Betting tips, DFS picks for Tuesday's three 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 you can stream as well as game-by-game injury reports.

What you need to know for Tuesday's games

The New York Knicks return to Madison Square Garden for Game 5 against the Atlanta Hawks with the series tied 2-2 after a strong response in Game 4. New York has controlled stretches of this series behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson, but consistency has been an issue late in games.

Atlanta has stayed competitive behind CJ McCollum's scoring, but turnovers and offensive lapses have limited their ability to fully capitalize. This matchup comes down to whether the Knicks can sustain control at home or if the Hawks can steal another road win.

The Boston Celtics head into Game 5 with a 3-1 series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Celtics are looking to close things out on their home floor. Boston's depth and perimeter scoring have created separation, while Philadelphia will need to continue to rely heavily on Joel Embiid to keep them competitive. With elimination on the line, the 76ers will need a complete performance, but the Celtics' balance and composure have been the difference throughout the series.

The San Antonio Spurs return home with a 3-1 lead over the Portland Trail Blazers after back-to-back comeback wins on the road. San Antonio has found success by pushing the pace and forcing turnovers, while Victor Wembanyama anchors the defense in the paint. Portland, facing elimination, will need to protect the ball and match the Spurs' energy early. This matchup boils down to whether San Antonio can take care of business on their home court or if the Trail Blazers can extend it with a desperate performance.

Let's dig deeper into these matchups to identify key betting angles and DFS plays for Tuesday's slate.

Moody's Bets for Tuesday

CJ McCollum 20+ points (-130): McCollum has scored at least 20 points in three of four games this series. Even in Game 4, a blowout where he was pulled with under six minutes remaining, he still finished with 17 points. He's averaged 19.0 field goal attempts per game while shooting 51.3% from the floor. Historically, when a series is tied 2-2, the Game 5 winner goes on to win the series at a high rate, making it likely McCollum sees heavy usage here as the Hawks look to grab the advantage.

Jayson Tatum 8+ assists (+129): Tatum has recorded at least seven assists in every game this series against the 76ers and has reached eight in two of them. His potential assist numbers have also been strong throughout the series. Philadelphia ranks near the bottom of the league in assists allowed and continues to rely heavily on drop coverage, which Boston can exploit by creating looks for its 3-point shooters. The Celtics ranked fourth in three-point attempts per game during the regular season, making this an excellent spot for Tatum.

Payton Pritchard 4+ 3-pointers (+226): The 76ers are a strong matchup for three-point shooters, and Pritchard is starting to take advantage. After a slow start in Games 1 and 2, he's hit at least four triples in each of the last two games while attempting 10+ threes in both. With Tatum and Jaylen Brown drawing defensive attention, Pritchard should continue to see clean looks, especially with Derrick White struggling.

Spurs -12.5 (-110): The Spurs now hold a commanding 3-1 lead and has dominated defensively, improving its defensive rating from the regular season. The Trail Blazers have the worst offensive rating among playoff teams since they've had to deal with Wembanyama patrolling the paint. The Spurs have a 32-8 record at home, while Portland are 13-14 against the spread as road underdogs. San Antonio should be eager to take care of business on its home floor and close out the series.

Top Daily Fantasy Values of the Day

$8,100+ Salaries

Karl-Anthony Towns, PF/C, New York Knicks ($8,500): Towns has scored at least 55 fantasy points in each of the last two games against the Hawks while posting a 22.7% usage rate. He also recorded the first postseason triple-double of his career in Game 4. Towns has been excellent lately, and the Knicks are likely to lean on him and Brunson at home as they look to take control of the series.

Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers ($8,400): Embiid reminded us how dominant he can be when healthy, posting 52 fantasy points with a 37.8% usage rate in 34 minutes in the 76ers Game 4 loss to the Celtics. He appears to have avoided any setbacks and is listed as probable for Game 5, which is encouraging. Embiid has averaged 28.9 PPG and 8.5 RPG this season when playing at least 30 minutes.

$6,100-$8,000 Salaries

De'Aaron Fox, PG, San Antonio Spurs ($7,200): The Spurs have leaned heavily on their starters in this first-round series against the Trail Blazers, and Fox has responded with at least 34 minutes and 28 fantasy points in every game, including 52.5 in Game 4. He's posted a 23.4% usage rate and should continue to carry a significant offensive role as San Antonio looks to close out the series.

CJ McCollum, PG/SG, Atlanta Hawks ($6,800): McCollum finished Game 4 with a disappointing 26.8 fantasy points, but he's scored at least 32 in the other three games against the Knicks in this series, including 51.2 in Game 2. He's posted a 30.7% usage rate, contributes across the stat sheet, and should remain heavily involved in a critical Game 5.

OG Anunoby, PF, New York Knicks ($6,200): Anunoby has been excellent, averaging 39.7 fantasy points and 38.2 minutes per game against the Hawks in this series. With 16 field goal attempts in back-to-back games and a 20.2% usage rate, this volume positions him a strong DFS value against Atlanta.

$3,500-$6,000 Salaries

Devin Vassell, SF, San Antonio Spurs ($5,500): Vassell has scored at least 26 fantasy points in every game this series, including 43 in Game 2. He contributes on both ends of the court, which boosts his DFS value given how heavily the Spurs have leaned on their starters against the Trail Blazers. Vassell has also played at least 33 minutes in every game of the series.

Projections and Injury Reports

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

Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics

7 p.m. ET

Line: 76ers +11.5 (-105) | Celtics -11.5 (-115)

Money line: 76ers +410 | Celtics -550

Total: 213.5 (-112 O, -108 U)

BPI Projection: Celtics by 9.8, straight up 78%, 211.3 total points.

Injury Report:



76ers: None reported

Celtics: None reported

Atlanta Hawks at New York Knicks

8 p.m. ET

Line: Hawks +6.5 (-115) | Knicks -6.5 (-105)

Money line: Hawks +205 | Knicks -250

Total: 214.5 (-112 O, -108 U)

BPI Projection: Knicks by 7.6, straight up 73%, 217.4 total points.
Injury Report:



Hawks: Jock Landale, (OUT - Ankle)

Knicks: None reported

Portland Trail Blazers at San Antonio Spurs

9:30 p.m. ET

Line: Blazers +11.5 (-110) | Spurs -11.5 (-110)

Money line: Blazers +440 | Spurs -600

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

BPI Projection: Spurs by 11.9, straight up 82%, 219.2 total points.
Injury Report:



Blazers: Damian Lillard, (OFS - Achilles)

Spurs: David Jones Garcia, (OFS - Ankle)