-
Eric Moody
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.
Jump ahead
Top streamers | Best bets | DFS picks | Odds & Injury report
There are five games on Thursday’s New Year’s Day slate. The game I’m most excited about is the Miami Heat traveling to Detroit to take on the Pistons at Little Caesars Arena — a real measuring-stick game in the Eastern Conference. Detroit has been dominant at home and Cade Cunningham continues to control games, while Miami comes in hot after a 147-point outburst and a three-game win streak. After the first meeting this season between these two teams turned into a 138-135 shootout, this rematch should tell us whether the Pistons’ rise is for real and if the Heat can keep pace with the East’s best.
Let’s break down the action and find some fantasy streamers and betting angles to make the most of tonight’s slate.
Thursday’s fantasy stream team
Brook Lopez, C, LA Clippers (rostered in 16.9% of ESPN leagues): Lopez has seen an increase in playing time with Ivica Zubac out due to a left ankle sprain. He’s averaged 29.8 fantasy points in 28.8 minutes per game over his last five outings. The Kings have allowed the second-most points and second-most rebounds per game to centers this season.
Isaiah Collier, PG, Utah Jazz (16.8%): Collier has averaged 27.1 fantasy points in 25.8 minutes per game over his last eight outings. He’s a strong source of assists, though his production in other categories has been sporadic. The Clippers have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game to point guards this season.
Nique Clifford, SG, Sacramento Kings (2.2%): The rookie’s fantasy production has trended up alongside his minutes. Clifford has played at least 20 minutes in seven consecutive games and has scored at least 21 fantasy points in six of them. With Zach LaVine still out, he should continue to see an ample run.
Taylor Hendricks, PF, Sacramento Kings (0.3%): Hendricks will make his first start for the Kings since November 5, pushing Svi Mykhailiuk to the bench. He’s an intriguing streamer for managers in deeper formats. Hendricks averages 14.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per 40 minutes.
Moody’s bets for Thursday
Kawhi Leonard OVER 2.5 three-pointers (+101)
Leonard has been unstoppable of late and is in a great spot against a Utah Jazz team that ranks 29th in defensive rating. He’s cleared this line in four of his last five games, averaging 8.6 three-point attempts per game over that stretch while shooting an impressive 47% from beyond the arc. Leonard has also gone over this line in eight of his last 10 home games. Utah has allowed the most three-pointers per game to opponents this season.
Tyrese Maxey OVER 34.5 points and assists (-117)
Maxey posted his second game of the season with at least 30 points and 10 assists against the Grizzlies on Tuesday night. He’s gone over this line in seven of his last 10 games while carrying a 28.8% usage rate over that stretch. Maxey also cleared this number against Dallas back on December 20. The Mavericks have struggled to defend point guards this season, and Maxey has gone over this line in 66% of his games overall, putting him in another strong spot here.
Kevin Durant OVER 36.5 points, rebounds and assists (-115)
The Rockets are double-digit favorites, which suggests this game could turn into a blowout, but Durant should still see enough minutes to clear this line. He’s gone over it in seven of his last 10 games. This matchup may also be closer than the spread suggests, as over the last 15 games, only the Thunder have posted a better defensive rating than the Nets.
Derrick White OVER 29.5 points, rebounds and assists (-107)
White hasn’t been asked to carry the offense as much in recent games, but he should find more offensive success against a Kings team that ranks near the bottom of the league in defensive rating for December. White has cleared this line in six of his last 10 games. Over that span, he’s averaged 16.8 field goal attempts, 9.3 rebound chances and 8.1 potential assists in 34.7 minutes per game.
Top Daily Fantasy values of the day
Play Daily Fantasy NBA at DraftKings
$8100+ salaries
Kawhi Leonard, SF, Los Angeles Clippers ($9,600)
Leonard has scored at least 54 fantasy points in five consecutive games, including two with at least 63. The Jazz have allowed the most fantasy points per game to small forwards this season.
James Harden, PG, Los Angeles Clippers ($9,100)
Harden has averaged 47.9 fantasy points per game this season and is in a great spot against a Jazz team that has allowed the most fantasy points per game to point guards.
Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers ($8,500)
Embiid has been playing through injuries this season with his workload carefully managed by the 76ers, but he’s still scored at least 40 fantasy points in five consecutive games, including two with 56 or more.
$6100-$8000 salaries
Derrick White, PG/SG, Boston Celtics ($7,700)
White has the unique ability to contribute to nearly every statistical category. He’s averaged 44.3 fantasy points per game over his last seven games and faces a Kings team that’s allowed the fourth most fantasy points per game to shooting guards.
Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat ($7,500)
Adebayo returned from a two-game absence due to lower-back soreness against the Nuggets on Monday and produced 34.5 fantasy points in just 21 minutes. He should see an uptick in playing time against the Pistons on Thursday after posting 35.5 fantasy points versus Detroit on November 29th.
DeMar DeRozan, SF, Sacramento Kings ($6,900)
DeRozan has done his best to fill the void left by Zach LaVine in the Kings’ rotation. The Celtics aren’t an easy defensive matchup, but DeRozan has averaged 38.8 fantasy points per game over his last seven outings while continuing to play ample minutes.
$3500-$6000 salaries
Kyle Filipowski, PF/C, Utah Jazz ($5,700)
Filipowski has scored at least 23 fantasy points in each of the last three games in which he’s played at least 22 minutes. Lauri Markkanen is questionable for Thursday’s matchup against the Clippers with a left knee contusion, and if he sits, Filipowski should see an expanded role and additional minutes.
Brook Lopez, C, Los Angeles Clippers ($5,300)
Lopez has seen a boost in playing time with Ivica Zubac out due to a left ankle sprain. He’s scored at least 20 fantasy points in five consecutive games, including one with 46 points, and now faces a Kings team that has allowed the most fantasy points per game to centers this season.
Anfernee Simons, PG/SG, Boston Celtics ($4,400)
Simons has scored at least 23 fantasy points in back-to-back games and has been productive when given minutes. He draws a favorable matchup against a Kings team that has struggled defensively for most of the season.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Houston Rockets at Brooklyn Nets
6 p.m. ET
Line: Rockets -11.5 (-110) | Nets +11.5 (-110)
Money line: Rockets -535 | Nets +400
Total: 218.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Rockets by 10.4, straight up 77%, 221.0 total points.
Injury Report:
Rockets: Alperen Sengun, (GTD – Calf); Clint Capela, (GTD – Illness); Steven Adams, (GTD – Ankle); Tari Eason, (GTD – Illness); Fred VanVleet, (OUT – Knee)
Nets: Michael Porter Jr., (GTD – Illness); Terance Mann, (GTD – Hip); Egor Demin, (OUT – Back); Haywood Highsmith, (OUT – Knee)
Miami Heat at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m. ET
Line: Heat +4.5 (-105) | Pistons -4.5 (-115)
Money line: Heat +164 | Pistons -198
Total: 237.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Pistons by 3.3, straight up 60%, 239.2 total points.
Injury Report:
Heat: Simone Fontecchio, (GTD – Ankle); Pelle Larsson, (OUT – Ankle); Tyler Herro, (OUT – Toe); Terry Rozier, (OUT – Not Injury Related)
Pistons: Isaac Jones, (GTD – Knee); Tobias Harris, (GTD – Hip); Wendell Moore Jr., (OUT – Hamstring); Caris LeVert, (OUT – Knee)
Philadelphia 76ers at Dallas Mavericks
8:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV
Line: 76ers -2.5 (-108) | Mavericks +2.5 (-112)
Money line: 76ers -135 | Mavericks +114
Total: 230.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Mavericks by 0.2, straight up 51%, 238.1 total points.
Injury Report:
76ers: Joel Embiid, (GTD – Knee); Kelly Oubre Jr., (OUT – Knee); Trendon Watford, (OUT – Thigh)
Mavericks: Kyrie Irving, (OUT – Knee); Dante Exum, (OFS – Knee); Dereck Lively II, (OFS – Foot)
Boston Celtics at Sacramento Kings
10 p.m. ET
Line: Celtics -9.5 (-112) | Kings +9.5 (-108)
Money line: Celtics -410 | Kings +320
Total: 227.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Celtics by 10.1, straight up 76%, 227.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Celtics: Chris Boucher, (GTD – Personal); Jayson Tatum, (OUT – Achilles); Amari Williams, (GTD – Knee)
Kings: Zach LaVine, (OUT – Ankle); Domantas Sabonis, (OUT – Knee)
Utah Jazz at LA Clippers
10:30 p.m. ET
Line: Jazz +12.5 (-105) | Clippers -12.5 (-115)
Money line: Jazz +490 | Clippers -675
Total: 232.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Clippers by 11.9, straight up 80%, 237.3 total points.
Injury Report:
Jazz: Keyonte George, (GTD – Illness); Lauri Markkanen, (GTD – Knee); Ace Bailey, (OUT – Hip); Jusuf Nurkic, (OUT – Toe); Georges Niang, (OUT – Foot); Walker Kessler, (OFS – Shoulder)
Clippers: Bogdan Bogdanovic, (OUT – Hamstring); Ivica Zubac, (OUT – Ankle); Bradley Beal, (OFS – Hip)