Fantasy basketball picks and betting tips for NBA Cup semifinals

Saturday features just two games and they’re both Emirates Cup semifinal games that will determine the finalists for the trophy on Tuesday night in Vegas. That means slim pickings for today, while Tuesday’s championship game won’t count in most fantasy leagues.

Note that the Atlanta Hawks play the Milwaukee Bucks at 4:30 p.m. ET and the Houston Rockets play the Oklahoma City Thunder at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Here are our fantasy streamers and best bets for today’s games.

Saturday’s Fantasy Stream Team

De’Andre Hunter, Atlanta Hawks (Available in 70.7% of ESPN leagues)

Hunter has been shockingly good this season and is having a December to remember. He has averaged 22.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 3.6 3-pointers over his five games this month. He is getting nearly 29 minutes per game and has found a way to co-exist with Jalen Johnson, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Dyson Daniels and Trae Young. He has scored at least 20 points in all five December games and will look to keep it going against the Bucks Saturday night.

Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks (Available in 55.7% of ESPN leagues)

Bogdanovic hasn’t been as good as Hunter, but he has still been productive. He was a dud against the Knicks on Wednesday when he hit just 3-of-9 shots and a 3-pointer for seven points, but he also had a steal, a block and a 3-pointer. He had 20 points and six boards against the Lakers in his previous game and has averaged 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds 2.8 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.3 3-pointers in his four December games. If Hunter is not available, Bogi is your next best streaming option for the suddenly hot Hawks.

Tari Eason, Houston Rockets (Available in 60.2% of ESPN leagues)

Eason runs hot and cold and he can be a bit of a roll of the dice when it comes to scoring points. But he has managed to go for 10.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and a 3-pointer in three December games, but is shooting just 36.7 percent from the floor. The Rockets will likely lean on him defensively against the Thunder and I’m guessing Eason will get at least 25 minutes. If his shot is falling, he should be able to post a solid fantasy line against the Thunder.

Luguentz Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder (Available in 82.6% of ESPN leagues)

Dort’s shot disappeared in his first three December outings, but he has been better in his last two, hitting 9-of-20 shots and seven 3-pointers. He has averaged 12.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.5 SPG and 1.0 BPG over that stretch. Dort starts and plays around 30 minutes per game and now that he’s starting to make shots again, he should be good for at least 10 points, two triples, five boards, a steal and a block, making him an intriguing streaming option for Saturday.

Best bets for Saturday

Odds by ESPN BET

Trae Young to hit the first 3-point field goal (+500)

If you want to try to hit a home run and are feeling lucky, this seems like a reasonable gamble. Young has been one of the most prolific 3-point threats in the league throughout his career and has had at least one triple in all but three games this season. If you’re feeling really adventurous, Jalen Johnson is +1000 to hit the first one and has also hit a 3-pointer in all but three of his games as well.

Damian Lillard to score over 24.5 points (-125)

Lillard has scored at 25 points in seven of his last eight games and scored exactly 25 against this Hawks team on Dec. 4. Dyson Daniels could be assigned to try to lock down Lillard tonight, which would hurt, but Dame Time is hot enough right now that it’s hard to see him not going off in such an important game. And I like the chances of him scoring at least 25 a lot more than I trust Giannis Antetokounmpo to score at least 34 (-105).

Jalen Johnson total points, rebounds and assists over 33.5 (-115)

Johnson has scored in double digits in all but one of his games this season, had 43 combined PRA in his last game on Wednesday at New York, and also had 41 PRA against these same Bucks on Dec. 4. The Hawks are clearly excited to be in Vegas and outside of Antetokounmpo, are not exactly defensive stalwarts. Johnson should be primed for another big game on a national stage.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over 30.5 total points (-125)

SGA has scored 31 or more points in seven of his last nine games, including a 32-point night against these Rockets on Dec. 1. The stage is massive, a trip to the Cup Finals is on the line and Gilgeous-Alexander has been one of the most reliable stars in the entire league this season. With everything on the line, look for him to take matters into his own hands tonight and post another massive line against the Rockets.

Projections and Injury Reports

Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds by ESPN BET

Players in italics are available in a majority of ESPN Leagues

Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks
4:30 p.m. ET on TNT

Line: Hawks +4.5 (-115) | Bucks -4.5 (-105)
Money line: Hawks +150 | Bucks -175
Total: 229.5 (-115 O, -105 U)
BPI Projection: Bucks by 5.3, straight up 67%, 236.9 total points.

Injury Report:

Hawks: Bogdan Bogdanovic, (GTD – Quadriceps); De’Andre Hunter, (GTD – Knee); Jalen Johnson, (GTD – Ankle); Trae Young, (GTD – Achilles); Seth Lundy, (OUT – Ankle); Cody Zeller, (OUT – Personal)
Bucks: Chris Livingston, (GTD – Ankle); Giannis Antetokounmpo, (GTD – Knee); Khris Middleton, (GTD – Ankle); MarJon Beauchamp, (GTD – Hamstring)

Hawks projections:

• Trae Young, PG: 42.5 FPTS (20.8 pts, 3.6 reb, 8.9 ast, 2.4 3PM)

• Jalen Johnson, PF: 38.4 FPTS (18.6 pts, 9.4 reb, 5.5 ast)

• Dyson Daniels, PG/SG: 27.7 FPTS (11.9 pts, 4.6 reb, 3.5 ast)

• De’Andre Hunter, SF/PF: 25.0 FPTS (16.4 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.2 ast, 2.1 3PM)

• Clint Capela, C: 23.9 FPTS (10.5 pts, 9.6 reb, 1.5 ast)

• Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG/SF: 23.2 FPTS (12.2 pts, 3.2 reb, 2.6 ast, 2.1 3PM)

• Onyeka Okongwu, C: 19.2 FPTS (9.7 pts, 6.4 reb, 1.3 ast)

Bucks projections:

• Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF/C: 44.7 FPTS (30.0 pts, 10.5 reb, 5.9 ast, 1.3 blk)

• Damian Lillard, PG: 43.4 FPTS (26.0 pts, 4.0 reb, 7.1 ast, 3.3 3PM)

• Bobby Portis, PF: 26.3 FPTS (13.4 pts, 7.0 reb, 2.2 ast)

• Brook Lopez, C: 21.5 FPTS (11.4 pts, 4.5 reb, 1.6 ast, 1.9 blk)

• Khris Middleton, SF: 21.4 FPTS (10.9 pts, 3.3 reb, 3.6 ast)

• Gary Trent Jr., SG: 17.9 FPTS (10.4 pts, 1.7 reb, 1.2 ast, 1.8 3PM)

• Taurean Prince, SF: 15.8 FPTS (7.0 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.5 ast)

Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder
8:30 p.m. ET on ABC

Line: Rockets +5.5 (-110) | Thunder -5.5 (-110)
Money line: Rockets +190 | Thunder -230
Total: 216.5 (-105 O, -115 U)
BPI Projection: Thunder by 5.7, straight up 68%, 221.1 total points.

Injury Report:
Rockets: Dillon Brooks, (GTD – Illness)
Thunder: Chet Holmgren, (OUT – Hip); Nikola Topic, (OUT – Knee); Jaylin Williams, (OUT – Hamstring); Ousmane Dieng, (OUT – Finger)

Rockets projections:

• Alperen Sengun, C: 38.8 FPTS (19.4 pts, 9.7 reb, 5.2 ast)

• Fred VanVleet, PG: 35.0 FPTS (16.4 pts, 3.7 reb, 5.7 ast, 2.7 3PM)

• Jalen Green, SG: 30.1 FPTS (18.9 pts, 4.2 reb, 2.8 ast, 2.3 3PM)

• Jabari Smith Jr., PF/C: 26.3 FPTS (14.0 pts, 6.9 reb, 1.7 ast, 1.8 3PM)

• Tari Eason, SF/PF: 22.6 FPTS (10.5 pts, 6.3 reb, 1.1 ast)

• Amen Thompson, SG/SF/PF: 21.5 FPTS (11.2 pts, 5.9 reb, 2.2 ast)

• Dillon Brooks, SG/SF: 21.2 FPTS (12.3 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.9 ast, 1.9 3PM)

Thunder projections:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG: 52.2 FPTS (31.4 pts, 5.3 reb, 6.2 ast, 2.0 3PM)

• Jalen Williams, SF/PF/C: 38.7 FPTS (20.0 pts, 5.6 reb, 4.9 ast, 1.9 3PM)

• Isaiah Hartenstein, C: 25.8 FPTS (8.5 pts, 10.7 reb, 3.9 ast)

• Luguentz Dort, SG/SF: 20.5 FPTS (9.6 pts, 4.4 reb, 1.9 ast, 1.9 3PM)

• Cason Wallace, SG: 19.4 FPTS (7.4 pts, 3.5 reb, 2.5 ast)

• Alex Caruso, PG/SG: 18.0 FPTS (6.6 pts, 2.8 reb, 2.7 ast)

• Aaron Wiggins, SG: 16.1 FPTS (6.5 pts, 3.1 reb, 2.2 ast)

Source: espn.com