Fantasy basketball tips and projections for Saturday - 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 six-game Friday in the NBA saw some players who are widely available in ESPN men's fantasy basketball leagues shine. For instance, the Miami Heat started rising rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. (rostered in 21.3% of ESPN leagues) against the Atlanta Hawks; he responded with 19 points and seven boards in the victory.

The Golden State Warriors might have found an emergent rookie, as well. Trayce Jackson-Davis (9.0% rostered), the 57th pick of this past summer's draft, has pulled down 28 boards over the past two games and has been a key cog for a team that badly needed frontcourt reinforcements. Given Draymond Green's indefinite status, it's time to roster this rookie.

Shifting to Saturday's massive 13-game schedule, it's luckily not a slate that seems overwhelmed with injury news. There are, of course, some key notes, such as no Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland against the Chicago Bulls tonight, which vaults a few names into our streaming section below.

Karl-Anthony Towns is sidelined for the Minnesota Timberwolves,