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André Snellings
Multiple Authors
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 Wednesday’s games
The NBA has a relatively light schedule for the first Wednesday of the month with only six games on tap. Still, there are some interesting games, with three featuring a pair of teams still vying for postseason consideration. This scenario tends to lead to competitive games with strong fantasy and prop betting prospects for the big-name players.
In the biggest game of the night, the Oklahoma City Thunder bring the top record in the NBA to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks. In this type of statement game, I’d expect the star players to show up and show out, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (probable, abdominals) and Jalen Brunson leading the way.
At the other end of the postseason spectrum, the Eastern Conference’s 11th-seeded Milwaukee Bucks host the 10th-seeded Atlanta Hawks in something of a “must-win game” for any aspirations the Bucks might have to make the play-in. Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from an extended injury absence on Monday. Milwaukee trails Atlanta by four games with just over one month remaining in the season.
These and many other storylines will be on display tonight, so let’s dig a bit deeper into each matchup to identify some fantasy streamers, betting angles and DFS plays of interest.
Dré’s fantasy stream team for Wednesday
Neemias Queta, C, Boston Celtics (rostered in 37.7% of ESPN leagues): Queta continues to start and play a big role for the Celtics, even after the addition of Nikola Vucevic at the trade deadline. Queta has almost averaged a double-double in his last five games at 13.8 PPG and 9.6 RPG, while also blocking 2.0 shots per game in that span.
Robert Williams III, C, Portland Trail Blazers (2.6% rostered): Williams is cleared to return on Wednesday after missing Sunday’s game. The Time Lord is a high-variance player in relatively low minutes off the bench for the Trail Blazers. In his last 10 games (spanning back to the end of January), Williams has averaged 7.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG and 2.0 BPG in 17.0 MPG with two double-doubles and at least one block in every game.
Micah Potter, C, Indiana Pacers (7.7% rostered): Potter has quietly become an impact scorer for the Pacers down the stretch. He has scored at least 18 points in three straight games and looks to continue that streak on Wednesday against the LA Clippers.
Ace Bailey, SF/PF, Utah Jazz (34.1% rostered): Bailey is finishing his rookie season strong, with double-digit scoring efforts in 16 of his last 18 games and averages of 15.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.8 3PG and 1.8 stocks/game during that span.
GG Jackson, PF, Memphis Grizzlies (23.7% rostered): Jackson notched a double-double on Tuesday and, in his last eight games, is averaging 18.0 PPG and 6.9 RPG while securing a role in the starting lineup for the Grizzlies.
Dré’s favorite bets for Wednesday
Knicks +4.5 (-115) at Thunder
The Knicks have been playing some of their best basketball of the season, holding three straight opponents under 100 points and winning their last two games (against San Antonio, at Toronto) by a combined 41 points. The Thunder have the best record in the NBA and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is back from injury, but the team has not been truly dominant since December. The Knicks are playing at home and, according to ESPN BPI, should actually be favored outright to win a close game. I’ll take them to win with the points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo double-double (-153)
Antetokounmpo (calf) returned from an almost six-week absence on Monday with a 19-point,11-rebound double-double in 25 minutes of a blowout loss to Boston. Antetokounmpo produced most of those numbers early before the blowout had him sitting in the fourth quarter, so he seems poised to resume his nightly double-double pace against a Hawks squad that ranks bottom-eight in the NBA in both points and rebounds allowed to opposing power forwards.
Grizzlies +9.5 (-112) vs. Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers and Grizzlies are the No. 10 and 11 seeds in the West, but the Trail Blazers have a five-game lead that makes them likely to eventually earn the play-in nod. With that said, the Trail Blazers have not played good basketball of late, losing their last two games by a combined 50 points to two teams that are both .500 on the season. Deni Avdija (questionable, back) has missed four straight games, and the team is clearly not the same without him. So, for them to be giving 9.5 points on the road seems generous. According to ESPN BPI, the Grizzlies should actually be favored to win outright in a close game.
Top Daily Fantasy values of the day
$8,100+ salaries
Tyrese Maxey, PG, Philadelphia 76ers ($10,300): Maxey is a high-variance play when Joel Embiid sits, but he has a great matchup at home against a Jazz team that allows the most fantasy points in the NBA to opposing point guards.
$6,100-$8,000 salaries
Keyonte George, PG, Jazz ($7,700): George averages 40.8 FP/G on the season but spent the entire month of February battling injury. He returned at the end of the month, then started March with a 49.5 FP explosion against Denver that he could replicate against a Embiid-less 76ers squad tonight.
Jrue Holiday, PG, Grizzlies ($7,000): Holiday has stepped up as the primary producer for the Trail Blazers over the last month, with five games over 36 fantasy points in that span, including each of his last two outings.
Ace Bailey, SF, Jazz ($6,300): Bailey is ramping up to close out his rookie season, averaging almost 30 fantasy points per game over the last month.
$3,000-$6,000 salaries
Neemias Queta, C, Celtics ($5,200): Queta is coming off a monster 27-point, 17-rebound performance this past Sunday and has notched double-doubles in three of his last five games.
Javon Small, PG, Grizzlies ($5,500): Small has notched at least 30 fantasy points in four of his last eight games, including three contests with at least 38 fantasy points.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Oklahoma City Thunder at New York Knicks
7 p.m. ET
Line: Thunder -4.5 (-105) | Knicks +4.5 (-115)
Money line: Thunder -170 | Knicks +142
Total: 222.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Knicks by 0.6, straight up 52%, 224.1 total points.
Injury Report:
Thunder: Ajay Mitchell, (GTD – Ankle); Branden Carlson, (GTD – Back); Isaiah Hartenstein, (GTD – Calf); Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, (GTD – Abdomen); Jalen Williams, (OUT – Hamstring); Thomas Sorber, (OFS – Knee)
Knicks: Miles McBride, (OUT – Pelvis)
Charlotte Hornets at Boston Celtics
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Hornets +6.5 (-108) | Celtics -6.5 (-112)
Money line: Hornets +195 | Celtics -238
Total: 212.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Celtics by 4.8, straight up 64%, 216.0 total points.
Injury Report:
Hornets: Coby White, (GTD – Calf)
Celtics: Jayson Tatum, (OUT – Achilles)
Utah Jazz at Philadelphia 76ers
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Jazz +8.5 (-108) | 76ers -8.5 (-112)
Money line: Jazz +300 | 76ers -380
Total: 237.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: 76ers by 9.9, straight up 77%, 245.1 total points.
Injury Report:
Jazz: Vince Williams Jr., (OFS – Knee); Lauri Markkanen, (OUT – Hip); Jaren Jackson Jr., (OFS – Knee); Jusuf Nurkic, (OFS – Nose); Walker Kessler, (OFS – Shoulder)
76ers: Kelly Oubre Jr., (GTD – Illness); VJ Edgecombe, (GTD – Back); Joel Embiid, (OUT – Oblique); Paul George, (OUT – Suspension); Johni Broome, (OUT – Knee)
Portland Trail Blazers at Memphis Grizzlies
8 p.m. ET
Line: Blazers -9.5 (-102) | Grizzlies +9.5 (-118)
Money line: Blazers -340 | Grizzlies +270
Total: 235.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Grizzlies by 1.6, straight up 55%, 236.7 total points.
Injury Report:
Blazers: Deni Avdija, (GTD – Back); Kris Murray, (GTD – Illness); Shaedon Sharpe, (OUT – Lower Leg); Damian Lillard, (OFS – Achilles)
Grizzlies: Santi Aldama, (GTD – Knee); Ja Morant, (OUT – Elbow); Brandon Clarke, (OUT – Calf); Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, (OFS – Finger); Zach Edey, (OFS – Ankle)
Atlanta Hawks at Milwaukee Bucks
9:30 p.m. ET
Line: Hawks +1.5 (-115) | Bucks -1.5 (-105)
Money line: Hawks -105 | Bucks -115
Total: 231.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Hawks by 2.6, straight up 58%, 234.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Hawks: None reported
Bucks: Taurean Prince, (OUT – Neck)
Indiana Pacers at LA Clippers
10:30 p.m. ET
Line: Pacers +12.5 (-115) | Clippers -12.5 (-105)
Money line: Pacers +455 | Clippers -625
Total: 226.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Clippers by 11.3, straight up 80%, 226.0 total points.
Injury Report:
Pacers: Johnny Furphy, (OFS – Knee); Aaron Nesmith, (GTD – Ankle); Andrew Nembhard, (GTD – Back); Obi Toppin, (GTD – Foot); Pascal Siakam, (GTD – Wrist); Ivica Zubac, (OUT – Ankle); Tyrese Haliburton, (OFS – Achilles)
Clippers: John Collins, (OUT – Neck); Bradley Beal, (OFS – Hip)