ESPN's fantasy basketball and basketball betting tips cheat sheet is your pregame destination for basketball betting predictions and our best intel and data to help you make smart fantasy and wagering decisions. NBA game odds for November 5 are provided by Caesars Sportsbook, and fantasy advice is based on ESPN 10-team leagues.
What you need to know for Saturday's games
Point Winslow: The Trail Blazers secured a rousing victory over the Suns last night on a buzzer-beater by Jerami Grant. This outcome proves even more impressive considering Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons missed the contest due to respective injuries. Lillard is expected to miss tonight's rubber match with the Suns while Simons' status appears doubtful. This all signals another great spot for Justise Winslow, who is rostered in just 2% of ESPN leagues even after leading Portland with nine dimes and finished just shy of a brilliant triple-double outing in a spot start on Friday. The window for another full line from Winslow appears open, making him an ideal streaming play in redraft and a savvy DFS building block.
Brooklyn Bargains: We thought Seth Curry (80% available in ESPN leagues) might have returned to the floor from an ankle injury for Brooklyn in Washington D.C. on Friday evening, but the team clearly wanted him to play just one leg of the team's back-to-back series that concludes tonight in Charlotte. Set to play tonight for a Brooklyn roster that is depleted in the backcourt, Curry can help your team with scoring, shooting, and passing production. Sticking with the Nets, Royce O'Neal (80%) has posted at least five assists in three of the past four games while tallying double-digit points in five of six. Charlotte, meanwhile, has allowed the fifth-most DraftKings points per game to small forwards.
New York Pivot: The Knicks' Mitchell Robinson exited last night's victory over the Sixers due to a knee injury. Isaiah Hartenstein (90% started the second half and posted eight points, 10 boards, and three swats in just 21 minutes of run. Likely to play a large role tonight at home against the Celtics, Hartenstein brings a fun blend of rebounding, passing, and defensive rates to the floor.
Saturday Suggs: You can still add Jalen Suggs for the price of a roster spot in roughly 40% of ESPN leagues. This despite the former Gonzaga star posting 26 points, nine assists, and four steals in his last outing. Shooting woes and injury issues have deflated Suggs' fantasy stock, but he is confidently creating for himself and others recently, signaling must-start status on Saturday against a Kings team that sits 21st in defensive rating.
-- Jim McCormick and Kyle Soppe
Breaking down the slate
Sacramento Kings at Orlando Magic
5 p.m ET, Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Line: Kings (-3.5)
Money line: Kings (-170), Magic (+143)
Total: 225.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 230.3 points
BPI Win%: Kings (59.6%)
Questionable: De'Aaron Fox (knee). Terrence Ross (knee)
Ruled Out: Cole Anthony (oblique), Moritz Wagner (foot), Gary Harris (knee)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Best bet: Domantas Sabonis over 29.5 points + rebounds. Sabonis had 22 points and 12 rebounds in 37 minutes against the Heat on Wednesday. He has averaged 14.7 PPG and 10.6 RPG so far this season and should have more success as a scorer against the Magic. Orlando has allowed opponents to have an effective field goal percentage of 52.9% and a huge number of shots within four feet of the basket. Sabonis has attempted 58% of his shots in that area and made 72% of them. -- Eric Moody
Best bet: Kings -1.5. The Kings are 3-0 ATS when scoring more than 113.0 points and 12-3-1 ATS over their last 16 road games. The Magic rank 16th in points allowed per 100 possessions. De'Aaron Fox is listed as questionable for Saturday afternoon's matchup but practiced on Friday, a good sign for Sacramento. -- Moody
Brooklyn Nets at Charlotte Hornets
7 p.m. ET, Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
Line: Nets (-4)
Money line: Nets (-190), Hornets (+158)
Total: 222 points
BPI Projected Total: 241.7 points
BPI Win%: Hornets (57.8%)
Probable: Seth Curry (ankle)
Questionable:
Ruled Out: Ben Simmons (out), Kyrie Irving (suspension)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: Dennis Smith Jr. (rostered in 55.1% of ESPN leagues) has held down the fort this season with LaMelo Ball out. He has averaged 12.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 6.4 APG in 30.9 MPG. Smith Jr. draws a very favorable matchup Saturday night against a Nets team that ranks 29th in points allowed per 100 possessions. -- Moody
New Orleans Pelicans at Atlanta Hawks
7:30 p.m. ET, State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
Line: Hawks (-1)
Money line: Hawks (-120), Pelicans (+100)
Total: 230.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 230.9 points
BPI Win%: Hawks (56.4%)
Questionable: Trae Young
Ruled Out: Bogdan Bogdanovic (knee)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: De'Andre Hunter (rostered in 17.7% of ESPN leagues). Wednesday night against the Knicks, he had his second-best fantasy performance since the season opener. In 53 games last season, Hunter averaged 13.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. -- Moody
Fantasy streamer: Larry Nance Jr. (rostered in 2.9% of ESPN leagues). Nance has played 23 or more minutes in consecutive games. Four of his last seven games have resulted in 20 or more fantasy points. There seemed to be something bothering Zion Williamson as he didn't finish Friday night's game against the Warriors. Nance could be given even more minutes if Williamson is limited. -- Moody
Best bet: Over 234.0. The total has gone over in four of the Hawks and Pelicans' last five games. Atlanta ranks 12th in points scored per 100 possessions, but have struggled defensively ranking 19th in points allowed per 100 possessions. New Orleans on the other hand is capable of scoring a ton of points and limiting opponents on defense rank fifth in efficiency differential, The Expect a ton of points scored in this game. Trae Young has averaged 27.5 PPG this season while Dejounte Murray has averaged 22 PPG. -- Moody
Boston Celtics at New York Knicks
7:30 p.m. ET, Madison Square Garden, New York
Line: Celtics (-4)
Money line: Celtics (-180), Knicks (+152)
Total: 224 points
BPI Projected Total: 225 points
BPI Win%: Celtics (67.9%)
Questionable: Mitchell Robinson (knee)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: Isaiah Hartenstein (rostered in 10% of ESPN leagues). Hartenstein started the second half of Friday's game in place of Mitchell Robinson. With Robinson questionable for tonight's game with a sore right knee, Hartenstein could see more playing time. He has averaged 13.5 points and 13.1 rebounds per 40 minutes this season.
Best bet: Knicks +4.0. While the Knicks might not win outright, they can keep this game close. New York ranks 11th in points allowed per 100 possessions and the Celtics defense been as good so far this season. Boston ranks 19th in points allowed per 100 possessions and the Knicks are 4-1 ATS when allowing opponents to score fewer than 117 points. Expect New York to continue their positive momentum after upsetting the 76ers Friday night. -- Moody
Oklahoma City Thunder at Milwaukee Bucks
8 p.m. ET, Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Line: Bucks (-7.5)
Money line: Bucks (-320), Thunder (+250)
Total: 221 points
BPI Projected Total: 233.6 points
BPI Win%: Bucks (77.6%)
Ruled Out: Aleksej Pokusevski (shoulder)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: Darius Bazley (rostered in 8.4% of leagues). Bazley is a great streamer for tonight with Aleksej Pokusevski out. Bazley has averaged 14.2 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per 40 minutes and should be considered for fantasy managers that need help at forward. -Eric Moody
Best bet: Thunder +7.0. The Bucks became the first NBA team to start the season 8-0 since the Warriors did it in 2015-2016. That was the season Golden State set the record for most wins in an NBA season, going 73-9 after starting the season 24-0. Bettors should expect the Bucks to win this game outright, but the Thunder might make it close. Milwaukee ranks first in points allowed per 100 possessions, but Oklahoma City isn't too far behind them at ninth. The Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last five games and 33-16-4 ATS in their last 53 games played on one day's rest. -- Moody
Houston Rockets at Minnesota Timberwolves
8 p.m. ET, Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Line: Timberwolves (-8.5)
Money line: Timberwolves (-355), Rockets (+278)
Total: 231 points
BPI Projected Total: 245.2 points
BPI Win%: Timberwolves (80.2%)
Ruled Out: Jae'Sean Tate (ankle), Jabari Smith Jr. (illness),
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets
9 p.m. ET, Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
Line: Nuggets (-11.5)
Money line: Nuggets (-600), Spurs (+430)
Total: 235.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 234.1 points
BPI Win%: Nuggets (83.2%)
Questionable: Ish Smith (calf), Bones Hyland (hip)
Ruled Out: Zeke Nnaji (ankle)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Best bet: Nuggets -10.0.The Nuggets rank eighth in points scored per 100 possessions this season. Denver has won three of their last four games by an average of 13 points. The Nuggets are 2-1 ATS when scoring at least 120.7 points. They face a San Antonio team on Saturday night that ranks 29th in points allowed per 100 possessions, so expect Denver and Nikola Jokic to put up a great performance offensively.
Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns
10 p.m ET, Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Line: Suns (-10)
Money line: Suns (-550), Blazers (+400)
Total: 216.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 234.5 points
BPI Win%: Blazers (81.1%)
Questionable: Cameron Payne, Cameron Johnson (ankle)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
