Setting the stage for Week 19 of the fantasy basketball season.
Schedule Breakdown
Four-game teams: ATL, BOS, CHA, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, GSW, HOU, IND, LAC, LAL, MEM, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHI, PHO, SAC
Three-game teams: CHI, MIA, MIL, NJN, NOR, POR, SAS, TOR, UTH, WAS
Two-game teams: MIN
Also see: Basketball Monster’s team schedules and ease rankings | Rotowire’s value meter
Pickups/Plug-ins – Players owned in fewer than 40% of Yahoo! leagues
• Taj Gibson(notes) – There’s simply no good reason for Gibson to not
be rostered in most fantasy leagues at this point. He’s averaged 12.4
points on 59-percent shooting, 10.3 boards, 0.8 steals, and 2 blocks
over the past eight games, and he’s going to see plenty of opportunity
for production even in an unlikely scenario where Joakim Noah’s(notes) plantar
fasciitis becomes a non-factor (see below). Week 19: ATL, MEM, DAL
• George Hill(notes) – Hill remains an excellent fantasy option with
little downside, and that’s regardless of Tony Parker’s(notes) availability
moving forward. Hill’s per-game rank over the past month is 69th,
thanks to averages that include 16.8 points on 48-percent shooting, 1.1
threes, 3.5 assists, 1.7 turnovers, 0.8 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 36
minutes. Week 19: @NOR, NOR, @MEM
• Drew Gooden(notes) – Gooden has been installed as the Clippers’
starting power forward and, as a club largely made up of veterans, they
have shown every intention of giving him the lion’s share of the
minutes moving forward. In three games since joining the team, he’s
averaged 15 points and 10.3 boards in 30 minutes, and 12/8 with
occasional steals and blocks are reasonable expectations. Week 19: UTH, PHO, OKC, @UTH
• C.J. Watson(notes) – Watson has averaged 20.7 points on 54-percent
shooting, 1.4 threes, 4.1 boards, 4.9 assists, 1.7 turnovers, and 2.1
steals in 38 minutes over the past seven game, seeing an uptick in
minutes with Monta Ellis(notes) dealing with injury woes (see below). With
that said, the Warriors are a skeleton crew even when Ellis plays, with
Watson as the sole backup guard, so he will continue to play steady
minutes the rest of the way. Week 19: @MIA, @ORL, @ATL, @CHA
• Sergio Rodriguez(notes) – The returns after four starts for the
Knicks have been so-so for Rodriguez, as he’s averaged 8.5 points on
50-percent shooting, 1.3 threes, 4 assists, 2.3 turnovers, and 3 steals
in 30 minutes. With that said, he’s only been with the team for a few
weeks, so his numbers should improve as he becomes more familiar with
those around him, and his opportunities for numbers will increase as
Tracy McGrady’s(notes) availability decreases (26.8 usage% with the Knicks). Week 19: @CLE, DET, @TOR, NJN
• JaVale McGee(notes) – McGee has been productive since the Wizards’
roster turnover (11 points on 56-percent shooting, 6.2 boards, 2.3
blocks over the past six games) and should continue to see 25ish
minutes the rest of the way. Week 19: @MIL, MIL, BOS
• Ronny Turiaf(notes) – With Andris Biedrins’(notes) availability suddenly
in doubt (see below), Turiaf could step into a larger role. He’s
clearly a specialist, but his contributions in blocks can
single-handedly shift the category in a matchup and he’ll chip in a few
other places, as well. In 16 games where he’s seen at least 20 minutes
of playing time, he’s averaged 6.1 points on 54-percent shooting, 5.4
boards, 2.3 assists, 1.3 turnovers, and 1.8 blocks. Week 19: @MIA, @ORL, @ATL, @CHA
• Luc Richard Mbah a Moute(notes) – Mbah a Moute has settled in as
the team’s starting power forward, averaging 10.6 points on 66-percent
shooting, 8.7 boards, 0.8 steals, and 0.9 blocks in 30 minutes over the
past 11 games. What bodes well for his role and minutes to remain
steady is that the Bucks went 9-2 in those 11 games. Week 19: WAS, @WAS, CLE
• Dorell Wright(notes) – Quentin Richardon’s continued uninspired play led to his benching on Saturday and could open things up for Wright, who is one game removed from the following massive line: 26 points, 6 threes, 7 boards, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. At the very least, it’s a situation worth monitoring – in the 16 games where Wright has seen at least 25 minutes of playing time, he’s averaged 11.9 points on 54-percent shooting, 1.3 threes, 4.9 boards, 2.2 assists, 0.7 turnovers, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks. Week 19: GSW, LAL, ATL
• Eddie House(notes) – I’m not expecting wonders here, but House has
put up some counting stats thus far for the Knicks (28 minutes, 11.4
points, 1.8 threes, 4 boards, 3.6 assists, 1.8 turnovers, 1.2 steals)
and he’ll certainly be in line for opportunities to produce any time
Tracy McGrady can’t go. Week 19: @CLE, DET, @TOR, NJN
• Kyle Korver(notes) – Keep an eye on Korver in the event that Andrei Kirilenko’s(notes) back problems (see below) don’t change for the better. In the past three games that AK has missed, Korver has averaged 13 points on 50-percent shooting, 3 treys, 4.3 boards, 3.7 assists, 1 turnover, and 2 steals in 29 minutes. Week 19: @LAC, @PHO, LAC
Status Updates
• Trevor Ariza(notes) – Ariza has missed the past three games because of a severe hip pointer. He’s set to be re-evaluated Sunday or Monday in order to determine his status for the coming week.
• Leandro Barbosa(notes) – Barbosa (wrist) is set for a re-evaluation Monday, after which he may begin practicing with the Suns. He’s expected to need about two weeks before returning to the active roster.
• Shane Battier(notes) – Battier missed Saturday’s game with flu-like symptoms and is currently day-to-day.
• Andris Biedrins – Biedrins left Saturday’s game with a groin injury. Although no specific details have emerged as of yet, this could be the final impetus for fantasy owners to cut him to waivers, given his recent struggles and his severe groin/abdominal injury earlier in the season. Ronny Turiaf and Chris Hunter(notes) are next in line on the Warriors’ depth chart.
• Chris Bosh(notes) – Bosh (ankle) will miss the team’s back-to-back road games on Sunday and Monday, instead remaining in Toronto to receive treatment. The hope is that the extended rest will have him ready for the Raptors’ home game on Friday.
• Elton Brand(notes) – Brand missed Sunday’s practice because of a right calf strain, but the injury is not thought to be serious and he’s currently listed as day-to-day.
• Caron Butler(notes) – Butler has missed the past two games due to a bad reaction to medication, and he’ll be a game-time decision Sunday.
• Tyson Chandler(notes)
– Chandler doesn’t need more surgery, but we have little to go on otherwise regarding his availability moving forward.
• Erick Dampier(notes) – Damp is out indefinitely following surgery to close an open dislocation of his right middle finger. Couple the injury with Brendan Haywood’s(notes) arrival, and his fantasy season is done for all intents and purposes.
• Luol Deng(notes) – Deng has been playing with a sore left knee and his status for Monday’s game is currently up in the air.
• Tim Duncan(notes) – Duncan will get rest in the Spurs’ upcoming back-to-back situations, with Greg Popovich calling it a priority no matter what the Spurs record happens to be. With six sets on the horizon between now and the end of March, DeJuan Blair(notes) and Antonio McDyess(notes) stand to benefit.
• Monta Ellis – Ellis missed Saturday’s game with a sore back and his status for Tuesday won’t be determined until after he’s had a few more days of rest.
• Allen Iverson(notes) – AI’s status for the remainder of the season could be determined this week. He’s almost certainly done providing anything positive for fantasy owers, regardless of whether he’s still on the 76ers a week from now or not.
• Al Jefferson(notes) – Jefferson was arrested on Sunday morning on suspicion of DWI. He’s set for a court appearance on April 23, so his status during this current season is not likely to be affected by this situation.
• Andrei Kirilenko – AK was back on the inactive list Saturday, once again because of back spasms. He received a pain-killing injection Saturday and is currently listed as a game-time decision for Monday.
• Courtney Lee(notes) – Lee left Saturday’s game with a sprained left ankle and is questionable for Sunday.
• Kenyon Martin(notes) – K-Mart missed Friday’s game because of a bruised left knee and he’ll be a game-time decision Sunday.
• Corey Maggette(notes) – Maggette’s hamstring injury will keep him out until at least March 8, and he’s a 50/50 shot to miss significantly more time than that at this point.
• Tracy McGrady – T-Mac played just 15 minutes Saturday (0 points), sitting out the entire second half because of stiffness and pain in his left knee that he "wasn’t going to try to push through." Assuming he doesn’t just shut it down at some point, T-Mac’s status the rest of the way will likely be established on a game-to-game basis. Eddie House and Toney Douglas(notes) are next in line on the Knicks’ depth chart.
•
Joakim Noah – Noah (plantar fasciitis) was inactive for Saturday’s game after playing 27 minutes Friday and, by design, he’s expected to sit out at least one more game as the Bulls attempt to find a balance in terms of his availability.
• Shaquille O’Neal(notes) – Shaq traveled to Baltimore Sunday to see a hand surgery specialist, and we should see some details emerge regarding his sprained thumb in the wake of that meeting. Anderson Varejao(notes) would benefit substantially if Shaq were to need surgery, and his fantasy fortunes are positively impacted by this injury, regardless.
• Chris Paul(notes)
– Paul has been making progress since his February 4 surgery and has increased his activity in recent days, including shooting during early pre-game warmups. He seems on track to return within the next 10 days to two weeks, as his original timetable was four to six weeks of downtime.
• Paul Pierce(notes) – Pierce has missed three straight games because of a sprained right thumb and with the Celtics not wanting to take any chances with aggravating the injury. He’ll be with the team as they travel for Tuesday’s matchup with the Pistons in Detroit, but he’s currently questionable for the game.
• Derrick Rose(notes) – Rose sat out the final minutes of Saturday’s game after bumping knees with Earl Watson(notes), but the injury is not considered serious at this point.
• Dwyane Wade(notes) – Wade (calf) is expected to miss his fifth consecutive game Sunday, but the hope is that he’ll be back in the lineup Tuesday.
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