RADIO
Fantasy playoffs are looming just behind the corner. For fantasy teams that are in pursuit of a playoff berth or a higher seed, end-of-the-bench guys are running out of wiggle room. If your player is a cut candidate and he just isn't performing, no matter how many opportunities you have given him - don't be too patient. You're running out of time to catch the playoffs so waiting around just isn't a luxury most teams have.
If you're looking to turn his roster spot into a streaming one, look no further. I am taking a look ahead at next week's schedule to see which teams and players could contribute the most.
Here are my thoughts on the fantasy basketball streamers for Week 13.
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NBA Schedule Guide - Week 13
Here's the low-down:
Teams with 4 games:
Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics
Charlotte Hornets
Cleveland Cavaliers
Denver Nuggets
Houston Rockets
Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
Memphis Grizzlies
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
Orlando Magic
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers
Sacramento Kings
San Antonio Spurs
Toronto Raptors
Utah Jazz
Teams with 3 games:
Brooklyn Nets
Chicago Bulls
Dallas Mavericks
Detroit Pistons
Golden State Warriors
Indiana Pacers
Miami Heat
New Orleans Pelicans
New York Knicks
Oklahoma City Thunder
Philadelphia 76ers
Washington Wizards
Number of teams playing each day:
Monday: 16
Tuesday: 12
Wednesday: 22
Thursday: 10
Friday: 22
Saturday: 18
Sunday: 8
Back-to-Backs (beware of older or banged-up players who might rest):
Monday/Tuesday: -
Tuesday/Wednesday: BKN, DEN, ORL, PHO
Wednesday/Thursday: LAC, SAC, SAS
Thursday/Friday: GSW, LAL, MIA, POR
Friday/Saturday: BOS, CLE, DAL, DET, HOU, MEM, MIL, MIN, NOP, UTA
Saturday/Sunday: -
Sunday/Monday the following: TOR
Days with SIX or fewer games:
Tuesday: 6 games
Thursday: 5 games
Sunday: 4 games
Teams playing on all three days:
Los Angeles Lakers (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Portland Trail Blazers (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Teams playing on Tuesday and Thursday:
Los Angeles Lakers (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Portland Trail Blazers (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Golden State Warriors (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri)
Miami Heat (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri)
New York Knicks (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Philadelphia 76ers (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Washington Wizards (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Teams playing on Tuesday and Sunday:
Los Angeles Lakers (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Portland Trail Blazers (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Denver Nuggets (4 games - Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun)
Orlando Magic (4 games - Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun)
Phoenix Suns (4 games - Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun)
Teams playing on Thursday and Sunday:
Los Angeles Lakers (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Portland Trail Blazers (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Teams with a GOOD START to the week (three games from Monday to Thursday)
Los Angeles Clippers (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
Sacramento Kings (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
San Antonio Spurs (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
Teams with a GOOD END to the week (three games from Thursday to Sunday)
Los Angeles Lakers (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Portland Trail Blazers (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Teams with a POOR START to the week (one or no games from Monday to Thursday)
Dallas Mavericks (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)
Detroit Pistons (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)
New Orleans Pelicans (3 games - Tue, Fri, Sat)
Teams with a POOR END to the week (one or no games from Thursday to Sunday)
Brooklyn Nets (3 games - Tue, Wed, Fri)
Indiana Pacers (3 games - Mon, Wed, Fri)
Oklahoma City Thunder (3 games - Mon, Wed, Sat)
Baller Streaming Strategy for Week 13
With Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday being the only days with six or fewer games played, our focus will be on teams that play on these days.
Therefore, we will cover players from:
- Teams that play on all three of these days - Lakers and Trail Blazers
- Teams that play on both Tuesday and Thursday - Warriors, Heat, Knicks, 76ers and Wizards (all these teams play just three times this week)
- Teams that play on both Tuesday and Sunday - Nuggets, Magic and Suns (all these teams play four times this week)
- I wanted to add teams that play on Thursday and Sunday but that's again just LAL and POR so...
Both the Lakers and the Trail Blazers were featured last week as well, as they had a good schedule in Week 12 as well. So if you picked them up it could be a good idea to keep them.
Furthermore, the trade deadline is on March 25, so it is worth saving up an acquisition or two in case you can pick up an available player that finds himself in a better spot after the trade deadline dust has settled.
Streaming Options for Week 13
Shallower League Streaming Adds for the Week (Rostered in 25-75 % of Yahoo leagues):
Kyle Kuzma, SF/PF, LAL, (64% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, REB
Carmelo Anthony, SF/PF, POR, (59% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Gary Trent Jr., SG/SF, POR, (47% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS - buyer beware: CJ McCollum is back so his minutes will take a slight hit
James Wiseman, C, GSW, (69% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK, FG% - buyer beware: is currently out due to health and safety protocols
Jordan Poole, PG/SG, GSW, (29% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Duncan Robinson, SG/SF, MIA, (67% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Goran Dragic, PG/SG, MIA, (62% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, AST
Kendrick Nunn, PG/SG, MIA, (30% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, STL, FT% - buyer beware: his minutes are very dependable on whether Goran Dragic is playing or not
Kelly Olynyk, PF/C, MIA, (49% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL/BLK
Derrick Rose, PG/SG, NYK, (60% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, PTS, FT%, STL - buyer beware: still missing games due to COVID related medical protocols (seven games so far)
Elfrid Payton, PG, NYK, (31% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, STL - buyer beware: hamstring issue kept him out of his past four games
Nerlens Noel, PF/C, NYK, (44% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK
Immanuel Quickley, PG, NYK, (28% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, FT% - positive circumstance: is getting more minutes due to both Rose and Payton being out - buyer beware: missed his previous game with a sore left ankle
Seth Curry, PG/SG, PHI, (60% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%, AST - buyer beware: is missing the final two games of Week 12 due to a sprained ankle
Dwight Howard, C, PHI, (42% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK, FG% - buyer beware: poor FT%
Danny Green, SG/SF, PHI, (29% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL/BLK, a bit little of everything
Rui Hachimura, SF/PF, WAS, (60% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, PTS, a bit of everything
Will Barton, SG/SF, DEN, (60% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, REB, STL
Paul Millsap, PF/C, DEN, (33% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK/STL, FG%
Evan Fournier, SG/SF, ORL, (75% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, AST, STL
Terrence Ross, SG/SF, ORL, (65% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%, STL - buyer beware: missed the previous two games due to a sore knee
Jae Crowder, SF/PF, PHO, (33% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL
Shallower League Add
Will Barton, SG/SF, DEN, (60% Rostered)
Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, REB, STL
With season averages of 12.8 PTS with 1.8 3PM on 44.7 FG% and 74.6 FT%, 4.1 REB, 3.2 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.4 BLK and 1.7 TO in 30 minutes a night, it is obvious Barton won't help you out with his efficiency. He won't hurt you too much either though, and he will contribute counting stats across the board.
Furthermore, Barton has upped his game post All Star break and is averaging 20.6 points and 3.6 threes (other stats are similar to his season averages) and with the return of Gary Harris nowhere in sight, and now Monte Morris going down with an injury as well (probably not as long-term as Harris, however), Barton is getting all the run he can handle. He is leading the Nuggets in minutes per game over the last five games with 36 a night. That is more than both MVP candidate Nikola Jokic and their young star Jamal Murray.
With four games next week, two of which are coming on scarce days, if you need an all-around player to boost several categories, Barton could just be your guy.
Deeper League Add
Alec Burks, PG/SG, NYK, (23% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Positive Circumstance: is getting more minutes due to both Rose and Payton being out
Burks has been killing it over the last week with averages of 39.3 FG%, 84.6 FT%, 16.8 PTS, 2.0 3PM, 4.8 REB, 1.0 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.5 BLK and 1.0 TO in 30 minutes a night. This is enough for him to occupy the lucrative #100 spot in Yahoo rankings despite the poor field-goal percentage.
Almost always when called upon, Burks delivers. Even back in Utah, whenever he got the opportunity, he made the most of it. But he just can't get enough minutes consistently to be fantasy relevant in shallower leagues. But now, with both Derrick Rose and Elfrid Payton missing time, and even Immanuel Quickley skipping the last game, Burks is once more on our streaming radars.
If you need a scorer who can contribute a bit in other categories as well, and don't mind him hurting your FG% a bit, with games on both Tuesday and Thursday, Burks can be a good early week add to bolster your points, threes and free throws. Do keep an eye on the Knicks' injury report though, as Alec will lose minutes if any of the aforementioned three are back in contention.
Insanely Deep League Add
Cameron Payne, PG/SG, PHO, (3% Rostered)
Strong Cats: 3PM, AST
Payne has shown glimpses of his talent for the past few years, but was never able to bust out of the backup point guard role in any of his previous teams (OKC, CHI, even CLE for a bit). This year, it's really not much different with him averaging 7.2 PTS with 1.1 3PM on 50.0 FG% and 90.9 FT%, 2.1 REB, 3.7 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.2 BLK and 1.1 TO in just under 17 minutes per game.
Now, even though he doesn't contribute too much in the counting stats (a part from the assists and threes), he is a part of the elite efficiency club with his threes over 45%, field goals over 50% and free throws over 90%. Furthermore, he is getting the 0.6 steals per game in just 17 minutes of action. It seems that the mentorship of Chris Paul is helping Payne become a better, or at least more efficient player.
If you're looking for some assists and threes with a steal here and there, with his four games next week, you could do a lot worse in deep leagues than Payne.
Other Deep League Options for the Week
Rostered in less than 25% of Yahoo leagues
Marc Gasol, C, LAL, (17% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK
Damian Jones, C, LAL, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK - will probably see less playing time when Gasol returns
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, PG/SG, LAL, (10% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%, STL
Talen Horton-Tucker, SG/SF, LAL, (12% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK
Wesley Matthews, SG/SF, LAL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
Alex Caruso, PG/SG, LAL, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, STL
Markieff Morris, PF/C, LAL, (5% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB
Derrick Jones Jr., SG/SF, POR, (12% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK, FG%
Anfernee Simons, PG/SG, POR, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM - buyer beware: hasn't played since CJ McCollum returned
Rodney Hood, SG/SF, POR, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: huh, I really couldn't say
Nassir Little, SF, POR, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB
Damion Lee, SG/SF, GSW, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM - positive circumstance: could see more minutes if Stephen Curry misses more time
Kevon Looney, PF/C, GSW, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, STL/BLK - positive circumstance: is getting more minutes due to both James Wiseman and Eric Paschall being out
Eric Paschall, SF/PF/C, GSW, (4% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, PTS - buyer beware: is currently out due to health and safety protocols
Nico Mannion, PG, ATL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, STL - positive circumstance: could see more minutes if Stephen Curry misses more time
Precious Achiuwa, SF/PF, MIA, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK/STL, FG% - buyer beware: very low minutes lately
Andre Iguodala, SG/SF, MIA, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, STL, REB - buyer beware: missed the last two games due to a hip issue
Trevor Ariza, SG/SF, MIA, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, REB - buyer beware: hasn't played for a while before his trade to Miami
KZ Okpala, SG/SF, MIA, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: nothing in particular - buyer beware: could see his minutes drop when both Igoudala and Ariza are inserted into the rotation
Reggie Bullock, SG/SF, NYK, (5% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB
Obi Toppin, PF/C, NYK, (14% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK
Alec Burks, PG/SG, NYK, (23% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT% - positive circumstance: is getting more minutes due to both Rose and Payton being out
Taj Gibson, PF/C, NYK, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK
Shake Milton, PG/SG, PHI, (19% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%, AST
Matisse Thybulle, SG/SF, PHI, (11% Rostered) - Strong Cats: STL/BLK
Furkan Korkmaz, SG/SF, PHI, (5% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
Mike Scott, SF/PF, PHI, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
Tony Bradley, C, PHI (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK, FG%
Deni Avdija, SG/SF, WAS, (6% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL
Robin Lopez, C, WAS, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB
Raul Neto, PG, WAS, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%, STL
Alex Len, PF/C, WAS, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB, STL/BLK
Garrison Mathews, SG/SF, WAS, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM
Monte Morris, PG/SG, DEN, (9% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, 3PM, STL - buyer beware: missed his previous four games due to a quad injury
Facundo Campazzo, PG, DEN, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, STL
PJ Dozier, PG/SG, DEN, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
JaMychal Green, PF/C, DEN, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM
Michael Carter-Williams, PG/SG, ORL, (14% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, STL/BLK, REB - buyer beware: missed his previous two games due to illness
Khem Birch, PF/C, ORL, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: STL/BLK, REB
Dwayne Bacon, SG, ORL, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS
Mo Bamba, C, ORL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: BLK, REB
Chuma Okeke, PF, ORL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: STL/BLK, REB, 3PM
Cameron Payne, PG/SG, PHO, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST
Dario Saric, PF/C, PHO, (13% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB
Cameron Payne, PG/SG, PHO, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST
Frank Kaminsky, C, PHO, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: not much really
Langston Galloway, PG/SG, PHO, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS
Abdel Nader, SF/PF, PHO, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: no specialties, a little bit of everything
Good luck with your matchups next week guys! Let's get that win!
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