Fantasy basketball picks and betting tips for Sunday’s NBA slate

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 and player projections.

What you need to know for Sunday’s games

It’s important to note that the first of Sunday’s three games tips in the afternoon, with the Brooklyn Nets as rare favorites at home against the Detroit Pistons. The lead fantasy angle is the continued ascent of Dennis Schroder (rostered in 81.2% of ESPN leagues), who is posting career numbers as the lead creator on an offense that has been surprisingly interesting thus far. Meanwhile, Detroit has a young guard featured in the players to stream below.

The New Orleans Pelicans host the Atlanta Hawks in the second game of the day. The Pelicans are missing as many as four starters to injury at the moment, which means there is likely value to be found in the rotation past Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. This game has the highest total of the slate by a good margin, making it an attractive climate for streaming and player props.

The final matchup pits the Orlando Magic against the Dallas Mavericks. With Paolo Banchero sidelined with an oblique injury, more offensive usage goes to Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner, with Suggs becoming a fantasy star in the first weeks of the new season. We focus on this game several times between streaming and prop endorsements.

Some might take the extra hour afforded by daylight savings to rest, while others focus on building the best fantasy basketball lineups amid a trio of NBA games on this autumn Sunday. If you take some time to read this piece, maybe you can accomplish both feats.

Sunday’s fantasy players to stream into your lineup

Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons, SG (Available in 32% of ESPN leagues)

Ivey is a pick for those in shallower formats. It’s going a bit unnoticed just how well he has played to open the season. Ivey has become a top point-of-attack defender for Detroit and is thriving as a secondary creator. Sunday’s matchup with Brooklyn’s backcourt is an attractive one for him. For Brooklyn, Cam Johnson (51.3% available) has seen a valuable number of shots to open the season as well.

P.J. Washington, Dallas Mavericks, PF (37.8% available)

You would miss out on Washington’s diverse statistical production if you only focused on his somewhat modest scoring pattern. The value really comes from Washington’s ability to produce multiple steals and blocks while also posting solid shooting and rebounding numbers. The Magic, meanwhile, are depleted in the frontcourt with both Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. ailing.

Jose Alvarado, New Orleans Pelicans, PG (88.9% available)

The Pelicans are without CJ McCollum, Dejounte Murray, Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III for Sunday’s game. With so much scoring, creation, and perimeter defense missing from the rotation, Alvarado will need to become a two-way creator for New Orleans. With the potential to score above expectation (more on that below) and fill the box score with passing and defensive numbers, Alvarado is a top guard addition for the slate. For those who crave scoring and shooting upside, keep an eye on Jordan Hawkins (85.1% available) if he’s active.

Bets for Sunday

Hawks-Pelicans over 230.5 points (-105)

While this is already the highest total of the day, it’s a bit conservative considering how porous these respective defenses have proven. Atlanta sits 28th in defensive rating with 118.6 points allowed per 100 possessions, with New Orleans 20th (115.3). The Hawks run an intentionally up-tempo offense, ranking third in pace, which means added possessions for two bad defensive groups.

Jalen Suggs over 5.5 assists (+120)

Suggs is one of the breakout players of the season so far. He has has added dynamic shooting and creation to his elite defensive profile. With Banchero’s ball-dominant skill set off the floor, there is more room for Suggs to put up great passing lines, especially Sunday night against Kyrie Irving and the Mavericks’ perimeter defense.

Kyrie Irving over 4.5 assists (-130)

Speaking of Irving, he has been more successful as a creator now that Dallas has more catch-and-shoot threats to distribute the ball to off of drives and in transition. The Magic lack size and defensive pop in the backcourt, which means Irving could eat against second units.

Jose Alvarado over 10.5 points (-135) and over 5.5 assists (-135)

Alvarado is now a featured part of the Pelicans’ offense. Having just topped 30 minutes and with at least a dozen shots in consecutive games, Alvarado’s has several paths to scoring 11 points. Per the pass he’s going to either lead the team or rank second to Williamson in potential assists in a matchup with a porous Atlanta backcourt.

Clint Capela over 7.5 rebounds (-115)

With the Pelicans looking smaller than even expected and with Capela’s ability to collect boards in binges, he can reasonably top this number even with a limited role in the rotation. New Orleans, remember, is 22nd in defensive rebound percentage.

Projections and Injury Reports

Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds by ESPN BET

Players in italics are available in a majority of ESPN Leagues

Detroit Pistons at Brooklyn Nets
3:30 p.m. ET

Line: Pistons 2.5 (-110) | Nets -2.5 (-110)
Money line: Pistons 120 | Nets -140
Total: 218.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Nets by 1.8, straight up 56%, 223.7 total points.

Injury Report:
Pistons: Ausar Thompson, (OUT – Illness); Bobi Klintman, (OUT – Calf)
Nets: Ben Simmons, (GTD – Back); Bojan Bogdanovic, (OUT – Foot); Trendon Watford, (OUT – Hamstring); Day’Ron Sharpe, (OUT – Hamstring)

Pistons projections:

• Cade Cunningham, PG/SG: 43.3 FPTS (25.0 pts, 5.1 reb, 6.9 ast, 2.0 3PM)

• Jaden Ivey, SG: 27.4 FPTS (17.0 pts, 3.6 reb, 3.3 ast)

• Tobias Harris, SF/PF: 23.8 FPTS (9.8 pts, 7.7 reb, 2.8 ast)

• Jalen Duren, C: 20.3 FPTS (9.9 pts, 8.0 reb, 2.0 ast)

• Malik Beasley, SG: 16.2 FPTS (9.0 pts, 2.1 reb, 1.3 ast, 2.2 3PM)

• Marcus Sasser, PG: 13.4 FPTS (6.7 pts, 1.7 reb, 2.5 ast)

• Tim Hardaway Jr., SG/SF: 12.6 FPTS (6.5 pts, 1.7 reb, 1.4 ast)

Nets projections:

• Cam Thomas, SG: 39.0 FPTS (26.7 pts, 3.6 reb, 3.3 ast, 2.7 3PM)

• Dennis Schroder, PG: 38.0 FPTS (19.7 pts, 3.5 reb, 6.6 ast, 2.6 3PM)

• Cameron Johnson, SF/PF: 27.7 FPTS (14.3 pts, 4.0 reb, 2.9 ast, 2.5 3PM)

• Nic Claxton, C: 20.4 FPTS (8.7 pts, 8.0 reb, 1.5 ast, 1.2 blk)

• Ben Simmons, PG/PF: 20.3 FPTS (6.7 pts, 5.9 reb, 4.3 ast)

• Dorian Finney-Smith, SF/PF: 20.0 FPTS (8.7 pts, 4.7 reb, 1.6 ast, 1.8 3PM)

• Ziaire Williams, SF: 17.1 FPTS (8.9 pts, 3.3 reb, 1.8 ast)

Atlanta Hawks at New Orleans Pelicans
7 p.m. ET

Line: Hawks 3.5 (-110) | Pelicans -3.5 (-110)
Money line: Hawks 140 | Pelicans -165
Total: 230.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Hawks by 1.2, straight up 54%, 231.1 total points.

Injury Report:
Hawks: Dyson Daniels, (GTD – Hip); Cody Zeller, (OUT – Personal); De’Andre Hunter, (OUT – Knee); Dominick Barlow, (OUT – Back); Seth Lundy, (OUT – Ankle); Vit Krejci, (OUT – Thigh); Bogdan Bogdanovic, (OUT – Hamstring); Kobe Bufkin, (OUT – Shoulder)
Pelicans: Jordan Hawkins, (GTD – Back); Trey Murphy III, (OUT – Hamstring); CJ McCollum, (OUT – Thigh); Herbert Jones, (OUT – Shoulder); Dejounte Murray, (OUT – Hand)

Hawks projections:

• Trae Young, PG: 46.0 FPTS (25.3 pts, 4.2 reb, 8.8 ast, 2.7 3PM)

• Jalen Johnson, PF: 35.4 FPTS (17.1 pts, 8.5 reb, 4.9 ast)

• Clint Capela, C: 21.0 FPTS (10.5 pts, 7.8 reb, 1.1 ast)

• Larry Nance Jr., PF/C: 20.2 FPTS (8.2 pts, 4.7 reb, 2.4 ast)

• Onyeka Okongwu, C: 19.5 FPTS (10.7 pts, 5.6 reb, 1.4 ast)

• Dyson Daniels, PG/SG: 19.1 FPTS (8.3 pts, 2.8 reb, 1.8 ast)

• Garrison Mathews, SG/SF: 15.5 FPTS (8.7 pts, 1.3 reb, 1.4 ast, 2.3 3PM)

Pelicans projections:

• Brandon Ingram, SF: 42.4 FPTS (25.2 pts, 5.6 reb, 4.8 ast, 2.0 3PM)

• Zion Williamson, PF: 40.9 FPTS (26.4 pts, 6.9 reb, 5.7 ast)

• Jose Alvarado, PG: 23.8 FPTS (10.2 pts, 2.8 reb, 3.9 ast)

• Javonte Green, SF: 17.5 FPTS (7.8 pts, 4.3 reb, 1.3 ast)

• Jordan Hawkins, SG: 16.5 FPTS (8.1 pts, 4.0 reb, 1.5 ast)

• Yves Missi, C: 16.4 FPTS (7.2 pts, 5.7 reb, 1.6 ast, 1.3 blk)

• Trey Jemison, C: 15.7 FPTS (8.0 pts, 5.6 reb, 1.3 ast)

Orlando Magic at Dallas Mavericks
7:30 p.m. ET

Line: Magic 7.5 (-120) | Mavericks -7.5 (EVEN)
Money line: Magic 210 | Mavericks -250
Total: 220.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Mavericks by 8.8, straight up 76%, 222.3 total points.

Injury Report:
Magic: Goga Bitadze, (GTD – Foot); Wendell Carter Jr., (GTD – Knee); Paolo Banchero, (OUT – Oblique)
Mavericks: None reported

Magic projections:

• Jalen Suggs, PG/SG: 32.5 FPTS (16.0 pts, 5.2 reb, 3.9 ast, 2.7 3PM)

• Franz Wagner, SF/PF: 30.1 FPTS (16.3 pts, 4.4 reb, 3.5 ast)

• Wendell Carter Jr., C: 20.8 FPTS (9.2 pts, 6.6 reb, 1.7 ast)

• Tristan da Silva, SF: 20.3 FPTS (11.1 pts, 4.0 reb, 2.0 ast)

• Moritz Wagner, C: 18.6 FPTS (12.1 pts, 4.6 reb, 1.1 ast)

• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG: 17.5 FPTS (8.6 pts, 1.9 reb, 1.8 ast)

• Mac McClung, SG: 15.4 FPTS (7.9 pts, 3.2 reb, 2.4 ast)

Mavericks projections:

• Luka Doncic, PG: 52.3 FPTS (28.9 pts, 8.3 reb, 6.8 ast, 3.4 3PM)

• Kyrie Irving, PG/SG: 40.8 FPTS (23.1 pts, 4.0 reb, 5.7 ast, 2.3 3PM)

• P.J. Washington, PF: 27.0 FPTS (13.1 pts, 7.3 reb, 1.6 ast, 1.2 blk)

• Klay Thompson, SG/SF: 23.9 FPTS (13.4 pts, 2.9 reb, 1.7 ast, 2.8 3PM)

• Daniel Gafford, C: 17.0 FPTS (8.2 pts, 5.4 reb, 1.4 ast, 1.4 blk)

• Dereck Lively II, C: 17.0 FPTS (7.3 pts, 5.9 reb, 1.9 ast)

• Naji Marshall, SF: 16.3 FPTS (6.7 pts, 2.7 reb, 2.7 ast)