Daily Fantasy Basketball Forecaster

Week 21 kicks off with six games across the league, including a couple of key inter-conference matchups. The Jazz will host the Thunder out west, while in Brooklyn, the Nets will host the red-hot Pistons. The Pistons are on the second night of a back-to-back set, however, the lead-in game against the Bulls was far from a challenge. Rodions Kurucs has moved into the starting lineup for the Nets and has been playing well. He is typically the third or fourth option on the offensive end which means he is often forgotten by the defending team. He will not put up big numbers in any one category but can contribute across the board.

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Key Injuries

Kawhi Leonard – Raptors (depends if he feels like playing – questionable)
Larry Nance Jr. – Cavaliers (chest – questionable)
Tristan Thompson – Cavaliers (foot – out)
Marvin Bagley – Kings (knee – doubtful)
Bruce Brown – Pistons (ankle – questionable)
Shabazz Napier – Nets (personal – probable)
Jeremy Lamb – Hornets (hamstring – probable)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – Hornets (knee – questionable)
Kenneth Faried – Rockets (hip – questionable)
Ricky Rubio – Jazz (hip – out)

Potential Pickups

Luke Kennard – Pistons
Rodions Kurucs – Nets

Potential Streamers

OG Anunoby – Raptors (Leonard absence)
Marquese Chriss – Cavaliers (Nance injury)
Harry Giles – Kings (rebounds)
Thomas Bryant – Wizards (blocks)
Wayne Ellington – Pistons (three-pointers)
Ish Smith – Pistons (assists)
DeMarre Carroll – Nets (points, three-pointers)
Ed Davis – Nets (rebounds)
Frank Kaminsky – Hornets (points, three-pointers)
Gerald Green – Rockets (three-pointers)
Nerlens Noel – Thunder (blocks)
Kyle Korver – Jazz (three-pointers)
Ivica Zubac – Clippers (rebounds, blocks)
JaMychal Green – Clippers (rebounds)
Landry Shamet – Clippers (three-pointers)

Matchups for Monday, March 11

Raptors @ Cavaliers

The Raptors are coming off a relatively easy victory but could once again be without Kawhi Leonard, given the level of the opposition and Leonard simply not wanting to play. Owners have to be dreading every game for the Raptors and his lack of motivation will likely cost a number of owners a shot at their fantasy title.

The Cavaliers could be without Larry Nance who suffered a chest injury in their last game. It is unclear how serious the injury is; however, he was not able to train Sunday which certainly leaves him in doubt. If he sits Monday’s game, Marquese Chriss could see an uptick in his playing time. He has shown the ability to put up numbers when afforded the minutes but is certainly far from consistent.

Kings @ Wizards

Marvin Bagley is getting closer to a return but there has been no word on when exactly that might happen. Nemanja Bjelica has been back in the rotation since the Bagley injury but hasn’t really stepped up. He did manage 13 points and 10 rebounds in the last game and has strangely been blocking shots with regularity. If you are desperate, he could be worth a look but just don’t set your expectations too high.

The Wizards are coming off a pair of losses and need to turn things around if they hope to challenge for the playoffs. Thomas Bryant is the only fringe player on the roster who has any value, and the comes only in blocks given his limited playing time. He could bust out a big game at any stage but predicting that is tough, making him a streaming option only.

Pistons @ Nets

The Pistons have now won five games in a row, their most recent, a 23-point victory over the Bulls just 24 hours earlier. Ish Smith continues to lead the second unit and despite scoring just four points Sunday, he handed out another five assists. He now has at least five dimes in five consecutive games, making him a strong streaming option.

The Nets have their own three-game winning streak going right now and will host the surging Pistons in what is a very important game for both teams. Rodions Kurucs has scored in double-digits in four straight games while chipping in across other categories. His playing time is still somewhat inconsistent but when he is on the floor, much of the attention is elsewhere. This allows him plenty of open looks and as a member of the starting unit, he should be considered in 12-team formats.

Hornets @ Rockets

The Hornets remain in the hunt for the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference, helped along by the fact the Heat and the Magic both lost Sunday. Every game is crucial and coming up against the Rockets is not a nice way to start their playoff charge. Frank Kaminsky has provided the Hornets with much-needed scoring off the bench and as long as he is hot, should be considered for streaming purposes if you need points and three-pointers.

The Rockets are coming off a hard-fought one-point victory over the Mavericks, a game in which the starters were called upon more than they may have been expecting. Gerald Green has hit multiple three-pointers in seven of his past eight games and has carved out a role sizeable enough for him to be able to contribute on a nightly basis. Poor shooting will come and go as it does with the majority of three-point streamers, however, he is as good as any other perimeter option and is worth considering in competitive formats.

Thunder @ Jazz

The Thunder have won just two of their last eight games and will be looking to put up a better performance against a strong Jazz outfit. They will be looking for Paul George to find his shooting touch after going 31-of-107, or 29 percent, over his last five games. George has emerged as the Thunder’s go-to player on the offensive end and generally drives the defensive end with his ability to guard the wing position.

The Jazz will be without Ricky Rubio for Monday’s game, as he will miss a second straight game due to a hip injury. They will need their bench players to step up and over the past five games, that is exactly what Kyle Korver has been doing. He has hit a combined 17 three-pointers over his last five games, providing much-needed offense for the second unit. He remains one of the best in-game three-point shooters in the league and is worth considering if you need perimeter scoring.

Celtics @ Clippers

Gordon Hayward’s late-season resurgence continues, having now scored in double-digits in three straight games. He has played at least 28 minutes in all three games, also collecting 12 rebounds, 11 assists, and three steals. This is more like the player the Celtics had been hoping for, and this type of production certainly helps them in their pursuit of the Eastern Conference championship.

There is typically an abundance of three-point streamers at this time of the year, and Landry Shamet certainly fits that mold. He has drilled 17 three-pointers in his last four games, playing at least 31 minutes in three of those games. The Clippers currently sit in the seventh seed but do have other teams breathing down their neck. Avoiding the eighth seed is obviously the goal as that means you avoid the Warriors in the first round. Shamet should continue to play big minutes down the stretch and will likely be in and out of fantasy squads moving forward.

Got a question about today’s fantasy basketball fringe report? Hit Adam up on twitter @adamking91 or give a shout out to @Fantrax

Adam King is new to NBA writing for FantraxHQ. He also currently writes for Rotowire and has previously written for Locked on Fantasy Basketball and Locked on Timberwolves. He has played sports his entire life with fantasy basketball becoming a passion over the past six years. By day, Adam is the service coordinator at the Autism Centre in Canberra, Australia. Adam was born and raised in Queanbeyan, Australia and currently resides in Bungendore, Australia with his wife and two children.

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