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Fantasy basketball tips and projections for Friday

GG Jackson has been hot of late, and that should continue Friday. Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images

ESPN's fantasy basketball and basketball betting tips cheat sheet is your pregame destination for basketball betting predictions and our best intel and data, featuring ESPN's proprietary Basketball Power Index (BPI) to help you make smart fantasy and wagering decisions. Fantasy advice is based on ESPN 10-team leagues.

New this season, ESPN Analytics will also generate daily NBA fantasy projections. By combining historical player and team data and specific game factors ESPN is able to accurately predict player box score stats. Accounting for injuries, trends in playing time, and other factors impacting future performance the statistical models can be used to help NBA fantasy players gain an edge in their league.


What you need to know for Friday's games

Here we are, with another huge slate of games on Friday with 20 teams in action, including the Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and the late game featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at the Minnesota Timberwolves at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN as the Western standings hang in the balance.

It should be a really fun night as fantasy championships come into more focus with almost all rosters full of stars and scrubs on a Friday night. Players such as Brandin Podziemski, Paul Reed, Amen Thompson, GG Jackson, Eric Gordon, Mike Conley, Tre Mann and Victor Wembanyama will all be in play. And, the bigger question is, will we see LeBron James suit up at home against Wemby and company? I think we will, and I can't wait!


Friday's Stream Team

This segment nominates three key streaming options ahead of that day's action. A streamer, by our standards, is a player available in at least half of ESPN men's basketball leagues.

Brandin Podziemski, SG, Warriors (24.9% rostered in ESPN leagues): I don't know how he's still available in 75% of ESPN leagues, but he is. Podz has run circles around Klay Thompson all season and he'll probably do it again tonight against the lowly Hornets. Podz has averaged 12.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.3 3-pointers on 47% shooting in February. The only things that can slow him down are a breakout return from Chris Paul or an explosion from Thompson, and I'm not holding my breath for either one. Pick Podz up, plug him in and watch him work.

Amen Thompson, SG, Rockets (24.5% rostered): Amen went off for team-high 22 points, five rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a 3-pointer on 9-of-13 shooting Thursday night. Yes, Fred VanVleet was back, and yes, Cam Whitmore was back, but it didn't matter. Amen played the second-highest minutes last night and has averaged a solid 12.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.7 blocks while shooting 60% from the floor in February. His free throws are abysmal, at 41% over his last eight games, but outside of that, he has been money. If you don't care about the free throws, pick him up and get him in your lineup.

GG Jackson, PF, Grizzlies (15.7%): Jackson has scored at least 16 points in six straight games and has averaged 16.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 1.1 blocks and 2.6 3-pointers in eight February games. And while Jaren Jackson is expected to play through his quad injury tonight, I'm still thinking GGJ will go off. He's too hot to be denied.

Eric Gordon, SG/SF, Suns (8.5%): No Bradley Beal (hamstring) is always good news for Gordon, who had 16 points, two steals, a block and four triples in a start against the Mavericks on Thursday night when he played 35 minutes. He gets the Rockets on Friday and has scored in double figures in four of his last five games. He should be widely available, and I doubt we're going to see Beal tonight. And if Beal is somehow playing, just pick up another hot free agent and run him out there. If Beal's out, Gordon is going to put up numbers.

Tre Mann, PG, Hornets (12.6%): Mann had 13 points, six rebounds, four dimes, two steals and two 3-pointers on 4-of-8 shooting in 30 minutes on Thursday against the Jazz and will probably do it again Friday against the Warriors. Maybe LaMelo Ball (ankle) will return for this game, which could hurt Mann, but he has been playing well enough that I'd still roll the dice on him to play alongside Ball for most of the game. Mann has scored in double figures in three straight games and has averaged 15 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.3 3-pointers over that stretch. Ride him until the wheels fall off.

Projections and Injury Reports

Fantasy projections powered by ESPN Analytics.* Projections assume all players who are listed as GTD will play. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Players available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues are listed in italics.


Toronto Raptors at Atlanta Hawks
7:30 p.m. State Farm Arena, Atlanta


BPI Projection: Hawks in the 4th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Raptors: None reported
Hawks: Mouhamed Gueye, (OUT - Back); Onyeka Okongwu, (OUT - Toe)

Raptors projections:

Hawks projections:


Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers
7:30 p.m. Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia


BPI Projection: Cavaliers in the 8th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Cavaliers: Donovan Mitchell, (GTD - Illness); Tristan Thompson, (OUT - Suspension); Ty Jerome, (OUT - Ankle)
76ers: De'Anthony Melton, (GTD - Back); Robert Covington, (OUT - Knee); Joel Embiid, (OUT - Knee)

Cavaliers projections:

  • Donovan Mitchell, PG/SG: 49.3 FPTS (27.0 pts, 4.3 reb, 5.9 ast, 3.3 3PM)

  • Jarrett Allen, C: 34.1 FPTS (16.5 pts, 10.3 reb, 2.5 ast)

  • Darius Garland, PG: 30.3 FPTS (16.9 pts, 2.0 reb, 5.5 ast)

  • Evan Mobley, PF/C: 29.4 FPTS (14.4 pts, 8.4 reb, 2.6 ast, 1.2 blk)

  • Max Strus, SG/SF: 23.4 FPTS (9.7 pts, 3.8 reb, 3.2 ast, 2.1 3PM)

  • Caris LeVert, SG/SF: 21.5 FPTS (10.6 pts, 2.6 reb, 3.5 ast)

  • Isaac Okoro, SG/SF: 17.6 FPTS (9.3 pts, 2.8 reb, 1.5 ast)

76ers projections:


Phoenix Suns at Houston Rockets
8 p.m. Toyota Center, Houston


BPI Projection: Suns in the 6th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Suns: Bradley Beal, (GTD - Hamstring); Damion Lee, (OUT - Knee)
Rockets: Tari Eason, (OUT - Lower Leg); Steven Adams, (OUT - Knee)

Suns projections:

  • Kevin Durant, SF/PF: 49.8 FPTS (30.3 pts, 6.4 reb, 6.4 ast, 1.8 3PM)

  • Devin Booker, PG/SG/PF: 43.2 FPTS (25.6 pts, 4.3 reb, 5.4 ast, 2.0 3PM)

  • Jusuf Nurkic, C: 29.4 FPTS (12.9 pts, 9.1 reb, 3.7 ast, 1.2 blk)

  • Grayson Allen, SG: 25.3 FPTS (10.7 pts, 4.1 reb, 3.6 ast, 2.0 3PM)

  • Eric Gordon, SG/SF: 20.3 FPTS (10.6 pts, 2.0 reb, 2.1 ast, 2.2 3PM)

  • Royce O'Neale, SF: 16.0 FPTS (5.8 pts, 3.7 reb, 2.0 ast)

  • David Roddy, PF: 15.6 FPTS (8.4 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.3 ast)

Rockets projections:


LA Clippers at Memphis Grizzlies
8 p.m. FedExForum, Memphis


BPI Projection: Clippers in the 5th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Clippers: None reported
Grizzlies: Jake LaRavia, (GTD - Ankle); Jaren Jackson Jr., (GTD - Quadriceps); Brandon Clarke, (OUT - Achilles); Marcus Smart, (OUT - Finger); Scotty Pippen Jr., (OUT - Back); Desmond Bane, (OUT - Ankle); Ja Morant, (OUT - Shoulder)

Clippers projections:

Grizzlies projections:


Washington Wizards at Oklahoma City Thunder
8 p.m. Paycom Center, Oklahoma City


BPI Projection: Thunder in the 3rd highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Wizards: Isaiah Livers, (GTD - Hip)
Thunder: None reported

Wizards projections:

Thunder projections:


Miami Heat at New Orleans Pelicans
8 p.m. Smoothie King Center, New Orleans


BPI Projection: Pelicans in the 8th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Heat: Tyler Herro, (GTD - Foot); Terry Rozier, (OUT - Knee); Josh Richardson, (OUT - Shoulder); Dru Smith, (OUT - Knee)
Pelicans: Brandon Ingram, (GTD - Illness); Dyson Daniels, (OUT - Knee)

Heat projections:

Pelicans projections:


Milwaukee Bucks at Minnesota Timberwolves
10 p.m. Target Center, Minneapolis


BPI Projection: Timberwolves in the 7th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, (GTD - Knee); Pat Connaughton, (GTD - Knee); Khris Middleton, (OUT - Ankle)
Timberwolves: Jaylen Clark, (OUT - Achilles)

Bucks projections:

Timberwolves projections:


Charlotte Hornets at Golden State Warriors
10 p.m. Chase Center, San Francisco


BPI Projection: Warriors in the highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Hornets: Davis Bertans, (GTD - Knee); LaMelo Ball, (GTD - Ankle); Mark Williams, (OUT - Back)
Warriors: Gary Payton II, (GTD - Illness); Chris Paul, (OUT - Hand)

Hornets projections:

  • Miles Bridges, SF/PF: 39.6 FPTS (21.7 pts, 6.7 reb, 3.9 ast, 2.4 3PM)

  • Brandon Miller, SG/SF: 30.8 FPTS (18.4 pts, 4.2 reb, 2.3 ast, 2.3 3PM)

  • Nick Richards, C: 21.5 FPTS (9.9 pts, 8.5 reb, 0.8 ast, 1.3 blk)

  • Cody Martin, SF: 20.8 FPTS (9.5 pts, 4.0 reb, 3.2 ast)

  • Tre Mann, PG: 19.3 FPTS (8.4 pts, 4.4 reb, 2.6 ast)

  • Kyle Lowry, PG: 18.0 FPTS (6.4 pts, 2.5 reb, 3.1 ast)

  • Grant Williams, PF: 17.6 FPTS (8.2 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.5 ast)

Warriors projections:


Denver Nuggets at Portland Trail Blazers
10 p.m. Moda Center, Portland


BPI Projection: Nuggets in the 10th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Nuggets: Hunter Tyson, (GTD - Finger); Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, (GTD - Finger); Vlatko Cancar, (OUT - Knee)
Blazers: Jabari Walker, (GTD - Ankle); Moses Brown, (GTD - Wrist); Rayan Rupert, (GTD - Ankle); Malcolm Brogdon, (OUT - Elbow); Scoot Henderson, (OUT - Groin); Shaedon Sharpe, (OUT - Abdomen); Robert Williams III, (OUT - Knee)

Nuggets projections:

Blazers projections:


San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers
10:30 p.m. Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles


BPI Projection: Lakers in the 2nd highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Spurs: Marcus Morris Sr., (GTD - Not Injury Related); Charles Bassey, (OUT - Knee)
Lakers: Cam Reddish, (GTD - Ankle); LeBron James, (GTD - Ankle); Gabe Vincent, (OUT - Knee); Jarred Vanderbilt, (OUT - Foot); Christian Wood, (OUT - Knee)

Spurs projections:

Lakers projections: