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Fantasy basketball tips and projections for Friday

Grayson Allen has been playing meaningful minutes with Bradley Beal out, and will be counted on again in a must-win game for the Phoenix Suns. AP Photo/Matt York

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 Friday's games

Friday features 10 games and all of them are Play-In Tournament games with several having Group Play ramifications. Each team plays four games in Group Play and the Pacers and Lakers have already clinched a trip to the Knockout Rounds. The Knockout Rounds will consist of six Group Play winners and two Wild Card teams, for a total of eight teams. Here are Friday's matchups, tournament records and newer injury updates. Focusing on teams with something to play for will help focus your start-sit decisions on this busy slate.

2-0 Boston Celtics @ 2-1 Orlando Magic: Both teams should be treating this as a must-win game. Jaylen Brown (adductor) is questionable and Jrue Holiday (ankle) is probable for the Celtics.

2-1 Phoenix Suns @ 0-3 Memphis Grizzlies: The Suns have to win, while Grizzlies have already been eliminated. Bradley Beal (back) is out for the Suns while Desmond Bane (foot) is questionable for Memphis.

2-0 Miami Heat @ 1-1 New York Knicks: The Heat would be in the Wild Card driver's seat with a win. Bam Adebayo (hip) and Duncan Robinson (thumb) are questionable.

0-2 Chicago Bulls @ 0-2 Toronto Raptors: This is a meaningless game as far as the tournament goes. Zach LaVine (foot) is questionable for the Bulls and Precious Achiuwa (knee) is also iffy for the Raptors.

0-3 Detroit Pistons @ 3-0 Indiana Pacers: The Pacers have clinched and the Pistons have been eliminated. Andrew Nembhard (back) and Aaron Nesmith (wrist) are questionable for the Pacers.

2-1 Denver Nuggets @ 1-1 Houston Rockets: This is a must-win for both teams looking for a Wild Card berth.

0-3 Washington Wizards @ 2-0 Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks would likely advance if they can win this game. Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) is probable for the Bucks.

2-0 Sacramento Kings @ 2-0 Minnesota Timberwolves: This should be the game of the night as both teams need the win. Keegan Murray (back) has been ruled out for the Kings and Jaden McDaniels (ankle) won't play for the Wolves.

0-3 San Antonio Spurs @ 1-1 Golden State Warriors: The Warriors are still in the Wild Card hunt and will be playing to win. Gary Payton (foot) is questionable and Draymond Green (suspended) is out for the Warriors.

2-1 New Orleans Pelicans @ 1-2 LA Clippers: The Pelicans will be in the driver's seat to advance with a win. Norman Powell (groin) is questionable for the Clippers.

Be sure to set your fantasy lineups early today as the Celtics visit the Magic at 2:30 p.m. ET and the Suns play at Memphis at 5:00 p.m.. The Heat @ Knicks is the featured early game on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. with the Spurs @ Warriors taking the ESPN late slot at 10:00 p.m.

Friday's Stream Team

Santi Aldama, PF, Grizzlies (15.8% rostered in ESPN leagues): Aldama went on a great three-game run before fizzling out on Wednesday when he hit just 2 of 5 shots for eight points, two rebounds, a block and five fouls in 22 minutes. Let's chalk that one up to foul trouble and hope that Aldama gets back on track tonight against the Suns. Prior to Wednesday's dud, Aldama averaged 23 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.0 blocks, 1.0 steals and 3.3 3-pointers in his previous three games. He'll also be counted on more offensively if Desmond Bane's hip injury keeps him out tonight.

Grayson Allen, SG, Suns (10%): Bradley Beal remains out and Allen and Eric Gordon are filling in the gaps due to his absence. Both players are a bit hit-or-miss but Allen has been starting and has averaged 12.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.5 blocks and 2.4 3-pointers on 50.5% shooting in November. Despite playing 34.5 minutes in his last two games, Allen hasn't scored more than nine points in either of them. He's due to bounce back tonight.

Reggie Jackson, PG, Nuggets (7.1%): Jackson had another nice game on Wednesday with 14 points, four rebounds, nine assists and three 3-pointers on 5-of-15 shooting. He had 21 points, three rebounds, six assists, a steal, a block and a 3-pointer on 9-of-15 shooting on Monday and will continue to run the point for the Nuggets through the rest of November. He's also got another four-game week coming up so he's more than just a one-night streamer in standard leagues.

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.


Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic
2:30 p Amway Center, Orlando


BPI Projection: Celtics by 4.5 in the 7th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Celtics: Jaylen Brown, (GTD - Thigh); Jrue Holiday, (GTD - Ankle)
Magic: Markelle Fultz, (OUT - Knee); Wendell Carter Jr., (OUT - Finger)

Celtics projections:

Magic projections:


Phoenix Suns at Memphis Grizzlies
5:00 p FedExForum, Memphis


BPI Projection: Suns by 5.9 in the 5th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Suns: Drew Eubanks, (OUT - Ankle); Yuta Watanabe, (OUT - Quadriceps); Bradley Beal, (OUT - Back); Damion Lee, (OUT - Knee)
Grizzlies: Brandon Clarke, (OUT - Achilles); Steven Adams, (OUT - Knee); Desmond Bane, (GTD - Foot); Xavier Tillman, (OUT - Knee); Jake LaRavia, (OUT - Eye); Luke Kennard, (OUT - Knee); Marcus Smart, (OUT - Foot); Ja Morant, (OUT - Suspension)

Suns projections:

Grizzlies projections:


Miami Heat at New York Knicks
7:30 p Madison Square Garden, New York


BPI Projection: Knicks by 2.9 in the 9th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Heat: Bam Adebayo, (GTD - Hip); Duncan Robinson, (GTD - Thumb); Dru Smith, (OUT - Knee); Tyler Herro, (OUT - Ankle); R.J. Hampton, (OUT - Knee)
Knicks: Evan Fournier, (GTD - Ankle); Duane Washington Jr., (OUT - Illness)

Heat projections:

Knicks projections:


Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors
7:30 p Scotiabank Arena, Toronto


BPI Projection: Raptors by 4.8 in the 10th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Bulls: Lonzo Ball, (OUT - Knee); Zach LaVine, (GTD - Foot)
Raptors: Precious Achiuwa, (GTD - Knee); Thaddeus Young, (GTD - Illness); Christian Koloko, (OUT - Illness)

Bulls projections:

Raptors projections:


Detroit Pistons at Indiana Pacers
8:00 p Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis


BPI Projection: Pacers by 8.2 in the 3rd highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Pistons: Monte Morris, (OUT - Quadriceps); Bojan Bogdanovic, (OUT - Calf); Joe Harris, (OUT - Shoulder)
Pacers: Aaron Nesmith, (GTD - Wrist); Andrew Nembhard, (GTD - Back)

Pistons projections:

Pacers projections:


Denver Nuggets at Houston Rockets
8:00 p Toyota Center, Houston


BPI Projection: Nuggets by 1.6 in the 8th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Nuggets: Vlatko Cancar, (OUT - Knee); Jamal Murray, (OUT - Hamstring)
Rockets: Victor Oladipo, (OUT - Knee); Amen Thompson, (OUT - Ankle)

Nuggets projections:

Rockets projections:


Washington Wizards at Milwaukee Bucks
8:00 p Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee


BPI Projection: Bucks by 10.7 in the highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Wizards: Ryan Rollins, (OUT - Knee); Delon Wright, (OUT - Knee)
Bucks: Jae Crowder, (OUT - Groin); Giannis Antetokounmpo, (GTD - Illness)

Wizards projections:

  • Kyle Kuzma, SF/PF: 36.6 FPTS (21.4 pts, 5.9 reb, 4.0 ast, 2.4 3PM)

  • Jordan Poole, PG/SG: 27.4 FPTS (16.9 pts, 2.6 reb, 3.4 ast, 2.3 3PM)

  • Deni Avdija, SF/PF: 25.8 FPTS (11.5 pts, 5.7 reb, 3.3 ast)

  • Tyus Jones, PG: 21.7 FPTS (9.7 pts, 2.8 reb, 3.3 ast)

  • Daniel Gafford, PF/C: 21.4 FPTS (10.0 pts, 7.9 reb, 1.1 ast, 1.6 blk)

  • Corey Kispert, SG/SF: 16.2 FPTS (9.0 pts, 2.4 reb, 1.3 ast)

  • Bilal Coulibaly, SG: 16.0 FPTS (9.1 pts, 3.7 reb, 2.3 ast)

Bucks projections:


Sacramento Kings at Minnesota Timberwolves
8:00 p Target Center, Minneapolis


BPI Projection: Timberwolves by 4.8 in the 4th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Kings: Colby Jones, (GTD - Hip); Keegan Murray, (OUT - Back); Keon Ellis, (OUT - Ankle); Alex Len, (OUT - Ankle)
Timberwolves: Jaylen Clark, (OUT - Achilles); Jaden McDaniels, (OUT - Ankle); Jordan McLaughlin, (OUT - Knee)

Kings projections:

Timberwolves projections:


San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors
10:00 p Chase Center, San Francisco


BPI Projection: Warriors by 12.5 in the 2nd highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Spurs: None reported
Warriors: Gary Payton II, (GTD - Foot); Draymond Green, (OUT - Suspension)

Spurs projections:

Warriors projections:


New Orleans Pelicans at LA Clippers
10:30 p Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles


BPI Projection: Clippers by 4 in the 6th highest-scoring game of the slate.

Injury Report:
Pelicans: CJ McCollum, (OUT - Chest); Trey Murphy III, (OUT - Knee); Matt Ryan, (OUT - Calf)
Clippers: Mason Plumlee, (OUT - Knee); Norman Powell, (GTD - Groin); Xavier Moon, (GTD - Thumb); Brandon Boston Jr., (OUT - Quadriceps)

Pelicans projections:

Clippers projections:

  • Paul George, SG/SF/PF: 46.6 FPTS (25.9 pts, 5.8 reb, 4.2 ast, 3.1 3PM)

  • Kawhi Leonard, SF/PF: 40.4 FPTS (21.7 pts, 5.4 reb, 3.6 ast, 2.2 3PM)

  • James Harden, PG/SG: 35.5 FPTS (15.8 pts, 5.2 reb, 6.0 ast, 1.9 3PM)

  • Russell Westbrook, PG: 27.2 FPTS (12.9 pts, 4.7 reb, 4.2 ast)

  • Ivica Zubac, C: 21.8 FPTS (10.3 pts, 8.5 reb, 0.9 ast, 1.4 blk)

  • Norman Powell, SG/SF: 17.1 FPTS (10.5 pts, 2.1 reb, 1.3 ast)

  • Terance Mann, SG/SF: 16.6 FPTS (5.9 pts, 4.4 reb, 1.9 ast)