The Fantasy Basketball Weekly Planner is the essential guide to setting your lineup for the upcoming week. Every week, we provide you with top matchups, the latest news and give you the scoop on injured players.
Fantasy Week 22 (March 23-29)
Teams with five games: Chicago, Phoenix
Teams with four games: Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Detroit, L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers, Miami, Minnesota, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Washington
Teams with three games: Charlotte, Cleveland, Dallas, Golden State, Indiana, Memphis, Milwaukee, New Jersey, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Portland, Toronto, Utah
Teams with two games: Houston, Sacramento
*All stats heading into play Sunday
Atlanta Hawks
Schedule: @MIN, SA, BOS, LAL
Injury
Report: Marvin Williams (back/likely
out for the season).
Slam Dunk: Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Al Horford
Tough Call: The Hawks face two stingy teams
against San Antonio and Boston, but they will play four games and two
come against teams that allow over 100 points per game. Mike Bibby makes a quality No. 2 or 3 guard in any cumulative format
and should be in for a decent week in any type of format. With Williams
out, Maurice Evans has stepped up his
play and is worth starting in larger leagues as a possible stopgap. In
leagues that allow multiple eligibility, he can be started at forward or
guard and is available in many leagues off the waiver wire. Start Ronald Murray in Head-to-Head play or category-based leagues where a
boost in scoring is needed, but where you don't need much help in
rebounds or assists.
One Week Boom: Maurice Evans
Boston Celtics
Schedule: LAC, @ORL, @ATL, OKC
Injury
Report: Leon Powe (knee/could
return in Week 22); Powe is coming up on the second week of his 2-3 week
recovery time, but there is still no indication from the team as far as
a concrete timetable.
Slam Dunk: Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen
Tough Call: Kevin Garnett
is finally back, but has been limited in the two games since his return
as expected. The Celtics still plan to limit his minutes to about 20-25
on Monday against the Clippers, according to coach Doc Rivers, and they
probably won't take the training wheels off for at least another couple
of games. Use him as a No. 4 forward in cumulative leagues of 12-plus
teams and think about going with a healthier alternative in average
based leagues where it will depend on your options. With Garnett back,
though, it's time to cut players like Powe and Glen Davis loose. Kendrick Perkins
remains useful as a low-end No. 2 center option for deeper leagues. His
rebounds and offensive looks will decline systematically as Garnett's
health increases. Avoid Eddie House at
this stage unless you are scrounging for threes. Stephon Marbury is useless in his current role and there really is no
need to own him in any league at this time.
One Week Bust: Kevin Garnett
Charlotte Bobcats
Schedule: @WAS, @PHI, NY
Injury
Report: None.
Slam Dunk: Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor, Raymond Felton
Tough Call: Boris Diaw
is averaging a 16-5-2 line over his last five games and is a capable No.
3 or 4 option in most standard leagues, though he is more appealing in
average-based leagues than cumulative leagues this week due to the
three-game slate. The two games against Fantasy-friendly Washington and
New York are helpful to players like Diaw and Raja Bell this week. D.J. Augustin
and Vladimir Radmanovic are a reach
right now even in deeper leagues.
One Week Boom: Boris Diaw
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Player | % Change | |
1. | Keyon Dooling, G, Nets | 21 |
2. | Trevor Ariza, F, Lakers | 13 |
3. | Grant Hill, F, Suns | 9 |
4. | Danny Granger, F, Pacers | 8 |
5. | Matt Barnes, F, Suns | 8 |
6. | Ronny Turiaf, C, Warriors | 8 |
7. | Antonio McDyess, F, Pistons | 7 |
8. | Brandan Wright, F, Warriors | 7 |
9. | Monta Ellis, G, Warriors | 6 |
10. | Kevin Garnett, F, Celtics | 6 |
Chicago Bulls
Schedule: @WAS, DET, MIA, IND, @TOR
Injury
Report: Luol Deng (leg/out
indefinitely); There is a high possibility that Deng will not return at
all this season and his return for Week 22 is doubtful at best at this
stage.
Slam Dunk: Derrick Rose,
Ben Gordon, John Salmons
Tough Call: The Bulls are one of two teams
that play five times this week. Fantasy owners in cumulative
formats have to be licking their chops. Brad Miller can even be promoted from a No. 2 center to a No. 1
center in cumulative leagues this week. Joakim Noah becomes an excellent addition off the waiver wire as a
result of the schedule. Tyrus Thomas
and Kirk Hinrich remain too spotty to
trust in most formats even with the extra game, however. In
average-based leagues, games against Washington, Indiana and Toronto
should provide high-scoring affairs.
One Week Boom: Brad Miller, Joakim Noah
Cleveland Cavaliers
Schedule: NJ, MIN, DAL
Injury
Report: Wally Szczerbiak (knee/out
until April); Ben Wallace (leg/out until
late March); Wallace is coming up on the fourth week of his 4-6 week
recover time, but there is no indication from the team at this time that
he is close to a return. His availablilty for any part of Week 22 is
highly questionable.
Slam Dunk: LeBron James, Mo Williams
Tough
Call: Zydrunas Ilgauskas is averaging
13.2 points and 7.0 rebounds over his last five games and is still a
worthy No. 2 center option in average-based play and in standard
cumulative leagues as well. Two favorable matchups against New Jersey
and Minnesota should offset the three-game slate. Delonte West has been held under 10 points in three straight games and
is a questionable play even as he continues to play around 35 minutes
per game. Use Anderson Varejao only as a
stopgap No. 2 center this week. His appeal is higher in average-based
play, though, due to the three-game slate. Avoid Daniel Gibson and Joe Smith where
possible.
One Week Bust: Delonte West
Dallas Mavericks
Schedule: GS, DEN, @CLE
Injury
Report: Josh Howard (out until at
least late March); Erick Dampier (knee/day
to day); The team is hoping that Howard can respond to a cortisone shot
that would allow him to return to practice this week, but there is no
concrete timetable for his return yet.
Slam Dunk: Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry
Tough Call: Erick Dampier
is not the type of player to take an injury risk at this time of the
Fantasy season and the three-game slate makes him unappealing in any
cumulative Fantasy league anyway. Brandon Bass
is not a recommended play. Jose Juan Barea
is stuck in a terrible rut. James Singleton
has stepped up his play significantly in Dampier's absence and is worth
taking a flier on in deeper formats. Antoine Wright has been the main benficiary of Howard's absence and
makes for a low-end stopgap measure in larger formats, though be aware
that Howard's possible return, though somewhat unlikely, would make
Wright obsolete again in Fantasy.
One Week Boom: James Singleton
Denver Nuggets
Schedule: @PHO, @NO, @DAL, GS
Injury
Report: No significant injuries.
Slam Dunk: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups
Tough
Call: Nene is averaging 15.6 points and 7.0 rebounds over his last
five games with 1.8 steals and 1.6 blocks in that span. He should start
in any cumulative league for this four-game slate that also includes two
very favorable matchups against the Suns and Warriors. J.R. Smith is coming off a strong week in which he managed 19, 21
and 40 points. Start him in any league for help in points scored and
three-point shooting. He also offers decents steals and a handful of a
boards and assists. Kenyon Martin
continues to be limited to playing just in the first half of games and
is not usable in most Fantasy scenarios right now. In his place, Renaldo Balkman and Chris Andersen have
seen an increase in production and have some measure of sleeper appeal
for deeper formats as stopgap measures. Avoid Linas Kleiza.
One Week Boom: Nene, Renaldo Balkman, Chris Andersen
Detroit Pistons
Schedule: @CHI, LAL, @WAS, PHI
Injury
Report: Richard Hamilton (groin/day
to day); Rasheed Wallace (calf/day to
day); Allen Iverson (back/out until at
least late March); The Pistons are looking to Tuesday's game in Chicago
to get both Hamilton and Wallace back. Iverson could return to action at
some point in Week 22, but there is no concrete return date set for him
yet.
Slam Dunk: Tayshaun Prince,
Antonio McDyess
Tough Call: Hamilton
and Wallace are both injury risks for Week 22, but it does sound to us
like Hamilton is likely to return Tuesday. Wallace could return Tuesday
and should be back for at least three of the team's four games this
week. Hamilton is slightly less of a gamble than Wallace and is even
someone we'd stick our neck out and recommend fully. Wallace should be
viewed as more of a gamble. He has been out for seven games and is quite
possibly going to be somewhat limited upon his return. Iverson is too
risky to play in any weekly league. Arron Afflalo
and Will Bynum have seen some added
productivity through all the injuries. Afflalo is worth taking a flier
on in deeper leagues as he is likely get decent minutes off the bench
until Iverson returns. Bynum is not a recommended option. Avoid Kwame Brown.
One Week Boom: Richard Hamilton
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Team | Schedule | |
1. | Suns | DEN, UTA, @POR, @UTA, @SAC |
2. | Bulls | @WAS, DET, MIA, IND, @TOR |
3. | Heat | MEM, @IND, @CHI, MIL |
4. | Pistons | @CHI, LAL, @WAS, PHI |
5. | Nuggets | @PHO, @NO, @DAL, GS |
Golden State Warriors
Schedule: @SA, @DAL, @DEN
Injury
Report: Andris Biedrins (ankle/out
until April);Biedrins will not be back until at least Week 23 at the
earliest.
Slam Dunk: Stephen Jackson
Tough
Call: Beware of Don Nelson. He continues to try to nudge Jamal Crawford out of town this offseason, benching him twice this
past week. Crawford responded by asking for the next two games off and
this scenario is a nightmare for Fantasy owners down the stretch.
Crawford has to be treated as a ticking time bomb and someone to avoid
if at all possible. Monta Ellis is
finally looking like he is back to 100 percent and doesn't seem to be
subject to Nelson's whimsical rotations, although nobody is completely
immune. Start him in all leagues again. Corey Maggette has played under 30 minutes in three of his last four
games and has scored a combined 18 points in his last two games as a
result. Fantasy owners should view him as no more than a No. 3 or 4
forward. With Biedrins out another week, Ronny Turiaf can stil be used as a stopgap No. 2 center in deeper
leagues, though he is better saved for average-based play due to a
three-game slate. Kelenna Azubuike is
one of the younger players that Nelson is trying to give more playing
time to and it has increased his production of late. He has scored at
least 14 points in five straight games going into Sunday. Anthony Randolph is another one of the young players who is getting
more minutes, but he is dealing with a groin injury and is not someone
we recommend at this stage of the season. The same goes for Brandan Wright.
One Week Bust: Jamal Crawford, Corey Maggette
Houston Rockets
Schedule: @UTA, LAC
Injury
Report: Tracy McGrady (knee/out for
the season); Carl Landry (leg/out
indefinitely); Landry was shot in the leg this past Tuesday and was
expected to be out of the lineup for 1-2 weeks.
Slam Dunk: None.
Tough
Call: The Rockets are one of just two teams this week to play only
two games. That means even Yao Ming and Ron Artest are not locks to start in cumulative Fantasy leagues
this week. Yao will likely offer about 40 points and 20 rebounds with
3-5 blocks and 4-5 assists. Artest will offer around 40 points, 10
rebounds, five assists and a couple of steals and blocks. Weigh your
options. Luis Scola should be around 13
points and 10 boards in the two games. Obviously, those three players
remain excellent starts in average-based play. Aaron Brooks can be used in larger average-based leagues this week.
One
Week Bust: Ron Artest, Yao Ming, Luis Scola
Indiana Pacers
Schedule: MIA, @CHI, WAS
Injury
Report: Mike Dunleavy (knee/out for
the season); Marquis Daniels (wrist/day
to day); Daniels is dealing with a lingering wrist injury and will be
treated on a game-by-game basis.
Slam Dunk: Troy Murphy, Danny Granger
Tough
Calls: T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack got into a bit of a spat on the sideline this week, but it
is not expected to mean any missed playing time for either player. Ford
remains a quality No. 3 guard option while Jack is coming off a 31-point
game and is a quality play as well in most standard formats. Avoid the
banged up Daniels in a three-game week. Jeff Foster and Roy Hibbert remain
low-end plays. Brandon Rush has
benefited from the absence of Marquis Daniels
and has some low-end sleeper appeal in deeper formats, but is a
tentative option with Daniels possibly back any time.
One Week
Boom: T.J. Ford, Jarrett Jack
Los Angeles Clippers
Schedule: @BOS, @NY, @SA, @HOU
Injury
Report: Al Thornton (shoulder/day
to day); Thornton was scratched from Sunday's game with a sore shoulder.
He will be treated on a game-by-game basis and is questionable for
Monday's game in Boston.
Slam Dunk: Zach Randolph, Baron Davis
Tough
Call: Chris Kaman's return has cut
into the production of Marcus Camby and
right now, neither player should be viewed as anything more than a No. 2
center, even in a four-game week. Eric Gordon
is averaging 17.2 points over his last five games and deserves to start
in any format this week, even with three tough defensive matchups
against Boston, San Antonio and Houston. Steve Novak is a sleeper option for anyone looking for a last-minute
replacement option. Despite averaging just 22 minutes off the bench over
his last five games, he is averaging 13.0 points during that span. Start
Thornton at your own risk.
One Week Boom: Eric Gordon
Los Angeles Lakers
Schedule: @OKC, @DET, @NJ, @ATL
Injury
Report: Andrew Bynum (knee/out until
mid-April).
Slam Dunk: Kobe Bryant,
Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom
Tough Call: Trevor Ariza
is on a hot streak, averaging 16.6 points and 5.0 rebounds over his last
five games. This is the type of production we were hoping to see out of
him when Lamar Odom went from the bench
to the starting lineup and left the sixth man role to Ariza. Better late
than never. Ride his hot streak while it lasts, especially in a
four-game slate that includes favorable matchups against the Thunder and
Nets. Derek Fisher can be used as a
low-end stopgap if needed, but he has not been particularly productive
of late. Avoid using Jordan Farmar.
One
Week Boom: Trevor Ariza
Memphis Grizzlies
Schedule: @MIA, @SAC, @POR
Injury
Report: No significant injuries.
Slam Dunk: Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo
Tough
Call: Marc Gasol has hit a bit of a
rookie wall lately, averaging just 9.6 points and 6.4 rebounds over his
last five games. Considering the slump and the three-game week, he
should be viewed as a very low-end No. 2 center option. Mike Conley is averaging 13.4 points, 4.2 assists and 3.4 rebounds
over that same span. Start him as no more than a No. 3 option. Hakim Warrick is heating up, averaging 14.4 points over his last five
games, including a 20-point game Saturday against Boston. View him as a
potential stopgap in leagues of 12-plus teams. Avoid Darko Milicic and Darrell Arthur.
One
Week Bust: Marc Gasol
Miami Heat
Schedule: MEM, @IND, @CHI, MIL
Injury
Report: None.
Slam Dunk: Dwyane Wade,
Jermaine O'Neal
Tough Call: Michael Beasley is getting very erratic minutes off the bench, leading
to very erratic production. Fantasy owners should view him as a No. 4
option right now. Mario Chalmers is
averaging 13.0 points, 5.6 assists and 3.2 rebounds over his last five
games. View Udonis Haslem as a decent
No. 3 or 4 forward option or a solid No. 2 center -- especially in
cumulative play. Jamario Moon is coming
off an impressive 17-point performance Sunday afternoon, but we don't
recommend using such a spotty producer at this critical juncture of the
season. He had scored 12 points in his previous four games. Stay away
from Daequan Cook as well.
One
Week Boom: Udonis Haslem
Milwaukee Bucks
Schedule: @TOR, @ORL, @MIA
Injury
Report: Michael Redd (knee/out for
the season); Andrew Bogut (back/out
until at least early April).
Slam Dunk: Richard Jefferson
Tough Call: When he isn't updating his
Twitter account, Charlie Villanueva has
been busy putting together some solid stat lines. He is averaging 20.8
points and 7.0 rebounds over his last five games and is turning into a
must-start in any format. Ramon Sessions
is producing at the level of a No. 4 guard and should be treated as such
this week. Avoid using Luke Ridnour, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Charlie Bell.
One
Week Boom: Charlie Villanueva
Minnesota Timberwolves
Schedule: @ATL, @PHI, @CLE, NJ
Injury
Report: Al Jefferson (knee/out for
the season).
Slam Dunk: Kevin Love,
Randy Foye
Tough Call: Ryan Gomes, Mike Miller and Sebastian Telfair are worth starting as No. 4 options this week, but
should mainly just be viewed as stopgaps to be used in a pinch. Craig Smith is coming off back-to-back 19-point games with solid
rebounding numbers and is someone to consider adding off the waiver as a
possible fill in. He is available in 90 percent of leagues and is a
solid last-minute option. Rodney Carney
remains too spotty to trust outside of the deepest of leagues.
One
Week Boom: Craig Smith
New Jersey Nets
Schedule: @CLE, LAL, @MIN
Injury
Report: Devin Harris (shoulder/out
indefinitely); There is still no timetable for Harris' return. He seems
unlikely to return in Week 22.
Slam Dunk: Vince Carter, Brook Lopez
Tough
Call: Harris is likely looking at just one game if he does play in
Week 22 and is a player who should be reserved in any weekly format. Keyon Dooling is doing a solid job of filling in for him. While he
won't get you Devin Harris numbers, He
is averaging 15.8 and 6.5 assists over his last five contests. He can be
viewed as a decent fill-in for any format. Chris Douglas-Roberts has had a couple of decent games this past
week, but is too much of a wild card to rely on in a must-win situation.
Avoid using Yi Jianlian.
One Week
Boom: Keyon Dooling
New Orleans Hornets
Schedule: DEN, @NY, SA
Injury
Report: Tyson Chandler (ankle/day to
day); Peja Stojakovic (back/day to day);
The Hornets do not appear to be in a rush to bring either player back
and there appears to be a very good chance that both players could miss
one or two more games.
Slam Dunk: Chris Paul, David West
Tough
Call: Rasual Butler has scored in
double figures in 13 straight games. View him as a decent No. 4 option
in leagues of 12-plus teams. Right now, it would appear that both
Chandler and Stojakovic are too risky to rely upon in a playoff Fantasy
scenario. Hilton Armstrong could make a
decent stopgap in deeper leagues, but the possibility of a Chandler
return makes him a gamble. James Posey
remains too unsteady to rely upon.
One Week Boom: Rasual Butler
New York Knicks
Schedule: ORL, LAC, NO, @CHA
Injury
Report: David Lee (knee/day to day); Larry Hughes (toe/day to day); Lee missed his first game of the
season Saturday and declared after the game that it would be his only
missed game of the season. Hughes is only dealing with a jammed toe and
should be available for Monday's game.
Slam Dunk: David Lee, Nate Robinson, Al Harrington
Tough Call: Wilson Chandler should start in any league for this four-game scoring
period, even with three tough defensive matchups against the Magic,
Hornets and Bobcats. Those same matchups, however, are enough to make
slumping Chris Duhon a very undesirable
start. Quentin Richardson is coming off
a strong week, but remains very erratic. View him only as a low-end No.
4 replacement option. Chris Wilcox will
likely return to being a low-end scorer with David Lee back in the lineup and he is not a recommended option.
One
Week Boom: Wilson Chandler
Oklahoma City Thunder
Schedule: LAL, @TOR, @BOS
Injury
Report: No significant injuries.
Slam Dunk: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green
Tough Call: Nick Collison
posted 10 or more rebounds in three of his last four games with two
double-doubles in that span. He can be viewed as a No. 2 center in
deeper average-based leagues in a pinch. Nenad Krstic is not a recommended play at the moment. Thabo Sefolosha's production dipped sharply, as expected, when Kevin Durant and Jeff Green
returned. Ignore him once again.
One Week Boom: Nick Collison
Orlando Magic
Schedule: @NY, BOS, MIL
Injury
Report: Jameer Nelson (shoulder/out
for the season).
Slam Dunk: Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu
Tough Call: Rafer Alston is averaging 16.2 points, 3.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds
over his last five games. Use him a No. 3 option in any average-based
league, but he should be considered a No. 4 option in cumulative-scoring
formats with the three-game slate. Courtney Lee
has some sleeper appeal in deeper formats as a potential stopgap, coming
off three games with at least 13 points.
One Week Boom: Rafer Alston
Philadelphia 76ers
Schedule: @POR, MIN, CHA, @DET
Injury
Report: Elton Brand (shoulder/out
for the season).
Slam Dunk: Andre Iguodala, Andre Miller
Tough
Call: Samuel Dalembert had a
15-point, 23-rebound game this past week against Golden State, but that
was more a result of going up against the team that allows the most
points and rebounds in the league. Dalembert had just 11 points combined
in three other games during the week. View him as no more than a fill-in
No. 2 center option. Thaddeus Young is
averaging 19.8 points and 6.0 rebounds over his last five games and is
playing well enough to start in any format, especially in a four-game
week. Lou Williams has scored at least
18 points in his last four games with a good amount of assists. He is an
excellent addition off the waiver wire for the four-game week.
One
Week Boom: Thaddeus Young
Phoenix Suns
Schedule: DEN, UTA, @POR, @UTA, @SAC
Injury
Report: Amar'e Stoudemire (eye/out
for the season); Leandro Barbosa
(knee/out until late March); Barbosa is likely still another week away
from returning as he has yet to return to practice.
Slam Dunk: Steve Nash, Shaquille O'Neal, Jason Richardson
Tough Call: The Suns are one of the two
teams this week with five games. That makes fringe options like Matt Barnes and Grant Hill excellent
stopgap options in any cumulative format. Matchups against the Nuggets,
Jazz (twice) and Kings makes them excellent plays in average-based
leagues as well. Looking for sleepers? Alando Tucker and Jared Dudley could
be useful in a pinch.
One Week Boom: Matt Barnes, Grant Hill
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Team | Schedule | |
1. | Rockets | @UTA, LAC |
2. | Kings | MEM, PHO |
3. | Warriors | @SA, @DAL,@DEN |
4. | 76ers | @POR, MIN, CHA, @DET |
5. | Timberwolves | @ATL, @PHI, @CLE, NJ |
Portland Trail Blazers
Schedule: PHI, PHO, MEM
Injury
Report: No significant injuries.
Slam Dunk: Brandon Roy
Tough Call: LaMarcus Aldridge is dealing with the effects of a concussion suffered
this past week. He returned Saturday after missing only one game and was
able to play 42 minutes, but he scored just eight points on 4-for-16
shooting. He may not be 100 percent, but is someone that should start in
most leagues this week. The fact he played 42 mintues is promising even
if he had an off shooting night. Steve Blake
is riding a bit of a hot streak over his last four games and is worth
starting as a No. 3 or 4 guard in any average-based league thanks to
solid matchups against the Suns and Grizzlies. In cumulative leagues,
view him only as a No. 4 option at best due to the three-game slate.
With Nicolas Batum banged up, Travis Outlaw has entered the starting lineup and has seen his scoring
increase. He is averaging 16.8 points over his last four games. He is a
decent play in any average-based league and can be a No. 4 option in
cumulative play. Greg Oden has played
no more than 12 minuts in the three games since his return and is not a
player we recommend at this critical juncture of the Fantasy season. Joel Przybilla is averaging 12.6 boards over his last five games and
remains a good No. 2 Fantasy option at center even with Oden back. Avoid
using Rudy Fernandez unless you are in
a Rotisserie league and need to play catch up in three-point shooting.
One
Week Boom: LaMarcus Aldridge, Steve Blake
Sacramento Kings
Schedule: MEM, PHO
Injury
Report: Andres Nocioni
(quadriceps/day to day); Rashad McCants
(ankle/day to day); Bobby Jackson
(cheek/day to day); Nocioni is dealing with an injury that he
traces back all the way to the Olympics. There is no concrete timetable
for his return. McCants twisted his ankle in a 30-point outburt on March
18 and is considered day to day. Jackson chose to forego surgery on a
broken cheekbone until after the season and could return as soon as he
is clered by doctors.
Slam Dunk: None.
Tough Call: The
Kings are one of the two teams this week that play just two games. That
makes all of them questionable plays in cumulative scoring formats,
though the two matchups are very favorable for average-based play. As
usual, weigh your options. Kevin Martin
will likely be good for around 40-50 points, 8-10 rebound and 4-5
assists with few steals this week. Spencer Hawes
is averaging 13.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists over his last
five games. Expect around 25-30 points, 10-15 rebounds and 5-6 assists
out of him this week. Jason Thompson is
averaging 15.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists over his last five
games. Expect around 25-30 points, 15-20 rebounds, 4-5 assists and a
couple of blocks out of him. These are the only three options even worth
considering in a cumulative league. In average-based leagues, Francisco Garcia and Beno Udrih are
decent low-end plays due to the pair of favorable matchups against teams
that allow over 100 points per game. Avoid the injured players in all
formats.
One Week Bust: Kevin Martin,
Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson
San Antonio Spurs
Schedule: GS, @ATL, LAC, @NO
Injury
Report: Manu Ginobili (ankle/day to
day); Gimobili has been bothering coach Gregg Popovic about getting back
into the lineup, but the team is trying to keep him fresh for a playoff
run. He has returned to practice and could return at some point in Week
22.
Slam Dunk: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker
Tough Call: Ginobili is too risky to rely upon
in a must-win playoff scenario. He could return at some point in the
four-game slate, but there are no guarantees as of yet and he has been
out since mid-February. He will likely be limited upon his
return. Roger Mason Jr. and Matt Bonner remain very low-end stopgap measures. Drew Gooden does not appear to be ready to contribute and should be
reserved. Michael Finley should be avoided
with the possibility of Ginobili returning at some point to take his
minutes.
One Week Bust: Manu Ginobili
Toronto Raptors
Schedule: MIL, OKC, CHI
Injury
Report: Andrea Bargnani
(Achilles'/day to day); Bargnani was a late scratch Sunday against the
Clippers with a sore left heel. He is considered questionable for
Wednesday's game against Milwaukee.
Slam Dunk: Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon
Tough
Call: Bargnani is a very risky play for the upcoming scoring period.
It helps that the Raptors do not play again until Wednesday, but it does
not help that the team plays just three games this week. Start him at
your own risk. Jake Voskuhl
replaced him Sunday, but was not very productive and is not a
recommended fill in for any format. Shawn Marion
is avaeraging 11.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists over his last
five games. He should be treated as no more than a No. 3 or 4 option at
the moment and can be reserved in cumulative formats if there are better
alternatives available. He is no longer a must-start type player. Avoid
using Anthony Parker as a stopgap this
week in cumulative leagues due to the three-game slate.
One Week
Bust: Shawn Marion
Utah Jazz
Schedule: HOU, PHO, PHO
Injury Report: Mehmet Okur (eye/day to day); Okur was poked in the eye in Friday's
game, but he is expected to play Tuesday against Houston.
Slam
Dunk: Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur
Tough
Call: Paul Millsap is averaging
11.4 points and 7.4 rebounds over his last five games view him as a
decent No. 2 center in any average-based league, but beware of the fact
the Jazz play just three games in cumulative formats. Andrei Kirilenko is still stuck in a bit of a rut and is not a
recommended play. Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver are stopgap options for deeper average-based formats
this week only.
One Week Bust: Andrei Kirilenko
Washington Wizards
Schedule: CHI, CHA, DET, @IND
Injury
Report: Caron Butler (hamstring/day
to day); Gilbert Arenas (knee/out
indefinitely); Butler is likely to be a game-time decision for Monday's
game against the Bulls. He has missed the last five games. Arenas is
still determining whether or not to play at all this season.
Slam
Dunk: Antawn Jamison
Tough
Call: The good news with Butler is that the Wizards play Monday, so
his status could be determined before lineup deadlines are due. He has
been day to day for over a week now and Fanatsy owners have to wonder if
the Wizards may just shut him down for the rest of the season with
nothing left to play for. Be prepared with alternatives and only
activate him if you have some sort of guarantee out of Wizards camp that
he will play. Andray Blatche, JaVale McGee and Darius Songaila are
very similar options this week that can be used as low-end stopgaps in
cumulative formats due to the four-game scoring period. They can even be
used in deeper average-based leagues in a pinch. Nick Young is riding a scoring hot streak and can be used as a
double-digit scoring option that can offer around 15 points per game,
though he will do little else. Mike James
is not a recommended option.
One Week Boom: Andray Blatche, JaVale McGee, Darius Songaila
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