Next week will be the first full week post-all-star break. The Frankenstein pieced together fantasy “week” which is ending always catches managers off-guard, the 10 am PST starts on Saturday don’t help for setting line-ups either.
Unlike the all-star breaks of the past, managers don’t have a lot of time to turn things around. Most NBA teams have only 20 or-so games left on their schedules. This means leagues have potentially 3 to 5 weeks left depending on the format to secure a playoff spot or rotisserie win.
NBA Schedule Preview
- February 28, Monday: 7
- March 1, Tuesday: 6
- March 2, Wednesday: 8
- March 3, Thursday: 7
- March 4, Friday: 9
- March 5, Saturday: 6
- March 6, Sunday: 8
Teams with 5 games (1)
TOR
Teams with 4 games (11)
BKN, CLE, HOU, IND, MEM, MIA, MIL, MIN, OKC, ORL, SAC
Teams with 3 games (17)
ATL, BOS, CHA, CHI, DAL, DEN, DET, GSW, LAC, LAL, NOP, NYK, PHI, PHX, SAS, UTA, WAS
Teams with 2 games (1)
POR
Streaming Option: Team
Toronto Raptors (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sun)
FIVE FREAKING GAMES. Not much else to be said. The Raptors are making up games against Brooklyn and Orlando this week forcing them into a grueling 5 games in 7 days. When the omicron variant ran rampant through the NBA in the winter of 2021 and as a league, there are still a handful of games to account for.
Chris Boucher (PF/C)
The slender big is a common streamer, especially for blocks, though his numbers have stalled over the last couple of weeks. He is consistently playing 20+and with OG Anunoby banged up it seems the former Oregon Duck can’t stay cold forever. Regardless of his recent numbers, Boucher could be a huge addition with 5 games.
Thaddeus Young (PF/C)
In the hustle and bustle of the trade deadline, this one went slightly under the radar. In an increasingly positionless league, on a team whose formula is centered around positionless players, Thaddeus Young is one of the originals. The veteran forward should fit right into Toronto’s schemes, and with injury issues in the frontcourt, Young could be a useful all-around streaming option but especially in defensive stats.
Indiana Pacers (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun)
The pacers roster has turned over quite a bit throughout the last 12 months and the inconsistent rotations are a product of that. Fortunately, there are a few readily available players that could help out teams this week, especially with four games on their slate.
Oshae Brissett (SF/PF)
Over his last 7 games, the undrafted forward out of Syracuse has averaged 16.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, and just over 2 threes made. Similar to the end of last season when Brissett had some breakout performances it seems his biggest hindering factor is playing time. With the litany of injuries, the Pacers are dealing with Brissett should continue to be an elite pick-up option.
Isaiah Jackson (PF/C)
Over his last ten games, Jackson has blocked 2 or more shots in six of them. Admittedly, Jackson plays limited minutes so this is a high-risk pick-up. That being said with four games this week the second-year big man could be the difference in winning and losing blocks.
Chris Duarte (SG/SF)
Duarte has been an interesting case all season. The 25-year-old rookie out of Oregon will fill the stat sheet for a couple days, then disappear. As a fantasy manager, Duarte is one of the more frustrating, yet prominent streaming options all year long. Points, three-pointers made, and steals remain his best attributes, but as he really grasps his role as a starter I expect his numbers to become more consistent and hopefully his 13.4 ppg can jump to 17, 18 plus.
Streaming Option: Players
Tre Mann, PG/SG – Oklahoma City
Mann hasn’t had a ton of consistent court time this season, but over his last four games, he may have solidified a spot in the rotation. The rookie guard has averaged nearly 22 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 three-pointers made in his last four outings. Add to the equation that Josh Giddey picked up a hip injury at the end of last week, likely freeing up the minutes Mann needs to be a real producer. With four games this week and Giddey’s minutes up for grabs Tre should be on every manager’s radar.
Familiar Faces
I could get into the nitty-gritty of a lot of other players who would likely be decent streaming options, but as it turns out they get listed every week in waivers articles and publications across this website and others. But here is a group of familiar faces that could have breakout weeks with four games on their schedule.
Alperen Sengun, PF/C – Houston Rockets
Best Stats (All Around)
Lauri Markkanen PC/C – Cleveland Caveliers
Best Stats (3PM, PTS)
Chuma Okeke, PF – Orlando Magic
Best Stats (STL, REB)
Mo Bamba, C – Orlando Magic
Best Stats (BLK)
Dillon Brooks, SG/SF – Memphis Grizzlies
This is contingent on him coming back this week, keep an eye out for reports.
Best Stats (PTS, 3PM, STL)
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