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.
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Top streamers | Best bets | Odds & Injury report
What you need to know for Wednesday's games
The NBA is back!
Opening night gave us two great games, including a double-overtime, one-point classic between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. But the season starts for most of the rest of the league tonight, with 24 teams playing in a 12-game slate. It's about to get real!
Obviously, with this many games on tap, opportunities abound for both fantasy basketball production and betting action. And with this being the debut, we don't know exactly what to expect. We may have had some ideas of what teams might look like after the draft and free agent moves over the offseason. The preseason gave us some hints as to what we might see. But tonight is when we really get to see what teams look like when it counts for real.
As we will all season, let's dig a bit deeper into the matchups and identify some of those fantasy and betting opportunities. It's time to tip off.
Wednesday's fantasy stream team
Dylan Harper, PG/SG, San Antonio Spurs (available in 55.8% of ESPN leagues): De'Aaron Fox will have to sit out opening night, creating opportunities for perimeter players like Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell to pick up the slack. This also opens up time for Harper, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, to potentially get starter minutes in his debut. Harper was one of the most impressive rookies I saw at the summer league in Las Vegas, and if he gets minutes, he has the game to produce streamable numbers.
Ayo Dosunmu, SG, Chicago Bulls (86.3% available): Dosunmu is poised to potentially start on Wednesday with Coby White sidelined. Dosunmu started 26 games for the Bulls last season and was solid across the board, averaging 14.2 PPG, 5.2 APG, 3.3 RPG, 1.6 3PG and 1.3 SPG in 32.5 MPG in those starts.
Jordan Clarkson, SG, New York Knicks (90.1% available): Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson are out for the season opener and Karl-Anthony Towns is listed as questionable. The Knicks, therefore, have to lean on their bench to start the season, with Clarkson and Miles McBride (98.6% available) as the two most likely players to step up their production. Whether Towns plays or not, I look for the Knicks to play a lot of small ball tonight, which gives their instant-offense guards a chance to post numbers.
Dillon Brooks, PF, Phoenix Suns (90.8% available): Brooks will start at forward for the Suns tonight, but with Jalen Green sidelined the team may need more perimeter scoring than usual. Brooks is the second-best perimeter scorer on the team, with five-year averages of 15.5 PPG and 1.9 3PG in 29.9 MPG, and he is the most likely player to step up and support star Devin Booker tonight.
Dre's bets for Wednesday
Cleveland Cavaliers -1.5 points over the New York Knicks (-110)
: The Cavaliers owned their matchup against the Knicks last season, winning all four games by an average of 17.0 PPG. They won both games in New York by six points each. While the Cavaliers are without starting point guard Darius Garland, the Knicks are without both Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson, and Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable to play. The Cavs' front line is just too big and talented for the Knicks to counter at anything less than full strength. I don't see a clear reason to expect the Knicks to fare better on opening night than they did in any of their four matchups last season.
Zion Williamson over 25.5 points (-110): Williamson famously entered camp in much better shape this season, and in the preseason his performance seemed to benefit from that. Plus, the Pelicans reconfigured their lineup this offseason and enter this year with Williamson as the only frontcourt scoring option in the first unit between defensive-minded center Yves Missi and small forward Herbert Jones. The Pelicans will need Zion to be an aggressive scorer, and when healthy he has never had trouble putting points on the board.
Philadelphia 76ers +3.5 points over the Boston Celtics (-120): Both teams enter the season as enigmas. What will the Celtics look like without Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday? How much can the 76ers expect to get from former MVP Joel Embiid? For tonight, I'm expecting Embiid to build on his strong preseason effort to do Embiid-like things ... even if he may not play his full allotment of minutes. Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown has been downgraded to questionable with a hamstring injury that could slow him even if he plays. Both teams have the potential to be better than expectation this season, but for tonight I'll take the 76ers with the points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo over 7.5 assists (+110): Antetokounmpo is in line to take on more playmaking this season with Damian Lillard no longer on the roster. Last season, in 14 games with Lillard out, Antetokounmpo averaged 7.9 APG. The Bucks enter this season with shooters at all four starting slots around Antetokounmpo, including new addition Myles Turner at center. In the season opener, Antetokounmpo is getting plus money for an assist prop that could end up being his average in this campaign, against a Wizards defense that allowed the third most assists in the NBA to opposing power forwards last season.
Victor Wembanyama over 24.5 points (-120): In one of the more fun matchups of the night, we get a matchup of two of the past three No. 1 picks with Wembanyama facing Cooper Flagg. We describe ways to bet Flagg's NBA debut in another space, but here let's dig into Wemby. He was scorching in the preseason, scoring at almost a point-per-minute pace. While I also like his 3-point prop (over 2.5, +120), Wemby's efficiency from all over the court should help him surpass his 24.3 PPG scoring average from last season on opening night.
Projections and injury reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds by ESPN BET
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
7 p.m. ET
Line: Cavaliers -1.5 (-110) | Knicks +1.5 (-110)
Money line: Cavaliers -125 | Knicks +105
Total: 228.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Cavaliers by 2, straight up 56%, 231.6 total points.
Injury report:
Cavaliers: De'Andre Hunter, (GTD - Knee); Darius Garland, (OUT - Toe); Max Strus, (OUT - Foot)
Knicks: Karl-Anthony Towns, (GTD - Quadriceps); OG Anunoby, (GTD - Ankle); Josh Hart, (OUT - Back); Mitchell Robinson, (OUT - Rest)
Brooklyn Nets at Charlotte Hornets
7 p.m. ET
Line: Nets +4.5 (-105) | Hornets -4.5 (-115)
Money line: Nets +160 | Hornets -190
Total: 227.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Hornets by 4.6, straight up 63%, 219.3 total points.
Injury report:
Nets: Haywood Highsmith, (OUT - Knee)
Hornets: Grant Williams, (OUT - Knee); Josh Green, (OUT - Shoulder)
Miami Heat at Orlando Magic
7 p.m. ET
Line: Heat +8.5 (-115) | Magic -8.5 (-105)
Money line: Heat +280 | Magic -360
Total: 214.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Magic by 7.4, straight up 70%, 216.8 total points.
Injury report:
Heat: Kel'el Ware, (GTD - Ankle); Kasparas Jakucionis, (OUT - Groin); Tyler Herro, (OUT - Ankle)
Magic: Jalen Suggs, (GTD - Knee); Moritz Wagner, (OUT - Knee)
Toronto Raptors at Atlanta Hawks
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Raptors +5.5 (-110) | Hawks -5.5 (-110)
Money line: Raptors +180 | Hawks -215
Total: 236.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Hawks by 6.5, straight up 68%, 235.4 total points.
Injury report:
Raptors: Collin Murray-Boyles, (OUT - Forearm); Ja'Kobe Walter, (OUT - Illness)
Hawks: None reported
Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: 76ers +3.5 (-110) | Celtics -3.5 (-110)
Money line: 76ers +135 | Celtics -155
Total: 229.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Celtics by 0.3, straight up 51%, 227.1 total points.
Injury report:
76ers: Paul George, (OUT - Knee); Trendon Watford, (OUT - Hamstring); Jared McCain, (OUT - Thumb)
Celtics: Jayson Tatum, (OUT - Achilles); Jaylen Brown, (GTD - Hamstring)
Detroit Pistons at Chicago Bulls
8 p.m. ET
Line: Pistons -3.5 (-105) | Bulls +3.5 (-115)
Money line: Pistons -145 | Bulls +125
Total: 235.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Pistons by 2.9, straight up 58%, 233.6 total points.
Injury report:
Pistons: Caris LeVert, (GTD - Knee)
Bulls: Coby White, (OUT - Calf); Zach Collins, (OUT - Wrist)
New Orleans Pelicans at Memphis Grizzlies
8 p.m. ET
Line: Pelicans +4.5 (-110) | Grizzlies -4.5 (-110)
Money line: Pelicans +165 | Grizzlies -195
Total: 236.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Grizzlies by 6.4, straight up 68%, 236.1 total points.
Injury report:
Pelicans: Dejounte Murray, (OUT - Achilles); Karlo Matkovic, (GTD - Elbow); Kevon Looney, (OUT - Knee)
Grizzlies: Scotty Pippen Jr., (OUT - Toe); Vince Williams Jr., (OUT - Heel); Zach Edey, (OUT - Ankle); Brandon Clarke, (OUT - Knee); Ty Jerome, (OUT - Calf)
Washington Wizards at Milwaukee Bucks
8 p.m. ET
Line: Wizards +8.5 (EVEN) | Bucks -8.5 (-120)
Money line: Wizards +290 | Bucks -380
Total: 228.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Bucks by 11.3, straight up 80%, 230.7 total points.
Injury report:
Wizards: Will Riley, (GTD - Ankle); Bilal Coulibaly, (OUT - Thumb)
Bucks: None reported
LA Clippers at Utah Jazz
9 p.m. ET
Line: Clippers -10.5 (-105) | Jazz +10.5 (-115)
Money line: Clippers -450 | Jazz +340
Total: 225.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Clippers by 9, straight up 74%, 227.3 total points.
Injury report:
Clippers: Jordan Miller, (OUT - Hamstring)
Jazz: Ace Bailey, (GTD - Illness); Georges Niang, (OUT - Foot); Isaiah Collier, (OUT - Hamstring)
San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks
9:30 p.m. ET
Line: Spurs +2.5 (-115) | Mavericks -2.5 (-105)
Money line: Spurs +115 | Mavericks -135
Total: 226.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Mavericks by 2.6, straight up 58%, 231.2 total points.
Injury report:
Spurs: Kelly Olynyk, (OUT - Heel); Lindy Waters III, (OUT - Eye); De'Aaron Fox, (OUT - Hamstring); Jeremy Sochan, (OUT - Wrist)
Mavericks: Kyrie Irving, (OUT - Knee); Daniel Gafford, (GTD - Ankle); Dante Exum, (OUT - Knee)
Sacramento Kings at Phoenix Suns
10 p.m. ET
Line: Kings +3.5 (-105) | Suns -3.5 (-115)
Money line: Kings +145 | Suns -170
Total: 229.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Suns by 2, straight up 56%, 230.5 total points.
Injury report:
Kings: Isaac Jones, (OUT - Illness); Domantas Sabonis, (OUT - Hamstring); Keegan Murray, (OUT - Thumb)
Suns: Grayson Allen, (GTD - Hip); Jalen Green, (OUT - Hamstring)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Portland Trail Blazers
10 p.m. ET
Line: Timberwolves -4.5 (EVEN) | Blazers +4.5 (-120)
Money line: Timberwolves -175 | Blazers +150
Total: 220.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Timberwolves by 2.6, straight up 57%, 224.2 total points.
Injury report:
Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, (GTD - Back)
Blazers: Damian Lillard, (OUT - Achilles); Robert Williams III, (OUT - Knee); Scoot Henderson, (OUT - Hamstring)