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.

Wednesday's six-game schedule in the NBA included some big lines from known stars, but also some key contributions from players flying under the radar in fantasy regards.

For instance, while the Dallas Mavericks built a big lead heading into the final quarter last night against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Caris LeVert — rostered in 43% of ESPN men's basketball leagues — was brilliant in helping fuel a dramatic comeback win via 29 points and seven dimes. Even point guard Craig Porter (4.5%) has surfaced as a viable play with Donovan Mitchell sidelined by an illness and Darius Garland on the mend from a broken jaw.

Shifting to Thursday's eight-game slate, the good news is every contest has a total of at least 224 points, evidence of a bevy of offensively-friendly climates to choose from. A few scenarios stand out for fantasy purposes, such as from this compelling Grizzlies vs. Nuggets matchup in Denver. Two-way guard Marcus Smart is still a free agent in nearly 40% of ESPN leagues and yet just swiped five steals in