Fantasy basketball tips and NBA betting picks for Sunday
Pay To Be Different: Rudy Gobert is rarely a fun DFS play for his lack of upside and in a matchup against the size of the Cavaliers, the initial reaction is to look elsewhere. But is that right? Against top-10 defenses this season, he’s averaging 15.4 points and 12.8 rebounds, nearly identical to his 12.7 points and 13.0 rebounds against all other teams. Boring and profitable… both things can be true.
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Support The Sixers: Keep an eye on the injury report, but over the past two seasons, Philadelphia is 6-2 outright when both they and their opponent are on the second night of a back-to-back.
Super Sabonis: Only four players have a five-game streak this season with at least 19 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists: Pascal Siakam, LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Domantas Sabonis. His versatility makes him a great DFS building block and prop target against a Warriors team (front end of a back-to-back) that has been the ideal target thus far: high-end pace, low-end defensive efficiency.
Less Is More: Like the Bulls to cover tonight? If so, pairing that bet with the game under isn’t a bad play, as unders are 5-2 this season in the seven games Chicago has covered the spread (2-3 when they fail to cover). DeMar DeRozan‘s production this month has followed a similar trend: 12.7 PPG in losses and 33.0 PPG in wins.
Brooklyn Nets at Los Angeles Lakers
9:30 p.m ET, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
Line: Nets (-4.5)
Money line: Nets (-195), Lakers (+162)
Total: 218.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 228.7 points
BPI Win%: Nets (52.9%)
Questionable: Seth Curry (ankle), Yuta Watanabe (ankle)
Doubtful: LeBron James (adductor)
Ruled out: Kyrie Irving (suspension)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: Edmond Sumner (available in 99.3% of leagues) has been starting in place of Kyrie Irving, and has scored double-figure points in three of those five starts. In his last two outings, he’s averaged 14.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.5 3PG and 0.5 BPG. — André Snellings
Best bet: Under 218.5 points. The Nets are favored to win this game, in part because they’ve become a new team on defense in the wake of the two major team occurrences of the past couple weeks, their change at head coach and the suspension of Irving. The Nets have won four of their last six games, and in those six games they and their opponents have combined to scored 114 points or less in all six games. They haven’t allowed an opponent to score 100 points in their last five outings. — Snellings
Oklahoma City Thunder at New York Knicks
12 p.m. ET, Madison Square Garden, New York
Line: Knicks (-5.5)
Money line: Knicks (-227), Thunder (+175)
Total: 227 points
BPI Projected Total: 222.7 points
BPI Win%: Knicks (70.4%)
Questionable: Darius Bazley (ankle)
Ruled out: Mitchell Robinson (knee)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: Isaiah Hartenstein (available in 88.0% of leagues) started last game and two of his last four outings in place of Mitchell Robinson (out, knee). He grabbed double-digit rebounds in both starts, and in his last five games overall has averaged 9.2 RPG, 6.7 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 0.8 SPG and 0.3 3PG in 25.2 MPG. He’s played at least 33 minutes in both starts. — Snellings
Best bet: Jalen Brunson over 18.5 points. Brunson has scored at least 20 points in five of his last six games, and he’s facing a Thunder defense that allows the opposing point guard position to average 24.5 PPG. — Snellings
Minnesota Timberwolves at Cleveland Cavaliers
6 p.m. ET, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, Ohio
Line: Cavaliers (-5)
Money line: Cavaliers (-205), Timberwolves (+170)
Total: 222.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 230 points
BPI Win%: Cavaliers (63.5%)
Questionable: Donovan Mitchell (ankle), Jarrett Allen (ankle), Dean Wade (knee)
Ruled out: Naz Reid (illness)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: Kevin Love (available in 77.9% of leagues) has averaged 14.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 3.0 3PG and 2.9 APG in 21.1 MPG over his last seven outings. Both Jarrett Allen (ankle) and Dean Wade (knee) are listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, and if either sits Love could have an even bigger role than usual. — Snellings
Memphis Grizzlies at Washington Wizards
6 p.m. ET, Capital One Arena, Washington, Washington D.C.
Line: Wizards (-1.5)
Money line: Wizards (-110), Grizzlies (+100)
Total: 218 points
BPI Projected Total: 227.9 points
BPI Win%: Grizzlies (52.6%)
Doubtful: Jaren Jackson Jr. (shoulder), Ja Morant (ankle), Desmond Bane (toe)
Ruled out: Bradley Beal (conditioning)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: Dillon Brooks (available in 44.9% of leagues) projects as the primary producer on the Grizzlies today if Morant, Bane and Jackson all sit as expected. Tyus Jones (available in 93.7% of leagues) could also put up big numbers as the primary offense-producer from the backcourt. — Snellings
Best bet: Wizards -2.5 points. The best players on both teams are expected to sit on Sunday, with the Grizzlies listing Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. as doubtful while Wizards coach Wes Unseld has said that he doesn’t expect Bradley Beal (Q, COVID-19) to play. But, the Wizards have won three straight games with Beal out, and should have a distinct advantage in personnel with the Grizzlies playing without multiple of their primary producers. — Snellings
Utah Jazz at Philadelphia 76ers
7:30 p.m. ET, Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Line: 76ers (-3)
Money line: 76ers (-150), Jazz (+126)
Total: 219 points
BPI Projected Total: 226.9 points
BPI Win%: 76ers (50.5%)
Questionable: Joel Embiid, De’Anthony Melton (back)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Denver Nuggets at Chicago Bulls
8 p.m. ET, United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Line: Nuggets (-2)
Money line: Nuggets (-130), Bulls (+110)
Total: 230 points
BPI Projected Total: 224.1 points
BPI Win%: Nuggets (56%)
Ruled out: Coby White (thigh), Bones Hyland (COVID-19), Ish Smith (calf)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Best bet: Zach LaVine over 22.5 points. LaVine has averaged 22.0 PPG in 34 MPG with a usage rate of 26.8%. He’s only shooting 43.6% from the field, but the Nuggets have allowed opponents to shoot 48.8%. Look for a big game from LaVine. — Eric Moody
Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings
9 p.m. ET, Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
Line: Warriors -4
Money line: Warriors (-190), Nuggets (+158)
Total: 237 points
BPI Projected Total: 232.5 points
BPI Win%: Warriors (54.5%)
Best bet: Domantas Sabonis over 35.5 points+assists+rebounds. Sabonis has averaged 17.4 PPG, 6.1 APG and 10.4 RPG in 31.8 MPG. He has a good chance of exceeding those per game averages against the Warriors;Golden State ranks 24th in points allowed per 100 possessions. With a usage rate of 23%, Sabonis will be actively involved for the Kings. — Moody
1. Golden State Warriors (116.9 points)
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (116.9 points)
3. Brooklyn Nets (114.8 points)
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (108.4 points)
2. Chicago Bulls (111.2 points)
3. Utah Jazz (113.4 points)
1. New York Knicks (70.4%)
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (63.5%)
3. Denver Nuggets (56%)