Fantasy basketball tips and NBA betting picks for Tuesday
ESPN’s fantasy basketball and basketball betting tips cheat sheet is your pregame destination for basketball betting predictions and our best intel and data to help you make smart fantasy and wagering decisions. NBA game odds for November 15 are provided by Caesars Sportsbook, and fantasy advice is based on ESPN 10-team leagues.
JJJ’s Debut: The Grizzlies have upgraded Jaren Jackson Jr. to questionable for tonight’s game against the Pelicans in New Orleans. Jackson is likely to be on a minutes limit for his debut and these first several weeks, but it is undoubtedly time to roster him in all formats. After all, he led the league in total blocks and blocks per game last season and yet is still a free agent in nearly 60% of ESPN leagues. This is a unique window to acquire a statistical star.
Betting Brooks: Desmond Bane is listed as doubtful on the injury report due to a toe injury. This vaults Dillon Brooks (44% available in ESPN leagues) into an important scoring role on the perimeter for Memphis. Brooks has scored 40 points over his past two games and is a target for scoring and shooting props.
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Utah’s Utility Man: Jarred Vanderbilt (70% available) is positioned to produce against the Knicks tonight. He paces Utah with 13.5 rebounding chances per game and while he’s not a big scoring threat, his rebounding and defensive acumen could see him flirt with 30 minutes of run against a Knicks offense that runs a lot of action through its front court. This could give Vanderbilt a shot at a double-double (+390 on DraftKings). Kelly Olynyk (69%) is also widely available for streaming purposes thanks to atypically strong assist and steal rates.
Tired But Not Forgotten: The Spurs have lost six of seven and were blown out by the Warriors last night. I get why the spread is what it is tonight in Portland. That said, recent history positions this as a time to buy. This will be the 14th instance this season in which an underdog of at least eight points is on a back-to-back with an over/under north of 220 points: 9-3-1 ATS. Yes, that’s a bunch of qualifiers, but the idea is simple: fatigue has been overrated thus far. Even better when catching a big number? Unders. Unders are 5-1 this season when the Spurs are at least an eight point underdog.
Memphis Grizzlies at New Orleans Pelicans
7:30 p.m. ET, Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
Line: Pelicans (-3.5)
Money line: Pelicans (-165), Grizzlies (+140)
Total: 228.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 229.9 points
BPI Win%: Pelicans (57.4%)
Ruled Out: Desmond Bane (toe)
Questionable: Zion Williamson (ankle)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Best bet: Grizzlies +3.5. It’s tough to back the Pelicans against a Ja Morant-led Grizzlies team especially with Zion Williamson questionable. New Orleans is 2-5 ATS over their last seven games. The Pelicans are a much better team this season ranking fifth in efficiency differentiaL, however, they lost three games against the Grizzlies by 10 or more points last season after acquiring C.J. McCollum. Desmond Bane has been ruled out, but Jaren Jackson Jr. is expected to make his season. The Grizzlies should benefit defensively from his return. — Eric Moody
LA Clippers at Dallas Mavericks
8:30 p.m. ET, American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Line: Mavericks (-7)
Money line: Mavericks (-285), Clippers (+228)
Total: 212 points
BPI Projected Total: 220.9 points
BPI Win%: Mavericks (77.1%)
Ruled Out: Kawhi Leonard (knee), John Wall (knee), Davis Bertans (knee)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Best bet: Under 212. The Clippers rank second in points allowed per 100 possessions while the Mavericks rank ninth. Los Angeles is a strong offensive team but totals have only gone over in one of the Clippers’ past seven games at home. Both teams play at a slow pace, which also suggests a low scoring game. The Mavericks rank 30th in the league with only 1,164 possessions. — Moody
New York Knicks at Utah Jazz
9 p.m. ET, Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah
Line: Jazz (-5)
Money line: Jazz (-205), Knicks (+170)
Total: 230.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 227.3 points
BPI Win%: Jazz (71.6%)
Ruled Out: Mitchell Robinson (knee)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: Malik Beasley (rostered in 76.8% of leagues). Beasley comes off the bench and fires as many 3-pointers as he desires, and he’s doing a good job of it lately. Beasley averaged 17 PPG on the recent three-game road trip, draining 14 3-pointers on 29 attempts, and helping out with rebounds and steals. The Knicks allowed the Thunder to score 145 points at home in their last game. As long as Beasley is somewhat accurate with his many shots, he should score enough to matter in fantasy. — Karabell
Best bet: Mike Conley under 11.5 points. Conley continues to pile on the assists. He has averaged a career-best 8.1 APG, but he isn’t looking for his own shot, scoring just 13 points over the past three games, struggling to hit only four field goals in 21 attempts. The Knicks allow a ton of points to players at any position, but Conley seems content with his distribution role, so don’t expect a high scoring stat line tonight. — Karabell
Brooklyn Nets at Sacramento Kings
10 p.m. ET, Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
Line: Kings (-2)
Money line: Kings (-135), Nets (+115)
Total: 226.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 233 points
BPI Win%: Kings (62.4%)
Probable: Nic Claxton (eye), Seth Curry (ankle)
Questionable: Yuta Watanabe (back), Ben Simmons (knee)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Best bet: Nic Claxton over 11.5 points and 8.5 rebounds. Claxton isn’t a top scorer, but every Kings contest seems to feature lots of points on both sides. Claxton topped 11.5 points in two of the past three games and would have done it against the Lakers Sunday if he didn’t leave the game early with an eye injury. He’s fine to play tonight and should provide another double-double, with upside of at least 15 points. — Karabell
Best bet: Nets +2.0. I’m impressed with Kevin Durant and this Nets team under new head coach Jacque Vaughn. Brooklyn is 4-2-1 ATS and 3-1-1 ATS in its past five road games. Seth Curry’s return will also help the Nets. While the Kings are 9-3 ATS this season, Brooklyn has done a great job defensively, ranking 12th in points allowed per 100 possessions. There is a good chance this will be a low scoring game and the Nets are 6-4 ATS when they give up fewer than 116.8 points. — Moody
San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers
10 p.m. ET, Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Line: Blazers (-8)
Money line: Blazers (-345), Spurs (+270)
Total: 226 points
BPI Projected Total: 235.1 points
BPI Win%: Blazers (74.6%)
Questionable: Keon Johnson (hip), Justise Winslow (hip), Jusuf Nurkic (thigh)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: Drew Eubanks (rostered in 0.6% of ESPN leagues) is on the streaming radar with Jusuf Nurkic questionable. He’s missed the Trail Blazers’ last three games and Eubanks has averaged 25 fantasy points per game as Portland’s starting center in his absence. — Moody
Best bet: Damian Lillard over 32.5 points + assists. Lillard has averaged 28.6 PPG and 6.0 APG since returning from a calf injury. The Spurs are a defensively challenged team, so Lillard should have a monster game against them. San Antonio ranks 28th in points allowed per 100 possessions and allow opponents to have a 56.5% effective field goal percentage. Only two other teams have allowed a higher percentage. — Moody
1. Portland Trail Blazers (121.3)
2.Sacramento Kings (118.3)
3. Utah Jazz (116.7)
1. Memphis Grizzlies (106.5)
2. LA Clippers (113.8)
3. San Antonio Spurs (113.8)
1. Dallas Mavericks (77.1%)
2. Portland Trail Blazers (74.6%)
3. Utah Jazz (71.6%)