Jim McCormickNov 1, 2025, 12:45 PM ET
CloseJim McCormick is a contributing writer for fantasy football and men’s basketball at ESPN.
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 | Odds & Injury report
What you need to know for Saturday’s games
A six-pack of NBA action awaits us on Saturday. The theme of the slate is unfamiliar foes, as five of the six games feature Eastern vs. Western Conference matchups.
Unfamiliarity doesn’t mean there aren’t meaningful metrics to evaluate. As the statistical sample grows for this young season, team and player identities take shape. We can begin to answer, even if just partially, some of the most important questions when it comes to fantasy and betting angles.
What playing styles are conducive to fantasy success?
Pace is a metric that reveals playing style and philosophy and thus is “sticky” as a statistic. In tonight’s matchup between the Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics, I’m interested in the bankable members of each rotation in this game, but I won’t chase offensive overs or fringe members from these rosters given how deliberately slow both teams are proving to be, sitting 29th and 30th, respectively, in pace.
Which teams can we target for rebounding success?
The Sacramento Kings aren’t lighting the beam or cleaning the glass very often this season. Sitting last in the league in rebounding percentage — a stat that often speaks to roster construction — they serve as a plus matchup for the Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins could be a savvy pickup against a porous Kings defense. The Dallas Mavericks, for their part, are 26th in rebounding percentage and will be without Anthony Davis for today’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons.
With teams continuing to reveal strengths, weaknesses, and overall identities, we can attempt to find actionable angles to improve our outcomes as fantasy managers and in deciphering betting decisions. Let’s take a look at this intriguing set of Saturday matchups with a lens on finding value.
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Jabari Smith Jr., PF/C, Houston Rockets (rostered in 41.0% of ESPN leagues): More than merely a fringe part of the Rockets’ game plan, Smith is serving important spacing and defensive roles for Houston. With his shot falling, his fun defensive potential in regards to block and steal production become more meaningful. Ime Udoka trusts Smith to handle big minutes, establishing a stable floor for today’s meeting in Boston.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Charlotte Hornets (20.7%): Shooting 90% from the floor is pretty good. Yes, this isn’t sustainable, but elite efficiency as an interior scorer does appear to be a staple of Kalkbrenner’s game. With enough rebounding and rim protection production to be considered a helpful fantasy option, this young pivot should be busy against a big Minnesota front line.
Jarace Walker, PF, Indiana Pacers (9.6%): The Pacers are depleted across the roster. A wave of injuries has led to some new names earning larger roles. Walker is one of these players, making a leap in minutes and touches in recent games. Confidence is clearly growing, evidenced by surges in passing and defensive production over the past week. Walker’s youth and bounce could serve him well against an older frontcourt.
RayJ Dennis, PG, Indiana Pacers (1.1%): Another sleeper from the Pacers’ rotation comes from the backcourt. With the team missing several key guards to injuries, Dennis has become a complementary playmaker for Indiana. If you need some pure point guard results, Dennis is a viable option.
McCormick’s favorite bets for SaturdayEditor’s Picks
1 Related
Desmond Bane OVER 26.5 total points, rebounds, and assists (-120) 
It has not been a great start for Bane with Orlando. A shooting slump coinciding with Orlando starting slowly overall on offense this season has lowered the bar for Bane’s offensive props in recent games. With a matchup against a Washington team that lacks point-of-attack defenders on the perimeter, I’m buying Bane’s stellar career shooting results resurface.
Jalen Duren OVER 10.5 rebounds (-130)
Dallas, despite its large lineups, is not rebounding the ball well. This was prior to Davis getting injured. Duren, meanwhile, is a force on the glass and among league leaders in rebounding chances per game. With Dallas playing up in pace, the added possessions increase the rebounding market. Double-double props are intriguing, but this one truly focuses on Duren’s greatest advantage tonight.
Ryan Kalkbrenner OVER 9.5 points (-130)
Not only do I find value in this second-round center as a fantasy streamer, but also as a prop target ahead of this matchup with the Timberwolves. Yes, Rudy Gobert presents a challenge, but we just saw Kalkbrenner excel against a strong Miami Heat frontcourt thanks to getting deep in the paint and establishing post-up positioning. It helps that the Hornets are fourth in offensive rating, suggesting overall efficiency present.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds by ESPN BET
Sacramento Kings at Milwaukee Bucks
5 p.m. ET
Line: Kings +5.5 (EVEN) | Bucks -5.5 (-120)
Money line: Kings +170 | Bucks -200
Total: 232.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Bucks by 6.3, straight up 68%, 230.6 total points.
Injury Report:
Kings: Nique Clifford, (GTD – Hamstring); Malik Monk, (OUT – Personal); Keegan Murray, (OUT – Thumb)
Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, (GTD – Knee); Kevin Porter Jr., (OUT – Knee)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Charlotte Hornets
6 p.m. ET
Line: Timberwolves -5.5 (-115) | Hornets +5.5 (-105)
Money line: Timberwolves -225 | Hornets +190
Total: 230.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Timberwolves by 4.4, straight up 63%, 228.3 total points.
Injury Report:
Timberwolves: Jaylen Clark, (GTD – Calf); Anthony Edwards, (OUT – Hamstring)
Hornets: LaMelo Ball, (GTD – Ankle); Brandon Miller, (OUT – Shoulder); Grant Williams, (OUT – Knee); Josh Green, (OUT – Shoulder)
Golden State Warriors at Indiana Pacers
7 p.m. ET
Line: Warriors -10.5 (-110) | Pacers +10.5 (-110)
Money line: Warriors -500 | Pacers +360
Total: 230.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Warriors by 7.5, straight up 71%, 234.3 total points.
Injury Report:
Warriors: Alex Toohey, (OUT – Knee); De’Anthony Melton, (OUT – Knee)
Pacers: Obi Toppin, (OUT – Foot); Tyrese Haliburton, (OFS – Achilles); Andrew Nembhard, (GTD – Shoulder); Johnny Furphy, (GTD – Foot); Bennedict Mathurin, (OUT – Toe); Kam Jones, (OUT – Back); T.J. McConnell, (OUT – Hamstring)
Orlando Magic at Washington Wizards
7 p.m. ET
Line: Magic -9.5 (-105) | Wizards +9.5 (-115)
Money line: Magic -400 | Wizards +300
Total: 234.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Magic by 7.8, straight up 71%, 231.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Magic: Moritz Wagner, (OUT – Knee)
Wizards: None reported
Houston Rockets at Boston Celtics
8 p.m. ET
Line: Rockets -5.5 (-105) | Celtics +5.5 (-115)
Money line: Rockets -225 | Celtics +190
Total: 225.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Rockets by 2.8, straight up 59%, 224.6 total points.
Injury Report:
Rockets: Fred VanVleet, (OUT – Knee); Dorian Finney-Smith, (OUT – Ankle)
Celtics: Jayson Tatum, (OUT – Achilles)
Dallas Mavericks at Detroit Pistons
10 p.m. ET
Line: Mavericks +7.5 (-105) | Pistons -7.5 (-115)
Money line: Mavericks +240 | Pistons -290
Total: 227.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Pistons by 8.7, straight up 73%, 228.6 total points.
Injury Report:
Mavericks: Kyrie Irving, (OUT – Knee); D’Angelo Russell, (GTD – Knee); Daniel Gafford, (GTD – Ankle); Dante Exum, (OUT – Knee); Dereck Lively II, (OUT – Knee); Anthony Davis, (OUT – Calf)
Pistons: Marcus Sasser, (GTD – Hip); Jaden Ivey, (OUT – Knee)