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 28 are provided by Caesars Sportsbook, and fantasy advice is based on ESPN 10-team leagues.
What you need to know for Monday's games
Something Has To Give: The Jazz were one of the most profitable teams to back early this season, a stretch that included seven straight covers, but the market has caught up to them and Utah is just 3-6 ATS over their past nine. They host a Bulls team that is just as bad recently, as they have covered just two of their past seven. The lean here might be with the visitors: consecutive covers as an underdog while Utah is a mere 1-5 ATS this season when they are favored.
Take The Points: There are some big numbers on the board tonight and if the beginning of this season has taught us anything, take all the points you can get! Double-digit underdogs are 20-12-1 ATS this season (with nine outright wins). The 'dogs have been barking especially loud in mismatches like this when the total is 225 points or lower (8-4 ATS). It might feel gross, but that puts the Hornets ATS very much in play at Boston tonight.
Trey Day: Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum are unlikely to play for the Pelicans tonight against the Thunder, shifting second-year sharpshooter Trey Murphy III into an important scoring and spacing role for New Orleans. Murphy, a free agent in nearly 90% of ESPN leagues, has averaged 17.3 points with strong shooting and steal rates during his last three games with at least 20 minutes of run. Expected to serve an important perimeter role for the Pelicans, Murphy is an ideal Monday streaming option and a target for scoring and shooting props.
Glue Guy: The Denver Nuggets list Michael Porter Jr. as doubtful to play against the Rockets on Monday due to a heel injury. With Denver missing Porter's minutes at the wing, we could see even more Bruce Brown in the lineup, who has emerged as the team's glue guy on both sides of the ball. Which is to say, Brown does a bit of everything for Denver and for fantasy investors, confirmed by slashing for 12 points, seven rebounds, 6.3 dimes, and two steals per game over the past week.
Shake and Bake: The Sixers' patchworked rotation just won two games in Orlando over the weekend despite missing Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Tyrese Maxey to respective foot injuries. Found atop the Player Rater the past week thanks to regularly flirting with triple-double outcomes as Philly's lead creator, Shake Milton (14.8 rostered) is playing the best basketball of his life the past week. De'Anthony Melton (30.3 rostered), meanwhile, is second in the NBA in steals per game and has averaged an awesome 3.2 3-pointers and 3.2 steals in his last six games.
Monday Moves: Start the week off with some savvy additions to your hoops roster, such as adding the Suns' Cameron Payne (62% available in ESPN leagues) while Chris Paul remains sidelined. Payne has thrived in a starting role atop Phoenix's offense, making him an ideal streaming play on Monday against the Kings. Looking to Brooklyn, Seth Curry (79% available) is a shooting specialist fresh from a season-high 29 points over the weekend who faces a reeling Orlando defense tonight. If Clint Capela misses any more time due to a dental procedure, Atlanta's Onyeka Okongwu if (91%) is prepared to feast on Philly's undersized frontcourt. One of the best pickups you can make is Caleb Martin (91%), who has been stellar for Miami as a two-way force amid a wave of injuries. Malik Beasley, meanwhile, is a certifiable bucket as Utah's microwave off the bench. With Mike Conley out, Beasley should play a sizable scoring role against the Bulls tonight.
-- Jim McCormick and Kyle Soppe
Game of the night
Atlanta Hawks at Philadelphia 76ers
7 p.m. ET, Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennslyvania
Line: 76ers (-1)
Money line: Hawks (-120), 76ers (+100)
Total: 221 points
BPI Projected Total: 229.8 points
BPI Win%: 76ers (57%)
Questionable: P.J. Tucker, Clint Capela
Ruled Out: Matisse Thybulle, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, James Harden, Bogdan Bogdanovic
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamers: Shake Milton (available in 85.2% of leagues) and De'Anthony Melton (available in 70.7% of leagues) are on rinse-and-repeat as streamers until James Harden and/or Tyrese Maxey return. They're both putting up top-50 FBA numbers on a nightly basis right now, and should be universally starting in the short term. -- André Snellings
Breaking down the rest of the slate
Minnesota Timberwolves at Washington Wizards
7 p.m. ET, Capital One Arena, Washington, Washington D.C.
Line: Wizards (-1)
Money line: Timberwolves (-110), Wizards (-110)
Total: 226.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 233.1 points
BPI Win%: Wizards (54.8%)
Questionable: Jaden McDaniels, Kyle Kuzma, Johnny Davis
Ruled Out: Jordan McLaughlin, Taurean Prince, Rui Hachimura
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Charlotte Hornets at Boston Celtics
7:30 p.m. ET, TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Line: Celtics (-10.5)
Money line: Celtics (-550), Hornets (+400)
Total: 226 points
BPI Projected Total: 231.1 points
BPI Win%: Celtics (83.8%)
Questionable: Jayson Tatum,
Ruled Out: Dennis Smith Jr., LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: Theo Maledon (available in 99.9% of leagues) is a streaming candidate in deeper leagues due to the injuries that have wracked the Hornets' perimeter players. Maledon, a two-way player, has moved up the depth chart and turned in a solid 14-point, 7-rebound effort off the bench on Friday. -- Snellings
Orlando Magic at Brooklyn Nets
7:30 p.m. ET, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
Line: Nets (-10)
Money line: Nets (-550), Magic (+400)
Total: 224 points
BPI Projected Total: 233.4 points
BPI Win%: Nets (85.9%)
Questionable: David Duke Jr., Jalen Suggs, Chuma Okeke, Terrence Ross, Mo Bamba
Ruled Out: Wendell Carter Jr., Yuta Watanabe, T.J. Warren
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: Royce O'Neale (available in 60.5% of leagues) remains the glue for the Nets. In his last six games, O'Neale has averaged 10.8 PPG, 6.5 APG, 5.8 RPG, 2.7 3PG, 0.8 SPG and 0.8 BPG in 35.5 MPG. -- Snellings
Best bet: Magic +10.0. As mentioned above, double-digit underdogs are 20-12-1 ATS this season with nine outright wins. This profiles as the type of game that contributes to this stat, pending the status of injured Magic players Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter Jr. With Paolo Banchero back, this Magic team has the potential to be dangerous in any given matchup. The Nets are 10-11 overall, 4-4 in their last eight games, and 2-2 in their last 4, and are one of the more vulnerable double-digit favorites we'll see this season. -- Snellings
Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors
7:30 p.m ET, Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Line: Cavaliers (-2.5)
Money line: Raptors (-140), Cavaliers (+118)
Total: 216 points
BPI Projected Total: 223.6 points
BPI Win%: Raptors (57.5%)
Questionable: Scottie Barnes, Jarrett Allen, Lamar Stevens
Ruled Out: Caris LeVert, Kevin Love
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Oklahoma City Thunder at New Orleans Pelicans
8 p.m ET, Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
Line: Pelicans (-5.5)
Money line: Pelicans (-225), Thunder (+185)
Total: 233.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 227.8 points
BPI Win%: Pelicans (75.1%)
Questionable: Larry Nance Jr., Naji Marshall, Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamers: Jose Alvarado (available in 95.0% of leagues) and Devonte Graham (94.6%) are both in play on Monday with CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram expected to sit. Graham popped for 19 and 21 points in back-to-back games last weekend and is the one more likely to help pick up the scoring slack for the Pelicans. Alvarado is the one more likely to help with the playmaking duties, having dished a season-high 9 assists in his start last Wednesday. -- Snellings
Best bet: Thunder +5.0. The Thunder have been a scrappy team all season, and they're facing a Pelicans squad expected to be without their two best perimeter players in CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram. With the up-and-down nature of any given game in the NBA, give me the healthier team led by the most dynamic player on the court in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, plus the points. -- Snellings
Houston Rockets at Denver Nuggets
9 p.m ET, Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
Line: Nuggets (-11.5)
Money line: Nuggets (-650), Rockets (+460)
Total: 228.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 233.4 points
BPI Win%: Nuggets (82.4%)
Questionable: Bruno Fernando, Bones Hyland, Michael Porter Jr.
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Best bet: Jamal Murray over 18.5 points. Murray and Michael Porter Jr. often struggle to both be hot in the same game, but with Porter and perhaps Bones Hyland (illness) likely out it opens up space for Murray to produce. Murray had 21 points in his last outing, and faces a Rockets squad that is allowing the opposing point guard position to average 26.6 PPG, the fifth-most in the NBA. -Snellings
Chicago Bulls at Utah Jazz
9 p.m ET, Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah
Line: Jazz (-2)
Money line: Jazz (-130), Bulls (+110)
Total: 233.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 235.3 points
BPI Win%: Jazz (62.8%)
Questionable: Alex Caruso, Lauri Markkanen (knee)
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Phoenix Suns at Sacramento Kings
10 p.m ET, Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
Line: Suns (-1)
Money line: Suns (-110), Kings (-110)
Total: 232.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 236 points
BPI Win%: Kings (53.5%)
Ruled Out: Chris Paul
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Fantasy streamer: Torrey Craig (available in 94.0% of leagues) is an under-the-radar glue guy for the Suns, who's been solid since injuries moved him into the starting line-up. In his last seven games, he's averaged 10.4 PPG (47.5 FG%, 85.7 FT%, 39.3 3P%), 6.9 RPG, 1.6 3PG< 1.4 BPG, 1.6 APG and 1.0 SPG in 29.4 MPG. -- Snellings
Best bet: Suns (PICK). The Suns have played well of late, with Cameron Payne filling in for Chris Paul and steadying the ship. They've won four games in a row, and come in to face a Kins squad that have dropped back-to-back games. The Kings have earned their respect this season, but the Suns are the better team and should have the advantage on Monday.-Snellings
Indiana Pacers at Los Angeles Lakers
10:30 p.m ET, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
Line: Lakers (-3)
Money line: Lakers (-155), Pacers (+130)
Total: 237 points
BPI Projected Total: 236.7 points
BPI Win%: Lakers (54.6%)
Questionable: LeBron James, Anthony Davis
Ruled Out: Chris Duarte, Andrew Nembhard
Note: BPI numbers factored in players who are ruled out but assumes questionable players will play
Analytics edge
BPI highest projected totals
1. Brooklyn Nets (122.8)
2. Denver Nuggets (121.9)
3. Boston Celtics (121)
BPI lowest projected totals
1. Minnesota Timberwolves (110.1)
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (110.6)
3. Orlando Magic (110.6)
BPI top probability to win (straight up)
1. Brooklyn Nets (85.9%)
2. Boston Celtics (83.8%)
3. Denver Nuggets (82.4%)