Saturday’s NBA slate features six games, with several marquee matchups and interesting betting lines to consider. Let’s dive into the key information you need before placing your wagers or setting your fantasy lineups.
Injury Updates and Player Availability
As always, keeping tabs on injuries and player availability is critical when making betting and fantasy decisions. Here are the most significant injury situations to monitor for Saturday:
- Suns guard Bradley Beal (ankle) is questionable
- 76ers stars Paul George (groin) and Joel Embiid (knee) are both out
- Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter (foot) is questionable
- Warriors forward Draymond Green (illness) is questionable
Be sure to check the official injury reports leading up to tipoff for the final word on these key players.
Point Spreads and Over/Unders
Of the six games on Saturday’s schedule, five have point spreads of 8.5 points or more, indicating the potential for some lopsided affairs. The lone exception is Suns-Pistons, which opened as a pick ’em.
The largest spread belongs to Warriors-Wizards at Golden State -13.5. With Washington missing some key players, the defending champs are heavy home favorites.
In terms of over/unders, Hawks-Celtics features the highest total at 235.5 points. Both teams rank top-10 in offensive efficiency this season. Rockets-Blazers has the lowest total at 223.5.
Top Player Projections and Fantasy Advice
Looking at individual players, here are some of the top fantasy projections for Saturday’s action:
- Tyrese Maxey, 76ers: 49.7 FPTS (30.1 pts, 3.5 reb, 6.4 ast)
- Jayson Tatum, Celtics: 49.2 FPTS (27.3 pts, 8.4 reb, 6.1 ast)
- Anthony Edwards, Wolves: 46.8 FPTS (28.1 pts, 5.8 reb, 5.1 ast)
- Cade Cunningham, Pistons: 46.3 FPTS (25.8 pts, 5.7 reb, 8.0 ast)
With Embiid sidelined for Philly, Maxey should handle massive usage. Fire him up in all fantasy formats. Tatum remains an elite option against an underwhelming Hawks defense.
“As a season-ticket holder of this team, I can tell you that they aren’t very good with or without Embiid this season.” –Jim McCormick on the struggling 76ers
On the streaming front, options like Onyeka Okongwu, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Scoot Henderson are all strong candidates to outperform their typical production today.
Best Betting Picks For Saturday
If you’re looking to get some action down on Saturday’s games, here are a few of our favorite picks:
- Devin Booker over 34.5 points + assists (-125)
- Alexandre Sarr over 1.5 blocks (even)
- 76ers +9.5 points
Booker should feast against a young Pistons backcourt, while rookie Sarr has been a blocks machine of late. The shorthanded Sixers keep things closer than expected versus Indiana.
Make sure to monitor the latest injury updates and betting line movements leading up to each game. Best of luck with your wagers and fantasy lineups! We’ll be back tomorrow to break down Sunday’s NBA action.
