Many fantasy basketball leagues will head into their playoffs this week, meaning streaming is going to be crucial. The week begins with 14 teams in action meaning there are a number of potential streaming options to be found. After Pau Gasol was bought out by the Spurs, Jakob Poeltl has moved into the starting lineup and has been playing well. He will not be able to provide a regular source of points but has now blocked three shots in each of his last two games. If you need rebounds and blocks, Poeltl appears as though he could have a strong finish to the season, much like he did with Toronto.
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Fantasy Basketball Daily Forecaster
Key Injuries
- Taurean Prince – Hawks (personal – doubtful)
- John Collins – Hawks (illness – questionable)
- Hassan Whiteside – Heat (hip – questionable)
- Goran Dragic – Heat (calf – questionable)
- Bryn Forbes – Spurs (calf – probable)
- Ersan Ilyasova – Bucks (hamstring – probable)
- T.J. Warren – Suns (ankle – out)
- Anthony Davis – Pelicans (illness – questionable)
- DeAndre Jordan – Knicks (ankle – questionable)
- Mario Hezonja – Knicks (leg – out)
- Marvin Bagley – Kings (knee – out)
- Lance Stephenson – Lakers (toe – questionable)
Potential Pickups
- Cheick Diallo – Pelicans
Potential Streamers
- Allen Crabbe – Nets (three-pointers)
- DeMarre Carroll – Nets (points, rebounds)
- Alex Len – Hawks (Collins injury)
- Kevin Huerter – Hawks (three-pointers)
- DeAndre Bembry – Hawks (steals)
- Dion Waiters – Heat (points, three-pointers)
- Mason Plumlee – Nuggets (rebounds)
- Jakob Poeltl – Spurs (rebounds, blocks)
- Patty Mills – Spurs (points, three-pointers)
- Richaun Holmes – Suns (blocks)
- Frank Jackson – Pelicans (points)
- Damyean Dotson – Knicks (points, three-pointers)
- Allonzo Trier – Knicks (points, three-pointers)
- Harry Giles – Kings (rebounds, FG%)
- Ivicia Zubac – Clippers (rebounds)
- JaMychal Green – Clippers (points, rebounds)
- Landry Shamet – Clippers (three-pointers)
- Reggie Bullock – Lakers (three-pointers)
Matchups for Monday, March 4
Mavericks @ Nets
Dwight Powell continues to play well for the Mavericks and has basically extinguished any value Maxi Kleber had. Powell is already owned in over 50 percent of leagues but remains available in select competitive formats. He can provide scoring, rebounds, and steals while shooting a high percentage from the field. If he is available, he is worth serious consideration.
The Nets have lost three games in a row and need to get back in the winners’ circle as soon as possible. Allen Crabbe had been playing well up until two weeks ago but continues to see minutes in the mid-twenties. He is available in over fifty percent of leagues and is worth looking at if you need three-pointers.
Hawks @ Heat
Alex Len has put together two strong performances, rocketing back into standard league consideration. John Collins has been out due to an illness and with no word on his status for Monday, Len could have value a little while longer. This is a tough call to make unless you can wait until closer to tipoff to make the addition.
Dion Waiters has cooled off over the past week but has still played at least 28 minutes in four of his last five games. Waiters can score in bunches when he is hot but can also contribute assists and out of position rebounds. If Goran Dragic is ruled out again, Waiters appeal would increase, making him a solid streaming option in 12-team formats.
Nuggets @ Spurs
The Nuggets are basically back to full health, meaning a number of fringe players have lost the majority of their value. Mason Plumlee continues to play well despite the healthy bodies returning but is generally seeing minutes in the mid-20s only. If you need rebounds and out-of-position assists, Plumlee could be worth a look.
Much like last season, Jakob Poeltl is finding form heading into the fantasy playoffs. With Pau Gasol now off the roster, Poeltl has had two strong games in a row. He has blocked three shots in each of those games, adding a combined 16 points and 21 rebounds. If he sticks in the starting unit, Poeltl could once again be a sneaky pickup in many 12-team formats.
Bucks @ Suns
Outside of their starting five and Nikola Mirotic, the Bucks fantasy value is non-existent. Picking up anyone apart from those six players is not advisable anywhere except deeper formats.
Tyler Johnson had been playing well prior to his two most recent games in which he scored a total of nine points on 2-of-12 shooting. The playing time remains constant and chances are he is able to put up a decent performance in the near future. He was likely dropped in a number of leagues, making him a potential pickup, albeit with an element of risk.
Pelicans @ Jazz
Anthony Davis is questionable heading into Monday’s game, meaning Cheick Diallo could be in for another big night. Given the Pelicans current situation, there is a decent chance Davis misses this one. Diallo clearly has the most upside of all the Pelicans fringe players and despite minutes in the low-twenties, should be viewed as a potential long-term pickup.
Much like the Bucks, the Jazz have basically no value outside of their stars, making streaming very difficult. An interesting sidenote, not pertaining to streaming, is that Derrick Favors has been the 11th ranked player in standard leagues over the past two weeks. He is already rostered in 91 percent of leagues but the season he has delivered thus far has certainly flown under the radar.
Knicks @ Kings
Allonzo Trier has dropped at least 16 points in four of his past five games, continuing his roller-coaster season. Trier offers next to nothing outside of scoring meaning he is suited to points leagues and streaming only. Just be aware that there is a chance he plays just 15 minutes given the rotational situation head coach David Fizdale chooses to implement on a nightly basis.
Marvin Bagley is likely going to miss this week and while there is no one player that benefits, Harry Giles has seen a slight increase in his playing time. He has scored at least 15 points in two straight games, shooting a combined 16-of-26 from the field. If you need points, rebounds, and high-efficiency, Giles might just be worth a sneaky look.
Clippers @ Lakers
Landry Shamet hit six triples in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Knicks. The opposition needs to be taken into consideration but nonetheless, he has been shooting the ball well over the past two games. He has connected on 12 triples in that time and is another player to consider if you need perimeter scoring.
The Lakers are a mess right now and a change in their starting lineup could be coming. Nothing has been discussed that we are aware of but it would not be at all surprising. Reggie Bullock has struggled in his last two games, ending with just five points in each contest. He can still be used as a source of three-pointers, however, a player like Landry Shamet or Allen Crabbe, certainly has more upside.
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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