André SnellingsJan 2, 2026, 02:00 PM ET
CloseDr. André Snellings is a senior writer for men’s and women’s fantasy basketball and sports betting at ESPN. André has a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Michigan. He joined ESPN in 2017 after a 16-year career as a neural engineer, during which time he was also a writer and analyst for Rotowire.
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 Friday
The NBA has 10 games on tap for the first TGIF of 2026. According to DraftKings, the highest-scoring line of the night is expected in Madison Square Garden, where the Atlanta Hawks will visit the New York Knicks. There have been some fun matchups between these two teams in recent years, and if the scoring holds true to form there should be space for some big individual performances tonight.
The closest projected margin of the night, per DraftKings, is 1.5 points, in two games. One game pits the Brooklyn Nets against the Washington Wizards. Close matchups can also lead to big individual performances, since all of the starters get full minutes in competitive games. Those starters, then, are more likely to go “over” their prop lines than those playing in games where the starters sit most of the fourth quarter.
Another close, high-scoring performance is expected in New Orleans, where the Pelicans are hosting the Portland Trail Blazers in the game with co-closest spread and the second-highest line of the night. Zion Williamson of the Pelicans and both Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe of the Trail Blazers have put up monster offensive games of late. Should we expect notable performances from any of them on Friday?
These and many other storylines are in play tonight. As always, we’ll dig deeper into the action to identify fantasy streamers, betting angles and DFS plays of interest.
Friday’s fantasy stream team
Bobby Portis, PF, Milwaukee Bucks (Rostered in 49.1% of ESPN leagues): Portis moved back to his traditional role off the bench when Giannis Antetokounmpo returned three games ago, but he has continued to produce fantasy-worthy numbers in that span with 18.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 3.3 3PG. He’ll face a Hornets defense that is friendly to shooting big men, allowing opposing power forwards to make 39.9% of their 3-pointers (29th in the NBA).
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Cedric Coward, SF/SG, Memphis Grizzlies (38.4%): Coward is turning in an excellent rookie season and has scored in double digits in 10 straight games. He is coming off the best game of his young career on New Year’s Eve, when he scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds against the 76ers. Tonight he faces a porous Lakers defense that allows the second-most points in the NBA to opposing small forwards and the third-most to opposing shooting guards.
Ajay Mitchell, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder (42.8%): Mitchell missed a couple of games last week with a shin contusion but has returned without missing a beat. In those three games, he has continued what is now six straight games scoring in double figures, and he has also been getting it done on defense with eight stocks (steals + blocks) in those three games.
Maxime Raynaud, C, Sacramento Kings (21.2%): Raynaud is a walking double-double for as long as he holds the starting job for the Kings with Domantas Sabonis out. Raynaud has five double-doubles in his past eight games, and is averaging 15.6 PPG and 10.0 RPG in that span.
DaRon Holmes II, PF, Denver Nuggets (5.7%): This one is a speculative add. In their past two games, the Nuggets have lost both of their top two centers to injury: Nikola Jokic on Monday and Jonas Valanciunas on Wednesday. Holmes has spent much of his sophomore season in the G League but got more playing time Wednesday after the Valanciunas injury and notched 11 points in 22 minutes. He is the last healthy center on roster for the Nuggets, and though they might play more small ball, if they go traditional, Holmes should get the minutes to produce.
play
0:16
Ajay Mitchell fights off defender for and-1
Ajay Mitchell somehow gets the and-1 to fall
Dre’s bets for Friday
Alex Sarr over 2.5 steals + blocks (-114)
Sarr has been on a defensive tear in the five games since returning from his last injury absence. In that span, he has averaged 3.8 BPG and 1.0 SPG (4.8 stocks/game) with at least three stocks in all five games. His opponents tonight, the Nets, rank poorly in the NBA in both steals (tied for eighth most) and blocks (tied for 13th most) allowed to opposing centers.
Jalen Johnson over 18.5 assists + rebounds (-102)
Editor’s Picks
1 Related
Johnson has become a nightly triple-double threat with almost metronomic consistency at grabbing boards and delivering assists. In Johnson’s past 11 games, which includes five games next to Trae Young (questionable with quad contusion), Johnson has topped 18.5 assists + rebounds nine times while averaging 11.0 RPG and 10.4 APG in that span. That includes his last matchup against tonight’s opponents, the Knicks, when he made 12 assists and grabbed nine boards.
Zion Williamson over 24.5 points (-116)
Williamson moved back into the Pelicans’ starting lineup two games ago after coming off the bench for the previous seven games and dropped more than 30 points in both games. Going back to his last starting stint earlier in the season, Williamson has scored 25 or more points in four of his past five starts while averaging 26.8 PPG in that span. Williamson’s combination of strength, quickness and explosive leaping ability is difficult for any opponent to slow when he is aggressive as a scorer, the way he has been of late.
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Zion Williamson gets up for the beautiful jam
Zion Williamson gets up for the beautiful jam
Top Daily Fantasy values of the day
$8,100+ salaries
Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Milwaukee Bucks ($10,900)
Giannis is ramping up his minutes and production since his return, and is coming off a 33-point/15-rebound performance in his last outing.
Jalen Johnson, PF, Atlanta Hawks ($9,900)
With his penchant for producing near triple-doubles, Johnson has notched at least 50 fantasy points in 14 of his past 15 games.
$6,100-$8,000 salaries
Anthony Black, PG, Orlando Magic ($7,100)
Black has scored more than 30 fantasy points in nine straight games, with a high of 60 fantasy points earlier this week against the Nuggets.
Onyeka Okongwu, C, Atlanta Hawks ($7,500)
Okongwu has produced more than 46 fantasy points in three of his past six games, and has averaged more than 48 fantasy points in his past three.
$3,500-$6,000 salaries
Bilal Coulibaly, SG, Washington Wizards ($5,100)
Coulibaly has averaged nearly 35 fantasy points per game in his past three outings.
play
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Anthony Black elevates for the big-time stuff
Anthony Black elevates for the big-time stuff
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
San Antonio Spurs at Indiana Pacers
7 p.m. ET
Line: Spurs -5.5 (-108) | Pacers +5.5 (-112)
Money line: Spurs -218 | Pacers +180
Total: 239.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Spurs by 7.8, straight up 71%, 232.9 total points.
Injury Report:
Spurs: Harrison Ingram, (GTD – Illness); Victor Wembanyama, (OUT – Knee); Devin Vassell, (OUT – Thigh)
Pacers: T.J. McConnell (GTD – Hamstring); Isaiah Jackson, (OUT – Concussion); Obi Toppin, (OUT – Foot); Tyrese Haliburton, (OFS – Achilles)
Brooklyn Nets at Washington Wizards
7 p.m. ET
Line: Nets +3.5 (-108) | Wizards -3.5 (-112)
Money line: Nets +142 | Wizards -170
Total: 222.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Nets by 0.3, straight up 51%, 227.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Nets: Egor Demin, (GTD – Back); Michael Porter Jr., (GTD – Illness); Terance Mann, (GTD – Hip); Haywood Highsmith, (OUT – Knee)
Wizards: Kyshawn George, (OUT – Hip); Corey Kispert, (OUT – Hamstring); Cam Whitmore, (OUT – Shoulder)
Denver Nuggets at Cleveland Cavaliers
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Nuggets +13.5 (-110) | Cavaliers -13.5 (-110)
Money line: Nuggets +575 | Cavaliers -850
Total: 239.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Cavaliers by 12, straight up 81%, 242.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Nuggets: Jamal Murray, (GTD – Ankle); Julian Strawther, (GTD – Illness); Aaron Gordon, (OUT – Hamstring); Christian Braun, (OUT – Ankle); Cameron Johnson, (OUT – Knee); Jonas Valanciunas, (OUT – Calf); Nikola Jokic, (OUT – Knee); Tamar Bates, (OUT – Foot)
Cavaliers: Chris Livingston, (GTD – Knee); De’Andre Hunter, (GTD – Illness); Sam Merrill, (GTD – Ankle); Larry Nance Jr., (OUT – Calf); Max Strus, (OUT – Foot)
Atlanta Hawks at New York Knicks
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Hawks +6.5 (-108) | Knicks -6.5 (-112)
Money line: Hawks +230 | Knicks -285
Total: 246.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Knicks by 7.1, straight up 69%, 243.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Hawks: Trae Young, (GTD – Quadriceps); N’Faly Dante, (OFS – Knee)
Knicks: Mitchell Robinson, (GTD – Ankle); Josh Hart, (OUT – Ankle); Landry Shamet, (OUT – Shoulder)
Orlando Magic at Chicago Bulls
8 p.m. ET
Line: Magic -5.5 (-108) | Bulls +5.5 (-112)
Money line: Magic -205 | Bulls +170
Total: 232.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Magic by 4.2, straight up 62%, 235.7 total points.
Injury Report:
Magic: Jonathan Isaac, (GTD – Knee); Colin Castleton, (OUT – Thumb); Franz Wagner, (OUT – Ankle); Moritz Wagner, (OUT – Knee)
Bulls: Emanuel Miller, (GTD – Hamstring); Lachlan Olbrich, (GTD – Ankle); Josh Giddey, (OUT – Hamstring); Noa Essengue, (OFS – Shoulder)
Charlotte Hornets at Milwaukee Bucks
8 p.m. ET
Line: Hornets +5.5 (-102) | Bucks -5.5 (-118)
Money line: Hornets +200 | Bucks -245
Total: 231.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Bucks by 5.2, straight up 65%, 231.6 total points.
Injury Report:
Hornets: Miles Bridges, (GTD – Ankle); Moussa Diabate, (GTD – Wrist); Ryan Kalkbrenner, (OUT – Elbow); Grant Williams, (OUT – Knee); Mason Plumlee, (OUT – Groin)
Bucks: Taurean Prince, (OUT – Neck)
Portland Trail Blazers at New Orleans Pelicans
8 p.m. ET
Line: Blazers -1.5 (-102) | Pelicans +1.5 (-118)
Money line: Blazers -112 | Pelicans -108
Total: 245.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Pelicans by 0.2, straight up 51%, 243.3 total points.
Injury Report:
Blazers: Jerami Grant, (OUT – Achilles); Jrue Holiday, (OUT – Calf); Matisse Thybulle, (OUT – Thumb); Scoot Henderson, (OUT – Hamstring); Blake Wesley, (OUT – Foot); Damian Lillard, (OFS – Achilles)
Pelicans: Derik Queen, (GTD – Quadriceps); Saddiq Bey, (GTD – Hip); Herbert Jones, (OUT – Ankle); Dejounte Murray, (OUT – Achilles)
Sacramento Kings at Phoenix Suns
9 p.m. ET
Line: Kings +12.5 (-108) | Suns -12.5 (-112)
Money line: Kings +525 | Suns -750
Total: 226.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Suns by 10.1, straight up 76%, 230.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Kings: Zach LaVine, (GTD – Ankle); Domantas Sabonis, (OUT – Knee)
Suns: Grayson Allen, (GTD – Knee); Jalen Green, (OUT – Hamstring)
Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors
10 p.m. ET
Line: Thunder -8.5 (-115) | Warriors +8.5 (-105)
Money line: Thunder -360 | Warriors +285
Total: 229.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Thunder by 7.5, straight up 70%, 226.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Thunder: Brooks Barnhizer, (GTD – Ankle); Isaiah Hartenstein, (OUT – Calf); Jaylin Williams, (OUT – Heel); Ousmane Dieng, (OUT – Calf); Nikola Topic, (OUT – Groin); Thomas Sorber, (OFS – Knee)
Warriors: Al Horford, (GTD – Back); De’Anthony Melton, (GTD – Knee); Stephen Curry, (GTD – Ankle); Trayce Jackson-Davis, (GTD – Knee); Seth Curry, (OUT – Back)
Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers
10:30 p.m. ET
Line: Grizzlies +3.5 (-110) | Lakers -3.5 (-110)
Money line: Grizzlies +140 | Lakers -166
Total: 240.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Lakers by 3.3, straight up 60%, 235.9 total points.
Injury Report:
Grizzlies: Jaylen Wells, (GTD – Hamstring); Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, (GTD – Hamstring); Vince Williams Jr., (OUT – Knee); John Konchar, (OUT – Thumb); Zach Edey, (OUT – Ankle); Brandon Clarke, (OUT – Calf); Scotty Pippen Jr., (OUT – Toe); Ty Jerome, (OUT – Calf)
Lakers: Jarred Vanderbilt, (GTD – Leg); Gabe Vincent, (OUT – Back); Rui Hachimura, (OUT – Calf); Austin Reaves, (OUT – Calf); Adou Thiero, (OUT – Knee)