Fantasy basketball tips and projections for Thursday - ESPN

ESPN's fantasy basketball and basketball betting tips cheat sheet is your pregame destination for basketball betting predictions and our best intel and data, featuring ESPN's proprietary Basketball Power Index (BPI) to help you make smart fantasy and wagering decisions. Fantasy advice is based on ESPN 10-team leagues.

New this season, ESPN Analytics will also generate daily NBA fantasy projections. By combining historical player and team data and specific game factors ESPN is able to accurately predict player box score stats. Accounting for injuries, trends in playing time, and other factors impacting future performance the statistical models can be used to help NBA fantasy players gain an edge in their league.

A busy Wednesday in the league featured a new career scoring peak for Giannis Antetokounmpo in a drama-filled win over Indiana. Veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic (46.5%) scored 33 points in a loss to the Sixers. While Bogdanovic is likely trade candidate for a lottery-bound Detroit team, he could sustain scoring and shooting value if the right destination materializes.

Two young forwards that shined on Wednesday merit mention; Houston's Tari Eason (4.8%) tied a career-high in rebounds over the past two games (14), while the Pelicans' Trey Murphy III (19.0%) erupted for 27 points on just 10 shots and posted a +43 net rating in a win over Washington.

Thursday offers a seemingly fun seven-game schedule.

The marquee fantasy matchup is found in Sacramento with the Kings hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder in a game with an inviting total of 243.5 points. Not only is this the highest number of the night, but it's also nearly 15 points higher than next-closest contest. Luguentz Dort (13.7%) and Malik Monk (36.8%) offer