Fantasy basketball picks, DFS and betting tips for Sunday’s NBA games

Jim McCormickMar 15, 2026, 11:14 AM ET

CloseJim McCormick is a contributing writer for fantasy football and men’s basketball at ESPN.

Multiple Authors

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

What you need to know for Sunday’s games

A busy Sunday in the NBA begins in Oklahoma this afternoon, as the Thunder host the Minnesota Timberwolves on ABC at 1 p.m. ET today.

This matinee matchup pits a Wolves team looking for confidence as a potential contender against the league’s indomitable force. As a measure of Oklahoma City’s dominance, the Thunder are nearly 10-point favorites.

Editor’s Picks

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A clear theme today is larger lines; five of today’s seven games have spreads of at least 7.5 points. With so many of today’s matchups set with lopsided expectations, it helps to elevate the potentially competitive matchups.

The Detroit Pistons are in Canada to face the Toronto Raptors as modest favorites. The Raptors, like the Timberwolves, have endured volatility this season but remain deep and talented in a conference defined by parity among the contending class. Given how good the Boston Celtics have looked in recent games, this is just as much a test for Detroit as it is for Toronto.

There’s even interest in this evening’s tank-tastic meeting of the Utah Jazz and the Sacramento Kings. Both rosters offer a bevy of interesting streaming additions, as you’ll learn below. With an eye toward uncovering productive fantasy streamers and compelling betting angles, let’s take a look at the day ahead in the NBA.

McCormick’s fantasy stream team for Sunday

Brice Sensabaugh, SF, Utah Jazz (rostered in 25.0% of ESPN leagues): A bucket’s bucket, Sensabaugh is an offense-first player with a real skill for filling up the scoring column. The team has cleared a path for big minutes and rewarding usage for Sensabaugh in these final weeks of the season. The Kings, meanwhile, offer little defensive resistance on the perimeter.

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Quentin Grimes, SG, Philadelphia 76ers (37.0%): Speaking of buckets, Grimes just took on the Tyrese Maxey shot diet in a win over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. With the Portland Trail Blazers in town tonight, Grimes is again positioned to lead the team in shots and touches.

Precious Achiuwa, PF/C, Sacramento Kings (38.8%): An established waiver warrior who has been productive for weeks, Achiuwa could really feast against this young and small Jazz frontcourt. As a proven double-double machine playing well over 30 minutes in most matchups, Achiuwa has become a difference-maker during “silly season.” Teammates Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford also qualify as meaningful pickups today.

Scoot Henderson, PG, Portland Trail Blazers (12.5%): With at least 17 points in three straight games and at least 25 in two of those games, Henderson is finding his touch in time to help fantasy managers. There’s no guarantee of a floor here; rather, a fun fantasy ceiling for those willing to take on the risk. It helps that the 76ers’ defense is identifiably weakened.

McCormick’s favorite bets for Sunday

Cody Williams OVER 16.5 total points and rebounds (-120): With minutes often come numbers. Jalen’s little brother is beginning to show flashes of impact play, particularly as a scorer and on the glass. With at least 36 minutes in three straight games for a Utah team fully willing to empower his progress, Williams has several paths to hitting this number tonight.

Scoot Henderson OVER 13.5 points (-117): Building on Henderson’s strong position today, his usage rate of 28.3% over the past three games signals a starring role in his minutes, often spent leading second-unit groups. The 76ers have little in the way of point-of-attack resistance or rim protection, setting up Henderson for success in South Philly tonight. It also helps that the 76ers are playing at a top-10 pace over the past 10 games, adding possessions to both sides.

Top Daily Fantasy values of the day

$8,100+ salaries

Deni Avdija, SF/PF, Portland Trail Blazers ($9,000): One of the better values of the day given the blend of matchup and role, Avdija should dominate a patchworked Philadelphia frontcourt. As a downhill bully facing an undersized group of Philly forwards, Avdija could feast at all three levels.

$6,100-$8,000 salaries

Jalen Duren, C, Detroit Pistons ($8,000): The Cavs won’t have Jared Allen active today, setting up Duren with even more glaring size and strength advantages. With Isaiah Stewart sidelined for the Pistons, Duren will be the main rim protector and glass cleaner for Detroit today. This could be fun.

$3,000-$6,000 salaries

Justin Edwards, SF, Philadelphia 76ers ($4,000): We rode with Edwards yesterday en route to 36.5 DraftKings points. The minutes and shots should again be there for Edwards in this depleted rotation. This current form of the 76ers badly needs spacing, which vaults Edwards into an important role next to the team’s duo of high-usage guards.

Projections and Injury Reports

Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder
1 p.m. ET on ABC

Line: Timberwolves +8.5 (-110) | Thunder -8.5 (-110)
Money line: Timberwolves +300 | Thunder -380
Total: 225.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Thunder by 7.5, straight up 72%, 231.2 total points.

Injury Report:

Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, (GTD – Knee)

Thunder: Isaiah Hartenstein, (GTD – Calf); Branden Carlson, (OUT – Back); Jalen Williams, (OUT – Hamstring); Thomas Sorber, (OFS – Knee)

Dallas Mavericks at Cleveland Cavaliers
3:30 p.m. ET

Line: Mavericks +15.5 (-115) | Cavaliers -15.5 (-105)
Money line: Mavericks +800 | Cavaliers -1350
Total: 235.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Cavaliers by 11.7, straight up 81%, 240.9 total points.

Injury Report:

Mavericks: Caleb Martin, (GTD – Finger); Daniel Gafford, (GTD – Illness); Moussa Cisse, (GTD – Neck); P.J. Washington, (GTD – Ankle); Dereck Lively II, (OFS – Foot); Kyrie Irving, (OFS – Knee)

Cavaliers: Jaylon Tyson, (GTD – Ankle); Max Strus, (GTD – Foot); Craig Porter Jr., (OUT – Groin); Jarrett Allen, (OUT – Knee); Sam Merrill, (OUT – Hamstring); Tyrese Proctor, (OUT – Quadriceps)

Detroit Pistons at Toronto Raptors
3:30 p.m. ET

Line: Pistons -4.5 (-102) | Raptors +4.5 (-118)
Money line: Pistons -175 | Raptors +145
Total: 223.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Pistons by 4.7, straight up 64%, 223.5 total points.

Injury Report:

Pistons: Ausar Thompson, (GTD – Ankle); Isaiah Stewart, (OUT – Calf)

Raptors: Chucky Hepburn, (OUT – Knee); Collin Murray-Boyles, (OUT – Thumb)

Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks
3:30 p.m. ET

Line: Pacers +6.5 (-102) | Bucks -6.5 (-118)
Money line: Pacers +220 | Bucks -270
Total: 227.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Bucks by 3.6, straight up 61%, 229.3 total points.

Injury Report:

Pacers: Johnny Furphy, (OFS – Knee); Aaron Nesmith, (GTD – Ankle); Andrew Nembhard, (GTD – Calf); Ben Sheppard, (GTD – Ankle); Ivica Zubac, (GTD – Ankle); Obi Toppin, (GTD – Foot); Pascal Siakam, (GTD – Knee); Quenton Jackson, (GTD – Calf); T.J. McConnell, (GTD – Hamstring); Tyrese Haliburton, (OFS – Achilles)

Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, (GTD – Calf); Ousmane Dieng, (GTD – Illness); Alex Antetokounmpo, (OUT – Illness)

Portland Trail Blazers at Philadelphia 76ers
6 p.m. ET

Line: Blazers -8.5 (-105) | 76ers +8.5 (-115)
Money line: Blazers -340 | 76ers +270
Total: 228.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Blazers by 2, straight up 56%, 234.5 total points.

Injury Report:

Blazers: Chris Youngblood, (GTD – Knee); Robert Williams III, (GTD – Knee); Shaedon Sharpe, (OUT – Calf); Damian Lillard, (OFS – Achilles)

76ers: Andre Drummond, (GTD – Back); Jabari Walker, (GTD – Illness); Joel Embiid, (OUT – Oblique); Paul George, (OUT – Suspension); Kelly Oubre Jr., (OUT – Elbow); Johni Broome, (OUT – Knee); Tyrese Maxey, (OUT – Finger)

Golden State Warriors at New York Knicks
8 p.m. ET

Line: Warriors +13.5 (-102) | Knicks -13.5 (-118)
Money line: Warriors +625 | Knicks -950
Total: 218.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Knicks by 11.7, straight up 81%, 225.2 total points.

Injury Report:

Warriors: Quinten Post, (GTD – Ankle); Al Horford, (OUT – Calf); De’Anthony Melton, (OUT – Knee); Draymond Green, (OUT – Back); Kristaps Porzingis, (OUT – Illness); Moses Moody, (OUT – Wrist); Seth Curry, (OUT – Thigh); Stephen Curry, (OUT – Knee); Jimmy Butler III, (OFS – Knee)

Knicks: Jeremy Sochan, (GTD – Illness); Josh Hart, (GTD – Knee); Miles McBride, (OUT – Pelvis)

Utah Jazz at Sacramento Kings
10 p.m. ET

Line: Jazz +3.5 (-115) | Kings -3.5 (-105)
Money line: Jazz +130 | Kings -155
Total: 233.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Kings by 1.7, straight up 55%, 242.0 total points.

Injury Report:

Jazz: Ace Bailey, (OUT – Concussion); John Konchar, (OUT – Calf); Lauri Markkanen, (OUT – Hip); Keyonte George, (OUT – Hamstring); Jaren Jackson Jr., (OFS – Knee); Jusuf Nurkic, (OFS – Nose); Walker Kessler, (OFS – Shoulder)

Kings: Devin Carter, (GTD – Calf); Drew Eubanks, (GTD – Thumb); Malik Monk, (GTD – Ankle); Isaiah Stevens, (OUT – Thigh); Keegan Murray, (OUT – Ankle); De’Andre Hunter, (OFS – Eye); Domantas Sabonis, (OFS – Knee); Zach LaVine, (OFS – Finger)