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 | DFS picks | Odds & Injury report
Six games are on deck for this festive December Sunday. Betting indicators reveal the potential for blowouts in several matchups, but also some fireworks in others.
Regarding fireworks, the Atlanta Hawks host the Chicago Bulls in what is one of the highest point totals of the regular season thus far. The massive total of 247.5 points means there's an expectation for this game to have 15% more scoring than today's meeting between the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets, a contest with a total of 215.5 points. Finding ways to build fantasy lineups and player props around this matchup could prove rewarding.
Half of the day's games have spread of at least 11.5 points. Blowouts are not ideal for fantasy managers in redraft or DFS competition, as they often result in fewer minutes and opportunities for the best players in both rotations. This doesn't mean to outright fade those three contests, but to factor in the risks that are present.
With an eye on finding productive fantasy streamers and betting angles of interest, let's take a look at the day ahead in the NBA.
Sunday's fantasy stream team
Jabari Smith Jr., PF/C, Houston Rockets (Rostered in 54.1% of ESPN leagues): Smith should be nearly universally rostered at this stage; he has four consecutive double-doubles going all while averaging nearly 42 minutes over the past week. With eligibility at center and a plus matchup against a thin Sacramento frontcourt this evening, Smith is poised to extend his stretch of impressive performances.
Tre Jones, PG, Chicago Bulls (28.7%): With the pace and scoring expectations set so high for this matchup with the Hawks, Jones becomes an interesting addition given his upside as a passer. There isn't much from Jones beyond the assist tally, but it is one of the scarcer statistics in free agency. Getting a ticket into this track meet is the idea.
Maxime Raynaud, C, Sacramento Kings (12.3%): The Kings' lack of frontcourt depth is evident in Raynaud's game logs; he's been propelled into an important role as the team's top rim protector and glass cleaner. The Rockets have size and skill to counter Raynaud, but his minutes and usage should help support another busy box score.
Sandro Mamukelashvili, PF, Toronto Raptors (6.87%): Speaking of backup bigs, the Raptors have turned to "Mamuk" to patrol the paint while Jakob Poeltl is on the mend. Boston couldn't stop him from getting deep position in the paint on Saturday, suggesting there's another big workload due today against the Nets.
Mitchell Robinson, C, New York Knicks (6.1%): An unintentional theme of player endorsements is size, as all of these players win with both feet in the paint. Robinson is a unique player in that he rarely plays big minutes, but can produce a full game of rebounds and blocks in those bursts. The Miami Heat often run out larger lineup looks, which could invite more work from Robinson.
McCormick's bets for Sunday
Jalen Johnson OVER 18.5 total assists and rebounds (-119)
Johnson is still a major creation hub for the Hawks even with Trae Young back. Sure, his potential assists aren't as wild as a few weeks ago, but there is value to the gravity and spacing Young brings to the court. Chicago is simply awful on defense and isn't much better on the boards. Johnson is the engine of Atlanta, and Chicago is offering a fast track today.
Michael Porter Jr. OVER 24.5 points (-128)
This big bucket getter is facing a Toronto team that is playing on the second leg of a back-to-back while also missing its top interior defender. The Nets are giving "MPJ" the greenlight to shoot from all over the floor of late, and the results are inspiring. With the usage pattern and shot chart to support this type of scoring expectation, Porter is in a good spot today.
Top Daily Fantasy values of the day
$8100+ salaries
Anthony Edwards, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves ($9,300)
Even with the blowout ingredients against the Bucks today, Edwards has the coveted high ceiling at a reasonable cost. The other factor is that the main tournaments today don't include the player pool for the Hawks and Bulls given the earlier timing, which results in a more daring approach to lineup building.
Jalen Brunson, PG, New York Knicks ($9,000)
A matchup with the rival Heat used to lead to expectations of a half-court war, but the fact-paced Miami scheme can help turn up the possession rate today. The Knicks are thriving with more motion and less ball-stopping on offense, with Brunson still empowered to create isolation advantages whenever possible.
($6100-$8000 salaries)
Kyshawn George, SG, Washington Wizards ($6,400)
One of the core young pieces of the Washington rebuild, George is pretty much doing it all for the young Wizards of late. With no real pure point guard on the roster, George gets the chance to be an on-ball creator for both himself and others. The Spurs are a tough matchup, but the opportunity rates are loud for George.
$3,500-$6,000 salaries
Dylan Harper, PG, San Antonio Spurs ($5,100)
With an awesome scoring outing in his last game and real momentum as a driver and finisher, Harper is in a spot to show off against this weak Washington defense. The real sell is the potential for more playing time if the Spurs take a commanding lead into the second half.
Sandro Mamukelashvili, C, Toronto Raptors ($4,900)
A starting center at this price is how you might plan to afford Edwards and Brunson in the backcourt, for instance. The potential for a double-double is here against a Nets team without any bruisers in the middle.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Chicago Bulls at Atlanta Hawks
3:30 p.m. ET
Line: Bulls +4.5 (-108) | Hawks -4.5 (-112)
Money line: Bulls +150 | Hawks -180
Total: 247.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Hawks by 7, straight up 69%, 244.6 total points.
Injury Report:
Bulls: Noa Essengue, (OFS - Shoulder); Ayo Dosunmu, (GTD - Thumb); Coby White, (GTD - Ankle); Jalen Smith, (GTD - Quadriceps)
Hawks: Kristaps Porzingis, (OUT - Illness); N'Faly Dante, (OUT - Knee)
Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets
6 p.m. ET
Line: Raptors -3.5 (-108) | Nets +3.5 (-112)
Money line: Raptors -166 | Nets +140
Total: 215.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Raptors by 3.2, straight up 59%, 220.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Raptors: RJ Barrett, (OUT - Knee); Jakob Poeltl, (GTD - Back)
Nets: Haywood Highsmith, (OUT - Knee); Cam Thomas, (OUT - Hamstring); Drake Powell, (OUT - Ankle)
Miami Heat at New York Knicks
6 p.m. ET
Line: Heat +7.5 (-115) | Knicks -7.5 (-105)
Money line: Heat +250 | Knicks -310
Total: 235.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Knicks by 7.6, straight up 71%, 238.6 total points.
Injury Report:
Heat: Terry Rozier, (OUT - Not Injury Related); Andrew Wiggins, (GTD - Back); Davion Mitchell, (GTD - Ankle); Pelle Larsson, (OUT - Ankle); Tyler Herro, (OUT - Toe); Nikola Jovic, (OUT - Elbow)
Knicks: Landry Shamet, (OUT - Shoulder); Miles McBride, (OUT - Ankle)
San Antonio Spurs at Washington Wizards
7 p.m. ET
Line: Spurs -16.5 (-105) | Wizards +16.5 (-115)
Money line: Spurs -1350 | Wizards +800
Total: 236.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Spurs by 14.7, straight up 87%, 238.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Spurs: None reported
Wizards: Bilal Coulibaly, (GTD - Ankle); Cam Whitmore, (GTD - Shoulder); Jamir Watkins, (GTD - Illness); Corey Kispert, (OUT - Thumb)
Milwaukee Bucks at Minnesota Timberwolves
7 p.m. ET
Line: Bucks +12.5 (-102) | Timberwolves -12.5 (-118)
Money line: Bucks +470 | Timberwolves -650
Total: 226.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Timberwolves by 10, straight up 76%, 232.1 total points.
Injury Report:
Bucks: Taurean Prince, (OUT - Neck); Giannis Antetokounmpo, (OUT - Calf)
Timberwolves: Mike Conley, (GTD - Achilles)
Houston Rockets at Sacramento Kings
10 p.m. ET
Line: Rockets -11.5 (-115) | Kings +11.5 (-105)
Money line: Rockets -650 | Kings +470
Total: 222.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Rockets by 13.5, straight up 84%, 229.7 total points.
Injury Report:
Rockets: Dorian Finney-Smith, (OUT - Ankle); Fred VanVleet, (OUT - Knee); Tari Eason, (GTD - Lower Leg)
Kings: Drew Eubanks, (OUT - Thumb); Domantas Sabonis, (OUT - Knee); Zach LaVine, (OUT - Ankle)