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          Fantasy basketball tips and projections for Wednesday

          Duop Reath has done an admirable job filling in for Deandre Ayton. Petre Thomas/USA TODAY Sports
          • Steve Alexander
          Mar 6, 2024, 07:15 PM

          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 Wednesday's games

          After a nine-game Tuesday, the NBA schedule does not let up for the rest of the week, featuring eight games on Wednesday, seven on Thursday, eight on Friday, seven on Saturday and a nine-game slate on Sunday. The playoff push is here, injuries are mounting and countless opportunities are showing up on waiver wires everywhere as teams make a final push for the fantasy playoffs.

          As for Wednesday's eight-game slate, opportunities can be seen in nearly every game, due to injuries and matchups. ESPN will feature two big ones, as the LA Clippers visit the Houston Rockets at 7:30 p.m. ET, a night after Alperen Sengun went off with a career-high 45 points, 16 rebounds, five steals, a block and two 3-pointers on 19-of-32 shooting against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. Sengun is having a season to remember and will likely be on a lot of winning fantasy teams this season. The late game on ESPN features the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo, assuming he plays, at the Golden State Warriors as the Dubs lick their wounds after being run off the court in Boston in the second quarter of Sunday's game. Antetonkounmpo sat out Monday's game with an Achilles injury, but my guess is he'll be out there tonight against Curry and company. Just keep an eye on the news feed to be sure he's good to go. If Giannis is out, Bobby Portis is the guy you'll want to roll with after he went off for 28 points and 16 rebounds against the Clippers on Monday.

          With Donovan Mitchell (knee) out for the next three games for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sam Merrill should flourish against the Atlanta Hawks, while Bogdan Bogdanovic should see extra opportunities for Atlanta given Trae Young's absence (finger surgery). Darius Garland will also have the ball in his hands a ton against Atlanta.

          The Memphis Grizzlies have been playing a G League lineup and there should be waiver-wire opportunities everywhere tonight, with players like Jordan Goodwin (make sure he's playing), Vince Williams Jr., GG Jackson and Santi Aldama all having shots at success, as we await to find out if Jaren Jackson Jr. misses his fourth straight game with a quad injury. They're playing the Philadelphia 76ers, who will be without Joel Embiid, and guard Tyrese Maxey is not likely to play due to a mild concussion, clearing the way for Paul Reed, Kelly Oubre and Kyle Lowry to see extra reps. Oubre was particularly fun on Tuesday night when he went off for a season-high 30 points, sans Maxey.

          The Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers are also banged up and will offer fantasy managers options on the waiver wire on Wednesday night in the form of John Collins, Duop Reath and a guy named Dalano Banton. It will also be interesting to see if Keyonte George is able to play after leaving Tuesday's game after just six minutes due to an illness.

          Wednesday'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.

          Duop Reath, C, Blazers (1.7% rostered in ESPN leagues): With Deandre Ayton (hand) likely to miss his fourth straight game due to a right hand injury, Reath should once again be in the spotlight at center for the Blazers against Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight. Reath has been no joke in his last three games filling in for Ayton, coming through with 26 points, five 3-pointers, a steal and a block against the Timberwolves on Monday with averages of 18.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.0 blocks and 2.7 triples over his last three contests. It's a little surprising he's not rostered in more leagues by now.

          Kelly Oubre Jr., SF/PF, Sixers (47.4% rostered): As I mentioned above, with both Embiid (out) and Maxey (doubtful/concussion) hurt, Oubre should get another big opportunity for the Sixers against the Grizzlies' shell of a team. Oubre is coming off a season-high 30 points, six rebounds, four assists and two 3-pointers on 11-of-20 shooting in 36 minutes against the Nets on Tuesday. He also went off for 21 points, five rebounds, four assists, a block and a 3-pointer in 26 minutes on Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks. His shooting is always a potential problem, but he has fared well over his last two games and will look to keep it going tonigh. Unfortunately, he's not likely to be available in most competitive leagues, but it's worth a scan of your waiver wire to make sure he's not sitting out there.

          Jordan Goodwin, PG/SG, Grizzlies (2.2%): Goodwin was rolling for five straight games before a somewhat surprising DNP against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday when he was mysteriously left on the inactive list. The bottom line is to make sure he's active tonight against the Sixers before deploying him. But if he's playing and starting, he should be a sneaky source of production. Over his last five games played, Goodwin has averaged 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.2 blocks and 0.8 3-pointers for his new team after being traded by the Phoenix Suns. He's not ideal if you're looking to break the bank in scoring, but he's worth a shot if you're looking for all-around fantasy production, as evidenced by those numbers.

          Dalano Banton, PG, Blazers (2.2%): Malcolm Brogdon remains out for the Blazers due to an elbow injury, and while Anfernee Simons is catching the headlines with big games, Banton has also been playing well for the Blazers. He had 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists on Monday against the Minnesota Timberwolves and has averaged 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks and 1.3 3-pointers over his last three games. There may be a better player to roll with off your league's waiver wire, but Banton is worth a look if your wire is a bit thin. He may also be a better play over Goodwin if you're simply looking for overall scoring.

          Dean Wade, PF, Cavaliers (0.2%): Mobley went down with an ankle injury on Tuesday and Wade took over the game, finishing with 23 points, eight rebounds, two steals and six 3-pointers while draining 8-of-11 shots. Wade single-handedly won this game for the Cavs, ending Boston's 11-game winning streak along the way, and should be primed to keep it going with both Mitchell and Mobley unlikely to play tonight. Wade outscored the Celtics 20-17 in the fourth quarter, and while he wasn't doing much before Tuesday night's explosion, he should be a fun play tonight with Mobley hurting. If you're good with big men and are simply looking for the best overall player available on your waiver wire, check to see if Chicago Bulls SG Ayo Dosunmu (22.9%) is available. He has racked up averages of 18.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.7 triples over his last three games. Jazz PG Keyonte George (13.8%) is also worth using everywhere if he's recovered from the illness that knocked him out of Tuesday's game early, but he's considered a game-time call.

          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.

          Orlando Magic at Washington Wizards
          7 p.m. Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

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

          Injury Report:
          Magic: Gary Harris, (GTD - Calf); Jonathan Isaac, (GTD - Knee)
          Wizards: Marvin Bagley III, (OUT - Back); Isaiah Livers, (OUT - Hip)

          Magic projections:

          Wizards projections:

          • Kyle Kuzma, SF/PF: 43.9 FPTS (26.4 pts, 7.6 reb, 4.3 ast, 2.6 3PM)

          • Deni Avdija, SF/PF: 34.0 FPTS (18.1 pts, 8.2 reb, 4.1 ast)

          • Tyus Jones, PG: 31.0 FPTS (13.6 pts, 3.0 reb, 5.9 ast)

          • Jordan Poole, PG/SG: 27.8 FPTS (15.7 pts, 2.6 reb, 3.9 ast, 2.1 3PM)

          • Corey Kispert, SG/SF: 22.6 FPTS (12.4 pts, 2.7 reb, 2.3 ast, 2.1 3PM)

          • Bilal Coulibaly, SG: 16.9 FPTS (8.5 pts, 3.8 reb, 1.4 ast)

          • Landry Shamet, SG: 15.5 FPTS (9.2 pts, 2.1 reb, 1.1 ast)

          Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks
          7:30 p.m. State Farm Arena, Atlanta

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

          Injury Report:
          Cavaliers: Evan Mobley, (GTD - Ankle); Max Strus, (GTD - Knee); Donovan Mitchell, (OUT - Knee); Tristan Thompson, (OUT - Suspension); Ty Jerome, (OUT - Ankle)
          Hawks: Seth Lundy, (OUT - Back); Kobe Bufkin, (GTD - Toe); Onyeka Okongwu, (OUT - Toe); Trae Young, (OUT - Finger); Patty Mills, (GTD - Not Injury Related)

          Cavaliers projections:

          • Darius Garland, PG: 37.6 FPTS (20.9 pts, 2.8 reb, 6.3 ast, 2.3 3PM)

          • Jarrett Allen, C: 35.7 FPTS (16.9 pts, 10.5 reb, 2.8 ast)

          • Evan Mobley, PF/C: 32.2 FPTS (14.7 pts, 9.3 reb, 3.5 ast, 1.6 blk)

          • Caris LeVert, SG/SF: 29.9 FPTS (14.3 pts, 4.1 reb, 5.1 ast)

          • Isaac Okoro, SG/SF: 22.2 FPTS (11.8 pts, 3.3 reb, 2.1 ast)

          • Sam Merrill, SG: 18.5 FPTS (9.2 pts, 2.8 reb, 1.4 ast, 2.5 3PM)

          • Georges Niang, PF: 15.1 FPTS (7.4 pts, 2.9 reb, 1.1 ast)

          Hawks projections:

          Memphis Grizzlies at Philadelphia 76ers
          7:30 p.m. Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia

          BPI Projection: 76ers in the 8th highest-scoring game of the slate.

          Injury Report:
          Grizzlies: Jaren Jackson Jr., (GTD - Quadriceps); Yuta Watanabe, (OUT - Wrist); Brandon Clarke, (OUT - Achilles); Scotty Pippen Jr., (OUT - Back); Derrick Rose, (OUT - Back); Desmond Bane, (OUT - Ankle); Marcus Smart, (OUT - Finger); Ziaire Williams, (OUT - Back); Ja Morant, (OUT - Shoulder)
          76ers: Tyrese Maxey, (GTD - Concussion); De'Anthony Melton, (OUT - Back); Robert Covington, (OUT - Knee); Joel Embiid, (OUT - Knee)

          Grizzlies projections:

          76ers projections:

          • Tyrese Maxey, PG/SG: 44.2 FPTS (25.2 pts, 3.8 reb, 5.6 ast, 3.1 3PM)

          • Tobias Harris, SF/PF: 34.7 FPTS (16.8 pts, 5.8 reb, 3.1 ast)

          • Buddy Hield, SG/SF: 25.5 FPTS (10.3 pts, 3.0 reb, 3.4 ast, 2.4 3PM)

          • Kelly Oubre Jr., SF/PF: 21.7 FPTS (11.2 pts, 4.2 reb, 1.1 ast)

          • Paul Reed, PF/C: 17.7 FPTS (7.2 pts, 6.5 reb, 1.1 ast)

          • Mo Bamba, C: 13.8 FPTS (5.4 pts, 4.4 reb, 0.7 ast)

          • Cameron Payne, PG: 13.3 FPTS (5.3 pts, 1.7 reb, 2.0 ast)

          LA Clippers at Houston Rockets
          7:30 p.m. Toyota Center, Houston

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

          Injury Report:
          Clippers: Russell Westbrook, (OUT - Hand)
          Rockets: Tari Eason, (OUT - Lower Leg); Steven Adams, (OUT - Knee)

          Clippers projections:

          • Kawhi Leonard, SF/PF: 45.1 FPTS (25.9 pts, 5.9 reb, 3.6 ast, 2.1 3PM)

          • Paul George, SG/SF/PF: 37.6 FPTS (20.7 pts, 4.9 reb, 3.5 ast, 3.0 3PM)

          • James Harden, PG/SG: 37.1 FPTS (16.9 pts, 5.2 reb, 7.0 ast, 2.6 3PM)

          • Ivica Zubac, C: 25.4 FPTS (12.2 pts, 8.6 reb, 1.2 ast)

          • Norman Powell, SG/SF: 19.5 FPTS (11.5 pts, 2.2 reb, 1.2 ast, 1.9 3PM)

          • Terance Mann, SG/SF: 19.3 FPTS (9.3 pts, 3.7 reb, 1.5 ast)

          • Daniel Theis, PF/C: 16.8 FPTS (8.4 pts, 4.8 reb, 1.1 ast)

          Rockets projections:

          Chicago Bulls at Utah Jazz
          9 p.m. Delta Center, Salt Lake City

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

          Injury Report:
          Bulls: Torrey Craig, (GTD - Knee); Lonzo Ball, (OUT - Knee); Patrick Williams, (OUT - Foot); Zach LaVine, (OUT - Foot)
          Jazz: Keyonte George, (GTD - Illness); Lauri Markkanen, (OUT - Quadriceps); Otto Porter Jr., (OUT - Not Injury Related); Walker Kessler, (OUT - Foot); Taylor Hendricks, (OUT - Toe)

          Bulls projections:

          Jazz projections:

          Milwaukee Bucks at Golden State Warriors
          10 p.m. Chase Center, San Francisco

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

          Injury Report:
          Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, (GTD - Achilles); Jae Crowder, (GTD - Knee); MarJon Beauchamp, (GTD - Foot); Khris Middleton, (OUT - Ankle)
          Warriors: None reported

          Bucks projections:

          Warriors projections:

          Oklahoma City Thunder at Portland Trail Blazers
          10 p.m. Moda Center, Portland

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

          Injury Report:
          Thunder: Jaylin Williams, (OUT - Knee)
          Blazers: Deandre Ayton, (GTD - Hand); Jerami Grant, (GTD - Quadriceps); Matisse Thybulle, (GTD - Hip); Toumani Camara, (GTD - Illness); Scoot Henderson, (OUT - Thigh); Malcolm Brogdon, (OUT - Elbow); Shaedon Sharpe, (OUT - Abdomen); Robert Williams III, (OUT - Knee)

          Thunder projections:

          Blazers projections:

          Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Lakers
          10:30 p.m. Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles

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

          Injury Report:
          Kings: Sasha Vezenkov, (OUT - Ankle)
          Lakers: Anthony Davis, (GTD - Achilles); Cam Reddish, (GTD - Ankle); LeBron James, (GTD - Ankle); Christian Wood, (OUT - Knee); Jarred Vanderbilt, (OUT - Foot); Colin Castleton, (OUT - Wrist); Gabe Vincent, (OUT - Knee)

          Kings projections:

          Lakers projections: