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          Fantasy basketball tips and projections for Sunday

          Paul Reed has been scoring and rebounding off the bench for the Sixers and can be trusted in fantasy lineups on Sunday. David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
          • Steve Alexander
          Mar 10, 2024, 03:27 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 leagues.

          What you need to know for Sunday's games

          Luka Doncic became the first NBA player to have six consecutive 30-point triple-doubles in an easy win over the Pistons on Saturday and nearly made it a 40-pointer, finishing with 39 points, 10 rebounds and 10 dimes in the 142-124 win. More importantly, the Mavericks got a win over a weak opponent as they continue to pursue the postseason despite having a very tough schedule.

          Sunday's nine-game schedule kicks off at 3 p.m. with the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo visiting the LA Clippers, while the ESPN action takes place later this evening. The Philadelphia 76ers, who are still without Joel Embiid (knee) and Tyrese Maxey (concussion) will visit the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden at 7 p.m. on ESPN in prime time and will be followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves visiting the Los Angeles Lakers at 9:30 p.m.

          The Sixers' starting lineup will feature plenty of potential fantasy sleepers, led by Paul Reed and Kelly Oubre Jr., who will be filling in for the aforementioned injured stars for Philadelphia. Jalen Brunson will look to keep it going for the Knicks after returning to action in Friday's win over the Magic, while Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo will be popular fantasy plays, as well.

          The Timberwolves recently lost Karl-Anthony Towns for the rest of the regular season and a combination of Naz Reid (off the bench), Kyle Anderson and Jaden McDaniels will all help fill the void. Reid was already a pretty solid fantasy option before the loss of KAT, and will be a popular play once again tonight.

          As of now, it appears that both LeBron James and Anthony Davis are going to play for the Lakers, while D'Angelo Russell will look to stay hot after a big one-point win over the Bucks on Friday. Russell went off for a game-high 44 points, six rebounds and nine assists as James watched in street clothes, while Davis racked up 22 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks in the win.

          Other potential Sunday fantasy sleepers include Saddiq Bey for the banged up Atlanta Hawks, although he has a tough matchup against the defensive-minded Pelicans, Andrew Nembhard for the Pacers, who lost Bennedict Mathurin for the season due to elbow surgery on Saturday, and Cam Thomas, who went off for 31 points and five 3-pointers in his return from an ankle injury for the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. Just make sure he's going to play in today's back-to-back set before moving on him.

          Dean Wade, Georges Niang and Isaac Okoro will all be helping to fill in the game left by the absence of Donovan Mitchell (ankle) and Evan Mobley (knee) for the Cavaliers against the Nets tonight, but they're all a bit risky in terms of fantasy due to their inconsistency.

          Sunday's Stream Team

          Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, Hawks (26.2% rostered in ESPN leagues): With Jalen Johnson lost for the season the Hawks will be filling in the gaps with Bey, De'Andre Hunter (14.5%) and Vit Krejci (0.0%). Bey was absolutely dreadful in his last outing when he hit one of 12 shots for three points, nine boards, a steal and a block against the Grizzlies on Friday, but should bounce back on Sunday against the Pelicans, although it's a tough matchup. Bey had rattled off three straight strong performances prior to Friday's implosion and he's nearly guaranteed to play at least 35 minutes tonight. The Hawks will be looking for their fourth straight win and Krejci could find himself in the starting lineup tonight. He had three points, one rebound, five assists, two steals, a block and a 3-pointer in 22 minutes on Friday, and could be a sneaky deep-league play tonight.

          Duncan Robinson, SF/PF, Heat (17.6%): Robinson saw his five-game streak of double-digit scoring broken on Friday when he hit just three of eight shots for nine points and three triples against the Thunder. Prior to that, he'd scored at least 12 points in nine of his previous 10 games and he's got a nice matchup against the Wizards tonight. I could see Robinson getting loose for 20 points and five triples in this one.

          Paul Reed, PF/C, Sixers (12%): Mo Bamba has been starting for the Sixers but Reed's the guy to use in fantasy after he racked up 17 points, 11 rebounds, a steal and three blocks against the Pelicans on Friday. He posted a nearly identical stat line on Wednesday against the Grizzlies and has now averaged 12.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 1.8 blocks and 0.8 3-pointers in his five March games. And if you throw out a five-point dud against the Nets on March 5, those numbers go way up. Start him with confidence tonight against the Knicks and watch it on ESPN at 7:00 p.m.

          Dorian Finney-Smith SF/PF, Nets (6.9%): Cam Thomas (60.3%) was back in action on Friday and went off for 31 points and five 3-pointers in Saturday's loss to the Hornets. It will be interesting to see if he's able to go in back-to-back games after missing nearly two weeks with a sprained ankle. But whether he plays or not, Finney-Smith should be in the starting lineup and had eight points, five rebounds, two assists, a steal and a 3-pointer on 2-of-8 shooting on Saturday. He was also playing well prior to that game and has averaged 12.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.4 3-pointers on 53.5% shooting over his last five games. I like him tonight against the Cavaliers, especially if Thomas is given the night off after Friday's explosion in his return.

          Anthony Black, PG/SG, Magic (1.6%): Black is a bit of a reach, but Jalen Suggs (thigh) is in jeopardy of missing his second straight game and Markelle Fultz is also iffy with a knee injury. If they're both out, Black is at least assured of a start and big minutes. He's also due for a breakout game after slumping recently, missing all five of his shots and failing to score against the Knicks on Friday. The Pacers constantly give up big games to the opposition and this is a nice spot for Black to make some noise. He's only worth a DFS flier or a deep-league reach tonight, but the pieces are in place for him to put up some numbers against the Pacers.

          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.

          Milwaukee Bucks at LA Clippers
          3 p.m. Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles

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

          Injury Report:
          Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, (GTD - Knee); Khris Middleton, (OUT - Ankle)
          Clippers: Russell Westbrook, (OUT - Hand)

          Bucks projections:

          Clippers projections:

          • Kawhi Leonard, SF/PF: 50.1 FPTS (25.8 pts, 5.9 reb, 4.0 ast, 2.1 3PM)

          • Paul George, SG/SF/PF: 38.7 FPTS (20.5 pts, 5.3 reb, 3.4 ast, 3.0 3PM)

          • James Harden, PG/SG: 37.7 FPTS (16.9 pts, 5.0 reb, 6.6 ast, 2.6 3PM)

          • Ivica Zubac, C: 24.2 FPTS (10.4 pts, 8.5 reb, 1.3 ast)

          • Norman Powell, SG/SF: 21.3 FPTS (11.6 pts, 2.6 reb, 1.2 ast, 1.9 3PM)

          • Terance Mann, SG/SF: 16.1 FPTS (6.6 pts, 3.3 reb, 1.2 ast)

          • Daniel Theis, PF/C: 13.6 FPTS (6.0 pts, 3.7 reb, 0.8 ast)

          New Orleans Pelicans at Atlanta Hawks
          6 p.m. State Farm Arena, Atlanta

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

          Injury Report:
          Pelicans: Dyson Daniels, (OUT - Knee)
          Hawks: Dejounte Murray, (GTD - Calf); Seth Lundy, (GTD - Back); Jalen Johnson, (OUT - Ankle); Kobe Bufkin, (OUT - Toe); Onyeka Okongwu, (OUT - Toe); Trae Young, (OUT - Finger)

          Pelicans projections:

          Hawks projections:

          Washington Wizards at Miami Heat
          6 p.m. Kaseya Center, Miami

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

          Injury Report:
          Wizards: Landry Shamet, (GTD - Calf); Marvin Bagley III, (OUT - Back); Isaiah Livers, (OUT - Hip)
          Heat: Kevin Love, (OUT - Heel); Tyler Herro, (OUT - Foot); Josh Richardson, (OUT - Shoulder)

          Wizards projections:

          • Kyle Kuzma, SF/PF: 42.6 FPTS (25.0 pts, 7.1 reb, 4.1 ast, 2.5 3PM)

          • Deni Avdija, SF/PF: 32.4 FPTS (17.2 pts, 8.3 reb, 3.3 ast)

          • Jordan Poole, PG/SG: 28.7 FPTS (16.2 pts, 2.7 reb, 3.9 ast, 2.2 3PM)

          • Tyus Jones, PG: 28.3 FPTS (11.8 pts, 2.8 reb, 5.4 ast)

          • Corey Kispert, SG/SF: 22.3 FPTS (12.5 pts, 2.7 reb, 2.3 ast, 2.1 3PM)

          • Bilal Coulibaly, SG: 17.1 FPTS (8.9 pts, 3.8 reb, 1.2 ast)

          • Richaun Holmes, PF/C: 15.9 FPTS (7.1 pts, 5.4 reb, 1.2 ast)

          Heat projections:

          Indiana Pacers at Orlando Magic
          6 p.m. Amway Center, Orlando

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

          Injury Report:
          Pacers: Doug McDermott, (OUT - Calf); Bennedict Mathurin, (OUT - Shoulder)
          Magic: Jalen Suggs, (GTD - Thigh); Markelle Fultz, (GTD - Knee)

          Pacers projections:

          Magic projections:

          Houston Rockets at Sacramento Kings
          6 p.m. Golden 1 Center, Sacramento

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

          Injury Report:
          Rockets: Steven Adams, (OUT - Knee); Tari Eason, (OUT - Lower Leg)
          Kings: Davion Mitchell, (GTD - Chest); Sasha Vezenkov, (OUT - Ankle)

          Rockets projections:

          Kings projections:

          Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
          7 p.m. Madison Square Garden, New York

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

          Injury Report:
          76ers: Tyrese Maxey, (OUT - Concussion); Robert Covington, (OUT - Knee); De'Anthony Melton, (OUT - Back); Joel Embiid, (OUT - Knee)
          Knicks: OG Anunoby, (OUT - Elbow); Julius Randle, (OUT - Shoulder); Mitchell Robinson, (OUT - Ankle)

          76ers projections:

          Knicks projections:

          Brooklyn Nets at Cleveland Cavaliers
          7 p.m. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland

          BPI Projection: Cavaliers in the 9th highest-scoring game of the slate.

          Injury Report:
          Nets: Lonnie Walker IV, (GTD - Illness); Cameron Johnson, (OUT - Ankle); Ben Simmons, (OUT - Back); Dariq Whitehead, (OUT - Lower Leg)
          Cavaliers: Donovan Mitchell, (OUT - Knee); Max Strus, (OUT - Knee); Tristan Thompson, (OUT - Suspension); Evan Mobley, (OUT - Ankle); Ty Jerome, (OUT - Ankle)

          Nets projections:

          Cavaliers projections:

          • Darius Garland, PG: 38.0 FPTS (21.5 pts, 3.0 reb, 6.4 ast, 2.3 3PM)

          • Jarrett Allen, C: 36.8 FPTS (17.0 pts, 11.5 reb, 2.7 ast)

          • Caris LeVert, SG/SF: 34.8 FPTS (16.8 pts, 5.2 reb, 5.3 ast, 1.9 3PM)

          • Isaac Okoro, SG/SF: 22.4 FPTS (12.2 pts, 3.4 reb, 2.0 ast)

          • Georges Niang, PF: 19.0 FPTS (9.9 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.1 ast, 1.8 3PM)

          • Dean Wade, PF: 17.6 FPTS (6.9 pts, 4.6 reb, 1.0 ast, 1.8 3PM)

          • Sam Merrill, SG: 17.0 FPTS (8.2 pts, 2.8 reb, 1.3 ast, 2.3 3PM)

          Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder
          7 p.m. Paycom Center, Oklahoma City

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

          Injury Report:
          Grizzlies: GG Jackson, (GTD - Knee); John Konchar, (GTD - Ankle); Jordan Goodwin, (GTD - Achilles); Luke Kennard, (GTD - Knee); Brandon Clarke, (OUT - Achilles); Yuta Watanabe, (OUT - Wrist); Scotty Pippen Jr., (OUT - Back); Desmond Bane, (OUT - Ankle); Marcus Smart, (OUT - Finger); Derrick Rose, (OUT - Groin)
          Thunder: None reported

          Grizzlies projections:

          Thunder projections:

          Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers
          9:30 p.m. Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles

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

          Injury Report:
          Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, (GTD - Ankle); Monte Morris, (OUT - Hamstring); Jaylen Clark, (OUT - Achilles); Karl-Anthony Towns, (OUT - Knee)
          Lakers: Anthony Davis, (GTD - Shoulder); Cam Reddish, (GTD - Ankle); LeBron James, (GTD - Ankle); Christian Wood, (OUT - Knee); Jarred Vanderbilt, (OUT - Foot); Gabe Vincent, (OUT - Knee); Colin Castleton, (OUT - Wrist)

          Timberwolves projections:

          Lakers projections: