ESPN's fantasy basketball and basketball betting tips cheat sheet is your pregame destination for basketball betting predictions and our best intel and data, featuring ESPN's proprietary Basketball Power Index (BPI) to help you make smart fantasy and wagering decisions. NBA game odds for Sunday, Feb. 26 are provided by Caesars Sportsbook, and fantasy advice is based on ESPN 10-team leagues.

What you need to know for Sunday's games

Rapper Fat Joe has a quote that's gone viral of late: "Yesterday's price is not today's price!" This has proven true in the NBA coming out of the All-Star Break, where we've already seen a steady stream of performances that haven't fit with previous trends. Some of that may be due to natural rust coming off a full week layoff, but a lot of circumstances also changed with the busiest NBA Trade Deadline in years happening just before the Break.

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We've also seen a high-profile coaching change within the last week. Plus, the Break is an unofficial demarcation of "the stretch run", which affects teams fighting for a potential playoffs run differently than it affects young teams that may be leaning into the rebuild.

There are many examples of this phenomenon that play into today's games. You'll see several alluded to in the picks below. So just remember, as you check out the picks: Yesterday's price is nottoday's price!

-- Andre Snellings

Game of the day

Phoenix Suns at Milwaukee Bucks
1 p.m. ET on ESPN, Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Records (Against the Spread)
Suns: 33-28 (32-28-1)
Bucks: 42-17 (33-23-3)

Line: Bucks (-2.5)
BPI Projection:Bucks: 123.5-116.9
Money Line: Suns (+118), Bucks (-140)
BPI Projected winner: Bucks (72%)
Total: 229.5 points BPI Projected Total:240.4 points

Injury Report:
Suns: Kevin Durant, (OUT - Knee); Landry Shamet, (OUT - Foot)
Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, (GTD - Quadriceps); Wesley Matthews, (OUT - Calf)
Note: BPI numbers factor players who are ruled out but assumes GTD players will play

Breaking down the rest of the slate

Brooklyn Nets at Atlanta Hawks
3 p.m. ET, State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia

Records (Against the Spread)
Nets: 34-25 (31-28-0)
Hawks: 30-30 (27-31-2)

Line: Hawks (-5.5)
BPI Projection:Hawks (123.5-117.9)
Money Line: Nets (+185), Hawks (-225)
BPI Projected winner: Hawks (61.7%)
Total: 233 points BPI Projected Total:239 points

Injury Report:
Nets: Ben Simmons, (OUT - Knee)
Hawks: John Collins, (GTD - Back)
Note: BPI numbers factor players who are ruled out but assumes GTD players will play

Best bet: Trae Young over 36.5 total points + assists. Young entered the All-Star Break on a tear, and continued that in his first game back with 34 points and 9 assists. Altogether, Young has averaged 27.6 PPG and 12.6 APG in his last five outings while going over 36.5 combined in four of those games. The Hawks have also recently changed coaches in a move publicly attributed to Young, and he may have extra motivation to produce as a result. -Snellings

Washington Wizards at Chicago Bulls
3:30 p.m. ET, United Center, Chicago, Illinois

Records (Against the Spread)
Wizards: 28-31 (28-30-1)
Bulls: 27-33 (31-29-0)

Line: Bulls (-4)
BPI Projection:Bulls (121.1-113.6)
Money Line: Wizards (+152), Bulls (-180)
BPI Projected winner: Bulls (70.2%)
Total: 225.5 points BPI Projected Total:232.9 points

Injury Report:
Wizards: Kristaps Porzingis, (OUT - Knee)
Bulls: Goran Dragic, (OUT - Knee); Javonte Green, (OUT - Knee); Lonzo Ball, (OUT - Knee)
Note: BPI numbers factor players who are ruled out but assumes GTD players will play

Fantasy streamer: Deni Avdija (available in 87.5% of leagues) may get more run with Kristaps Porzingis (knee) out. In his last two starts earlier in February, Avdija averaged 16.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG and 2.0 3PG in 33.5 MPG. In the last three games Porzingis missed in late January, Avdija averaged 13.3 PPG, 9.7 RPG and 2.7 3PG in 29.7 MPG. Both sets of numbers suggest Avdija is worthy of fantasy hoops attention on Sunday. -Snellings

Best bet: Under 224.5 points. The Bulls trotted out a new-look starting line-up on Friday, starting two defensive ball-hounds in the backcourt with Patrick Beverley and Alex Caruso along with their three best players of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic. The results were striking, as they held the Nets to an eye-popping 29 total points in the first half of a blowout. While unlikely to replicate that feat, the increased defense could lead to a lower scoring total against a Wizards team that will be missing a primary scorer in Kristaps Porzingis (out, knee).

Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks
3:30 p.m. ET, American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

Records (Against the Spread)
Lakers: 28-32 (27-31-2)
Mavericks: 32-29 (22-36-3)

Line: Mavericks (-4)
BPI Projection:Mavericks (127.8-120.5)
Money Line: Lakers (+143), Mavericks (-170)
BPI Projected winner: Mavericks (74.6%)
Total: 236.5 points BPI Projected Total:248.3 points

Injury Report:
Lakers: Anthony Davis, (GTD - Foot); D'Angelo Russell, (GTD - Ankle); LeBron James, (GTD - Foot)
Mavericks: Davis Bertans, (OUT - Calf); Maxi Kleber, (OUT - Hamstring)
Note: BPI numbers factor players who are ruled out but assumes GTD players will play

Fantasy streamer: Dennis Schroder (available in 72.0% of leagues)is likely to get starter minutes on Sunday with D'Angelo Russell listed as doubtful. Schroder is a streaky option, but all-told in his last five games he's averaged 15.2 PPG, 5.8 APG, 1.6 RPG and 1.2 3PG in 28.2 MPG. -- Snellings

Best bet: Malik Beasley over 2.5 3-pointers. Beasley's role with the Lakers is to be the 3-point release valve when teams try to limit LeBron James and Anthony Davis. In his last three games with his new team, Beasley has knocked down 15 3-pointers, including seven in their first game after the All-Star Break. With D'Angelo Russell doubtful, Beasley may get even more looks as the best shooter in the starting five. -- Snellings

Toronto Raptors at Cleveland Cavaliers
6 p.m. ET, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, Ohio

Records (Against the Spread)
Raptors: 30-31 (30-31-0)
Cavaliers: 38-25 (32-29-2)

Line: Cavaliers (-7)
BPI Projection:Cavaliers (127.8-109.4)
Money Line: Raptors (+222), Cavaliers (-278)
BPI Projected winner: Cavaliers (74.7%)
Total: 216 points BPI Projected Total:225.7 points

Injury Report:
Raptors: Fred VanVleet, (GTD - Personal); Otto Porter Jr., (OUT - Foot)
Cavaliers: None reported
Note: BPI numbers factor players who are ruled out but assumes GTD players will play

Trend: The Toronto Raptors have won a season best four straight games outright and a back-to-back might not slow them down as they've covered five of their past six games on no rest.-- Kyle Soppe

Best bet: Raptors +7. The Raptors have been a different team since old friend Jakob Poeltl returned to town and the starting lineup. In Poeltl's four starts with the Raptors, the team has gone 4-0, including 2-0 since the All-Star Break. The Cavaliers are a strong team, but they've lost three straight, including both games since the break. I could see the Cavaliers being favored at home, but with the way both teams are playing, 6.5 points is too many to give. -- Snellings

Sacramento Kings at Oklahoma City Thunder
7 p.m. ET, Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Records (Against the Spread)
Kings: 34-25 (32-27-0)
Thunder: 28-31 (37-21-1)

Line: Kings (-3.5)
BPI Projection:Kings (126.4-122.5)
Money Line: Kings (-170), Thunder (+143)
BPI Projected winner: Kings (63.4%)
Total: 241 points BPI Projected Total:248.9 points

Injury Report:
Kings: None reported
Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, (OUT - Ankle); Aleksej Pokusevski, (OUT - Lower Leg); Chet Holmgren, (OUT - Foot)
Note: BPI numbers factor players who are ruled out but assumes GTD players will play

Trend: The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen nine of their past 13 games as a home underdog go over the total. The Sacramento Kings have no problem with that game script (four of their past five road games have gone over the total). In fact, you could make the case they prefer it given that their ATS record is 3.0 games better when the total goes over than when it comes in under.-- Soppe

Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden State Warriors
7:30 p.m. ET, Chase Center, San Francisco, California

Records (Against the Spread)
Timberwolves: 31-31 (29-33-0)
Warriors: 30-30 (27-32-1)

Line: Warriors (-2.5)
BPI Projection:Timberwolves (126.4-120.1))
Money Line: Timberwolves (+118), Warriors (-140)
BPI Projected winner: Timberwolves (51.7%)
Total: 233.5 points BPI Projected Total:240.7 points

Injury Report:
Timberwolves: Jaylen Nowell, (GTD - Knee); Taurean Prince, (GTD - Personal); Karl-Anthony Towns, (OUT - Calf)
Warriors: Draymond Green, (GTD - Knee); Andre Iguodala, (OUT - Hip); Andrew Wiggins, (OUT - Personal); Stephen Curry, (OUT - Lower Leg); Gary Payton II, (OUT - Abdomen); Ryan Rollins, (OUT - Foot)
Note: BPI numbers factor players who are ruled out but assumes GTD players will play

Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers
9 p.m. ET, Moda Center, Portland, Oregon

Records (Against the Spread)
Rockets: 13-46 (22-34-3)
Blazers: 28-31 (29-29-1)

Line: Blazers (-10)
BPI Projection:Blazers (130.5-120.7)
Money Line: Rockets (+360), Blazers (-480)
BPI Projected winner: Blazers (80.4%)
Total: 231 points BPI Projected Total:251.2 points

Injury Report:
Rockets: Jalen Green, (OUT - Groin); Kevin Porter Jr., (OUT - Foot)
Blazers: Jusuf Nurkic, (OUT - Calf); Ryan Arcidiacono, (OUT - Back); Anfernee Simons, (OUT - Ankle); Justise Winslow, (OUT - Ankle)
Note: BPI numbers factor players who are ruled out but assumes GTD players will play

Trend: The Portland Trail Blazers are 7-4 ATS this season when favored by at least five points and any positive trend is worth baking against a Houston Rockets team that has covered just six of their past 22 games. -- Soppe

LA Clippers at Denver Nuggets
10 p.m. ET, Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado

Records (Against the Spread)
Clippers: 33-29 (31-31-0)
Nuggets: 42-19 (33-27-1)

Line: Nuggets (-2.5)
BPI Projection:Clippers: 130.5-121.1
Money Line: Clippers (+118), Nuggets (-140)
BPI Projected winner: Clippers (51.9%)
Total: 232.5 BPI Projected Total:242.7

Injury Report:
Clippers: Ivica Zubac, (OUT - Calf)
Nuggets: Aaron Gordon, (GTD - Ribs); Zeke Nnaji, (GTD - Shoulder)
Note: BPI numbers factor players who are ruled out but assumes GTD players will play

Trend: The Denver Nuggets have seen six of eight games on zero rest this season go over the total. If this game does in fact produce more scoring than projected, the Los Angeles Clippers might be the play given that they are 6-3 ATS over the past month when over tickets cash. -- Soppe