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

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Tuesday night’s competition for the league’s second annual in-season tournament kick off with eight NBA Cup Group Play matchups. The Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks matchup appears to be the most interesting as 76ers center Joel Embiid returns to action. Philadelphia has struggled without him, winning just two of its first nine games.

But with Embiid and Paul George both set to play, the team is looking to turn things around. There’s one prop bet from this game that caught my eye, along with a few others from the slate that you’ll want to know about.

Let’s dive into Tuesday’s matchups and highlight some key streamers and bets to consider.

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.

Odds by ESPN BET

Fantasy streamers for Tuesday

Dyson Daniels, SG/PG, Atlanta Hawks (available in 41.6% of ESPN leagues)

Daniels should be a top streaming option if he’s available in your league, with Trae Young out. Daniels has been a pleasant surprise this season, showing he can contribute across every statistical category. Plus, he’s scored 49 or more fantasy points in back-to-back games. The biggest risk? The Hawks are double-digit underdogs against the Celtics, which could impact his minutes and usage rate.

Grayson Allen, SG/PG, Phoenix Suns (available in 59.1% of ESPN leagues)

Kevin Durant is out for the Suns, and that opens up more opportunity for Allen. He logged a season-high 27 minutes against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday but only finished with eight fantasy points. However, he should find more success against the Jazz on Tuesday. Utah ranks 27th in points allowed per 100 possessions and has struggled with perimeter defense.

Moody’s best bets for Tuesday

Mikal Bridges over 13.5 points (-125)

Bridges has hit this line in seven of nine games this season. He is coming off a tough game against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, but Thursday’s matchup with the 76ers gives him a good chance to bounce back. Philadelphia has been vulnerable defensively beyond the arc, especially in catch-and-shoot situations. Bridges has averaged 37.8 minutes and 13.6 field goal attempts per game, and he has cleared this line in three of his last four games against the 76ers.

Giannis Antetokounmpo over 6.5 assists (-125)

The Bucks began the season with championship expectations, but now they find themselves in a hole that will be difficult to overcome. With Damian Lillard out (concussion), the Bucks need someone to step up as the primary facilitator. Antetokounmpo actually cleared this line in six of eight games last season when Lillard wasn’t in the lineup. Plus, the Raptors allow the most assists per game to power forwards.

Anfernee Simons over 22.5 points and assists (-105)

Simons is coming off a rough game against the Grizzlies on Sunday, where the Trail Blazers lost by 45 points. Simons scored just four points and one assist in 19 minutes, shooting only 22.2% from the field. Despite that, he has averaged 32 minutes this season and has eclipsed this line in six of seven games where he played over 32 minutes. The Timberwolves pose a tough defensive matchup, but Simons has cleared this line in two of his last three games against them.

Goga Bitadze over 18.5 points and rebounds (-125)

The Hornets have struggled defending centers, especially on the boards. Their defense ranks 18th in points allowed per 100 possessions, making this a favorable matchup. And with the Magic missing Wendell Carter Jr. and Paolo Banchero, Bitadze’s role becomes even more intriguing. He has hit this line in four straight games with those two out, averaging 26.2 minutes and 16.0 rebound chances per game during that stretch. Bitadze is also an excellent fantasy streamer and is available 85.8% of ESPN leagues.


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


Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics
7 p.m. ET

Line: Hawks +15.5 (-110) | Celtics -15.5 (-110)
Money line: Hawks (+750) | Celtics (-1400)
Total: 224.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Celtics by 9.1, straight up 77%, 237.6 total points.

Injury Report:
Hawks: Cody Zeller, (OUT – Personal); De’Andre Hunter, (OUT – Personal); Seth Lundy, (OUT – Ankle); Trae Young, (OUT – Achilles); Bogdan Bogdanovic, (OUT – Hamstring); Kobe Bufkin, (OUT – Shoulder); Vit Krejci, (OUT – Thigh)
Celtics: Al Horford, (GTD – Toe); Jaden Springer, (GTD – Knee); Jayson Tatum, (GTD – Ankle); Kristaps Porzingis, (OUT – Foot)

Hawks projections:

Celtics projections:

  • Jayson Tatum, SF/PF: 50.1 FPTS (29.2 pts, 7.0 reb, 5.5 ast, 3.9 3PM)

  • Jaylen Brown, SG/SF: 44.0 FPTS (26.6 pts, 5.9 reb, 4.2 ast, 2.1 3PM)

  • Derrick White, PG/SG: 32.9 FPTS (16.2 pts, 4.2 reb, 4.3 ast, 3.2 3PM)

  • Jrue Holiday, PG/SG: 23.9 FPTS (11.8 pts, 4.0 reb, 3.8 ast, 1.8 3PM)

  • Al Horford, PF/C: 19.7 FPTS (6.9 pts, 5.3 reb, 2.5 ast)

  • Payton Pritchard, PG: 16.7 FPTS (8.4 pts, 2.1 reb, 1.8 ast, 2.0 3PM)

  • Neemias Queta, C: 15.9 FPTS (8.3 pts, 5.4 reb, 1.0 ast)


Miami Heat at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m. ET

Line: Heat -1.5 (-110) | Pistons +1.5 (-110)
Money line: Heat (-120) | Pistons (Even)
Total: 214.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Heat by 3.1, straight up 60%, 218.5 total points.

Injury Report:
Heat: Jimmy Butler, (OUT – Ankle)
Pistons: Isaiah Stewart, (GTD – Ankle); Jalen Duren, (GTD – Ankle); Ausar Thompson, (OUT – Illness); Bobi Klintman, (OUT – Calf)

Heat projections:

Pistons projections:


Charlotte Hornets at Orlando Magic
7 p.m. ET

Line: Hornets +8.5 (-105) | Magic -8.5 (-115)
Money line: Hornets (+270) | Magic (-340)
Total: 212.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Magic by 3.8, straight up 62%, 214.3 total points.

Injury Report:
Hornets: Tre Mann, (GTD – Back); DaQuan Jeffries, (OUT – Hand); Mark Williams, (OUT – Foot); Nick Richards, (OUT – Ribs); Miles Bridges, (OUT – Knee)
Magic: Wendell Carter Jr., (OUT – Foot); Paolo Banchero, (OUT – Oblique)

Hornets projections:

Magic projections:


New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers
7:30 p.m. ET on TNT

Line: Knicks -2.5 (-115) | 76ers +2.5 (-105)
Money line: Knicks (-150) | 76ers (+125)
Total: 213.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: 76ers by 3.9, straight up 63%, 219.0 total points.

Injury Report:
Knicks: Cameron Payne, (GTD – Hamstring); Miles McBride, (GTD – Knee); Precious Achiuwa, (OUT – Hamstring); Kevin McCullar Jr., (OUT – Knee); Mitchell Robinson, (OUT – Ankle)
76ers: Tyrese Maxey, (OUT – Hamstring)

Knicks projections:

  • Jalen Brunson, PG: 42.3 FPTS (27.2 pts, 3.0 reb, 6.4 ast, 2.0 3PM)

  • Karl-Anthony Towns, PF/C: 38.5 FPTS (21.5 pts, 11.2 reb, 3.1 ast)

  • Josh Hart, SG/SF: 33.4 FPTS (14.2 pts, 8.8 reb, 5.5 ast)

  • Mikal Bridges, SG/SF: 31.3 FPTS (17.9 pts, 3.2 reb, 4.0 ast, 2.4 3PM)

  • OG Anunoby, SF/PF: 28.0 FPTS (14.2 pts, 4.5 reb, 2.9 ast, 1.9 3PM)

  • Miles McBride, PG: 20.5 FPTS (11.2 pts, 2.2 reb, 2.3 ast, 1.8 3PM)

  • Tyler Kolek, PG: 16.1 FPTS (7.8 pts, 2.9 reb, 2.3 ast)

76ers projections:

  • Joel Embiid, C: 48.0 FPTS (29.7 pts, 11.0 reb, 5.0 ast, 1.3 blk)

  • Paul George, SF/PF: 31.9 FPTS (15.6 pts, 5.4 reb, 4.3 ast, 2.0 3PM)

  • Caleb Martin, SG/SF: 24.2 FPTS (11.6 pts, 6.0 reb, 3.0 ast)

  • Andre Drummond, C: 22.9 FPTS (10.8 pts, 9.5 reb, 1.0 ast)

  • Kelly Oubre Jr., SG/SF: 22.0 FPTS (12.4 pts, 4.0 reb, 1.4 ast)

  • Kyle Lowry, PG: 19.0 FPTS (6.7 pts, 2.8 reb, 3.5 ast)

  • Jared McCain, SG: 17.6 FPTS (10.1 pts, 1.9 reb, 2.1 ast)


Toronto Raptors at Milwaukee Bucks
8 p.m. ET

Line: Raptors +8.5 (-110) | Bucks -8.5 (-110)
Money line: Raptors (+280) | Bucks (-360)
Total: 226.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Bucks by 4.4, straight up 64%, 233.3 total points.

Injury Report:
Raptors: Garrett Temple, (GTD – Back); Immanuel Quickley, (GTD – Elbow); Ja’Kobe Walter, (OUT – Shoulder); Kelly Olynyk, (OUT – Back); Scottie Barnes, (OUT – Orbital); Bruce Brown, (OUT – Knee)
Bucks: Andre Jackson Jr., (GTD – Hip); Gary Trent Jr., (GTD – Back); Giannis Antetokounmpo, (GTD – Knee); Damian Lillard, (OUT – Concussion); Khris Middleton, (OUT – Ankle)

Raptors projections:

Bucks projections:


Phoenix Suns at Utah Jazz
9 p.m. ET

Line: Suns -3.5 (-115) | Jazz +3.5 (-105)
Money line: Suns (-170) | Jazz (+145)
Total: 226.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Suns by 3.7, straight up 62%, 230.6 total points.

Injury Report:
Suns: Jusuf Nurkic, (GTD – Ankle); Collin Gillespie, (OUT – Ankle); Kevin Durant, (OUT – Calf)
Jazz: Taylor Hendricks, (OUT – Lower Leg); Keyonte George, (GTD – Foot); Jason Preston, (OUT – Leg)

Suns projections:

  • Devin Booker, PG/SG: 46.5 FPTS (27.6 pts, 4.1 reb, 7.0 ast, 2.7 3PM)

  • Bradley Beal, SG/SF: 33.9 FPTS (19.9 pts, 4.6 reb, 3.8 ast, 2.2 3PM)

  • Tyus Jones, PG: 29.3 FPTS (12.5 pts, 3.4 reb, 5.6 ast, 1.8 3PM)

  • Jusuf Nurkic, C: 22.5 FPTS (11.2 pts, 9.2 reb, 1.5 ast)

  • Royce O’Neale, SF: 19.8 FPTS (7.2 pts, 6.1 reb, 2.1 ast)

  • Grayson Allen, PG/SG: 19.8 FPTS (10.9 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.4 ast, 2.3 3PM)

  • Ryan Dunn, SF: 16.6 FPTS (9.3 pts, 2.6 reb, 1.2 ast)

Jazz projections:


Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
10 p.m. ET on TNT

Line: Mavericks +2.5 (-105) | Warriors -2.5 (-115)
Money line: Mavericks (+125) | Warriors (-145)
Total: 234.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Warriors by 5.3, straight up 67%, 234.1 total points.

Injury Report:
Mavericks: Dante Exum, (OUT – Wrist); Dereck Lively II, (GTD – Shoulder); Luka Doncic, (GTD – Groin); P.J. Washington, (GTD – Knee)
Warriors: Andrew Wiggins, (GTD – Back)

Mavericks projections:

Warriors projections:


Minnesota Timberwolves at Portland Trail Blazers
10 p.m. ET

Line: Timberwolves -7.5 (-105) | Blazers +7.5 (-115)
Money line: Timberwolves (-300) | Blazers (+250)
Total: 218.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Timberwolves by 5, straight up 66%, 219.9 total points.

Injury Report:
Timberwolves: None reported
Blazers: Matisse Thybulle, (OUT – Knee)

Timberwolves projections:

Blazers projections:

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