It's a common misconception that the NBA All-Star game marks the season's halfway point. In reality, you're only looking at about 25 games before the top eight in each conference lock for good.
In the Fantasy landscape, there's also a deep sense of urgency. Seasonal leagues will begin their playoffs in a few short weeks, and DFS players will see their window of opportunity closing in their quest for a big score.
Even though time is short, doing a bit of homework can help you target a few players who can turn your season into a winning one once play commences after the All-Star break:
Parker is coming back from injury at the ideal time, as the Bucks have health concerns all over the roster. Eric Bledsoe is dealing with an ankle injury – although he was able to play Friday – while Malcolm Brogdon (quad) is set to miss up to two months.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (ankle) has also had his share of injuries. As the Bucks struggle to keep a foothold on seventh place in the East, Parker should give the team a much-needed shot in the arm. Before going down with a torn ACL last season, he was averaging 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. He also developed into an excellent three-point threat in his third NBA season. While Khris Middleton seems entrenched at the small forward position, it's feasible to see the undersized Bucks utilizing a three-forward frontcourt, with the 6-8 Parker acting as a hybrid forward due to his progression as a perimeter threat – similar to how the team has used Tony Snell, at times, this season.
Whatever happens, Parker will be a major part of the Bucks' offense once he's back up to full speed. And while that could take a few weeks, Parker is worth owning in leagues of just about any size.
The ink is now dry on Mirotic's agreement with New Orleans, and with Greg Monroe no longer available, you should assume Mirotic will be the team's best option at power forward for the foreseeable future. While he's no DeMarcus Cousins, the potential for output at the four in New Orleans is well-documented, as that's where Anthony Davis put up many a huge stat line.
As Davis transitions to the five fulltime, Mirotic will have every opportunity to succeed. His situation in Chicago went from bad to worse after a fight with Bobby Portis largely put him in the doghouse, and it was just a matter of time before the 6-10 big man landed elsewhere. While he never really lit it up in Chicago until this season's 25-game sample, he lacked the necessary room to thrive. In previous years, TaJ Gibson and Jimmy Butler limited his opportunities, while more recently Bobby Portis and Lauri Markkanen made consistent, starting-caliber playing time hard to come by. Mirotic won't be able to use that excuse any longer, and if he makes the most of what should be an expanded role, he'll be primed for big-time Fantasy success.
Gregg Popovich made it clear to Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili that it's time for the next generation to assume a larger role in San Antonio, and no one benefits more from that than Murray. His increased usage is evident with his uptick in minutes to 21.8 per game in the month of January, and that number could steadily rise moving forward. While Patty Mills is still sitting on a newly minted 4-year, $50M contract, Murray has clearly outplayed him, and he's done it in the most interesting of ways.
Murray put up 10 or more rebounds five times in January, and as a result he's become one of the best backcourt rebounders in the league, averaging 13.3 boards per 48 minutes. If Kawhi Leonard can finally find his way back to the floor, Murray's assist average should rise, and the Spurs always find a way to make noise as the playoffs approach – all good news for Murray.
It's difficult and strange to imagine the Clippers without Blake Griffin, and while the trade was a bit of a head-scratcher, the arrival of Tobias Harris gives the Clippers a little more versatility and a lot of upside. Harris is a full inch shorter than Griffin, so a lot of the interior grinding will be left to DeAndre Jordan – at least for now – but Harris has a load of experience shifting seamlessly between both forward spots , which means Harris will spend a lot of time on the floor as the Clippers experiment with different looks.
Harris has also developed his perimeter presence significantly this season, which gives the Clippers an added dimension from beyond the arc. Harris is converting 40.9 percent of his long-range shots and is attempting a career-high 5.8 three-pointers per game. Although he's often taken knocks for being a methodical, slow-paced player, he's improved in that area, and the Clippers could reveal another side to Harris with their quicker pace. He'll never replace Griffin, but Harris will bring a new dimension to what's been just a slightly above average offense this season.
If you're looking for a true game-changer who can turn a team's fortunes on a dime, look no further than LaVine. He will be back to 100 percent shortly, but he's already showing signs of life on a minutes restriction, averaging 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists over his first nine games back, in an average of just 22.1 minutes played during that span.
It's only a matter of time before he's logging 30 or more minutes per game, transforming the Bulls offense in the process. It's rather unlikely the Bulls can overcome their current deficit in the East – and I'm not sure they necessarily want to – but their lineup is considerably more formidable with LaVine as the anchor. What initially looked like a lopsided trade has come together rather nicely for Chicago.
