RADIO
This weekly column is primarily designed for anyone playing in a fantasy basketball head-to-head format, and especially for those of you playing in weekly lineup leagues.
It is a great strategy to know which NBA players are scheduled to play in a four game week. You can use this information to gain an advantage in games played over your opponent. The more games played you have, the more production you will have for your fantasy lineups.
The four players listed below are mostly fringe players in 10-12 team leagues that have more value this week based on their four game schedule. You will not see me advise you to play LeBron James or Kevin Durant; hopefully you already know to play your studs regardless of how many games they are playing. Let’s get to it!
Top Four Game Sleepers (3/2 – 3/8)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (CHA, SF)
Kidd-Gilchrest has quietly put together a nice run of late. Over his last four games since the All Star break, he is averaging 16.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks. He is shooting an impressive 54.9 percent from the field and 75.0 percent from the charity stripe.
MKG’s recent surge should come as no surprise. It has coincided with the arrival of Mo Williams via trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Williams took over as the starter immediately, as struggling point guard Brian Roberts was not getting the job done.
Williams has always been a very underrated player. He is an excellent passer, and has the ability to create easy buckets for his teammates. MKG has certainly benefitted the most, as all of his numbers are soaring right now. He has posted consecutive double-doubles in his last two games.
Next week MKG will draw favorable matchups with the LA Lakers, at Brooklyn, Toronto, and at Detroit. It remains to be seen if he will continue his strong play, but his chances of doing so are much greater will Williams in town. Give him a long look if you are in the market for a small forward.
P.J. Tucker (PHO, SG/SF)
Tucker is another under the radar player that just produces when given the opportunity. Known more for his solid defense, Tucker has proven more than capable on offense as well. The issue with him has always been playing time.
The Phoenix Suns were one of the most active teams at the trade deadline. While they added Brandon Knight and a couple of role players, they traded away more than they received. This move has opened up some more minutes for other guys to contribute, and Tucker has been the biggest beneficiary. He is playing 30 minutes a night since the break.
As is the case with most players, more minutes usually equals more production. Tucker is averaging 12.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 1.0 threes over his last four games. He is a fun player to own for his ability to contribute across the board.
The upcoming schedule for Tucker features games at Miami, at Orlando, at Brooklyn, and at Cleveland. Playing all four games on the road is less than ideal, but none of these are tough spots with the exception of Cleveland. Tucker’s rise in minutes, positional flexibility and his ability to help out in every category make him a must own player the rest of the way.
Aaron Brooks (CHI, PG)
Brooks has not been very good lately, but he has a big opportunity in front of him. Derrick Rose just had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee. It is extremely doubtful that Rose will make it back before the end of the regular season.
Therefore, Brooks will take over as the starting point guard for the Chicago Bulls. He should see north of 30 minutes a night, which gives him ample opportunity to put up some nice stats. He should be useful in your typical point guard categories: points, threes, assists, steals, and free throw percentage. He will likely be a drain on your field goal percentage, but sometimes you have to take the good with the bad.
Brooks has upcoming matchups with Washington, Oklahoma City, at Indiana, and at San Antonio. He is still available in a lot of leagues, but that will not last very long. Coach Tom Thibideau likes to play his starters heavy minutes, so it is just a matter of time before Brooks puts some big games together.
Ray McCallum (SAC, PG)
Similar to Aaron Brooks, McCallum is benefitting from from an injury. It looks as though Darren Collison is done for the season with a hip injury. McCallum played 36 minutes in his last game and scored 20 points, so he appears to be the biggest winner.
There are a few unknown factors that are complicating matters for McCallum. The Kings just hired a new coach in George Karl, and it remains to be seen how his rotations are going to work. Also, they traded for point guard Andre Miller, who could cut into McCallum’s playing time.
I would recommend McCallum over Miller, however. Miller is an older player who is in the twilight of a great career. It is unlikely that he could play big minutes on a regular basis, so he will probably remain the backup. The Kings are not going to the playoffs, so they have every reason to see what they have with their younger players, which works in McCallum’s favor. He saw some time as the starter last season, and played very well in that role.
The schedule for McCallum next week features matchups at New York, at San Antonio, at Orlando, and at Miami. It is a tough stretch for the Kings with all of the games coming on the road, but McCallum should still be able to produce some nice numbers for fantasy purposes. If you are in the market for a point guard and Aaron Brooks is not available, take a flier on McCallum.
