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February 21, 2025, 5:29 pm
Injury Report
Note that teams have until 1 p.m. local time on the day of a game to submit their report for the second leg of a back-to-back, so look out for updates throughout the day as appropriate.
Teams that have a Thursday-Friday B2B: New York Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio Spurs.
New York Knicks @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Game Time: 07:00 pm ET
DraftKings Lines
NY +8.5 (+275), CLE -8.5 (-345)
Game Total: 240.5Key Storylines
Deuce: Miles McBride is coming off a strong performance on Thursday and will get another extended opportunity as Josh Hart will not be unavailable again on Friday. We know Tom Thibodeau likes to run a tight rotation, so whenever McBride gets the opportunity for extended minutes, he can be streamed in standard formats.
“D-Wade”: Dean Wade is set to make his return from injury on Friday, which will further complicate the log-jam among Cavs’ forwards in their rotation. De’Andre Hunter has been underwhelming as a a Cavs’ player so far and the return of Wade does not help him. Hunter can be moved on from in standard formats, especially for fantasy managers still battling for a playoffs’ position in their leagues.
Stream of the Game
The previously mentioned Miles McBride is the priority here, as Josh Hart remains out.
Alternatives: Precious Achiuwa and Max Strus. Ty Jerome (deeper formats).
Memphis Grizzlies @ Orlando Magic
Game Time: 7:00 pm ET
DraftKings Lines
MEM -3 (-148), ORL +3 (+124)
Game Total: 226Key Storylines
Ja Bounce Back?: It was a tough outing for Ja Morant on Thursday vs. the Pacers, shooting just 26% from the field and committing five turnovers on the night in a plus-matchup. The Magic present a much more difficult challenge defensively than the Pacers. It will be interesting to monitor whether Ja can perform on the second night of a back-to-back (assuming he does suit up) after a sub-par performance on Thursday.
Getting There: It has taken Paolo Banchero some time to get back on track after his lengthy absence on the sidelines, but the rising star is starting to get back to his “old self” as of late. Over the last four games, Banchero is averaging 27 points per contest.
Stream of the Game
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