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Most fantasy leagues start their playoffs either next week or in Week 21. Ahhh, don't you just love this time of the year!?
Whether your playoffs have already started, or you're at the end of trying to make them in the first place (or just secure a better seed) there should be no more sentiment. Most players could be dropped due to poor performance, poor schedule, or just plain "there's a better guy on the wire". Anything to get the W! And, of course, scheduling is increasingly important in this "win or go home" format.
As always, I have taken a look ahead at the NBA schedule for next week, and here are the fantasy basketball streamers for Week 20.
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NBA Schedule Guide - Week 20
Thursday is definitely the weak spot in the schedule for next week with just two games played. Players from the four teams playing on this day will be our targets for streaming in Week 20.
Here's the low-down:
Teams with 4 games:
Atlanta Hawks
Dallas Mavericks
Denver Nuggets
Detroit Pistons
Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets
Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
Miami Heat
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans
New York Knicks
Orlando Magic
Phoenix Suns
San Antonio Spurs
Utah Jazz
Teams with 3 games:
Boston Celtics
Brooklyn Nets
Charlotte Hornets
Chicago Bulls
Cleveland Cavaliers
Indiana Pacers
Memphis Grizzlies
Milwaukee Bucks
Oklahoma City Thunder
Philadelphia 76ers
Portland Trail Blazers
Sacramento Kings
Toronto Raptors
Washington Wizards
Number of teams playing each day:
Monday: 16
Tuesday: 12
Wednesday: 24
Thursday: 4
Friday: 20
Saturday: 14
Sunday: 8
Back-to-Backs (beware of older or banged-up players who might rest):
Monday/Tuesday: GSW
Tuesday/Wednesday: CHA, LAC, MIL, NOP, OKC, ORL, PHO
Wednesday/Thursday: DEN
Thursday/Friday: -
Friday/Saturday: CLE, MIA, MIN, SAS, TOR, UTA, WAS
Saturday/Sunday: IND
Sunday/Monday the following: ATL, LAC, LAL, OKC, PHI
Days with TWO or fewer games
Thursday: 2 games
Teams playing on two-game Thursday:
Denver Nuggets (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
Golden State Warriors (4 games - Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat)
Brooklyn Nets (3 games - Tues, Thurs, Sun)
Philadelphia 76ers (3 games - Mon, Thurs, Sun)
Teams with a GOOD START to the week (three games from Monday to Thursday)
Denver Nuggets (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
Golden State Warriors (4 games - Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat)
Teams with a GOOD END to the week (three games from Thursday to Sunday)
-
Teams with a POOR START to the week (one or no games from Monday to Thursday)
Boston Celtics (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun)
Cleveland Cavaliers (3 games - Tues, Fri, Sat)
Indiana Pacers (3 games - Tues, Sat, Sun)
Memphis Grizzlies (3 games - Tues, Fri, Sun)
Toronto Raptors (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)
Washington Wizards (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)
Teams with a POOR END to the week (one or no games from Thursday to Sunday)
Chicago Bulls (3 games - Mon, Wed, Sat)
Milwaukee Bucks (3 games - Tues, Wed, Sat)
Oklahoma City Thunder (3 games - Tues, Wed, Sun)
Portland Trail Blazers (3 games - Mon, Wed, Sat)
Sacramento Kings (3 games - Mon, Wed, Sat)
Baller Streaming Strategy for Week 20
Six out of the seven days in Week 20 have six or more games played. Some fantasy teams might need help filling out the roster on Tuesday (six games), others on Saturday (seven) or on Monday/Sunday (eight games). But Thursday with just two games played is definitely the one for fantasy GMs to focus on.
There are four teams that play on Thursday:
- Denver Nuggets (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
- Golden State Warriors (4 games - Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat)
- Brooklyn Nets (3 games - Tues, Thurs, Sun)
- Philadelphia 76ers (3 games - Mon, Thurs, Sun)
With both Denver and Golden State playing three games from Monday till Thursday, their players could provide a nice start to the week. In any case, players from these four teams should be a part of your streaming strategy for next week.
Streaming Options for Week 20
Shallower League Streaming Adds for the Week (Rostered in 25-75ish% of Yahoo leagues):
Monte Morris, PG/SG, DEN, (55% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, STL
Will Barton, SF/PF, DEN, (72% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, REB, AST a bit of everything - buyer beware: listed as a Game-time decision for Monday
Aaron Gordon, SF/PF, DEN, (77% Rostered) - Strong Cats: PTS, REB, a bit of everything
DeMarcus Cousins, PF/C, DEN, (30% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK - buyer beware: plays limited minutes
Jonathan Kuminga, SF/PF, GSW, (28% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, PTS, a bit of everything
Seth Curry, PG/SG, BKN, (76% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%,
Patty Mills, PG/SG, BKN, (34% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
LaMarcus Aldridge, PF/C, BKN, (51% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, FT%, BLK
Bruce Brown, SG/SF/PF, BKN, (36% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL, a bit of everything
Andre Drummond, C, BKN, (77% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, BLK/STL - buyer beware: poor FT% and plays limited minutes
Matisse Thybulle, SG/SF, PHI, (37% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL/BLK - buyer beware: poor form
Shallower League Add
Monte Morris, PG/SG, DEN, (55% Rostered)
Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, STL
Monte is the starting PG in Denver, and is averaging close to 30 minutes a night in the past two weeks posting averages of 13.5 PTS with 2.2 3PM on 50.8 FG% and no misses in six attempts from the line, 2.7 REB, 3.8 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.3 BLK and just 1.0 TO. This is enough for #71 for the period on Yahoo.
With no apparent weakness in his fantasy game, Monte is a rotisserie dream, but also contributes handsomely in all other formats as well.
It is quite surprising for me to see that he is rostered in just 55% of Yahoo leagues, but I guess that is due to him not having a "household name" and not jumping out of the box score for anything in particular.
If you need an across-the-board contributor, and you like what Morris brings to the table - there's no better time to give him a shot due to his great schedule in Week 20.
Deeper League Add
Bruce Brown, SG/SF/PF, BKN, (36% Rostered)
Strong Cats: REB, STL, a bit of everything
Brown has scored in double-digits in eight of his previous 10 games. He also got at least one steal in eight of his last 10 and hit at least one three in seven of those 10 games. In the last month he has averaged 11.9 points with 1.0 three on 51.4% from the field and 75.7% from the charity stripe, 5.2 boards, 2.5 dimes, 1.2 steals, 0.7 blocks and just 0.8 turnovers in just under 29 minutes per game. He is ranked at #75 for the period (previous 30 days).
Granted, this was mostly without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, but Kyrie will continue to miss games as he remains unvaccinated, and KD has returned, but that didn't impact Brown almost at all.
Brown is another guy who delivers in most categories and is someone to definitely consider to help you bolster your overall production. His games come on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, so if you want him, try to navigate that as best possible.
Insanely Deep League Add
JaMychal Green, PF/C, DEN, (6% Rostered)
Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK
Once a fantasy favorite back in his Memphis days, Green has found himself in a rotation role with the Nuggets in the past two seasons. However, he really got his groove back lately and is providing top-75 value in 9-cat leagues for the last two weeks with averages of 10.8 PTS and 0.7 3PM on 61.5 FG% and 92.9 FT%, 7.2 REB, 1.2 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.5 BLK and 1.0 TO in just over 20 minutes a night.
It's not realistic for him to keep it up at this level, especially with the %s and boards, but for a guy rostered in just 6% of Yahoo leagues, I would be reluctant to pass this up, especially in deep leagues and with three games from Monday till Thursday lined up for Denver and JaMychal.
Other Deep League Options for the Week
Rostered in less than 25% of Yahoo leagues
Jeff Green, SF/PF/C, DEN, (8% Rostered) - Strong Cats: PTS, REB
Bones Hyland, PG/SG, DEN, (6% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, 3PM, STL
Facundo Campazzo, PG/SG, DEN, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, 3PM, STL
JaMychal Green, PF/C, DEN, (6% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK
Bryn Forbes, PG/SG, DEN, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS
Austin Rivers, PG/SG, DEN, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS
Otto Porter Jr., SF/PF, GSW, (24% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM, STL
Kevon Looney, PF/C, GSW, (22% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, STL/BLK
Juan Toscano-Anderson, SF/PF, GSW, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, AST, STL
Moses Moody, SF, GSW, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, REB
Cameron Thomas, SG, BKN, (12% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, STL - buyer beware: listed as a Game-time decision for Tuesday
Goran Dragic, PG/SG, BKN, (8% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST
Nicolas Claxton, C, BKN, (10% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK, FG% - buyer beware: gets inconsistent minutes
Furkan Korkmaz, SG/SF, PHI, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Georges Niang, SG/SF, PHI, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Danny Green, SG/SF, PHI, (14% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL/BLK
Shake Milton, PG/SG, PHI, (5% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST
Good luck guys!
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