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André SnellingsFeb 27, 2026, 02:31 PM ET
- Dr. 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.
Jump ahead
Top streamers | Best bets | DFS picks | Odds & Injury report
What you need to know for Friday’s games
The NBA has 10 teams in action tonight with five games on tap, including two clashes between championship contenders. The Cavaliers travel to Detroit to face the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons. This will be their third matchup of the season, with each having a win on the other’s home court in the first two.
But the Cavaliers are dealing with a lot of injuries on the perimeter for this game, with Donovan Mitchell (groin) already out and James Harden (fractured thumb), Dennis Schroder (ankle), Keon Ellis (fractured index finger) and Dean Wade (ankle all listed as questionable. The Cavs played without Mitchell and Harden on Wednesday and lost to the Bucks, so if their players can’t go they could have a big challenge against a Pistons squad missing only the suspended Isaiah Stewart.
Speaking of injured perimeter stars, Oklahoma City does not have reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander listed on the injury report for their tilt against Denver tonight. This suggests that SGA will be on the court after having missed nine straight games, a major development even if he may be on a minutes restriction.
The Thunder’s lead in the Western Conference has shrunk to 1.5 games over San Antonio, so getting their MVP back on the court is major big news indeed. Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein should also make their returns after missing Wednesday’s game, but Jalen Williams (hamstring) is still expected to be out. On the Nuggets’ side, Jamal Murray is listed as questionable with an illness that caused him to leave Wednesday’s game after only eight minutes while Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson remain sidelined. All of these storylines and more will be on display or this last TGIF of February.
Let’s dig deeper into the action to identify some fantasy streamers, betting angles and DFS plays of interest for tonight’s games.
Friday’s fantasy stream team
Javon Small, PG, Memphis Grizzlies (rostered in 8.5% of ESPN leagues): Small has played well of late, averaging 14.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.9 APG and 2.3 3PG in 25.6 MPG off the bench in his last seven outings. He should have a larger role than usual on Friday with Ty Jerome listed as doubtful.
Cason Wallace, SG, Oklahoma City Thunder (31.1%): Wallace is playing arguably the best basketball of his career this week, averaging 23.3 PPG, 7.3 APG and 1.7 SPG in his last three games. The Thunder may have Gilgeous-Alexander back on the court on Friday, but he will likely face a minutes restriction that should still allow Wallace enough playing time to continue to produce.
Naji Marshall, SF/PF, Dallas Mavericks (46.2%): Marshall is coming off the game of his life; he dropped a 36-point/10-rebound double-double in 42 minutes against the Kings. This was Marshall’s second straight game scoring more than 20 points, and he should continue to be featured while Cooper Flagg (doubtful) remains sidelined.
Dre’s favorite bets for Friday
Detroit Pistons (-5.5) OVER Cleveland Cavaliers (-118): The Pistons are at home, playing their third straight game against a championship contender. After losing to the Spurs on Monday, the Pistons bounced back with an eight-point win over the injury-depleted Thunder. Friday’s game shapes up to resemble Wednesday’s, with the Cavaliers potentially missing the majority of their perimeter rotation players due to injury. The Pistons have been the best team in the East all season, and they have probably noticed that the Cavaliers have been getting more buzz than them since the James Harden trade. I look for the Pistons to come out and make a statement on Friday night.
Milwaukee Bucks (+8.5) OVER New York Knicks (-105): The Bucks have very quietly been one of the hotter teams in the league in the month of February. Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined, the Bucks have won eight of their last 10 games including consecutive wins this week over the Cavaliers and Heat. While it would make sense for the Knicks to be favored to win, 8.5 points is a big spread on the road against a team playing as well as the Bucks. I’ll take the points.
GG Jackson 17+ points (-117): Jackson has stepped into a primary scoring role for Memphis, averaging 21.8 PPG in his last five outings with at least 20 points in four of those five games. He’ll be facing a very friendly, injury-depleted Mavericks defense on the second half of a back-to-back after having surrendered 130 points to an otherwise struggling Sacramento team last night.
Cason Wallace 10+ points (-105): Even though Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t on the injury report for tonight’s game, it is unlikely that he returns to his typical role and minutes after such a long layoff. This should leave enough minutes and opportunity for Wallace to continue to play well. Wallace has scored 20 or more points in three straight games, and in his last matchup with the Nuggets earlier this month he dropped 27 points even with SGA playing full-time minutes.
Top Daily Fantasy values of the day
Play DFS basketball at DraftKings.
$8,100+ salaries
Kevin Porter Jr., PG, Milwaukee Bucks ($8,600): Porter has locked in as the primary fantasy option on the Bucks with Antetokounmpo out, averaging 22.4 PPG, 7.8 APG and 5.4 RPG in his last eight games.
$6,100-$8,000 salaries
Jalen Duren, C, Detroit Pistons ($7,900): Duren has at least 25 points and 13 rebounds in back-to-back games, including against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs on Monday. The last time he went 20-10 in back-to-back games last month, he followed that up with a third straight 20-10 in the next game.
Naji Marshall, SF, Dallas Mavericks ($6,300): Marshall has dropped 39.2 and 58.0 fantasy points in his last two games against teams headed for the NBA lottery, and he has a third such matchup tonight against the Grizzlies.
$3,500-$6,000 salaries
GG Jackson, SF, Memphis Grizzlies ($5,500): Jackson has scored between 27 and 46 fantasy points in four straight games and five of his last six overall, and he is facing a very friendly defense tonight in the Mavericks.
Jaylon Tyson, SG, Cleveland Cavaliers ($5,600): The Cavaliers are depleted on the perimeter and Tyson has made a habit of performing big when teammate are out this season. He just dropped 37 fantasy points on Wednesday with Mitchell out, and Mitchell will be sidelined again tonight.
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m. ET
Line: Cavaliers +5.5 (EVEN) | Pistons -5.5 (-120)
Money line: Cavaliers +200 | Pistons -245
Total: 226.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Pistons by 2.7, straight up 58%, 234.9 total points.
Injury Report:
Cavaliers: Donovan Mitchell, (OUT – Groin); Dean Wade, (GTD – Ankle); Dennis Schroder, (GTD – Ankle); James Harden, (GTD – Thumb)
Pistons: Isaiah Stewart, (OUT – Suspension)
Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Nets +17.5 (-108) | Celtics -17.5 (-112)
Money line: Nets +850 | Celtics -1450
Total: 208.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Celtics by 14.3, straight up 85%, 211.3 total points.
Injury Report:
Nets: None reported
Celtics: Jayson Tatum, (OUT – Achilles)
New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks
8 p.m. ET
Line: Knicks -8.5 (-115) | Bucks +8.5 (-105)
Money line: Knicks -340 | Bucks +270
Total: 218.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Knicks by 9.3, straight up 76%, 225.6 total points.
Injury Report:
Knicks: Miles McBride, (OUT – Pelvis)
Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, (OUT – Calf); Taurean Prince, (OUT – Neck)
Memphis Grizzlies at Dallas Mavericks
8:30 p.m. ET
Line: Grizzlies +4.5 (-108) | Mavericks -4.5 (-112)
Money line: Grizzlies +164 | Mavericks -198
Total: 238.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Mavericks by 1.9, straight up 56%, 241.3 total points.
Injury Report:
Grizzlies: Ty Jerome, (GTD – Thigh); Cedric Coward, (OUT – Knee); Santi Aldama, (OUT – Knee); Zach Edey, (OUT – Ankle); Brandon Clarke, (OUT – Calf); Ja Morant, (OUT – Elbow); Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, (OFS – Finger)
Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, (GTD – Foot); Daniel Gafford, (GTD – Ankle); P.J. Washington, (GTD – Ankle); Dereck Lively II, (OFS – Foot); Kyrie Irving, (OFS – Knee)
Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder
9:30 p.m. ET
Line: Nuggets +7.5 (EVEN) | Thunder -7.5 (-120)
Money line: Nuggets +250 | Thunder -310
Total: 233.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Thunder by 6.6, straight up 69%, 236.0 total points.
Injury Report:
Nuggets: Jalen Pickett, (GTD – Knee); Jamal Murray, (GTD – Illness); Julian Strawther, (GTD – Toe); Spencer Jones, (GTD – Shoulder); Aaron Gordon, (OUT – Hamstring); Peyton Watson, (OUT – Hamstring); Tamar Bates, (OUT – Foot)
Thunder: Ajay Mitchell, (OUT – Ankle); Branden Carlson, (OUT – Back); Jalen Williams, (OUT – Hamstring); Thomas Sorber, (OFS – Knee)
