With the NBA Cup now a thing of the past, fantasy managers can forget the wacky scheduling and focus purely on the home stretch. Welcome to Week 10 and, with it, a very merry Christmas. As usual, players will get the night off prior to Christmas day, meaning we have six days of action to prepare for. Sixteen teams will suit up four times, with 10 teams taking to the court on three occasions. That leaves four teams with the dreaded two-game week. Sitting players who only go twice has its advantages, but Fantasy managers still have to make smart decisions when figuring out whom to play, regardless of game count.
Four Games: ATL, BKN, BOS, DAL, DEN, GSW, HOU, IND, MEM, MIA, MIN, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHO, SAS
Three Games: CHA, CHI, DET, LAL, MIL, PHI, POR, TOR, UTA, WAS
Two Games: CLE, LAC, NOP, SAC
Here are four potential starts and four potential sits entering the tenth week of the NBA season. Just keep in mind that this is based on games played for the week. If you play in a rotisserie league, the number of games played each week may not matter in your format.
Guards
Consider starting: Dru Smith, MIA
Opponents: BKN, @ORL, @ATL, @HOU
Smith has seemingly come out of nowhere over the past two weeks, landing a significant role after barely touching the floor for the first six weeks of the season. During that time, he has averaged 11.3 points, 2.3 assists, 3.3 steals, and 1.8 3-pointers in 30.3 minutes per game, good enough for borderline top-70 value in standard nine-category leagues. It appears he has surpassed both Jaime Jaquez and Haywood Highsmith in the rotation, providing the Heat with an energetic source of 3s, as well as elite wing defense. Although there are no guarantees when it comes to playing time in Miami, Smith has done enough of late to at least be considered as a starter, especially with four games coming up.
Consider starting: Ben Simmons, BKN
Opponents: @MIA, @MIL, SAS, @ORL
While there was some debate as to who would benefit following the Dennis Schroder trade, it has become clear that the Nets are comfortable rolling Simmons out as the starting point guard, at least for the time being. He has played at least 29 minutes in three straight games since the trade, averaging 12.3 points, five rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.3 steals. He has looked better than expected when on the floor, having missed only six games to this point. Although his skill set remains somewhat flawed, Simmons is looking more like the player we saw during his time in Philadelphia. A favorable schedule makes him an interesting start candidate this week.
Consider sitting: DeMar DeRozan, SAC
Opponents: DET, @LAL
Coming off arguably the worst game of his career in a loss to the Pacers on Sunday, DeRozan continues to struggle, more so in the past two weeks. During that time, he has averaged just 14 points, three assists, and 1.8 steals in 33.8 minutes per game. The Kings have now lost four straight games, including Friday's embarrassing loss at home to Indiana. Given the sample size, it is safe to assume DeRozan will turn things around at some point. Exactly when that will happen is anyone's guess, but with just two games in the next seven days, managers may have to make a tough call by shifting him to the bench.
Forwards
Consider starting: De'Andre Hunter, ATL
Opponents: MIN, CHI, MIA, @TOR
Hunter continues to play some of the best basketball of his career, having scored at least 20 points in seven of the past eight games. He has been a top-80 player this season, averaging 20.1 points, four rebounds, 0.7 steals, and 2.7 3-pointers in 28.2 minutes per game. Despite coming off the bench, Hunter is crucial to the success of the team. The Hawks have lost three consecutive games and need to get back on track should they wish to be a serious playoff threat. Although his overall value is limited to points and 3s, Hunter is someone to definitely consider as a starter, given his recent consistency.
Consider sitting: Keegan Murray, SAC
Opponents: DET, @LAL
Murray, on the other hand, has been very underwhelming this season, failing to take any significant strides forward. Despite playing a career-high 35.7 minutes per game, Murray has struggled to find any rhythm on the offensive end, averaging a career-low 12.1 points per game. His defensive numbers are also largely disappointing, delivering 0.7 steals per game, also the worst of his career. At this point, he has basically moved to be the fourth or even fifth option on offense, limiting his overall upside. A two-game week solidifies him as someone who can be moved out of starting lineups this week.
Consider sitting: Toumani Camara, POR
Opponents: @DAL, UTA, DAL
Although Camara has been a pleasant surprise this season, his production remains somewhat mediocre. Through 28 games, he has averaged nine points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.5 3-pointers in 30.5 minutes per game. His spot in the rotation feels relatively safe at this point, thanks largely to his ability to chip in across multiple categories from one night to the next. However, with so many teams tabled for four games this week, Camara's lack of upside should be considered when finalizing a starting roster.
Centers
Consider starting: Larry Nance, ATL
Opponents: MIN, CHI, MIA, @TOR
With Onyeka Okongwu sidelined Nance has stepped into the rotation and provided the Hawks with meaningful production. Over the past two games, he has put up 14 points, 11.5 rebounds, three assists, one steal, two blocks, and three 3-pointers in 28 minutes per contest. Having proven the ability to be a fantasy-relevant player, even in limited minutes, Nance is once again firmly on the 12-team radar. Not only is he worth taking a flier on, his per-minute upside makes him a start candidate despite the element of risk.
Consider sitting: Yves Missi, NOP
Opponents: HOU, MEM
Missi has been arguably the best rookie this season, playing as the starting center in New Orleans for the majority of the campaign. Over the past month, he is averaging 13 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 30.7 minutes per game, good enough for top-120 value. Poor free throws and a non-existent perimeter game drags down his overall value, somewhat shading how good he has been despite his inexperience. However, the fact he typically provides value in just one or two categories needs to be accounted for this week, alongside his two-game schedule. He remains a must-roster player, but managers could very well lean into quality over quantity with 16 teams suiting up four times.
