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
Looking at today's six-game slate, there is a good deal of parity in terms of point totals and the potential for competitive games.
Saturday's schedule opens early in the afternoon in North Carolina and concludes in Houston with a matchup between Texas teams.
There are two games with double-digit spreads; however, the underdogs in each case -- the New Orleans Pelicans visiting the Philadelphia 76ers and the Dallas Mavericks facing the Houston Rockets -- still feature investable rotations, even in the face of blowout risk.
Sometimes there are matchups that clearly stand out, either positively or negatively, in statistical terms. Today, however, is defined by balance. Simply put, each rotation can be considered investable.
In terms of notable takeaways from today's injury reports, Nikola Vucevic of the Chicago Bulls and Norman Powell of the Miami Heat will not play for their respective teams. The close spread in today's matchup between the Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers suggests we might not see breakout star Jalen Johnson for a second consecutive game due to a calf ailment.
With an eye toward uncovering productive fantasy streamers and compelling betting angles, let's take a look at the day ahead in the NBA.
Saturday's fantasy stream team
Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, New Orleans Pelicans (Rostered in 44.4% of ESPN leagues): Yet another Villanova product is thriving in the Association. Bey has earned a steady starting role for a Pelicans team that needs his spacing and scoring. The 76ers, meanwhile, can struggle with bigger forwards.
Aaron Nesmith, SF, Indiana Pacers: A hero of last summer's epic Finals run, Nesmith is finally looking like himself after dealing with injury issues for much of the season. A spike in playmaking is showing up in the assist column lately. Pace and ball movement could help his case in today's matchup with the Hawks.
Ayo Dosunmu, SG, Chicago Bulls (27.4%): A popular name when pundits and fans discuss potential trade targets, Dosunmu's versatility on offense in both on-ball and glue guy roles proves valuable in a league of specialists. The Bulls, likely missing Vucevic, could need his offense.
Dru Smith, PG, Miami Heat (2.8%): The Heat have a well-deserved reputation for developing high-end rotation players. Smith isn't quite a "Heat Culture" victory just yet, but a recent run of strong two-way play has been notable. The Heat are without Tyler Herro and Davion Mitchell this evening for a matchup with a leaky Chicago defense.
Dru Smith shows off the range on trey
McCormick's bets for Saturday
Tyrese Maxey over 26.5 points (-123)
Joel Embiid is reemerging as an offensive planet. The big man has such global gravity on the floor and the usage rate to match. Maxey, however, is still the downhill engine of this offense. The Pelicans are set with tired legs on the second game of a back-to-back series. The cool kids call this a "SEGABABA." The Pelicans simply don't have the guards to keep up.
Tari Eason over 17.5 total points and rebounds (-117)
Without Steven Adams in the rotation, Eason has become an important player for the Rockets on both sides of the floor. On offense, he is crashing the glass and cutting off the ball to help create chaos. On defense, he is among the best in the league at creating and capitalizing on deflections and hustle plays.
Rockets forward Tari Eason passes the time by conversing with fans during a clock malfunction.
Top Daily Fantasy values of the day
$8,100+ salaries
Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers ($9,600): Let's ride with Maxey for the scoring prop, while Embiid's cathedral ceiling in regards to scoring against a porous Pelicans frontcourt is inviting for DFS tournaments. A potential slate-shifting star, Embiid is looking more and more like himself on offense.
Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat ($8,300): If Joel is the upside play, Bam is the floor option. This steady two-way force is empowered as a playmaker whenever Powell and Herro are off the floor for the Heat. The Bulls are an ideal matchup for Adebayo's physical and relentless game.
$6,100-$8,000 salaries
P.J. Washington, SF/PF, Dallas Mavericks ($6,600): With Adams not in the rotation for the Rockets, Washington could do much more damage on the glass. Washington is also a helpful floor spacer for a Dallas team in need of such spacing.
$3,500-$6,000 salaries
Mouhamed Gueye, C, Atlanta Hawks ($4,100): With the Hawks missing their top two centers to respective injuries, we've seen Gueye as the guy Atlanta is turning to at the pivot. The Pacers, meanwhile, are similarly shallow at center.
Mouhamed Gueye soars for big Dunk
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
San Antonio Spurs at Charlotte Hornets
Noon ET
Line: Spurs -4.5 (-108) | Hornets +4.5 (-112)
Money line: Spurs -180 | Hornets +150
Total: 227.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Spurs by 3.4, straight up 60%, 229.1 total points.
Injury Report:
Spurs: Jeremy Sochan, (OUT - Quadriceps)
Hornets: Josh Green, (GTD - Achilles); KJ Simpson, (GTD - Hip); Mason Plumlee, (OUT - Groin)
Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers
7 p.m. ET
Line: Hawks -1.5 (-110) | Pacers +1.5 (-110)
Money line: Hawks -122 | Pacers +102
Total: 232.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Hawks by 2.1, straight up 56%, 237.5 total points.
Injury Report:
Hawks: N'Faly Dante, (OFS - Knee); , (GTD - Calf); Zaccharie Risacher, (GTD - Knee); Kristaps Porzingis, (OUT - Achilles); Onyeka Okongwu, (OUT - Mouth)
Pacers: Obi Toppin, (OUT - Foot); Tyrese Haliburton, (OFS - Achilles)
New Orleans Pelicans at Philadelphia 76ers
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Pelicans +10.5 (-118) | 76ers -10.5 (-102)
Money line: Pelicans +320 | 76ers -410
Total: 232.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: 76ers by 8.1, straight up 72%, 240.5 total points.
Injury Report:
Pelicans: Dejounte Murray, (OUT - Achilles)
76ers: Quentin Grimes, (GTD - Ankle); MarJon Beauchamp, (OUT - Ankle)
Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat
8 p.m. ET
Line: Bulls +4.5 (-105) | Heat -4.5 (-115)
Money line: Bulls +164 | Heat -198
Total: 234.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Heat by 6.1, straight up 67%, 244.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Bulls: Josh Giddey, (GTD - Hamstring); Tre Jones, (OUT - Hamstring); Zach Collins, (OUT - Toe); Noa Essengue, (OFS - Shoulder)
Heat: Davion Mitchell, (GTD - Shoulder); Norman Powell, (OUT - Personal); Tyler Herro, (OUT - Ribs); Terry Rozier, (OUT - Not Injury Related)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Memphis Grizzlies
8 p.m. ET
Line: Timberwolves -8.5 (-102) | Grizzlies +8.5 (-118)
Money line: Timberwolves -310 | Grizzlies +250
Total: 229.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Timberwolves by 6.1, straight up 67%, 232.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr., (OUT - Foot)
Grizzlies: Santi Aldama, (GTD - Knee); Scotty Pippen Jr., (GTD - Toe); Ty Jerome, (GTD - Calf); (OUT - Calf); Ja Morant, (OUT - Elbow); Zach Edey, (OUT - Ankle)
Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets
8:30 p.m. ET
Line: Mavericks +10.5 (-105) | Rockets -10.5 (-115)
Money line: Mavericks +380 | Rockets -500
Total: 223.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Rockets by 10, straight up 76%, 228.2 total points.
Injury Report:
Mavericks: Kyrie Irving, (OUT - Knee); Anthony Davis, (OUT - Finger); Dante Exum, (OFS - Knee); Dereck Lively II, (OFS - Foot)
Rockets: Fred VanVleet, (OUT - Knee); Steven Adams, (OFS - Ankle)
