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The ESPN fantasy and betting cheat sheet is your pregame destination for our best intel and data to help you make smart fantasy and wagering decisions. NBA game odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook, and fantasy advice is based on ESPN 10-team leagues.

Jump ahead: Game of the night | Picks and props | Analytics edge

What you need to know for tonight’s NBA slate

by Jim McCormick and Kyle Soppe

Blazing Values: It’s quite clear that Portland values lottery positioning, as the team has shut down several key veterans for the season. This agenda still leaves room for fantasy fun, as forward Drew Eubanks (64% available) just logged a team-high 32 minutes this past Tuesday and posted yet another double-double performance. Second-year wing Keon Johnson (99%) was acquired from the Clippers in the Norman Powell deal and just paced Portland with 15 shots against San Antonio.

The Jones Bros: The Wolves face the Spurs this evening in a contest with a robust point total just shy of 240. All-Star guard Dejounte Murray is sidelined for San Antonio again, which vaults Tre Jones — rostered in fewer than one percent of leagues — into the starting lineup. Jones has tallied 17 total assists while averaging 16 points over his last two games, both starts in place of Murray. With Ja Morant out again for Memphis, older brother Tyus Jones (88% available) is also due for a start and has impressively averaged 24.5 points and 5.5 assists over his last two starts in place of his All-Star teammate.

Gettin’ Iggy With It: Calling any player a “lock” to produce is simply unwise, but it’s tough to overlook how well things shape up for Ignas Brazdeikis of the Magic. He started the second half of Tuesday’s win for Franz Wagner (ankle, ruled out for tonight) and seems poised to fill a high-minute, high-usage role for an Orlando team that is playing out the string (not to mention without the services of Cole Anthony tonight as well). That role meshes nicely against a Hornets team that ranks top-five in pace and has allowed opponents to shoot 50.3% from the field over the past two weeks. This game means virtually nothing in the standings, but there’s a decent chance it means plenty in GPP’s tonight!

Passing Prowess: In his first start since last January, Orlando’s Markelle Fultz (88% available) tallied 16 points to go with six dimes and two steals in an upset win over the Cavaliers earlier this week. With Anthony ruled out for tonight’s game against the Hornets, it’s worth noting Fultz has posted a team-best 50.1% assist percentage (rate of field goals he’s assisting while on the floor) during his last five games and is poised to start once again. The former top pick could help fantasy rosters on one of the last smaller slates of the regular season.

Game of the Night

Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks
7:30 p.m. ET, Fiserv Forum o Milwaukee, WI

Line: Bucks (-6)
Moneyline: Bucks (-250), Celtics (+205)
Total: 228 points
BPI Projected Total: 229 points
BPI Win%: Celtics (57.3%)

Key players ruled out: Robert Williams III

Notable: After a brief offensive pause where four unders cashed in a five-game stretch, the Bucks are back and have seen each of their past three games go over Vegas’ projection.

Best bet: Giannis Antetokounmpo over 49.5 points+assists+rebounds. As the Bucks fight for playoff seeding, Antetokounmpo should play well and deliver a dominant performance. Since March, he’s averaged 32 PPG, 5.0 APG and 12.4 RPG. Despite being a strong defensive team, Antetokounmpo is not your average NBA player. — Eric Moody

Best bet: Celtics+6.5. As good as the Bucks are, this seems like way too many points to give against a Celtics team that has won 14 of its last 17 games with an average scoring margin of +14.2 PPG. The Celtics are on the second half of a back-to-back, but they beat the Bulls by 23 points last night and, unless there are some pregame scratches, they should be good to go tonight. According to BPI, the Celtics should be favored to win outright by an estimated margin of 2.0 points. — Andre Snellings

Breaking down the rest of the slate

Orlando Magic at Charlotte Hornets
7 p.m. ET, Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC

Line: Hornets (-13.5)
Moneyline: Hornets (-1000), Magic (+650)
Total: 228 points
BPI Projected Total: 222 points
BPI Win%: Hornets (82.9%)

Miles Bridges of the Charlotte Hornets rises for the dunk. Eakin Howard/Getty Images

Key players ruled out: Franz Wagner, Cole Anthony

Notable: The Magic are seeking consecutive covers for the first time since covering four straight from March 8-13 (they went the entirety of the NCAA Tournament without covering back-to-back games!).

Fantasy streamer: Markelle Fultz. There are a lot of viable streamers in this matchup because the Magic are tanking and Cole Anthony (toe), Wendell Carter Jr. (wrist) and Franz Wagner (ankle) have already been ruled out. Fultz is one such streamer. Over the last six games, he’s averaged 14.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 5.5 APG and 2.0 SPG. Fultz is available in 86% of ESPN leagues. — Moody

Fantasy streamer: Mo Bamba. Bamba is still available in 33.6% of ESPN leagues, which is surprising. He’s a solid streamer and someone to bet over on when it comes to points+rebounds. Five out of his last seven games have seen Bamba record a double-double. During that time period, he averaged 14 PPG and 9.4 RPG. — Moody

Fantasy streamer: Moritz Wagner. Wagner is another player who benefits from all of the players out for the Magic. The last three games, he has averaged 14 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 2.0 APG in 25.3 MPG. Wagner is available in 98% of ESPN leagues. — Moody

Best bet: Miles Bridges over 27.5 points+rebounds. With Gordon Hayward doubtful because of a foot injury, Bridges should absorb additional minutes. Bridges averaged 26.2 PPG and 8.0 RPG over the last six games. The Magic rank 19th in points allowed per 100 possessions. — Moody

Best bet: LaMelo Ball over 35.5 points+assists+rebounds. Over his last seven games, Ball has averaged 22.7 PPG, 9.1 APG and 5.4 RPG in 34.7 MPG. In an attempt to help the Hornets secure the 10th seed in the East, he’ll bring his “A” game against the Magic. This season, Orlando has allowed the sixth most DraftKings points per game to point guards. — Moody

Philadelphia 76ers at Toronto Raptors
7:30 p.m. ET, Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Canada

Line: Raptors (-1.5)
Moneyline: Raptors (-125), 76ers (+105)
Total: 218.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 220 points
BPI Win%: Raptors (54.7%)

Key players ruled out: Matisse Thybulle

Notable: It’ll be interesting to see how much the Raptors value this game after locking up a playoff berth Tuesday night, but they are 5-2 ATS over their past seven games and have covered three of their past four as an underdog.

San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves
8 p.m. ET, Target Center, Minneapolis, MN

Line: Timberwolves (-8.5)
Moneyline: Timberwolves (-360), Spurs (+285)
Total: 238.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 233 points
BPI Win%: Timberwolves (73.7%)

Notable: The Timberwolves were an ATS printing press not long ago, but they’ve dropped four of their past five ATS (four of those five games have also gone over the total).

Key players ruled out: Dejounte Murray

Fantasy streamer: Tre Jones. Dejounte Murray is out with an illness, which makes Jones an excellent streamer. All three of his last games have been starts, and he averaged 13.7 PPG, 8.7 APG and 5.3 RPG. Jones is available in 96% of ESPN leagues. — Moody

Fantasy streamer: Devin Vassell. It is surprising that Vassell is available in 87% of ESPN leagues, given his performance over the last 12 games. Over that time frame, Vassall averages 14.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.3 SPG. The Spurs will rely on him with Murray out. — Moody

Best bet: Jakob Poeltl over 23.5 points+rebounds. Poeltl will operate as the Spurs primary big man with Jock Landale out with a foot injury. Over the last 11 games, he’s averaged 13.3 PPG and 9.5 RPG. This season, the Timberwolves allow the sixth most PPG to centers. Furthermore, Minnesota allows opponents to snag a lot of offensive rebounds. — Moody

Portland Trail Blazers at New Orleans Pelicans
8 p.m. ET, Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA

Line: Pelicans (-16.5)
Moneyline: Pelicans (-2400), Blazers (+1100)
Total: 224 points
BPI Projected Total: 225 points
BPI Win%: Pelicans (91.6%)

Key players ruled out: Justise Winslow

Notable: The New Orleans-Sacramento game on Tuesday night went over the total, but that’s just the second such result in the Pelicans’ past 10.

Fantasy streamer: Ben McLemore (available in 98.1% of leagues) is flying under the radar on a decimated Trail Blazers team, but he has notched double-digit scoring efforts in 11 straight games. During that stretch, he has averaged 17.3 PPG, 3.5 3PG, 2.0 RPG and 1.2 SPG in 25.3 MPG off the bench. He obviously has the green light to shoot as much as he wants on the lottery-bound Trail Blazers. — Snellings

Memphis Grizzlies at Denver Nuggets
9 p.m. ET, Ball Arena, Denver, CO

Line: Nuggets (-3)
Moneyline: Nuggets (-150), Grizzlies (+130)
Total: 232.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 223 points
BPI Win%: Nuggets (52%)

Key players ruled out: Ja Morant

Notable: Vegas cannot manage to get a grip on this Memphis team without Ja Morant; the Grizz are 6-1-1 ATS over their past eight games.

Best bet: Aaron Gordon over 25.5 points+assists+rebounds. Over the past 11 games, Gordon has averaged 18.3 PPG, 2.5 APG, and 7.0 RPG in 32.5 MPG. The Nuggets will do everything they can to avoid the play-in tournament and assure a playoff spot. Gordon’s performance is peaking at the right time. — Moody

Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors
10 p.m. ET, Chase Center, San Francisco, CA

Line: Warriors (-12.5)
Moneyline: Warriors (-900), Lakers (+600)
Total: 222 points
BPI Projected Total: 225.5 points
BPI Win%: Warriors (65.3%)

Key players ruled out: none (LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook are all questionable)

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Notable: The Warriors have covered three straight games and seen each of their past four games go under the projected point total.

Fantasy streamer: Malik Monk. It would be a surprise if LeBron James (ankle), Anthony Davis (foot) and Russell Westbrook (shoulder) play considering they are all questionable with various injuries. It’s time to stream Monk once again. Over the past 15 games, he has averaged 15.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 4.0 APG, and 1.0 SPG. Monk is available in 70% of ESPN leagues. — Moody

Analytics Edge

BPI highest projected totals

New Orleans Pelicans (120.4 points)

Minnesota Timberwolves (120 points)

Charlotte Hornets (116.3 points)

BPI lowest projected totals

Portland Trail Blazers (104.9 points)

Orlando Magic (105.7 points)

Philadelphia 76ers (109.3 points)

BPI top probability to win (straight up)

New Orleans Pelicans (91.6%)

Charlotte Hornets (82.9%)

Minnesota Timberwolves (73.7%)

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It is here! After one of the most unforgettable offseasons in MLB history, it is Opening Day 2022! There was a lot of madness when it comes to trades, free agency, and a 99-day lockout but that is all in the rearview mirror. The Chicago Cubs open up the Opening Day slate with their game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

This is a Cubs team that is interesting. For the first time in a long time, the Opening Day roster will is missing names like Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Javier Baez. David Ross’s team is loaded with players trying to stick in Major League Baseball.

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The NBA’s 75th anniversary has opened the door to plenty of celebration.

Earlier this season, the league put together a list of its 76 greatest players to honor the milestone and returned to Cleveland, the site of the NBA’s 50th anniversary, for the 2022 All-Star Game.

But that was just the beginning of the festivities.

On Wednesday, ESPN continued the commemorative efforts with the NBA75 Celebration Game — a throwback telecast of the Brooklyn Nets–New York Knicks tilt.

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The alternate broadcast featured visuals from decades past (1960s for the first quarter, 1970s for the second, 1980s for the third and 1990s for the fourth). It also included special guests Marv Albert, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bob Costas — and much more.

“We’re taking fans on a journey through the evolution of this vibrant, culturally impactful league while also pairing the content with the iconic performers of today,” said Tim Corrigan, Vice President, ESPN Production.

“Regardless of age or era, if you love basketball, there is something for you in this broadcast.”

If you’re looking for a blast from the past, here are highlights from the retro-cast:

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As the NBA’s 2021-22 regular season draws to a conclusion on April 10, teams near the middle of the standings are battling for postseason seeding with a special focus on the league’s play-in tournament.

Held before the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs, the play-in tournament adds an exciting wrinkle to the end of the regular season. Teams were already less incentivized to tank games down the stretch because of the flattened lottery odds instituted in 2019. Now that the top 10 teams in the standings will finish the regular season with at least a chance to make the playoffs, more franchises will stay in the mix for longer.

The play-in tournament will be held April 12-15.

Here’s everything you need to know about the setup this season.

MORE: Current NBA standings

How the play-in race is shaping up

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Entering Thursday, here’s how the play-in standings look in the East:

7. Cleveland Cavaliers: 43-37, 1 game ahead of eighth
8. Brooklyn Nets, 42-38, 1 game back
9. Atlanta Hawks, 42-38, 1 GB
10. Charlotte Hornets: 40-39, 2 1/2 GB

The four play-in teams in the East are set. All that is left to be determined is the seeding. The Nets are currently listed as the 8-seed over the Hawks because of the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Here’s how the play-in games would look if the season ended today:

No. 8 Nets at No. 7 Cavaliers

No. 10 Hornets at No. 9 Hawks

Here are Thursday’s games with the potential to impact the play-in standings in the East:

Magic at Hornets, 7 p.m. ET

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Entering Thursday, here’s how the play-in standings look in the West:

6. Denver Nuggets: 47-33, 2 games ahead of seventh
—
7. Minnesota Timberwolves: 45-35, 2 games back of sixth
8. LA Clippers: 39-40 (clinched 8-seed)
9. New Orleans Pelicans: 35-44, 1 game ahead of 10th
10. San Antonio Spurs: 34-45, 1 GB

The next Nuggets win or Timberwolves loss will lock Minnesota into the 7-seed entering the play-in tournament. The Pelicans and Spurs have clinched a spot in the play-in.

Here’s how the play-in games would look if the season ended today:

No. 8 Clippers at No. 7 Timberwolves

No. 10 Spurs at No. 9 Pelicans

Here are Thursday’s games with the potential to impact the play-in standings in the West:

Spurs at Timberwolves, 8 p.m. ET

Trail Blazers at Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET

Grizzlies at Nuggets, 10 p.m. ET

MORE: Full NBA schedule

How does the NBA play-in tournament work?

There will be six total games involving eight teams as part of the play-in tournament, split up between the two conferences.

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The teams that finish Nos. 1-6 in each conference will be guaranteed playoff spots, while team Nos. 7-10 in the standings will enter the play-in. Any team that finishes worse than No. 10 will be in the lottery.

Here’s how the games will work:

Game 1: The No. 7 team in the standings by winning percentage will host the No. 8 team, with the winner earning the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The losing team gets another chance in Game 3.

Game 2: The No. 9 team will host the No. 10 team, with the winner moving on to Game 3. The loser is eliminated and enters the NBA draft lottery.

Game 3: The loser of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchup will host the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchup, with the victor grabbing the No. 8 seed in the postseason. The loser of Game 3 also enters the lottery.

This means that the teams with the seventh-highest and eighth-highest winning percentages will have two opportunities to win one game to earn a playoff spot, while the teams with the ninth-highest and 10th-highest winning percentages need to win two straight games to advance.

What’s next after the play-in?

Once the play-in winners, seeded No. 7 and No. 8 from each conference advance, the 2022 NBA playoffs will begin on April 16. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is June 2.

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NEW YORK — NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday that while there was no specific discussion of the impending arbitration between Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers, he said his bigger concern moving forward is “a trend of star players not participating in a full complement of games,” and hopes the league and the National Basketball Players Association can address it.

“I’m not standing here saying I have a great solution,” Silver said at a press conference here in midtown Manhattan following this week’s two-day meeting of the Board of Governors. “Part of the issue is injuries. One of the things we have focused on at the league office and we’re spending — we had begun to spend a lot of time on pre-pandemic — are there things we can do in terms of sharing information, resources around the league to improve best practices, rehabilitation?

“The other way we can get at it, in terms of player participation, is creating other incentives. The Play-In Tournament, I thought, was a beginning of creating renewed incentives for teams to remain competitive and be fighting for playoff position. It may be through in-season tournaments and changes in format where we can get at it.”

Silver went on to say that there is even a possibility of looking at changing the 82-game schedule. While he hinted at it in earlier portions of his answer, he’s done little to hide his desire over the creation of an in-season tournament, and also said Wednesday that he’s happy with the way the play-in tournament has played out over the past two seasons since it was introduced.

“I also have said in the past, if we have too many games, that’s something we should look at as well,” Silver said. “It’s something, as we sit down and we’re looking at new media deals and looking at a new collective bargaining agreement, we will be studying. There wasn’t any banging of the table or anything like that. From my discussions with players, they recognize it’s an issue, too. The style of the game has changed in terms of the impact on their bodies. I think we’ve got to constantly assess and look at a marketplace going forward and say, what’s the best way to present our product and over how long a season?”

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ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Bobby Marks and Ramona Shelburne reported over the weekend that Simmons has filed a grievance to challenge the nearly $20 million of salary withheld to him by the 76ers this season.

The grievance — which will now go to an arbitration process — could have larger league implications amid future issues of mental health matters and NBA contracts.

Silver said the league would not have direct involvement in such arbitration, and that the league would remain on the sidelines during litigation.

Other topics Silver touched on included:

* Silver said that, despite anti-LBGTQ legislation being passed recently in Utah, the NBA has not discussed moving next year’s All-Star Game, and doesn’t anticipate doing so.

When asked what the difference was between this decision and the decision to move the Charlotte All-Star Game a few years ago over a similar bill, Silver said, “Every situation is unique. In the case of 2017 and HB2 in North Carolina, we were working directly with the team there. It appeared to us that there was an opportunity to have a direct impact on that law, working with the larger business community.

“It’s our collective view that we can continue to operate in Utah, and frankly don’t want to be in a position where we’re chased from state to state around the country,” he said. “Times have changed. There are different issues going on now in the country than there were in 2017. I personally don’t like the trend. We also are mindful as a league that we look for opportunities to unite people rather than divide them.

“I would just say I have tremendous respect for (Jazz owner) Ryan Smith. I think he stood up against this bill. We’ve joined him in opposing this bill. But we also want to be realistic, too, in terms of the impact we can have. In the case of HB2 in North Carolina, I think it was our collective view, we working with the Hornets, that we could have an impact on that legislation. I think in the case of what’s happening in Utah right now, that bill is established.”

* When asked if there was an update into the investigation into the conduct of Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver after ESPN’s investigation last fall, Silver said there was not one, and would not share a timeline for when it would be completed.

“The investigation is ongoing,” Silver said. “I mean, these type of investigations do take a lot of time. You want to ensure that you gather all of the facts and you also want to ensure that you protect the rights of the accused. So we want to err on the side of being very complete. We’re certainly closer to the end than the beginning, but it’s hard to put a precise timeline on it right now.”

He gave a similar answer when asked about the league’s involvement in the lawsuit former Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson has filed against the team.

“Our only involvement right now is to monitor the situation. Generally, as you might imagine, within an executive committee, there is a report of council to our owners,” he said. “But for the most part, our teams leave to the league office to oversee investigations, and that’s how it’s always been.”

* As far as tweaks to the game itself, Silver reiterated he’s very happy with the play-in tournament, and expects it to remain part of the league moving forward, though he did say it could have some tweaks done to it.

He also added that the idea of eliminating the “take four” — a foul given to intentionally stop fast breaks before they get started — could happen by as soon as next season, though there are hurdles that remain before it could be changed.

“That is something, as you know, we’re very focused on and considering making a change for next season,” Silver said, referring to eliminating the take foul. “We still have some work to do with our competition committee. We’ll be meeting with the board again in July, which would be a possible time to change that rule. But as we’re seeing sort of a pretty dramatic increase in take fouls, we don’t think it’s a great part of our game. International basketball has another way of getting at it, but that is something that potentially we’d like to tweak.”

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NEW YORK — NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday that while there was no specific discussion of the impending arbitration between Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers, he said his bigger concern moving forward is “a trend of star players not participating in a full complement of games,” and hopes the league and the National Basketball Players Association can address it.

“I’m not standing here saying I have a great solution,” Silver said at a press conference here in midtown Manhattan following this week’s two-day meeting of the Board of Governors. “Part of the issue is injuries. One of the things we have focused on at the league office and we’re spending — we had begun to spend a lot of time on pre-pandemic — are there things we can do in terms of sharing information, resources around the league to improve best practices, rehabilitation?

“The other way we can get at it, in terms of player participation, is creating other incentives. The Play-In Tournament, I thought, was a beginning of creating renewed incentives for teams to remain competitive and be fighting for playoff position. It may be through in-season tournaments and changes in format where we can get at it.”

Silver went on to say that there is even a possibility of looking at changing the 82-game schedule. While he hinted at it in earlier portions of his answer, he’s done little to hide his desire over the creation of an in-season tournament, and also said Wednesday that he’s happy with the way the play-in tournament has played out over the past two seasons since it was introduced.

“I also have said in the past, if we have too many games, that’s something we should look at as well,” Silver said. “It’s something, as we sit down and we’re looking at new media deals and looking at a new collective bargaining agreement, we will be studying. There wasn’t any banging of the table or anything like that. From my discussions with players, they recognize it’s an issue, too. The style of the game has changed in terms of the impact on their bodies. I think we’ve got to constantly assess and look at a marketplace going forward and say, what’s the best way to present our product and over how long a season?”

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ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Bobby Marks and Ramona Shelburne reported over the weekend that Simmons has filed a grievance to challenge the nearly $20 million of salary withheld to him by the 76ers this season.

The grievance — which will now go to an arbitration process — could have larger league implications amid future issues of mental health matters and NBA contracts.

Silver said the league would not have direct involvement in such arbitration, and that the league would remain on the sidelines during litigation.

Other topics Silver touched on included:

* Silver said that, despite anti-LBGTQ legislation being passed recently in Utah, the NBA has not discussed moving next year’s All-Star Game, and doesn’t anticipate doing so.

When asked what the difference was between this decision and the decision to move the Charlotte All-Star Game a few years ago over a similar bill, Silver said, “Every situation is unique. In the case of 2017 and HB2 in North Carolina, we were working directly with the team there. It appeared to us that there was an opportunity to have a direct impact on that law, working with the larger business community.

“It’s our collective view that we can continue to operate in Utah, and frankly don’t want to be in a position where we’re chased from state to state around the country,” he said. “Times have changed. There are different issues going on now in the country than there were in 2017. I personally don’t like the trend. We also are mindful as a league that we look for opportunities to unite people rather than divide them.

“I would just say I have tremendous respect for (Jazz owner) Ryan Smith. I think he stood up against this bill. We’ve joined him in opposing this bill. But we also want to be realistic, too, in terms of the impact we can have. In the case of HB2 in North Carolina, I think it was our collective view, we working with the Hornets, that we could have an impact on that legislation. I think in the case of what’s happening in Utah right now, that bill is established.”

* When asked if there was an update into the investigation into the conduct of Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver after ESPN’s investigation last fall, Silver said there was not one, and would not share a timeline for when it would be completed.

“The investigation is ongoing,” Silver said. “I mean, these type of investigations do take a lot of time. You want to ensure that you gather all of the facts and you also want to ensure that you protect the rights of the accused. So we want to err on the side of being very complete. We’re certainly closer to the end than the beginning, but it’s hard to put a precise timeline on it right now.”

He gave a similar answer when asked about the league’s involvement in the lawsuit former Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson has filed against the team.

“Our only involvement right now is to monitor the situation. Generally, as you might imagine, within an executive committee, there is a report of council to our owners,” he said. “But for the most part, our teams leave to the league office to oversee investigations, and that’s how it’s always been.”

* As far as tweaks to the game itself, Silver reiterated he’s very happy with the play-in tournament, and expects it to remain part of the league moving forward, though he did say it could have some tweaks done to it.

He also added that the idea of eliminating the “take four” — a foul given to intentionally stop fast breaks before they get started — could happen by as soon as next season, though there are hurdles that remain before it could be changed.

“That is something, as you know, we’re very focused on and considering making a change for next season,” Silver said, referring to eliminating the take foul. “We still have some work to do with our competition committee. We’ll be meeting with the board again in July, which would be a possible time to change that rule. But as we’re seeing sort of a pretty dramatic increase in take fouls, we don’t think it’s a great part of our game. International basketball has another way of getting at it, but that is something that potentially we’d like to tweak.”

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The Philadelphia 76ers listed guard Matisse Thybulle as “ineligible to play” in Thursday’s game in Toronto against the Raptors, a sign Thybulle could also be unable to play in the three road games of a potential playoff series between the two franchises.

Last week, ESPN asked the four teams atop the conference — Philadelphia, the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics — whether their rosters were fully vaccinated, and thus eligible to play in games in Toronto, where players have to be vaccinated in order to enter the country.

Miami and Milwaukee confirmed to ESPN that their teams are fully vaccinated, whereas Boston and Philadelphia declined to comment.

As of Wednesday evening, the 76ers and Raptors would meet in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs as the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds.

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Thybulle, who turned 25 last month, has become one of the NBA’s best wing defenders, averaging 1.1 steals and 1.8 blocks in 25.4 minutes per game. Only seven players in the league are averaging at least one steal and block per game, and all of them are playing more minutes than Thybulle.

Thybulle’s absence would be particularly felt on a Philadelphia roster that is devoid of much defensive talent outside of him and MVP candidate Joel Embiid, who is also a potential All-Defensive Team candidate.

If Toronto beats Philadelphia on Thursday, it would go a long way toward locking in that matchup in the first round for both teams. However, if the Sixers win that game and their final two, against Indiana on Saturday and Detroit on Sunday, they would be guaranteed of finishing no lower than third, thanks to the Celtics and Bucks, who are currently tied with Philadelphia with matching 49-30 records, playing Thursday night in Milwaukee.

The playoffs are set to begin April 16 and 17, with Games 3 and 4 of the first round — which would take place in Toronto — likely to be played beginning two weeks from Wednesday.

On Wednedsay, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that there would not be any changes to the situation involving unvaccinated players being unable to play in Toronto, saying that the league has “no choice” but to operate under Canada’s laws on the matter.

“I mean, we have no choice but to operate under the laws of the jurisdictions in which we play,” Silver said at his news conference after this week’s Board of Governors meetings in New York. “In some cases, as we saw here in New York City, those are city ordinances. In other cases, they’re state. And in the case of Toronto, there are Canadian issues that we have to comply with. Those rules are well known to all players, and for any player who chooses not to get vaccinated, they know they are at risk of not being allowed to play in Toronto. That’s the facts that we’re all going to have to operate under.”

To be considered fully vaccinated in Canada, one must be two weeks past a single shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or two weeks past the second shot of the two-dose vaccines. That would mean unvaccinated players would need to have received the one-dose vaccine in order to be fully vaccinated in time to play in every game of a first-round playoff series.

The most prominent example of a player missing games due to being unvaccinated is Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, who was unable to play games in New York, either at Barclays Center or Madison Square Garden, before the city changed its vaccination regulations recently to allow unvaccinated athletes to play in home games.

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The ESPN fantasy and betting cheat sheet is your pregame destination for our best intel and data to help you make smart fantasy and wagering decisions. NBA game odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook and fantasy advice is based on ESPN 10-team leagues.

Jump ahead: Game of the night | Picks and props | Analytics edge

What you need to know for tonight’s NBA slate

by Jim McCormick and Kyle Soppe

On Toppin: With Julius Randle out tonight against the Nets, Obi Toppin (93% available) should be busy again offensively in a game with a point total north of 230. Toppin has scored 20 points in each outing. Alec Burks has also emerged as one of the best rebounding guards in the league, bringing enough scoring and playmaking to the floor to help fantasy managers.

Motown Momentum: Marvin Bagley III and Jerami Grant are ruled out of Wednesday’s game against the Mavericks, which means Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes (57% available) are ready to shine. Saddiq Bey also could deliver in DFS platforms and points props as the primary scoring forward for Detroit, but Hayes is the most intriguing streaming candidate on the roster. He’s posted 14.8 points, five dimes, and a whopping 3.3 steals over his past four games.

Hoarding: Oklahoma City has several injuries to key players and is pursuing lottery position. But the Thunder have relied on new names such as Jaylen Hoard (97% available) and Olivier Sarr (98%) to produce as the season nears an end. Hoard produced 24 points and pulled an incredible 21 boards in last night’s win, while Sarr logged a double-double in 39 minutes off the bench. Even Isaiah Roby (87%) has become a valuable source of blocks and boards. With the team likely sitting their starters again, this trio shows promise in all fantasy formats.

Red Velvet: Kevin Huerter (86% available) has become a reliable scoring option for Atlanta recently, producing at least 20 points in five of his last six appearances. The Hawks face a Washington defense that has allowed 44.9 DraftKings points per game to shooting guards over the past month, the fourth-highest during this span. This puts Huerter in a good spot to produce tonight.

Game of the Night

Boston Celtics at Chicago Bulls
8 p.m. ET, United Center, Chicago IL

Line: Celtics (-6.5)
Moneyline: Celtics (-265), Bulls (+235)
Total: 223.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 225 points
BPI Win%: Celtics (78.9%)

Key players ruled out: none

Doubtful: Alex Caruso

Notable: The Celtics have seen eight of their past nine games go over the total and get a potentially fatigued Bulls team that played last night.

Best bet: Celtics -6.5. The Celtics and Bulls are two teams headed in the opposite direction in a hurry. Boston has been one of the hottest teams in the NBA for months. They’ve won 13 of their past 16 games with an average scoring margin of +13.6 PPG and won their last game by 42 points. The Bulls, on the other hand, have lost 13 of their past 19 games with an average scoring margin of -7.1 PPG. Chicago has lost their last two games by a total of 39 points, including a 21-point blowout against the Bucks last night. — Andre Snellings

Best bet: Jayson Tatum over 40.5 points + assists + rebounds. Tatum is a solid choice against a Bulls team that lost to the Bucks Tuesday and rank 21st in points allowed per 100 possessions. Tatum has averaged 27 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 8.0 RPG this season and posted 23 points, 12 rebounds and four assists the last time he faced the Bulls. — Eric Moody

Breaking down the rest of the slate

Dallas Mavericks at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m. ET, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI

Line: Mavericks (-8.5)
Moneyline: Mavericks (-435), Pistons (+330)
Total: 220 points
BPI Projected Total: 220.5 points
BPI Win%: Mavericks (66.9%)

Key players ruled out: Maxi Kleber, Cory Joseph, Marvin Bagley III

Notable: After cashing four straight under tickets, the Mavericks have now cashed overs in each of their past four (3-1 ATS in those games).

Fantasy Streamer: Isaiah Livers (99.4% available) has started the last two games for the Pistons and scored double digits in both games. He has averaged 14.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.0 3PG, 3.0 APG, 1.5 SPG and 1.0 BPG in 39.0 MPG. Livers is expected to start and likely get a similar amount of run again on Wednesday — Snellings

Fantasy streamer: Davis Bertans. Bertans is on the streaming radar with Maxi Kleber out due to an ankle injury. Bertans has averaged 14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per minute and should receive significant minutes — Moody

Fantasy streamer: Killian Hayes. Hayes (57.6% available) can accumulate stats on both ends of the floor and has averaged 12.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.6 APG, 2.3 SPG, and 1.0 BPG in 30.5 MPG over the past eight games. Cory Joseph and Marvin Bagley III have already been ruled out, which bodes well for Hayes. — Moody

Luka Doncic lit up the Pistons for 33 points, 7 rebounds and 11 assists in their last meeting. AP Photo/LM Otero

Best bet: Luka Doncic over 47.5 points + assists + rebounds. Doncic has had five consecutive 30-point games, the longest streak of his career and tied for the second longest streak in Mavericks history. He also averaged 10.2 APG and 9.2 RPG over that period. Doncic has enjoyed plenty of success against the Pistons in his career. He has averaged 34.0 PPG, 9.8 APG, and 9.3 RPG in four career games facing Detroit. — Moody

Best bet: Pistons +8.5. At this point in the season, there are some picks that I just lock in almost regardless of circumstances. While I know that the Mavericks are fighting for playoffs positioning while the Pistons are headed for the lottery but I will still take the Pistons with the points here because Detroit always covers. The Pistons are a whopping 18-2-2 against the spread since Feb. 14 and they seem to always cover regardless of injury status or competition level. — Snellings

Brooklyn Nets at New York Knicks
7:30 p.m. ET, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Line: Nets (-7)
Moneyline: Nets (-300), Knicks (+235)
Total: 231 points
BPI Projected Total: 223 points BPI Win%: Knicks (50.2%)

Key players ruled out: Nerlens Noel, Julius Randle

Questionable: Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride

Notable: The Knicks have failed to cover five of their past six games at The Garden with three of those losses coming outright by more than 10 points.

Fantasy Streamer: Obi Toppin. With Quentin Grimes and Miles McBride questionable and the Knicks already been eliminated from playoff contention, Toppin (92% available) should be given significant playing time. He’s averaged 14.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 2.4 APG over the past eight games — Moody

Best bet: RJ Barrett over 24.5 points + assists + rebounds. Barrett has averaged 23.5 PPG and 20 FGA over the past 14 games. Brooklyn has been inconsistent defensively this season, ranking 23rd in points allowed per 100 possessions. The Knicks will have to rely on Barrett to carry the load offensively. — Moody

Washington Wizards at Atlanta Hawks
8 p.m State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

Line: Hawks (-10.5)
Moneyline: Hawks (-600), Wizards (+435)
Total: 231 points
BPI Projected Total: 236.5 points
BPI Win%: Hawks (71.8%)

Key players ruled out: Kyle Kuzma

Notable: The Hawks are just 2-6 ATS in their past eight games on the second night of a back-to-back and have seen over tickets cashed in six of those eight games (they played in Toronto last night).

Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz
9 p.m. ET, Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, UT

Line: Jazz (-17)
Moneyline: Jazz (-2000), Thunder (+1000)
Total: 223.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 226 points
BPI Win%: Jazz (91%)

Key players ruled out: Tre Mann

Notable: The Jazz are an ugly 1-6-1 ATS in their past eight games played on the second night of a back-to-back and they hosted the Grizzlies last night.

Phoenix Suns at LA Clippers
10 p.m. Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA

Line: Suns (-4.5)
Moneyline: Suns (-150), Clippers (+130)
Total: 222.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 210.5 points
BPI Win%: Suns (56%)

Key players ruled out: none

Notable: After an 0-5-1 ATS run, the Clippers have covered three of their past four, with a pair of blowout outright wins in their past two games.

Analytics Edge

BPI highest projected totals

1. Atlanta Hawks (121.7 points)
2. Utah Jazz (120.9 points)
3. Boston Celtics (117 points)

BPI lowest projected totals

1. LA Clippers (104.4 points)
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (105.7 points)
3. Phoenix Suns (106 points)

BPI top probability to win (straight up)

1. Utah Jazz (91%)
2. Boston Celtics (78.9%)
3. Atlanta Hawks (71.8%)

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