A look ahead to Week 11 of the fantasy basketball season.
Schedule Breakdown
Four-game teams: ATL, CHI, LAL, MEM, MIA, NJN, NOR, ORL, POR, UTH, WAS
Three-game teams: BOS, CHA, CLE, DAL, DEN DET, GSW, HOU, IND, LAC, MIL, MIN, OKC, PHI, PHO, SAC, SAS, TOR
Two-game teams: NYK
Also see: Basketball Monster’s ease rankings and Rotowire’s value meter
Pickups/Plug-ins – Players owned in less than 40% of Yahoo! leagues
• Mike Miller(notes) – Miller has returned to practice
for the Wizards and could return to the active roster for one or both
of the team’s upcoming back-to-back games (Tuesday/Wednesday). He may take some time to get back to game speed but should eventually reclaim his spot as the starting shooting guard – in nine starts this season, he averaged 9.8 points on 59-percent shooting, 1.4 threes, 6.1 boards, 3.1 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.9 blocks in 29 minutes. Miller could also emerge with an even more substantial role for the Wizards (or elsewhere?) if there is a roster shake-up. Week 11: @PHI, @CLE, ORL, NOR
• Matt Barnes(notes) – Barnes has rejoined the Magic’s starting five in a big
way, going for 23 points with five threes and a double-double (17
points, 11 boards) over the past two games. Stan Van Gundy made the
switch because he likes Barnes’ versatility with the first unit and
wants to free up Mickael Pietrus(notes) for a bit more usage with the team’s
reserves, and it should stick moving forward. In his 10 starts on the
season, Barnes has averaged 13.1 points, 1.2 threes, 7.9 boards, and
1.9 steals-plus-blocks in 33 minutes. Week 11: @IND, TOR, @WAS, ATL
• Luther Head(notes) – Head has stepped into the void at shooting guard for
the Pacers and delivered solid back-to-back performances, averaging
25.5 points, 2.5 threes, 5.5 boards, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.5
blocks over the past two games. Given the massive struggles up and down
the Pacers’ roster, the opportunity for numbers here, and Head’s
history (13.5 points, 1.9 threes, 3.7 boards, 3.4 assists, 1.8
turnovers, 1.4 steals in 60 career starts), a speculative add makes
sense in all but the shallowest of leagues. Week 11: ORL, @MIN, @OKC
• Omri Casspi(notes) – Casspi’s role and subsequent production have been increasing as the season has gone on. Over the past 10 games, he’s averaged 16.8 points, 1.9 threes, 4.9 free throws, 6 boards, and 1.3 steals plus blocks in 35 minutes. Week 11: PHO, @GSW, DEN
• Kirk Hinrich(notes) – Hinrich has been reasonably productive since being promoted to the starting lineup (9.5 points, 1.8 threes, 5 boards, 5 assists, 1 turnover, 0.8 steals in four games) and a key for the move having staying power is that the Bulls have gone 4-0 since making the switch. Week 11: OKC, @CHA, @MIL, MIN
• C.J. Watson(notes) – Watson’s production is something of a well-kept secret,
as he’s rostered in 20 percent of leagues despite a per-game rank of
71st on the season and 55th over the past month. Averages over the past
month include 10.2 points, 1.1 threes, 3 assists, 1.1 turnovers, and
2.1 steals in 33 minutes. Week 11: @DEN, @MIN, SAC
• Luke Ridnour(notes) – Ridnour’s playing time has been in flux for most of December, but he’s back in the mix now that Carlos Delfino(notes) has fallen out of Scott Skiles’ good graces. Delfino has logged a total of nine minutes over the past two games, while Ridnour has averaged 23 minutes, 14.5 points on 59-percent shooting and 1.5 threes over the past four. Week 11: @NJN, CHI, @LAL
• Kyle Lowry(notes) – Lowry has quietly emerged as a integral part of the
Rockets’ rotation, packing production into ever-increasing minutes. His
averages over the past 13 games include 9.7 points, 0.7 threes, 4
boards, 4.9 assists, 1.3 turnovers, and 1.4 steals in 27 minutes. Week 11: @LAL, @PHO, NYK
• Rasual Butler(notes) – Butler has been seeing consistent minutes for the Clippers, averaging 30 over the past 10 games and seeing no less than 24 in any of those contests. Shots have been falling for the most part, as well, as he’s averaged 13.1 points on 49-percent shooting, 2.4 threes, 3.2 boards, and 1.5 steals-plus-blocks during that stretch. Week 11: POR, LAL, MIA
• DeJuan Blair(notes) – Blair is still dealing with ups-and-downs but the team has won five straight with him in the starting lineup, and (deep-leaguers take note) that should bode well for his long-term prospects this season. Over the past five games, he’s averaged 8.6 points, 7.6 boards, and 1.8 steals-plus-blocks in 25 minutes. Week 11: DET, DAL, NJN
• Earl Watson(notes) – The production hasn’t been stellar since Watson became the starter in Indiana, but at least we know he has some job security. In seven starts thus far, he’s averaged 7.6 points, 0.9 threes, 5.1 assists, 1.7 turnovers, and 1.5 steals-plus-blocks in 28 minutes. Week 11: ORL, @MIN, @OKC
• Devin Brown(notes) – Clearly Brown’s name isn’t inspring oohs and aahs, but the production at least warrants a bit more ownership than he’s currently seeing (5%). He’s the starter in New Orleans and plays alongside Chris Paul(notes), and over the past eight games has averaged 12.8 points, 2.3 threes, and 1.4 steals in 30 minutes. Week 11: @UTH, @OKC, NJN, @WAS
Status Updates
• LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) – Aldridge’s left ankle sprain kept him out of Saturday’s game and is expected to sideline him on Monday, as well.
• Carmelo Anthony(notes) – Anthony missed Saturday’s game with a bruised right knee and he’ll be a game-time decision Sunday.
• Ron Artest(notes) – Artest’s Sunday availability remains up in the air after he was a non-contact participant in practice Saturday, under the watchful eye of a neurologist.
• Chauncey Billups(notes) – Billups’ left groin strain is expected to sideline him for the fourth consecutive game Sunday.
• Steve Blake(notes) – Blake remains hospitalized with pneumonia and could be out for at least another week.
• Jose Calderon(notes) – Calderon won’t play Sunday, but Jay Triano is hoping to have him in uniform for the Raptors’ following game, Wednesday at Orlando.
• Marcus Camby(notes) – Camby’s knee is still an issue but is getting better and the hope is that the team’s current stretch of only two games in nine days will allow him to get back to 100 percent.
• Vince Carter(notes) – VC’s left ankle sprain is not considered serious and he expects to be in the lineup for the Magic’s next game (Tuesday, @IND).
• Tyson Chandler(notes) – Chandler remains out due to a stress reaction in his left foot, something that had been giving him pain for a while before he shut it down.
• Kevin Garnett(notes) – KG could be out for another 10 days because of a hyper-extended right knee, with the team taking every precaution to make sure he’s 100% well before he returns.
• Danny Granger(notes)
– Granger (plantar fasciitis) has started light activities like shooting but has yet to resume running. He’s clearly not ahead of schedule, but we have yet to hear anything to make it seem as though he won’t meet projections of a return sometime in mid-January.
• Blake Griffin(notes)
– Griffin remains sidelined by a stress fracture on his left kneecap but could
resume basketball-related activities within the next two weeks.
• Kevin Martin(notes) – Martin’s latest CT scan (December 30) showed improvement in his wrist but he remains on an indefinite timetable. He’ll be examined again on January 12 and might not be long for the active roster afterward if it’s another successful check-up.
• Troy Murphy(notes) – Murphy (ankle) will miss his third consecutive game Sunday and will be questionable for Tuesday.
• Paul Pierce(notes) – Pierce is still dealing with swelling and can’t fully bend his knee in the wake of two procedures to clean up an infection. He’s officially day-to-day but won’t be rushed back, so consider him questionable for most of Week 11.
• Rajon Rondo(notes) – Rondo missed Saturday’s game because of a sore right hamstring, but he’s expected to be able to return for the team’s next game (Wednesday, @MIA).
• Rodney Stuckey(notes) – Stuckey’s sprained left ankle kept him out of Saturday’s practice but he does not anticipate missing any game action. His status should be a bit more clear leading up to Tuesday (@DAL).
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