ESPN's fantasy basketball daily cheat sheet is your pregame destination before you set your lineups for the 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 and player projections.
What you need to know for Tuesday's games
It's a relatively light night in the NBA, with only four games on the day the NCAA Men's Tournament tips off with two First Four games. In the NBA, the action will feature two games between teams that would both be in the postseason if the season ended today and another two games featuring one team fighting for postseason position while the other heads to the lottery.
The dynamics of team and individual competitiveness level can vary wildly in the last weeks of the season, so it's worth digging deeper into every matchup for fantasy hoops and betting purposes. It's a good thing that is what we do in this space.
So without further ado, let's explore and identify some angles of interest for Tuesday's games.
Tuesday's fantasy stream team
Moses Moody (available in 86.7% ESPN leagues) and Gary Payton II, Golden State Warriors (96.2% available): Moody and Payton have been playing well of late, and both could be in for a larger role Tuesday if Steve Kerr follows up on his statement from last night and rests Stephen Curry. The Warriors are on the second half of a back-to-back, and Kerr said that Curry had been carrying the team for a month and was worn down and a candidate to rest on Tuesday.
Even if Curry does play, Moody and Payton still make solid streaming options. Moody is averaging 15.2 PPG, 2.6 3PG and 2.0 SPG over his last five outings. Meanwhile, Payton has played well in place of Brandin Podziemski, who has missed five straight games with a back issue and is listed as a game-time decision for tonight. Payton has averaged 15.3 PPG, 2.3 3PG and 1.5 SPG over his last four games.
Day'Ron Sharpe (95.2%) and Keon Johnson, Brooklyn Nets (90.4%): The Nets are deep in the lottery and now face the defending champion Boston Celtics in Boston. There is blowout potential in this game, but that shouldn't prevent the young players on the Nets from getting their minutes. Johnson has stepped up in a major way since Cam Thomas went down for the season, posting 21.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 3.5 APG in his last two games. Sharpe has gotten some spot starts in place of Nic Claxton, but he has played well and efficiently even when coming off the bench. In his last five games, only one of them a start, Sharpe has averaged 8.0 PPG, 8.6 RPG and 0.8 BPG in 19.8 MPG.
Dre's favorite bets for Tuesday
Odds by ESPN BET
On First Take, Stephen A. Smith, Shannon Sharpe and Chiney Ogwumike join Molly Qerim to question if the Golden State Warriors are asking too much of Steph Curry before sharing optimism for the Houston Rockets.
Dyson Daniels to record 4+ total steals and blocks (-110)
Daniels has recorded at least one steal in a whopping 39 straight games, a span in which he has averaged 3.0 SPG and 0.6 BPG. He has picked it up even more on the defensive end of late, averaging 3.6 SPG and 0.6 BPG in his last five outings, with at least five combined blocks and steals in three of the five games. Daniels is the best thief in the league, and the Charlotte Hornets average the seventh-most turnovers in the NBA, so variations of this bet I like without including blocks would be Daniels 3+ steals (-170) or Daniels 4+ steals (+140).
Damian Lillard OVER 22.5 points (-120)
Lillard grew up in the Bay Area and has a history of big performances against his pseudo-home squad. In his last five outings against the Warriors, going back to 2023, Lillard has averaged 28.6 PPG with at least 25 points in four of the five games. In their only matchup this season last month, Lillard dropped 38 points against the Dubs.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds by ESPN BET
Players in italics are available in a majority of ESPN Leagues
Atlanta Hawks at Charlotte Hornets
7 p.m. ET
Line: Hawks -6.5 (-115) | Hornets 6.5 (-105)
Money line: Hawks -260 | Hornets +215
Total: 236.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Hawks by 0.7, straight up 52%, 229.5 total points.
Injury Report:
Hawks: Trae Young, (GTD - Achilles); Keaton Wallace, (OUT - Shoulder); Caris LeVert, (OUT - Knee); Clint Capela, (OUT - Personal); Larry Nance Jr., (OUT - Knee); Jalen Johnson, (OUT - Shoulder); Kobe Bufkin, (OUT - Shoulder)
Hornets: LaMelo Ball, (GTD - Wrist); Josh Okogie, (OUT - Hamstring); Brandon Miller, (OUT - Wrist); Grant Williams, (OUT - Knee); Tre Mann, (OUT - Back); Jared Rhoden, (OUT - Ankle)
Hawks projections:
Trae Young, PG: 47.8 FPTS (25.7 pts, 3.4 reb, 9.4 ast, 2.8 3PM)
Dyson Daniels, PG/SG: 30.2 FPTS (12.3 pts, 4.9 reb, 4.4 ast)
Onyeka Okongwu, C: 29.1 FPTS (13.6 pts, 9.9 reb, 2.2 ast, 1.3 blk)
Zaccharie Risacher, PF/SF: 20.4 FPTS (11.7 pts, 4.3 reb, 1.1 ast)
Terance Mann, SG/SF: 19.9 FPTS (8.9 pts, 3.4 reb, 2.8 ast)
Georges Niang, PF: 17.1 FPTS (7.8 pts, 3.8 reb, 1.7 ast)
Mouhamed Gueye, PF: 16.5 FPTS (7.3 pts, 4.3 reb, 1.0 ast)
Hornets projections:
LaMelo Ball, PG: 42.3 FPTS (22.7 pts, 4.6 reb, 6.4 ast, 3.7 3PM)
Mark Williams, C: 30.9 FPTS (14.5 pts, 11.1 reb, 2.4 ast, 1.5 blk)
KJ Simpson, PG: 21.2 FPTS (10.1 pts, 3.9 reb, 3.0 ast)
Nick Smith Jr., SG: 20.3 FPTS (11.2 pts, 2.6 reb, 2.4 ast, 2.0 3PM)
Josh Green, SG/SF: 19.1 FPTS (9.2 pts, 2.7 reb, 1.9 ast)
DaQuan Jeffries, SG: 16.7 FPTS (9.2 pts, 3.3 reb, 1.3 ast)
Jusuf Nurkic, C: 10.5 FPTS (5.8 pts, 3.2 reb, 0.8 ast)
Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics
7:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV
Line: Nets 13.5 (-115) | Celtics -13.5 (-105)
Money line: Nets +550 | Celtics -900
Total: 214.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Celtics by 11.9, straight up 83%, 218.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Nets: Noah Clowney, (GTD - Ankle); Ziaire Williams, (GTD - Achilles); Cam Thomas, (OUT - Hamstring); De'Anthony Melton, (OUT - Knee)
Celtics: Jayson Tatum, (GTD - Knee); Jaylen Brown, (OUT - Back)
Nets projections:
Cameron Johnson, SF/PF: 31.3 FPTS (17.5 pts, 4.4 reb, 3.4 ast, 2.8 3PM)
D'Angelo Russell, PG/SG: 24.2 FPTS (12.1 pts, 2.3 reb, 4.0 ast, 1.9 3PM)
Nic Claxton, C: 23.7 FPTS (10.7 pts, 7.0 reb, 2.5 ast)
Keon Johnson, SG: 22.1 FPTS (11.2 pts, 3.9 reb, 2.1 ast)
Ziaire Williams, SF: 22.0 FPTS (11.4 pts, 5.1 reb, 1.4 ast)
Tyrese Martin, SF: 19.4 FPTS (9.9 pts, 3.3 reb, 2.2 ast, 1.8 3PM)
Day'Ron Sharpe, C: 17.9 FPTS (7.7 pts, 5.4 reb, 2.1 ast)
Celtics projections:
Jayson Tatum, SF/PF: 48.5 FPTS (27.8 pts, 7.6 reb, 6.3 ast, 3.6 3PM)
Derrick White, PG/SG: 32.0 FPTS (16.4 pts, 3.8 reb, 4.5 ast, 3.3 3PM)
Kristaps Porzingis, PF/C: 28.6 FPTS (17.4 pts, 5.6 reb, 1.8 ast, 2.1 3PM, 1.5 blk)
Jrue Holiday, PG/SG: 26.5 FPTS (12.4 pts, 3.9 reb, 3.7 ast, 1.8 3PM)
Payton Pritchard, PG: 23.2 FPTS (11.4 pts, 3.1 reb, 2.6 ast, 2.6 3PM)
Al Horford, PF/C: 21.4 FPTS (9.1 pts, 5.9 reb, 2.3 ast, 1.9 3PM)
Sam Hauser, SF: 14.5 FPTS (7.5 pts, 2.3 reb, 1.1 ast, 2.1 3PM)
Milwaukee Bucks at Golden State Warriors
10 p.m. ET on NBA TV
Line: Bucks -3.5 (-110) | Warriors 3.5 (-110)
Money line: Bucks -155 | Warriors +135
Total: 228.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Warriors by 9.2, straight up 77%, 230.0 total points.
Injury Report:
Bucks: Damian Lillard, (GTD - Groin); Gary Trent Jr., (GTD - Knee); Giannis Antetokounmpo, (GTD - Knee); Bobby Portis, (OUT - Suspension); Jericho Sims, (OUT - Thumb)
Warriors: Brandin Podziemski, (OUT - Back)
Bucks projections:
Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF/C: 43.9 FPTS (27.5 pts, 10.9 reb, 6.1 ast)
Damian Lillard, PG: 43.0 FPTS (24.4 pts, 4.5 reb, 6.5 ast, 3.2 3PM)
Kyle Kuzma, SF/PF: 23.5 FPTS (14.7 pts, 5.0 reb, 2.1 ast)
Brook Lopez, C: 22.7 FPTS (12.3 pts, 4.8 reb, 1.9 ast, 1.8 3PM, 1.9 blk)
Tyler Smith, SF: 21.4 FPTS (10.3 pts, 4.9 reb, 2.2 ast, 2.0 3PM)
Gary Trent Jr., SG: 19.9 FPTS (11.4 pts, 1.9 reb, 1.5 ast, 2.1 3PM)
Taurean Prince, SF: 18.1 FPTS (8.3 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.9 ast)
Warriors projections:
Stephen Curry, PG: 42.0 FPTS (23.5 pts, 4.1 reb, 5.8 ast, 4.1 3PM)
Jimmy Butler, SG/SF/PF: 35.4 FPTS (18.2 pts, 5.4 reb, 5.3 ast)
Draymond Green, PF/C: 28.5 FPTS (10.7 pts, 6.0 reb, 5.5 ast)
Jonathan Kuminga, PF: 24.1 FPTS (15.0 pts, 4.4 reb, 2.2 ast)
Moses Moody, SG/SF: 20.2 FPTS (11.5 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.6 ast)
Quinten Post, C: 18.1 FPTS (8.7 pts, 4.8 reb, 1.4 ast)
Gary Payton II, SG: 17.7 FPTS (8.2 pts, 4.1 reb, 1.4 ast)
Cleveland Cavaliers at LA Clippers
10:30 p.m. ET
Line: Cavaliers -3.5 (-115) | Clippers 3.5 (-105)
Money line: Cavaliers -155 | Clippers +135
Total: 232.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Cavaliers by 1.7, straight up 56%, 230.9 total points.
Injury Report:
Cavaliers: Evan Mobley, (GTD - Foot)
Clippers: Kai Jones, (GTD - Quadriceps); Jordan Miller, (OUT - Hip)
Cavaliers projections:
Donovan Mitchell, PG/SG: 40.0 FPTS (23.3 pts, 4.1 reb, 4.7 ast, 3.1 3PM)
Darius Garland, PG: 35.2 FPTS (19.0 pts, 2.7 reb, 6.1 ast, 2.6 3PM)
Evan Mobley, PF/C: 29.6 FPTS (16.5 pts, 8.0 reb, 3.1 ast, 1.8 blk)
Jarrett Allen, C: 27.9 FPTS (13.7 pts, 9.3 reb, 1.8 ast)
De'Andre Hunter, SF/PF: 22.2 FPTS (13.4 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.8 ast, 1.9 3PM)
Max Strus, SG/SF: 19.9 FPTS (8.4 pts, 3.9 reb, 2.7 ast, 1.9 3PM)
Ty Jerome, PG: 18.6 FPTS (9.5 pts, 2.2 reb, 2.5 ast)
Clippers projections:
James Harden, PG/SG: 40.6 FPTS (20.5 pts, 6.0 reb, 7.9 ast, 2.9 3PM)
Kawhi Leonard, SF/PF: 33.9 FPTS (20.4 pts, 4.7 reb, 3.0 ast, 2.3 3PM)
Norman Powell, SG/SF: 30.8 FPTS (19.6 pts, 3.2 reb, 2.6 ast, 3.0 3PM)
Ivica Zubac, C: 30.8 FPTS (15.3 pts, 10.8 reb, 2.7 ast)
Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG/SF: 21.1 FPTS (11.3 pts, 2.7 reb, 2.4 ast, 1.9 3PM)
Kris Dunn, PG: 20.7 FPTS (7.0 pts, 3.4 reb, 3.5 ast)
Derrick Jones Jr., SF: 18.5 FPTS (10.0 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.1 ast)