If you look at the NBA in the same fashion as the NFL then there are 25 weeks of NBA action. By breaking down each week and analyzing team schedules you can load your roster with players playing more games and sit those who are playing fewer games.
If all this sounds like a lot of work then you need not worry; because we have done the legwork for you. We are posting a weekly NBA start em’ and sit em’ fantasy guide to assist you in maximizing your fantasy roster potential.
Week 10 in the NBA officially marks the beginning of the New Year as the action tips off on January 1st and runs through to close of day on January 7th. A couple anomalies in the schedule do emerge this week for the Detroit Pistons and the Houston Rockets have shorter work weeks while the Philadelphia 76ers squeeze in an extra game.
The Pistons play only two games while the Rockets get a break from their hectic Christmas schedule as they have a single game on their schedule. On the flip side though is the 76ers as they have a busy five game work week. They play four of those games on the road in what looks to be a gruelling week of travel and back-to-back games.
Needless to say that there are some fairly significant fantasy options available on both the Pistons and the Rockets that won’t be factors come this week. You would be well advised to change up your roster if you have been relying on these guys to get you through the month of December.
My first recommendation comes from the Dallas Mavericks who have a nice four game work week ahead with three of the games coming at home. I’m liking the way that Dirk Nowitzki has been shooting of late as the ‘Big German’ is having one of his finer stretches this late in his career. December saw Dirk average 23.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.2 apg and 1.2 blocks per game which are slightly better than his career numbers. Ride Nowitzki this week into 2014 as he will look to keep the success going.
Normally I don’t look to start guys whose work weeks are packed with a lot of travel, except in the case of Stephen Curry I’ll make an exception. On the road this season Curry is 2 ppg better than at home and with the Golden State Warriors having all four games on this road this week that is a nice little bump.
The road swing has the Warriors making stops in Miami, Atlanta, Washington and Milwaukee; all of which are teams that have yet to face the Warriors this season. The uptempo Warriors are a dangerous enough team and they are extremely difficult to gameplan against. None of the four opponents this week for the Warriors are particularly known for their defense and even better for Curry is that the backcourt matchups are most favourable. I;m expecting Curry to have a huge week with at least one game where he loses his mind and goes off in a big way.
As mentioned, the 76ers have five games this week and despite the travel and having two back-to-back games during the week, I will still take the extra game worth of potential fantasy points. Philadelphia has numerous solid fantasy options on their roster and I wholeheartedly recommend all of them for the week.
Michael Carter-Williams is showing that his early season success was no fluke as he has maintained a wicked rookie slash line of 17.8 ppg, 7.5 apg and 5.5 rpg. MCW backcourt mate Evan Turner is having a career year as he is posting averages of 19.4 ppg, 4 apg and 6.7 rpg. In addition to the fantasy value found in the backcourt; Thaddeus Young is on-fire over his last five games. Young’s line during that stretch is 24.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.4 apg and 2.2 steals per game.
If you have the roster room try to get all three in for the week. If you can’t get the trio into your lineup, take whomever you can as each will offer solid value over the next week.