ESPN's basketball daily cheat sheet is your pregame destination before you lock in daily fantasy and betting decisions for that night's games. Here you'll find our top insights for the slate, including players to target for your daily fantasy rosters, along with game-by-game injury reports.
What you need to know for Tuesday
The San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves head into a pivotal Game 5 tied 2-2 in what has become an increasingly physical and emotional series. Victor Wembanyama will play after avoiding a suspension following his ejection in Game 4, giving San Antonio a massive boost on both ends of the floor. The Spurs will need stronger 3-point shooting after struggling from beyond the arc in both of their losses in this series.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves will continue to lean on Anthony Edwards, who has been phenomenal while battling through knee injuries. Rebounding and physicality could once again decide this matchup after Minnesota dominated the offensive glass in consecutive games. Naz Reid's toughness and production have also become a major factor for the Timberwolves, especially with the emotions in this series continuing to rise.
Expect both teams to treat this game like a must win in San Antonio. Here's a look at the betting angles and DFS plays of interest for Tuesday's playoff game.
Moody's bet for Tuesday
Naz Reid 8+ rebounds (+105)
Reid has played with relentless energy throughout this series, and it has translated into strong rebounding production. He has secured at least eight rebounds in three of four games this series while averaging 13.7 rebound chances per game. Reid also recorded eight or more rebounds in six of the 10 games this season in which he played at least 30 minutes.
Top Daily Fantasy Values of the Day
$8,100+ salaries
Victor Wembanyama, C, Spurs ($12,000): Wembanyama's DFS production has been up and down in this series, but it's difficult to ignore the upside he brings given his ability to contribute on both ends of the floor. The Timberwolves have had mixed results defending him throughout the series, and with Game 5 carrying so much importance, San Antonio should lean heavily on Wembanyama, especially if De'Aaron Fox is limited tonight. You should also consider using Wembanyama as a captain in your showdown lineup at $18,000.
$6,100-$8,000 salaries
Ayo Dosunmu, PG/SG, Timberwolves ($7,000): Dosunmu has scored at least 24 fantasy points while playing 30-plus minutes in each of the last two games of this series. Minnesota attacked the unprotected rim with Wembanyama off the floor in Game 4, but with him back in the lineup, the Timberwolves should lean more heavily on perimeter shooting, which benefits Dosunmu.
Naz Reid, PF/C, Timberwolves ($6,600): Reid has been phenomenal in this series against the Spurs, making plays on both ends of the court that boost his DFS appeal. He has scored at least 33 fantasy points in each of the last two games. Although Reid is dealing with a few injuries, they shouldn't significantly impact either his availability or productivity.
$3,500-$6,000 salaries
Dylan Harper, PG/SG, Spurs ($5,400): Harper is coming off a huge Game 4 performance in which he scored 39.7 fantasy points. He has now scored at least 29 fantasy points in three of four games this series while averaging 24.5 minutes per game. The rookie should continue to play a vital role in the Spurs rotation, especially at home in Game 5.
Stephen A. Smith says Victor Wembanyama's elbow to Naz Reid warranted a suspension, but he explains why he's glad the NBA decided against it.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs
8 p.m. ET on NBC
Line: Timberwolves +10.5 (-115) | Spurs -10.5 (-105)
Money line: Timberwolves +320 | Spurs -410
Total: 218.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Spurs by 9.6, straight up 77%, 220.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Timberwolves: Donte DiVincenzo, (OFS - Achilles)
Spurs: David Jones Garcia, (OFS - Ankle)
