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.
What you need to know for Monday's games
The first round of the playoffs is in the books. But before we move on to what comes next, let's take a moment to reflect on an amazing first round. The Eastern Conference, in particular, required 27 of a max possible 28 games to decide their winners, with three seven-game series and one six-gamer. We got a big upset, with the betting favorite Boston Celtics getting beat by former MVP Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. We had two teams come back from 3-1 down to win in seven. Lots of memorable action is in the books, and now ... on to Round 2.
We've got two games on the docket tonight, one in the East and one out West. In New York, the rested Knicks host a 76ers squad fresh off their seven-game comeback. The Knicks played the most impressive game of the playoffs in their closeout of Atlanta, taking a 61-point lead before winning by 50. If that Knicks team shows up, can the 76ers match them? A big part of that answer will be tied to the health of Embiid, who had his injured knee banged into several times in Game 7 and was visibly limping. Embiid is probable to play tonight, but all eyes will be on his effectiveness less than 48 hours later.
Out West, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs host the Minnesota Timberwolves, led by ... Anthony Edwards? The injured Edwards, once thought to be out for an extended period of time, is now listed as questionable for Game 1. His presence would be a huge positive for the Timberwolves if he's healthy enough to play at a high level, so all eyes will be on whether he suits up tonight and, if so, how he looks on the court.
These and other storylines will be on display tonight as we start the second round of the playoffs. Let's dig a bit deeper and identify some betting angles and DFS players of interest for tonight's action.
Dre's Bets for Monday
OG Anunoby over 17.5 points (-101): Anunoby has been scoring at a high level in the playoffs, perhaps the most consistent scorer on the Knicks. In his last four games, he has averaged 24.3 PPG and had ramped up to 29 points in his last outing. In the two games Anunoby played against the 76ers in calendar year 2026, he dropped 19 and 23 points respectively.
Victor Wembanyama over 27.5 points (-112): Wembanyama has put together some big games against fellow French National teammate Rudy Gobert. In his last three games vs. the Timberwolves, going back to late 2024, Wembanyama has averaged 34.0 PPG with at least 29 points in every game. In his last outing against the Timberwolves in January, Wemby dropped 39 points on 12-for-23 shooting from the field. His ability to play inside and out, operating at a high level off the dribble with logo shooting range is just too dynamic for Gobert to be able to counter.
Top Daily Fantasy Values of the Day
$8,100+ Salaries
Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs ($10,800): Wemby averaged just over 60 FP in his last two games against Portland, bolstering his production with 13 blocked shots in that span.
Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers ($8,800): If Embiid is healthy enough to play at a high level he remains the biggest mismatch in the Eastern Conference. He has scored more than 50 fantasy points in five of his last six games going back to the regular season, with the only exception an 47 fantasy point effort.
$6,100-$8,000 Salaries
De'Aaron Fox, PG, San Antonio Spurs ($6,900): Fox kicked it into gear in the last two games of the first round, averaging 46.3 FP in that span. As the veteran on an otherwise young Spurs lineup, Fox will be asked to continue to step up in the second round.
OG Anunoby, SF, New York Knicks ($6,800): Anunoby enters this game on fire, averaging more than 46 fantasy points in his last four games of the first round.
$3,500-$6,000 Salaries
Terrence Shannon Jr., SG, Minnesota Timberwolves ($4,600): Shannon got the call in Game 6 against the Denver Nuggets and dropped 37.5 fantasy points. With Donte DiVincenzo out and both Edwards and Ayo Dosunmu listed as questionable, Shannon could get extended run again tonight.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
8 p.m. ET
Line: 76ers +7.5 (-112) | Knicks -7.5 (-108)
Money line: 76ers +235 | Knicks -290
Total: 213.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Knicks by 9.6, straight up 77%, 215.8 total points.
Injury Report:
76ers: None reported
Knicks: Jeremy Sochan, (GTD - Hamstring)
Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs
9:30 p.m. ET
Line: Timberwolves +11.5 (-115) | Spurs -11.5 (-105)
Money line: Timberwolves +380 | Spurs -500
Total: 218.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Spurs by 9.2, straight up 76%, 221.3 total points.
Injury Report:
Timberwolves: Donte DiVincenzo, (OFS - Achilles); Anthony Edwards, (GTD - Knee); Ayo Dosunmu, (GTD - Calf)
Spurs: David Jones Garcia, (OFS - Ankle)
