTD); Nikola Jokic (GTD); Julian Strawther (OUT)
Rockets: Clint Capela (OUT); Steven Adams (OUT)
San Antonio Spurs at Phoenix Suns
9 p.m. ET
Line: Spurs -8.5 (-114) | Suns +8.5 (-106)
Money line: Spurs -373 | Suns +296
Total: 226.5 (-113 O, -107 U)
BPI Projection: Spurs by 8.9, straight up 76%, 225.0 total points.
Injury Report:
Spurs: Devin Vassell (GTD); Tobias Harris (OUT); Jayden Quaintance (OUT)
Suns: Mark Williams (OUT); Jordan Goodwin (GTD)
New Orleans Pelicans at Golden State Warriors
10 p.m. ET
Line: Pelicans +9.5 (-119) | Warriors -9.5 (-102)
Money line: Pelicans +303 | Warriors -382
Total: 232.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Warriors by 6.9, straight up 71%, 236.6 total points.
Injury Report:
Pelicans: Yves Missi (GTD)
Warriors: Jimmy Butler III (OUT); Kristaps Porzingis (OUT); Gui Santos (GTD); Will Richard (OUT); Moses Moody (OUT)