ESPN's basketball daily cheat sheet is your pregame destination before you lock in daily fantasy and betting decisions for that night's games. Here you'll find our top insights for the slate, including players to target for your daily fantasy rosters, along with game-by-game injury reports.
What you need to know for Sunday
What a difference a week can make in the NBA playoffs. Last Sunday, the Philadelphia 76ers were reveling in -- and recovering from -- an epic comeback against the Boston Celtics. Today, they are hoping to avoid a sweep at the hands of the rival New York Knicks.
In a meeting of Atlantic Division foes that airs on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET, the 76ers enter as slight home favorites versus a Knicks team that has been outright dominant through nine playoff games. Ranked second among all playoff teams in both defensive and offensive efficiency (as well as net rating), the Knicks are established as legitimate title contenders for the first time since Michael Jordan played for the Birmingham Barons.
For the 76ers to extend the series, they'll need to overcome obvious gaps in rebounding and rim protection from both personnel and strategic standpoints. Whether it's through a more modern shot diet -- increased 3-point volume -- or by mixing up lineups to get more bodies on the glass, expect Nick Nurse to get creative in this must-win matinee.
While Philadelphia is merely hoping to stay alive, the Minnesota Timberwolves have a chance to even their series against the San Antonio Spurs in a game that tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET. Minnesota's Chris Finch has a strong track record of mid-series adjustments, setting up an intriguing matchup as we look for schematic shifts.
We're seeing why Victor Wembanyama won Defensive Player of the Year; the Spurs have held the Timberwolves to just one point per possession through three games. Positioned as road favorites, San Antonio looks deeper and healthier, while Minnesota leans on experience and frontcourt size, fostering a compelling matchup with the stakes rising in Game 4.
With both home teams motivated to respond, the level of competition should ascend accordingly. With an eye on uncovering compelling betting angles and daily fantasy decisions, let's take a look at the day ahead.
McCormick's Bets for Sunday
Paul George OVER 2.5 made 3-pointers (-140)
This play is all about George's shooting diet; 49.7% of his field goal attempts this season have come from beyond the three-point line, the highest rate of his career. So far in this series, he's taking 57.4% of his attempts from deep while hitting 44% of them. Getting George involved in more pick-and-roll sets with Joel Embiid, and even inverted actions with Tyrese Maxey, could show up today, resulting in more opportunities to pull the string when New York goes under screens.
Julius Randle OVER 10.5 total rebounds and assists
Opportunity rates are often more predictive than actual statistics. For instance, potential assists measure passes made that lead to a direct shot opportunity, while an assist records only passes that lead to made baskets. Producing assist opportunities is more predictable than converting them. Randle has hovered around six potential assists per game this postseason while averaging just over 13 rebounding chances. With the potential to shine in both categories, Randle has multiple paths to achieving this combined prop.
Top Daily Fantasy Values of the Day
$8,100+ Salaries
Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs ($11,000)
The clear chalk play in today's tournaments, Wemby has topped 60 DraftKings points twice already in this series, including nearly 74 fantasy points in Game 3. The combination of scoring efficiency, volume rebounding and historic block production drives value even at this expensive price point.
$6,100-$8,000 Salaries
Anthony Edwards, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves ($8,000)
It's quite rare to find a superstar in this pricing tier, but Edwards' recent injury has introduced more risk and volatility to his statistical profile. Then again, he just topped 40 minutes and lofted 26 shots from the floor in the team's most recent loss. Now that volume is back on his side, Edwards is the top pivot from Wemby among today's player pool.
$3,500-$6,000 Salaries
Naz Reid, C, Minnesota Timberwolves ($5,600)
A fun blend of rebounding chances and catch-and-shoot touches helps support Reid's impressive fantasy potential. With more than 40 DraftKings points in Game 3 and a critical role in spacing the floor against the Spurs' rangy defense, Reid will serve an important role for the Wolves in today's big game.
Kelly Oubre Jr., SG/SF, Philadelphia 76ers ($5,400)
A two-way glue guy for the Sixers, Oubre plays big minutes and earns easy looks through effort. The Knicks don't send much defensive attention toward Oubre, instead using his man as a rover to attack the team's top perimeter creators. This is an effective plan for the Knicks, and also one that tends to feed Oubre numbers.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers
3:30 p.m. ET on ABC
Line: Knicks -1.5 (-110) | 76ers +1.5 (-110)
Money line: Knicks -120 | 76ers +100
Total: 214.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Knicks by 5.2, straight up 66%, 214.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Knicks: OG Anunoby, (GTD - Hamstring)
76ers: None reported
San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves
7:30 p.m. ET on NBC
Line: Spurs -4.5 (-115) | Timberwolves +4.5 (-105)
Money line: Spurs -192 | Timberwolves +160
Total: 217.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Spurs by 4.2, straight up 63%, 219.9 total points.
Injury Report:
Spurs: David Jones Garcia, (OFS - Ankle)
Timberwolves: Donte DiVincenzo, (OFS - Achilles)