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 to consider for DFS, best bets, as well as game-by-game injury reports.
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Best bets | DFS picks | Odds & injury report
What you need to know for Wednesday's games
The first round of the playoffs is in its end game right now, with two series officially over and the possibility that more end tonight. The Orlando Magic have the chance to cement an eighth-seed-over-top-seed upset over the Detroit Pistons. The Magic have won three of the four games in the series so far, including one in Detroit, and would have to win another in the Motor City to end things in five. But the Pistons are a prideful team with their backs to the wall, and in this situation you just try to win one game and see what happens. Expect their best shot tonight.
The Los Angeles Lakers also have a chance to wrap things up tonight when they host the Houston Rockets (10 p.m. ET on ESPN). The Rockets staved off a sweep when they won Game 4 in a blowout, but they will again be without Kevin Durant (ankle), and the Lakers have optimism that they might get Austin Reaves (questionable, abdominal) back for Wednesday's game. It's obviously win or go home for the Rockets, but some, like our own Kendrick Perkins, believe this is a must-win game for the Lakers as well.
The only series of the night guaranteed to extend to another day is between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors, currently tied at two games apiece. The Cavaliers won the first two games of the series handily at home, then the Raptors followed up a blowout win in Game 3 with a comeback victory in Game 4. The series shifts back to Cleveland, with the winner of Game 5 (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN) in a prime spot to take the series.
Let's dig a bit deeper and identify some betting angles and DFS players of interest for tonight's action.
Dre's bets for Wednesday
Tobias Harris OVER 16.5 points (-120)
Harris has been the Pistons' most consistent scorer of late, quietly notching between 16 and 24 points in each of his last five games with a 20.0 PPG average over that span. The Magic have done a great job slowing down Jalen Duren in this series, and while Cade Cunningham will continue to be relied upon for the heaviest lifting, he needs a lieutenant that can score with him. In this series, that lieutenant is Harris, and the Pistons will lean on him as they try to keep their season alive.
Desmond Bane OVER 18.5 points (-119)
After averaging only 14.5 PPG in the first two games of the series, Bane has come alive to average 23.5 PPG in the two most recent games. And with Franz Wagner questionable to play tonight because of a calf strain, Bane could be in line for more heavy lifting in Game 5.
Cavaliers -8.5 (-118) vs. Raptors
The Cavs are coming off a horrible loss in Game 4, where they lost despite being in control almost the entirety of the game. In my view, the Cavs are the significantly better team in this matchup and will bounce back and show that in Game 5. In addition, the series shifts back to Cleveland tonight, and the Cavaliers have won both home games in this series by double digits.
Lakers -4.5 (-105) vs. Rockets
Going into Game 4 in Houston with the Lakers up three games to none, my prediction was that either the Lakers would sweep or the Rockets would win in an effort-based blowout. The latter came true, and my sense now is that the Lakers will return home and take care of business in Game 5. Role players play better at home, and the Lakers have essentially been LeBron James leading ascendant role players in this series. This feels like one the Lakers should win comfortably.
Top Daily Fantasy Values of the Day
$8,100+ salaries
LeBron James, PF, Lakers ($9,500): James averaged more than 55 fantasy points in the first three games of the series before a down effort in Game 4. I look for him to bounce back with a Game 5 effort more similar to what we saw early in the series.
Donovan Mitchell, SG, Cavaliers ($8,500): Mitchell averaged almost 48 fantasy points per game in the first two games in Cleveland before struggling to under 30 FP/G in two games in Toronto. Game 5 is back home for Mitchell, and I expect his numbers to bounce back.
$6,100-$8,000 salaries
Jabari Smith Jr., PF, Rockets ($6,500): Smith has been the most consistent fantasy producer for the Rockets in this series, notching 37-37.5 fantasy points in three of the four games.
$3,500-$6,000 salaries
Wendell Carter Jr., C, Magic ($6,000): Carter has notched between 36.8 and 41.2 fantasy points in three of the four games in the series and will look to maintain his high level in Game 5.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Orlando Magic at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m. ET on Prime Video
Line: Magic +9.5 (-105) | Pistons -9.5 (-115)
Money line: Magic +310 | Pistons -395
Total: 211.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Pistons by 10.4, straight up 79%, 214.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Magic: Franz Wagner, (GTD - Calf); Jonathan Isaac, (GTD - Knee)
Pistons: Kevin Huerter, (GTD - Thigh)
Toronto Raptors at Cleveland Cavaliers
7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Line: Raptors +8.5 (-102) | Cavaliers -8.5 (-118)
Money line: Raptors +300 | Cavaliers -380
Total: 218.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Cavaliers by 3.6, straight up 61%, 221.6 total points.
Injury Report:
Raptors: Chucky Hepburn, (OFS - Knee)
Cavaliers: None reported
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers
10 p.m. ET on ESPN
Line: Rockets +4.5 (-115) | Lakers -4.5 (-105)
Money line: Rockets +150 | Lakers -180
Total: 208.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Lakers by 0.1, straight up 50%, 211.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Rockets: Kevin Durant, (OUT - Ankle); Fred VanVleet, (OUT - Knee); Steven Adams, (OFS - Ankle)
Lakers: Austin Reaves, (GTD - Oblique); Luka Doncic, (OUT - Hamstring)
