Betting tips, DFS picks for Thursday's NBA playoff games

ESPN's fantasy basketball daily cheat sheet is your pregame destination before you set your lineups for that night's games. Here you'll read our best advice for the night, including a selection of players to consider for DFS, best bets, as well as game-by-game injury reports.

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Best bets| DFS picks |Odds & injury report

What you need to know for Thursday's games

The New York Knicks visit the Atlanta Hawks for Game 3 with their first-round series tied 1-1 after a late collapse in Game 2. The Knicks have controlled much of the series, but poor late-game execution and questionable rotations cost them. The formula remains clear, as they need to dominate the glass, limit turnovers and get Karl-Anthony Towns involved early. The Hawks showed they can capitalize behind CJ McCollum's scoring, but this matchup comes down to whether the Knicks can sustain control for a full 48 minutes.

The Cleveland Cavaliers take a 2-0 series lead into Toronto, where the Raptors will try to shift the energy at home. Cleveland has been disciplined and physical, but Game 3 presents a different challenge with the crowd and Toronto's urgency in a must-win spot. The Cavaliers' focus is simple; they need to handle early runs and maintain composure on the road. This matchup comes down to whether Cleveland can play with the same discipline on the road or whether Toronto can build enough momentum to get back into this series.

In the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves head into a pivotal Game 3 after Minnesota stole Game 2. The series has already shown signs of volatility, with Anthony Edwards impacting the game beyond scoring and Denver adjusting after a physical loss. With extra rest, Nikola Jokic is expected to respond, but Minnesota's energy and defensive pressure remain factors. This matchup comes down to execution and control, with both teams capable of swinging the series in either direction.

Here's a look at the betting angles and DFS plays of interest for Thursday's playoff slate.

Moody's bets for Thursday

Jalen Johnson 38+ points, rebounds and assists (-116)

Johnson was excellent during the regular season, but things haven't clicked through two games in this playoff series against the Knicks. Johnson averaged 40.7 points + rebounds + assists during the regular season, showing the upside he brings in this spot. It's also worth noting that he cleared this threshold in two matchups against New York earlier this year. Johnson was more productive in the second half of Game 2 and is in a strong spot to bounce back Thursday.

Anthony Edwards 7+ rebounds (+138)

Edwards has recorded at least seven rebounds in four of his past six games against Denver, including both games in this series, where he has had 15 rebound chances in each. With every possession magnified in the playoffs, Edwards continues to play with a high level of energy and effort. He averages 6.8 RPG in his playoff career.

Top Daily Fantasy Values of the Day

$8,100+ salaries

Nikola Jokic, C, Nuggets ($12,700): Jokic carries the highest salary on the DFS slate, but his immense upside makes him worth building around. He has averaged 65.0 fantasy points per game this season, giving him both a high floor and elite ceiling.

Donovan Mitchell, SG, Cavaliers ($8,700): Mitchell has posted at least 45 fantasy points in each game of the series. He has handled pressure well, consistently getting to his spots despite physical defense. That has been a key difference from past seasons, and with the Cavs pushing for a 3-0 lead, Mitchell should remain heavily involved.

$6,100-$8,000 salaries

CJ McCollum, PG/SG, Hawks ($6,700): McCollum has been a steady scoring presence, leading Atlanta in points in both games of this series. He posted 32.8 fantasy points in Game 1 and 51.2 in Game 2 while playing at least 34 minutes in each contest. Most of McCollum's fantasy value comes from scoring, but he chips in across several categories.

Josh Hart, SG/SF, Knicks ($6,300): Hart has been solid in this series, averaging 13.0 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 5.5 APG and 2.0 SPG in 36.0 MPG. That translated to 42.5 fantasy points in Game 1 and 43.8 in Game 2. Even with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns commanding high usage, Hart remains a nice value because he can still produce in DFS without needing the ball in his hands.

$3,500-$6,000 salaries

Donte DiVincenzo, PG, Timberwolves ($5,100): DiVincenzo has settled back into a steady secondary scoring role for the Timberwolves and posted 25.5 fantasy points in Game 1 and 36.8 in Game 2. With the matchup between the Nuggets and Timberwolves carrying the highest total on the slate, DiVincenzo should see plenty of opportunities and remain fantasy relevant thanks to his ability to contribute across multiple categories.

Collin Murray-Boyles, PF/C, Raptors ($4,300): Murray-Boyles has emerged as a value play after seeing a notable bump in minutes in Game 2, where he logged 26 minutes and finished with 30.8 fantasy points. His playing time far exceeded that of Jakob Poeltl, who logged just nine minutes. Murray-Boyles has been productive in games where he plays at least 20 minutes, and if that trend continues, a 20-to-25 fantasy point outing is well within reach.

Projections and injury reports

Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook

New York Knicks at Atlanta Hawks

7 p.m. ET on Prime Video

Line: Knicks -1.5 (-110) | Hawks +1.5 (-110)

Money line: Knicks -122 | Hawks +102

Total: 216.5 (-112 O, -108 U)

BPI Projection: Knicks by 1.6, straight up 55%, 216.7 total points.

Injury Report:



Knicks: None reported

Hawks: Jock Landale, (OUT - Ankle)

Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors

8 p.m. ET on Prime Video

Line: Cavaliers -2.5 (-115) | Raptors +2.5 (-105)

Money line: Cavaliers -155 | Raptors +130

Total: 221.5 (-112 O, -108 U)

BPI Projection: Raptors by 1.2, straight up 54%, 222.1 total points.

Injury Report:



Cavaliers: Thomas Bryant, (GTD - Calf)

Raptors: Chucky Hepburn, (OFS - Knee)

Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves

9:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video

Line: Nuggets -2.5 (-105) | Timberwolves +2.5 (-115)

Money line: Nuggets -135 | Timberwolves +114

Total: 233.5 (-112 O, -108 U)

BPI Projection: Nuggets by 0.6, straight up 52%, 227.8 total points.

Injury Report:



Nuggets: Aaron Gordon, (GTD - Calf); Peyton Watson, (OUT - Hamstring)

Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, (GTD - Knee)