RADIO
This weekly column is geared toward anyone playing in a head-to-head format, and especially those of you in weekly lineup leagues. It is a great idea to keep up with which players are scheduled to play four games during the upcoming week (2/23 - 3/1), as fantasy basketball managers can use this information to gain an advantage in games played over an opponent. Simply put, the more games played, the more potential there is for production.
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 (2/23 - 3/1)
Brandon Bass (BOS, PF)
Bass has always been a guy that produces when given the chance. He has a big opportunity now at sustained value. Kelly Olynyk is still out with an ankle injury. There is breaking news that Jared Sullinger will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury. The Celtics suddenly find themselves very thin in their frontcourt, leaving a ton of minutes for Bass to pick up.
In his first game following the All Star break, Bass played 37 minutes and put up a versatile line of 13 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block, and one three. While the three pointer was nice, it should not be counted on from Bass. However, the rest of the line is pretty much what you can expect from Bass if he gets this much playing time.
Next week he will square off at Phoenix, New York, Charlotte, and Golden State. The Warriors play excellent defense, but the rest of the matchups are pretty juicy. With Sullinger out of the picture, Bass should provide solid value the rest of the way. He gets a bigger boost until Olynyk returns, so make sure to get him active this week.
Jusuf Nurkic (DEN, C)
Nurkic is the man now in Denver at the center position. Timofey Mozgov was traded to Cleveland a few weeks ago. JaVale McGee was shipped to Philadelphia at the trade deadline. That leaves Nurkic with very little competition for playing time.
Coach Brian Shaw can be finicky with his guys playing time, but he seems to have taken a liking to Nurkic. The biggest obstacle to playing time for Nurkic has been foul trouble. He is still young and some inconsistency can be expected as he adjusts to playing at the NBA level.
Talent is not an issue with him though. When he keeps himself out of foul trouble, he has shown the ability to put up some huge numbers. In his first game back from the All Star break he had a big game, pouring in 11 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three blocks.
The upcoming schedule for Nurkic is very favorable, with all four games coming at home. He will face Brooklyn, Phoenix, Utah, and New Orleans. The Nuggets are going nowhere this season and have every reason to develop Nurkic. Having traded all of the other true centers on the roster, he now has a clear path to playing time. Pick him up now if he is still available, as Nurkic could help lead fantasy owners to a title down the stretch.
Alex Len (PHO, C)
Len has maintained low end value the majority of the season, despite splitting time with Miles Plumlee and newly acquired Brandan Wright. Now that Plumlee has been traded away to Milwaukee, Len should be in line for increased playing time. More minutes means more production.
Similar to Nurkic, foul trouble has been an issue for Len, though to a lesser degree. The 7-foot Ukrainian is an exceptional shot blocker and rebounder. He does not take many shots, but is very efficient. He has logged at least 34 minutes in both games since the break. With that much run, expect him to be a nightly double-double threat with multiple blocked shots.
Next up on the schedule for Len are matchups with Boston, at Denver, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio. This guy is going to be worth owning for the stretch run. Scour your waiver wire to see if he is available, and be sure to get him active.
Isaiah Canaan (PHI, PG)
There were a lot of point guards that changed uniforms during the trade deadline frenzy. Canaan is probably one of the least noteworthy, but nonetheless finds himself in an excellent situation. He is the new starting point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 76ers surprisingly traded Michael Carter-Williams to the Milwaukee Bucks, just one year after drafting him. Canaan will take over as the starter, and will probably play as many minutes as he can handle. The backup point guard is Tim Frazier, who is on a 10 day contract.
Canaan is not a household name, but has been solid as a spot starter for the Houston Rockets. He is not likely to blow doors down, but could be a nice pickup for those in need of a point guard. Next week he draws matchups at Miami, at Milwaukee, Washington, and at Indiana. If you have some dead weight on your bench, take a flier on Canaan and see how it plays out.
