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 Thursday’s games
There are only three NBA games on Thursday’s slate before All-Star Weekend begins Friday night. The Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz are all playing each other on the second night of a back-to-back. In the other matchup, the Los Angeles Lakers‘ have a chance to carry momentum into the break by completing a season sweep of the Dallas Mavericks, having already won the first two meetings of their series.
LeBron James and Austin Reaves should shoulder the bulk of the offensive responsibility with Luka Doncic sidelined due to a hamstring injury. That dynamic makes this matchup especially intriguing against a Mavericks team still without Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg while working Khris Middleton into the mix.
On paper, this is a game the Lakers should control at home. Still, consistency has been an issue at times for them, and this presents an opportunity to deliver a complete performance.
As always, let’s dig deeper into these and the other storylines on display to identify fantasy streamers, betting angles and DFS plays of interest on this shortened Thursday slate.
Thursday’s fantasy stream team
Ace Bailey, SF/PF, Jazz (rostered in 31% of ESPN leagues)
The No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is beginning to find his rhythm. Bailey has logged at least 31 minutes in five consecutive games and has produced at least 29 fantasy points in four of them, including one 50-point outing. The Trail Blazers are a middle-of-the-road defensive team, positioning Bailey as a viable streaming option whose primary contributions come in scoring with modest production across other statistical categories.
Cason Wallace, SG, Thunder (24.4% rostered)
Wallace has started at point guard with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined due to an abdominal injury and has played well, scoring at least 29 fantasy points in five of six games, including three performances of over 40. Wallace should continue to see an uptick in usage as long as Oklahoma City remains shorthanded in the backcourt. The Bucks rank in the top 10 in most fantasy points per game allowed to both point guards and shooting guards.
Isaiah Joe, SG, Thunder (5.3% rostered)
Joe also benefits from Gilgeous-Alexander’s absence and Oklahoma City’s shorthanded backcourt. He has scored at least 31 fantasy points in three consecutive games. Joe is worth consideration for managers in deeper formats with a favorable matchup against the Bucks.
Robert Williams III, C, Trail Blazers (4.7% rostered)
Williams doesn’t log heavy minutes, but has been highly productive when on the floor, averaging 32 fantasy points per game over his last six contests. He’s an intriguing streaming option in deeper leagues given the matchup. The Jazz have struggled against opposing centers all season.
Moody’s favorite bets for Thursday
P.J. Washington OVER 6.5 rebounds (+111)
Washington has cleared this line in each of the last three games where Anthony Davis and Flagg were both out. During that span, he’s averaged 14.0 rebound chances and 34.3 minutes per contest. The Lakers are a middle-of-the-road team in rebounds allowed per game to power forwards. It’s also worth noting that Washington has surpassed this number in 11 out of the 18 games this season in which he has played at least 26 minutes.
Austin Reaves OVER 6.5 assists (+105)
Reaves is well-positioned to clear this line, even if he remains on a slight minutes restriction. He has surpassed 6.5 assists in 13 out of the 22 games in which he has logged at least 26 minutes. Reaves has gone over this line in six of the eight games with Doncic out this season. The Mavericks rank 11th in opponent assists allowed per game.
Top Daily Fantasy values of the day
$8,100+ salaries
Deni Avdija, PF, Trail Blazers ($9,000)
Avdija has been outstanding this season, averaging 46.8 fantasy points in 34.3 minutes per game. He draws an elite matchup against a Jazz team that ranks last in defensive rating, third in pace, and has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to power forwards.
LeBron James, PF, Lakers ($8,800)
James was held out of Tuesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs due to left foot soreness but is expected to return Thursday and log his usual workload. He has produced at least 44 fantasy points in three of his last four games. James and Reaves should shoulder the bulk of the offensive responsibility against the Mavericks with Doncic sidelined.
$6,100-$8,000 salaries
Kevin Porter Jr., PG/SG, Bucks ($7,800)
Porter Jr. should see a massive usage rate against the Thunder with Giannis Antetokounmpo out and Ryan Rollins dealing with a foot injury. He has scored at least 44 fantasy points in four consecutive games. While Oklahoma City leads the league in defensive rating and won’t be an easy matchup, it’s hard to pass up Porter at this price point.
Austin Reaves, PG/SG, Lakers ($7,700)
Reaves sat out Tuesday’s game against the Spurs in the second leg of a back-to-back for injury management, but is expected to play Thursday. In four February appearances following a 19-game absence due to a calf strain, he has averaged 34.3 fantasy points in 24.7 minutes per game. It remains unclear whether he will continue to operate under a minutes restriction, but his upside is evident when he receives a full workload.
Donovan Clingan, C, Trail Blazers ($7,200)
Clingan has been dominant in the paint recently, piling up points, rebounds, and blocks. He has averaged 39.7 fantasy points per game over his last six contests. The Jazz have struggled defensively and have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to centers this season.
Toumani Camara, SF, Trail Blazers ($6,400)
Camara has played at least 30 minutes in five of six games in February, averaging 28.8 fantasy points during that span. He contributes across nearly every statistical category and now draws a favorable matchup against a Jazz team that has allowed the most fantasy points per game to small forwards this season.
$3,000-$6,000 salaries
Naji Marshall, SG/SF, Mavericks ($6,000)
Marshall has averaged 31.6 fantasy points in 33.1 minutes per game over his last seven contests. With Flagg ruled out, Marshall could see an uptick in usage. The Lakers have not been a strong defensive team, ranking 19th in defensive rating over the last 15 games. Marshall is questionable for Thursday’s matchup against Los Angeles due to a left foot strain. If he is ruled out, consider pivoting to Max Christie ($5,000) or Middleton ($4,900).
Projections and Injury Reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Milwaukee Bucks at Oklahoma City Thunder
7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Bucks +12.5 (-108) | Thunder -12.5 (-112)
Money line: Bucks +490 | Thunder -675
Total: 215.5 (-112 O, -108 U)
BPI Projection: Thunder by 12.9, straight up 83%, 222.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Bucks: Ryan Rollins, (GTD – Foot); Giannis Antetokounmpo, (OUT – Calf); Taurean Prince, (OUT – Neck)
Thunder: Jalen Williams, (GTD – Hamstring); Ajay Mitchell, (GTD – Abdomen); Nikola Topic, (OUT – Illness); Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, (OUT – Abdomen); Thomas Sorber, (OFS – Knee)
Portland Trail Blazers at Utah Jazz
9 p.m. ET
Line: Blazers -7.5 (-108) | Jazz +7.5 (-112)
Money line: Blazers -285 | Jazz +230
Total: 239.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Blazers by 4.7, straight up 64%, 247.4 total points.
Injury Report:
Blazers: Kris Murray, (GTD – Back); Shaedon Sharpe, (GTD – Calf); Matisse Thybulle, (OUT – Knee); Damian Lillard, (OFS – Achilles)
Jazz: Elijah Harkless, (GTD – Hamstring); Keyonte George, (GTD – Ankle); Walker Kessler, (OFS – Shoulder)
Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers
10 p.m. ET
Line: Mavericks +7.5 (-108) | Lakers -7.5 (-112)
Money line: Mavericks +245 | Lakers -305
Total: 234.5 (-108 O, -112 U)
BPI Projection: Lakers by 3, straight up 59%, 236.8 total points.
Injury Report:
Mavericks: Caleb Martin, (GTD – Ankle); Naji Marshall, (GTD – Foot); Cooper Flagg, (OUT – Foot); Kyrie Irving, (OUT – Knee); Dereck Lively II, (OFS – Foot)
Lakers: Deandre Ayton, (GTD – Knee); Luka Doncic, (OUT – Hamstring)
