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

André SnellingsMar 18, 2026, 01:02 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.

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 Wednesday’s games

Quick true story: one can find fantasy production or betting angles even in blowouts. Last night, in the late window, both games (Philadelphia 76ers at Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs at Sacramento Kings) projected as likely blowouts.

So I identified reserve players and/or young players on these teams as potential upside plays that could outproduce their norms and either started them on fantasy teams (in the playoffs, mind you) or picked some player props of interest. The players I identified included Keldon Johnson, Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant and Justin Edwards.

Editor’s Picks

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While the last two didn’t work out for me, the first four decidedly did, with results including two strong spot fantasy starts and at least one successful parlay despite the two games being decided by 28 points each. Food for thought. Tonight, the NBA has nine games on the slate.

According to DraftKings, five of the games have lines with double-digit scoring margin while the other four are single digit. But again, whether the games are close or blowouts, the savvy fantasy manager or better can identify value.

Let’s dig deeper into the action to identify fantasy streamers, betting angles of interest and DFS plays for this slate.

Dré’s fantasy stream team for Wednesday

Brice Sensabaugh, SF, Utah Jazz (rostered in 24.3% of ESPN leagues): Sensabaugh is a walking bucket that the Jazz have made their feature scorer down the stretch with their main scorers sidelined. He is fantasy starter-worthy for as long as he is in this role, which could be for the rest of the season.

Gui Santos, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers (30.7% rostered): Santos has scored at least 15 points in six straight games, averaging 18.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG and 2.5 3PG in those games.

P.J. Washington, PF/SF, Dallas Mavericks (44.5%): Washington missed a game last week with an ankle injury but hasn’t missed a beat in two games since his return. All told, in his last three games overall Washington has averaged 16.7 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.3 3PG and 2.0 SPG.

Javon Small, PG, Memphis Grizzlies (9.6%): Small sat out Monday’s game because, as a two-way player, he only had 15 more games he was eligible to play this season. But the Grizzlies now only have 15 games remaining, which means Small could potentially play every game. In his last four games, Small has averaged 18.3 PPG, 5.5 APG, 2.5 3PG and 1.5 SPG.

Dré’s favorite bets for Wednesday

Jalen Johnson OVER 41.5 total points, assists and rebounds (-120): This is running back a pick from Monday. Johnson is in a zone right now, notching at least 42 combined points, assists and rebounds in four of his last five games, including on Monday. In those five games, he has averaged a virtual triple-double of 26.0 PPG, 10.2 RPG and 9.8 APG, which also makes Johnson triple-double (+215) intriguing tonight at greater than 2-to-1 odds plus money.

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Brice Sensabaugh OVER 20.5 points (-112): Sensabaugh has started the last four games with Lauri Markkanen out, and he is the primary scorer for the Jazz while Keyonte George is also sidelined. Sensabaugh has scored at least 21 points in those four games, averaging 25.8 PPG in that span.

Josh Giddey triple-double (+177): Giddey returned from an injury layoff in mid-February but didn’t return to full minutes until March 1. In the seven games he has played since, Giddey has averaged a firm triple-double of 19.0 PPG, 11.7 RPG and 12.0 APG with triple-doubles in five of seven games.

Jabari Smith Jr. OVER 14.5 points (-104): Smith will face the Lakers in Houston for the second time in three days. On Monday, he dropped 22 points on 9-for-17 shots from the field, but he was playing a larger role with Alperen Sengun sidelined. Sengun is off the injury report and should be available tonight, which could eat into Smith’s looks, but Smith was playing well even before Sengun’s injury. In his last five games overall, three playing next to Sengun, Smith has averaged 17.8 PPG with at least 16 points in four of the five.

Top Daily Fantasy values of the day

$8,100+ salaries

Jalen Johnson, PF, Hawks ($10,700): Johnson has notched more than 50 fantasy points in five straight games, averaging 58.0 fantasy points in that span.

Josh Giddey, SG, Bulls ($9,900): Giddey is a walking triple-double in March, resulting in five games over 60 fantasy points in his last seven games.

$6,100-$8,000 salaries

Kyle Filipowski, PF, Jazz ($7,800): Filipowski is averaging a double-double for the month of March, averaging 14.9 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 4.7 APG and 2.4 stocks in seven games.

$3,000-$6,000 salaries

Javon Small, PG, Grizzlies ($5,900): Small has a consistent role for the Grizzlies, stepping up as his teammates deal with injury. Small has notched more than 36 fantasy points in three of his last four games.

Scoot Henderson, PG, Portland Trail Blazers ($5,500): Henderson has shown he can step up when called upon by the Trail Blazers, and with a game with blowout potential against the lottery-bound Pacers, there is a solid chance the Trail Blazers might lean more on the youthful Henderson if the game gets out of hand.

Projections and Injury Reports

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

Golden State Warriors at Boston Celtics
7 p.m. ET

Line: Warriors +11.5 (-112) | Celtics -11.5 (-108)
Money line: Warriors +470 | Celtics -650
Total: 216.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Celtics by 7.1, straight up 71%, 219.9 total points.

Injury Report:

Warriors: Gary Payton II, (GTD – Lower Leg); Quinten Post, (GTD – Foot); Moses Moody, (OUT – Wrist); Al Horford, (OUT – Calf); Seth Curry, (OUT – Thigh); Stephen Curry, (OUT – Knee); Jimmy Butler III, (OFS – Knee)

Celtics: Nikola Vucevic, (OUT – Finger)

Oklahoma City Thunder at Brooklyn Nets
7:30 p.m. ET

Line: Thunder -19.5 (-105) | Nets +19.5 (-115)
Money line: Thunder -2400 | Nets +1200
Total: 213.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Thunder by 17.5, straight up 90%, 218.9 total points.

Injury Report:

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

Nets: Ben Saraf, (GTD – Foot); Michael Porter Jr., (GTD – Ankle); Nolan Traore, (GTD – Eye); Terance Mann, (GTD – Achilles); Day’Ron Sharpe, (OFS – Thumb); Egor Demin, (OFS – Foot)

Portland Trail Blazers at Indiana Pacers
7:30 p.m. ET

Line: Blazers -11.5 (-112) | Pacers +11.5 (-108)
Money line: Blazers -600 | Pacers +440
Total: 232.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Blazers by 5, straight up 65%, 236.2 total points.

Injury Report:

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

Pacers: Johnny Furphy, (OFS – Knee); Andrew Nembhard, (GTD – Calf); Micah Potter, (GTD – Triceps); Pascal Siakam, (GTD – Knee); Tyrese Haliburton, (OFS – Achilles)

Toronto Raptors at Chicago Bulls
8 p.m. ET

Line: Raptors -7.5 (-110) | Bulls +7.5 (-110)
Money line: Raptors -305 | Bulls +245
Total: 234.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Raptors by 4.7, straight up 64%, 233.7 total points.

Injury Report:

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

Bulls: Collin Sexton, (GTD – Lower Leg); Isaac Okoro, (GTD – Knee); Jaden Ivey, (OUT – Knee)

Utah Jazz at Minnesota Timberwolves
8 p.m. ET

Line: Jazz +13.5 (-108) | Timberwolves -13.5 (-112)
Money line: Jazz +550 | Timberwolves -800
Total: 230.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Timberwolves by 12.7, straight up 83%, 242.8 total points.

Injury Report:

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

Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, (OUT – Knee)

LA Clippers at New Orleans Pelicans
8 p.m. ET

Line: Clippers +1.5 (-102) | Pelicans -1.5 (-118)
Money line: Clippers +110 | Pelicans -130
Total: 234.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Clippers by 3.9, straight up 62%, 229.7 total points.

Injury Report:

Clippers: Darius Garland, (GTD – Toe); Kawhi Leonard, (GTD – Ankle); Bennedict Mathurin, (OUT – Toe); Bradley Beal, (OFS – Hip); Yanic Konan Niederhauser, (OFS – Foot)

Pelicans: Dejounte Murray, (GTD – Illness); Bryce McGowens, (OUT – Toe)

Atlanta Hawks at Dallas Mavericks
8:30 p.m. ET

Line: Hawks -8.5 (-105) | Mavericks +8.5 (-115)
Money line: Hawks -340 | Mavericks +270
Total: 238.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Hawks by 5.1, straight up 66%, 240.8 total points.

Injury Report:

Hawks: Jonathan Kuminga, (GTD – Knee)

Mavericks: Brandon Williams, (GTD – Concussion); Caleb Martin, (GTD – Foot); Daniel Gafford, (GTD – Illness); Dereck Lively II, (OFS – Foot); Kyrie Irving, (OFS – Knee)

Denver Nuggets at Memphis Grizzlies
8:30 p.m. ET

Line: Nuggets -12.5 (-118) | Grizzlies +12.5 (-102)
Money line: Nuggets -800 | Grizzlies +550
Total: 243.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Nuggets by 7.3, straight up 72%, 243.4 total points.

Injury Report:

Nuggets: Peyton Watson, (GTD – Hamstring)

Grizzlies: Jahmai Mashack, (GTD – Ankle); Brandon Clarke, (OUT – Calf); Ja Morant, (OUT – Elbow); Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, (OFS – Finger); Santi Aldama, (OFS – Knee); Scotty Pippen Jr., (OFS – Toe); Zach Edey, (OFS – Ankle)

Los Angeles Lakers at Houston Rockets
9:30 p.m. ET

Line: Lakers +2.5 (-112) | Rockets -2.5 (-108)
Money line: Lakers +114 | Rockets -135
Total: 222.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Rockets by 0.8, straight up 53%, 222.5 total points.

Injury Report:

Lakers: Maxi Kleber, (OUT – Back)

Rockets: Jae’Sean Tate, (OUT – Knee); Fred VanVleet, (OUT – Knee); Steven Adams, (OFS – Ankle)