With many teams now battling for their fantasy playoffs, being aware of player injuries is key to overall success. Every day I break down every game, focusing on the injuries and subsequent value which could be found. Joakim Noah was disappointing in his last game but had been playing very well prior to that. He may have been dropped in a number of leagues by owners unable to wait him out. The Grizzlies have a few injuries to contend with and Noah has a good chance to bounce back against the Trail Blazers.
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Fantasy Basketball Daily Forecaster
Key Injuries
- Otto Porter – Bulls (rest – probable)
- Domantas Sabonis – Pacers (ankle – out)
- Jimmy Butler – 76ers (back – questionable)
- Joel Embiid – 76ers (knee – out)
- Boban Marjanovic – 76ers (knee – out)
- Jonah Bolden – 76ers (illness – questionable)
- Kenneth Faried – Rockets (hip – questionable)
- Kawhi Leonard – Raptors (rest – questionable)
- Mike Conley – Grizzlies (soreness – questionable)
- Avery Bradley – Grizzlies (wrist – probable)
- Ivan Rabb – Grizzlies (ankle – questionable)
- Jaren Jackson Jr. – Grizzlies (quad – out)
- Paul George – Thunder (shoulder – doubtful)
- Robert Covington – Timberwolves (ankle – out)
- Klay Thompson – Warriors (knee – questionable)
- Kevon Looney – Warriors (pelvis – out)
- Andre Iguodala – Warriors (soreness – questionable)
Potential Pickups
- Robin Lopez – Bulls
- Moe Harkless – Trail Blazers
- Joakim Noah – Grizzlies
Potential Streamers
- Jonah Bolden – 76ers (Embiid injury)
- Mike Scott – 76ers (numerous injuries)
- Gerald Green – Rockets (three-pointers)
- OG Anunoby – Raptors (Leonard absence)
- Delon Wright – Grizzlies (assists, steals)
- Nerlens Noel – Thunder (blocks)
- Josh Okogie – Timberwolves (steals)
Matchups for Tuesday, March 5
Bulls @ Pacers
Robin Lopez continues to be vastly under-owned, despite being a top-50 player over the past two weeks. His playing time is going nowhere and there is even talk he will re-sign with the Bulls this offseason. The Bulls are heading into a back-to-back set, giving Lopez even more appeal. If he is available, put your hangups aside and go and grab him.
Not a lot of fantasy news coming out of Indiana with the usual suspects continuing to do the bulk of the heavy lifting. Wesley Matthews has slotted in well with his new team, hitting multiple three-pointers in six straight games. He is still around in almost 50 percent of leagues and should be considered an elite three-point streaming option in almost every format.
Magic @ 76ers
Coming off a bad loss to the Cavaliers, the Magic will be looking to bounce back against a 76ers outfit fighting for a top-four seed. Terrance Ross has had a couple of bad games over the past week meaning he may have been dropped in your league. If he is available, consider picking him up if you need points and three-pointers.
Joel Embiid will miss another game Tuesday, meaning Jonah Bolden will likely remain in the starting lineup. A caveat to that is Bolden struggling with a sinus concern, leaving his status as questionable. Bolden has scored at least 12 points in each of his last two games and has been chipping in rebounds and blocks. If he is deemed available, owners should consider streaming him in across a number of formats.
Rockets @ Raptors
Very little to talk about when the Rockets are healthy, leaving their value quite predictable and certainly quite shallow. Gerald Green is worth a look as a three-point streamer but comes with no guarantees. Prior to his last game, Green had hit multiple three-pointers in six of his past seven games.
Kawhi Leonard sat out the Raptors last game, quite simply because he didn’t feel like playing. He may or may not return for Tuesday’s game, leaving his fantasy owners quite frustrated. If he is out again, OG Anunoby could be worth a look but even in games without Leonard, he has struggled to put up value outside of deeper formats.
Trail Blazers @ Grizzlies
Moe Harkless is rostered in only 38 percent of leagues despite his recent production. His scoring is always going to be somewhat inconsistent due to the offensive threats he shares the floor with. His value comes from the ability to contribute steals and out of position rebounds. If that sounds like a player that would fit your team build, give him a look.
With Mike Conley missing the Grizzlies’ last game, Delon Wright moved into the starting lineup. He had his best game since being traded, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals, and one block in 36 minutes. If Conley returns, Wright will likely shift back to a 25-minute role, making him more of a streaming option. Owners who are still active towards the backend of the season should keep an eye on Wright in case he can carve out a larger role moving forward.
Thunder @ Timberwolves
Paul George has missed the last three games and it appears as though he could be out once again Tuesday. In his absence, Abdel Nader has moved into a more sizeable role. He ended with 15 points in the last game but had scored no more than five points in his previous eight games.
Robert Covington is getting closer to a return for the Timberwolves but has already been ruled out for Tuesday. The fact he is being omitted a day early could indicate he is still a few games away. In his absence, Josh Okogie will continue to see decent minutes and has been playing well on the defensive end. He should be viewed as an in-and-out player if you need steals.
Celtics @ Warriors
Gordon Hayward is certainly not living up to expectations and the fact he is rostered in 89 percent of leagues is bamboozling. Over his last five games, he is averaging 5.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and has hit one three-pointer.
Klay Thompson is questionable heading into Tuesday after undergoing an MRI on his knee. The injury doesn’t sound too serious but if he is forced to miss further time, Alfonzo McKinnie could move into the starting lineup once again. The promotion does not mean he is worth picking up as it will likely be the key players picking up the slack.
Got a question about today’s fantasy basketball fringe report? Hit Adam up on twitter @adamking91 or give a shout out to @Fantrax
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