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 Monday's games
We're in the end game now. A week into March, with a month left in the regular season, most fantasy leagues are either in their playoffs or right on the verge of their playoffs beginning.
Like in every sport, this fantasy crux-point happens at the end of the season, when teams are acknowledging that either they are playing for draft position or are trying to make sure their players are fresh for the playoffs. The discerning fantasy manager and/or bettor has to stay really focused on what teams and players are doing to maximize benefits at this key time.
The NBA has five games on tap for Monday, including three matchups between two teams vying for postseason position. All three of those games have storylines to watch, starting with the Oklahoma City Thunder hosting the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets are on the short list of teams that, if healthy, can potentially give the Thunder a go in the playoffs -- and they just got Aaron Gordon back, one of the key players in their rotation. But Jamal Murray, an even bigger cog, is questionable to play Monday with a sprained ankle.
The New York Knicks stay in Los Angeles to play the LA Clippers, a day after they looked sluggish and got outplayed by the Los Angeles Lakers. This game is crucial for the positioning of both teams, with the Knicks trying to hold off the Cleveland Cavaliers for the three seed in the East and the Clippers currently in the ninth seed out West.
Speaking of the Cavaliers, they are also on the second half of a back-to-back with three of their starters dealing with or just returning from injury. DraftKings has the Cavs favored by 12.5 points over a Philadelphia 76ers team that will be without Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, and perhaps VJ Edgecombe (questionable) as well. Is the line too big? More on that below.
All these and many other storylines will be on display tonight. As always, we'll dig deeper into the action to identify fantasy streamers, betting angles of interest and DFS plays for this Monday night slate.
Dré's fantasy stream team for Monday
Kyle Filipowski, PF, Utah Jazz (33.4% rostered in ESPN Leagues): Filipowski has 36 total rebounds in his last three games and is working on consecutive double-doubles going into tonight's game against the Warriors.
Quentin Grimes, SG/SF, Philadelphia 76ers (27.9%): Grimes is in for a featured role on the 76ers with Maxey and Embiid out, and Edgecomb questionable. He and Kelly Oubre Jr. (50.6% rostered) could be in for bigger efforts than usual on Monday.
Brandin Podziemski, SG/PG, Golden State Warriors (49.7%): Podziemski has scored 22 or more points in two of his last three games, has grabbed six or more rebounds in eight straight games with two 15-board efforts in that span, and is a steady source of assists, defensive stats and 3-pointers for the Warriors.
Dré's favorite bets for Monday
76ers +12.5 points over Cavaliers (-112)
This one is me playing a hunch. The 76ers are getting so many points because they are on the road and are missing their best players with Embiid, Maxey, Paul George and perhaps Edgecomb (questionable) sidelined. But the Cavaliers are on the second half of a back-to-back, just got Donovan Mitchell back after a multi-game absence and were without Jarrett Allen (knee) on Sunday as well. The Cavs' main goal is to get their team fresh and healthy for the playoffs, and they know they are facing a depleted 76ers team... I wouldn't be surprised if the Cavs take this opportunity to get their guys some extra rest. Again, this is just my hunch, but early in the day before player availabilities are announced, I'll take the 12.5 point cushion with the 76ers.
Thunder -6.5 points OVER Nuggets (-105)
The Thunder have had the Nuggets' number, winning both games this season and five of six matchups over the past two regular seasons. Murray is questionable to play today with an ankle injury he suffered on Friday, but without any inside medical information, it looked like he really sprained that ankle pretty solidly on Friday. I would personally be surprised if he is able to play to his typical levels on Monday, which is an issue against the elite perimeter defense of the Thunder. The Thunder have also won five straight while the Nuggets have lost three of their last five, including a 39-point drubbing to the Knicks in their last outing.
Clippers +2.5 points OVER Knicks (-115)
The Clippers have won four of their last five games in the short term and have the third-best record in the NBA since December 20, when they turned their season around. Their 25-11 record in that span is only one loss behind the San Antonio Spurs (27-10) and Boston Celtics (27-10), and four games better than the Knicks (22-16). The Knicks have been solid but not dominant of late and looked sluggish yesterday against the Lakers in the first half of their back-to-back. The Clippers are at home, and according to ESPN BPI should actually be slightly favored to win this game outright, so I'll take them with the points.
Top Daily Fantasy values of the day
$8,100+ salaries
Karl-Anthony Towns, C, New York Knicks ($8,600)
Towns is on a dominant rebounding streak, averaging a rounded 14 boards per game over his last six outings. This has led him to average more than 45 fantasy points over his last four games, including 53 FP yesterday against the Lakers.
$6,100-$8,000 salaries
Kelly Oubre Jr., SG/SF, Philadelphia 76ers ($6,400)
Oubre dropped 39.2 FP in his last outing and could be in for an elevated role with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey both sidelined.
$3,000-$6,000 salaries
De'Anthony Melton, SG, Golden State Warriors ($5,900)
Melton dropped 43.5 fantasy points in his last outing and at least 37 FP in three of his last five. He missed the Warriors' last game, but is not on the injury report tonight.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Philadelphia 76ers at Cleveland Cavaliers
7 p.m. ET
Line: 76ers +12.5 (-112) | Cavaliers -12.5 (-108)
Money line: 76ers +490 | Cavaliers -675
Total: 227.5 (-105 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Cavaliers by 9.1, straight up 76%, 238.8 total points.
Injury Report:
76ers: VJ Edgecombe, (GTD - Back); Tyrese Maxey, (OUT - Finger); Joel Embiid, (OUT - Oblique); Paul George, (OUT - Suspension); Johni Broome, (OUT - Knee)
Cavaliers: Jarrett Allen, (GTD - Knee); Max Strus, (GTD - Foot); Tyrese Proctor, (GTD - Quadriceps)
Memphis Grizzlies at Brooklyn Nets
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Grizzlies -1.5 (-108) | Nets +1.5 (-112)
Money line: Grizzlies -115 | Nets -105
Total: 222.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Grizzlies by 4, straight up 62%, 224.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Grizzlies: Cedric Coward, (GTD - Knee); Scotty Pippen Jr., (GTD - Toe); Taylor Hendricks, (GTD - Thumb); Ty Jerome, (GTD - Calf); Santi Aldama, (OUT - Knee); Brandon Clarke, (OUT - Calf); Ja Morant, (OUT - Elbow); Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, (OFS - Finger); Zach Edey, (OFS - Ankle); Kyle Anderson, (GTD - Knee)
Nets: Ben Saraf, (GTD - Back); Egor Demin, (OUT - Foot)
Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder
7:30 p.m. ET on Peacock
Line: Nuggets +6.5 (-105) | Thunder -6.5 (-115)
Money line: Nuggets +220 | Thunder -270
Total: 232.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Thunder by 4.6, straight up 64%, 234.0 total points.
Injury Report:
Nuggets: Jamal Murray, (GTD - Ankle); Peyton Watson, (OUT - Hamstring)
Thunder: Alex Caruso, (GTD - Hip); Chet Holmgren, (GTD - Illness); Branden Carlson, (OUT - Back); Isaiah Hartenstein, (OUT - Calf); Jalen Williams, (OUT - Hamstring); Thomas Sorber, (OFS - Knee)
Golden State Warriors at Utah Jazz
9 p.m. ET
Line: Warriors -5.5 (-118) | Jazz +5.5 (-102)
Money line: Warriors -238 | Jazz +195
Total: 227.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Warriors by 7.5, straight up 72%, 239.9 total points.
Injury Report:
Warriors: Seth Curry, (GTD - Back); Will Richard, (GTD - Ankle); Al Horford, (OUT - Toe); Kristaps Porzingis, (OUT - Illness); Moses Moody, (OUT - Wrist); Stephen Curry, (OUT - Knee); Jimmy Butler III, (OFS - Knee)
Jazz: Vince Williams Jr., (OFS - Knee); Lauri Markkanen, (OUT - Hip); Jaren Jackson Jr., (OFS - Knee); Jusuf Nurkic, (OFS - Nose); Walker Kessler, (OFS - Shoulder)
New York Knicks at LA Clippers
10 p.m. ET on Peacock
Line: Knicks -2.5 (-105) | Clippers +2.5 (-115)
Money line: Knicks -135 | Clippers +114
Total: 220.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Clippers by 0, straight up 50%, 220.3 total points.
Injury Report:
Knicks: Mitchell Robinson, (GTD - Ankle); Miles McBride, (OUT - Pelvis)
Clippers: John Collins, (OUT - Neck); Bradley Beal, (OFS - Hip); Yanic Konan Niederhauser, (OFS - Foot)
