Fantasy basketball tips and projections for Friday - 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.

Joel Embiid looked human on Thursday with 31 points, seven rebounds, three assists and not much else in a loss to the Pacers, who were without Tyrese Haliburton (leg) and saw all five starters score in double figures, led by Pascal Siakam's 26 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, the sixth triple-double of his career and first as a Pacer. It's probably not a coincidence that Siakam's TD happened against his former head coach, Nick Nurse. Andrew Nembhard hit 8-of-15 shots and a 3-pointer for 19 points, eight assists, a steal and a block and has become the obvious player to use while Haliburton recovers from his leg injury. T.J. McConnell has been a bit of a dud and had eight points and five dimes in Thursday's win.

Kristaps Porzingis left Thursday's game with a left ankle injury and the Celtics will continue to give him and Al Horford as many days off as they need the rest of the way. Boston routed the Heat 143-110 and saw all five starters score in double figures, including Porzingis. Horford could see a bigger