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With the fantasy playoffs drawing near, it's making less and less sense in waiting for that guy who "could blow up at any minute". He keeps putting up duds and we keep putting up with him since he's got potential. But even if he doesn't reach it by like tomorrow, it could already be too late with just a few weeks until the playoffs. That spot could better be put to use by streaming.
Especially now with the trade deadline behind us. Most of us were affected in a positive or negative way. If your lesser player found himself in an even worse situation it might be the right time to cut your losses and take matters into your own hands by maximizing your games played next week and grabbing that playoff spot you've set your sights on.
To try and help out with next week's (actually two weeks as the AllStar break will interrupt the normal flow of fantasy) options, I've analyzed the NBA schedule and here are my thoughts on the fantasy basketball streamers for the AllStar double Week 17+18.
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received five total writing awards and 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, tops in the industry! Congrats to all the award winners and nominees including NBA Writer of the Year, Best NFL Series, MLB Series, PGA Writer and Player Notes writer of the year. Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!
NBA Schedule Guide - Week 17+18
Here's the low-down:
Teams with 4 games:
Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics
Brooklyn Nets
Charlotte Hornets
Chicago Bulls
Dallas Mavericks
Denver Nuggets
Detroit Pistons
Golden State Warriors
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Lakers
Miami Heat
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans
Oklahoma City Thunder
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers
Sacramento Kings
San Antonio Spurs
Toronto Raptors
Utah Jazz
Washington Wizards
Teams with 3 games:
Cleveland Cavaliers
Houston Rockets
Los Angeles Clippers
Memphis Grizzlies
Orlando Magic
Philadelphia 76ers
Teams with 2 games:
New York Knicks
Number of teams playing each day:
Monday: 18
Tuesday: 10
Wednesday: 22
Thursday the 13th: 4
Thursday the 20th: 12
Friday: 18
Saturday: 14
Sunday: 14
Back-to-Backs (beware of older or banged-up players who might rest):
Monday/Tuesday: SAS
Tuesday/Wednesday: POR, WAS
Wednesday/Thursday the 13th: -
Thursday the 13th/Thursday the 20th: -
Thursday the 20th/Friday: MEM
Friday/Saturday: CLE, DAL, PHO, UTA
Saturday/Sunday: CHI
Sunday/Monday the following: MIN, WAS
Days with six or fewer games
Tuesday: 5 games
Thursday the 13th: 2 games
Thursday the 20th: 6 games
Teams playing on all three days:
No team plays both Thursdays so...
Teams playing on Tuesday and Thursday the 13th:
Boston Celtics (4 games - Tue, Thurs 13th, Fri, Sun)
New Orleans Pelicans (4 games - Tue, Thurs 13th, Fri, Sun)
Oklahoma City Thunder (4 games - Tue, Thurs 13th, Fri, Sun)
Los Angeles Clippers (3 games - Tue, Thurs 13th, Sat)
Teams playing on Tuesday and Thursday the 20th:
Chicago Bulls (4 games - Tue, Thurs 20th, Sat, Sun)
Houston Rockets (3 games - Tue, Thurs 20th, Sat)
Philadelphia 76ers (3 games - Tue, Thurs 20th, Sat)
Teams with a GOOD START to the week (three games from Monday to Thursday the 20th)
Atlanta Hawks (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs 20th, Sat)
Brooklyn Nets (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs 20th, Sat)
Charlotte Hornets (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs 20th, Sat)
Detroit Pistons (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs 20th, Sun)
Golden State Warriors (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs 20th, Sun)
Miami Heat (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs 20th, Sat)
Milwaukee Bucks (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs 20th, Sat)
Sacramento Kings (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs 20th, Sat)
Teams with a GOOD END to the week (three games from Thursday the 13th to Sunday)
Boston Celtics (4 games - Tue, Thurs 13th, Fri, Sun)
Chicago Bulls (4 games - Tue, Thurs 20th, Sat, Sun)
New Orleans Pelicans (4 games - Tue, Thurs 13th, Fri, Sun)
Oklahoma City Thunder (4 games - Tue, Thurs 13th, Fri, Sun)
Teams with a POOR START to the week (one or no games from Monday to Thursday the 13th)
New York Knicks (2 games - Wed, Fri)
Chicago Bulls (4 games - Tue, Thurs 20th, Sat, Sun)
Cleveland Cavaliers (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)
Houston Rockets (3 games - Tue, Thurs 20th, Sat)
Philadelphia 76ers (3 games - Tue, Thurs 20th, Sat)
Teams with a POOR END to the week (one or no games from Thursday the 20th to Sunday)
New York Knicks (2 games - Wed, Fri)
Los Angeles Clippers (3 games - Tue, Thurs 13th, Sat)
Orlando Magic (3 games - Mon, Wed, Fri)
Baller Streaming Strategy for Week 17+18
Only four teams play on Thursday the 13th. These teams are the Celtics, the Clippers, the Pelicans and the Thunder. Furthermore, they all also play on the next scarcest day - Tuesday - with five games. Players from these teams will be our primary focus today as they are most likely to help owners fill out their starting lineups.
There are also three teams that play on both Tuesday and Thursday the 20th (which has just six games). They could also prove valuable to us streamers so we will be taking a look at players from Chicago, Houston and Philadelphia. Keep in mind though that all three of these teams play just one game in the first of the two weeks ahead of us. Therefore, if you need help on other days besides Tuesday in the first week, you might want to look elsewhere. At least for the start of the week.
Another interesting to note is that Chicago is the only team to play three games in week two, so their players could be a decent play later in the double week.
Streaming Options for Week 17+18
Shallower League Streaming Adds for the Week:
Enes Kanter, C, BOS, (56% Owned) - Strong Cats:REB, FG%
Marcus Smart, PG/SG, BOS, (75% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, ST
Marcus Morris Sr., SF/PF, LAC, (75% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, REB, FT% - buyer beware: just joined the Clippers, his role is still unknown
J.J. Redick, SG/SF, NOP, (65% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Josh Hart, SG/SF, NOP, (40% Owned) - Strong Cats: STL/BLK, REB, 3PM
Dennis Schroder, PG, OKC, (78% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, AST, FT%
Nerlens Noel, PF/C, OKC, (50% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, STL/BLK
Thaddeus Young, SF/PF, CHI, (53% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, STL
Tomas Satoransky, PG/SG, CHI, (60% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, AST, FT%
P.J. Tucker, SF/PF, HOU, (61% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, REB
Danuel House, SG/SF, HOU, (45% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, a bit of everything
Eric Gordon, SG/SF, HOU, (57% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT% - buyer beware: left the game on Friday with a lower left leg injury, status still unknown
Glenn Robinson III, SG/SF, PHI, (28% Owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, 3PM, REB, STL - buyer beware: just joined the 76ers, his role is still unknown
Alec Burks, PG/SG, GSW, (45% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, REB, STL, FT% - buyer beware: just joined the 76ers, his role is still unknown
Shallower League Add
Enes Kanter, C, BOS - 56% Owned
Strong Cats: REB, FG%
Kanter was picked at around the 100 in most drafts as he was expected to get a 30 minute per game role as the starting center for Boston. That hasn't really happened as his injuries and great performances from Daniel Theis limited him to just 19 minutes per game so far this season with averages of 9.6 PTS (no 3PM) on 59.5 FG% and 68.4 FT%, 8.4 REB, 1.1 AST, 0.4 STL, 0.9 BLK and 1.1 TO. This is just enough for him to stick around in the top-120.
But the tables have turned for the bigs in Boston. Kanter is over his injury now and it's Theis that is having some health issues with a right ankle sprain. He missed two games so far and could miss a few more which would definitely play to Kanter's advantage.
In his previous game without Theis Enes played 28 minutes, hit 5-of-11 from the field and 6-of-7 from the charity stripe for 16 points, 15 boards, a block and a turnover. Not too flashy, but just what you expect from him.
Should Theis miss some more games, Enes is expected to play close to 30 minutes and post lines similar to the one in this last game. And with Boston having a favorable schedule, he could be quite useful, at least in the short term.
Deeper League Add
Coby White, PG, CHI - 17% Owned
Strong Cats: PTS, 3PM - additional value with Dunn being out
If you're looking for a source of points and threes to help you out during the second week of our upcoming two-week matchup, there aren't many deep league options better than Coby White. Especially now with Kris Dunn on the shelf.
White hasn't been that great so far in his rookie season with 11.2 points and 1.8 threes on 37.4% from the field and 73.6% from the line, 3.4 boards, 2.3 dimes, 0.7 steals, 0.1 blocks and 1.5 turnovers in 24 minutes per outing. But he's picked it up a bit in the three games without Dunn with averages of 12.3 PTS with 2.7 3PM on 34.2 FG% and 75.0 FT%, 3.3 REB, 5.0 AST, no STL, 0.3 BLK and 1.3 TO in just under 27 minutes a night.
Yes, the shooting got worse and he is yet to pick up a steal, but the threes and assists are way up, and with such a small turnover rate in increased minutes. That's a big positive for White now and going forward.
Coby won't do too much in the stock department, but he can stuff the basket in a hurry along with adding a few assists to the mix. Do count on him dragging down your FG% however.
If you're fine with all of his weaknesses and could use help where his strengths lay, his schedule next week and his talent and current situation could prove quite useful.
Insanely Deep League Add
Austin Rivers, PG/SG, HOU - 4% Owned
Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
Small ball and a short rotation have left plenty of room for Rivers to get his share of shots in Houston. A guy owned in just 4% of Yahoo leagues has taken seven or more shots in eight out of his previous nine games, scoring 8+ points in all of them and hitting double-digits six times. He also failed to hit a three-pointer in only one of these games, scoring two or more in the other eight.
This alone could be enough in the case you're looking for a three-point specialist who doesn't really do much else. But now we have Gordon who got hurt in his previous game and could miss some time, and we have Westbrook who is an occasional rest candidate, along with Houston declining to play a player who's tall enough to ride a rollercoaster on his own and this could result in Rivers getting 25-30 minutes and 10 shots per game (more than half of his field goals come from three-point range in his past 10 games).
If he can hit those at a reasonable clip, and you use him and the waiver wire wisely for the next two weeks, he could be responsible for you winning your 3PM and PTS categories. He could even provide a couple of assists and a steal here and there.
Other Deep League Options for the Week
Grant Williams, PF, BOS, (2% Owned) - Strong Cats: STL/BLK, a little bit of everything
Brad Wanamaker, PG/SG,BOS, (1% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, STL, AST
JaMychal Green, PF/C, LAC, (4% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, a bit of everything
Landry Shamet, PG, LAC, (17% Owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, 3PM, FT%
Ivica Zubac, C, LAC, (24% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, FT%, BLK
Nicolo Melli, PF, NOP, (1% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, a bit of everything
Jaxson Hayes, PF/C, NOP, (8% Owned) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB, BLK/STL
Darius Bazley, SF/PF, OKC, (0% Owned) - Strong Cats: STL/BLK, REB
Luguentz Dort, SG, OKC, (0% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
Luke Kornet, PF/C, CHI, (3% Owned) - Strong Cats: BLK, 3PM, FT% - additional value with the injuries in Chicago
Chandler Hutchison, SG/SF, CHI, (2% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, STL
Cristiano Felicio, C, CHI, (2% Owned) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB
Coby White, PG, CHI, (17% Owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, 3PM - additional value with Dunn being out
Ryan Arcidiacono, PG, CHI, (0% Owned) - Strong Cats: AST, STL, 3PM - additional value with Dunn being out
Ben McLemore, SG, HOU, (11% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, a bit of STL/BLK
Austin Rivers, PG/SG, HOU, (4% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
Matisse Thybulle, SG/SF, PHI, (10% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL/BLK - buyer beware: with the 76ers acquiring a few players just before the trade deadline his future role is unknown
Shake Milton, PG/SG, PHI, (5% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM - buyer beware: with the 76ers acquiring a few players just before the trade deadline his future role is unknown + with Josh Richardson now back from injury he could be close to being irrelevant
I hope you guys enjoyed the article and I hope that this will help you win your matchups next week and bragging rights for the week after.
