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 15 in the NBA goes from February 5th through to the conclusion of the evening games of February 11th. This week represents a fairly normal one in the association. All but one team has either a three or four game work week ahead. The one exception is the Charlotte Bobcats who have a two game set for the week.
Not that many folks will have a lot of Bobcat players on their roster, but now would be a good week to sit them anyways. It’s unfortunate too as Al Jefferson has been one of the top performing fantasy players of late; however, two games production isn’t enough to warrant his stay on your lineup.
In addition to the entire Bobcats roster being out of play for the week consider sitting down any and all San Antonio Spurs that you might have on your squad. San Antonio embarks on a four game road swing this week that sees them stop over in Washington, Brooklyn, Charlotte and Detroit. It is likely that Tim Duncan and or Tony Parker will be either given a night off or play reduced minutes in an effort to keep them fresh throughout the season.
Focusing now on who we should be starting, we will pick up from where we left off last week and that is with Kevin Durant. Durant has been the most productive fantasy player out there for the last few weeks and I see no reason why that would change this week. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a nice four game stretch ahead with no back-to-backs and split the four games at home and on the road.
Durant has been an absolute stud over his last ten games. His slash lines is a massive 37.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 6.4 apg and 1.6 steals per contest. If Durant can throw up these kinds of numbers over this four game stretch you will add some serious points to your fantasy roster.
Staying in the Western Conference we shift now to Sacramento. Most of you would be expecting a DeMarcus Cousins shout out here, but instead we are going with the ultra-productive Isaiah Thomas. Thomas has been as solid as they come this season and although his assist averages could be higher, I’ll take the scoring numbers any day.
Sacramento has a nice four game week ahead with games against Toronto, Boston, Washington and Cleveland. Thomas should be away to the races this week as the uptempo style favoured by these teams will play right into his strengths.
Next up we have the Dallas Mavericks and the streaking Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk’s season has seen it’s share of peaks and valleys; however, right now we are riding a nice peak. Dirk had two thirty point-plus performances last week including a monster 38 point 17 rebound game against the cross-state rival Houston Rockets.
Look for Nowitzki to keep the hot hand for the coming week as his Mavericks have a fairly easy go of it with road games in Memphis, Boston and Charlotte as well as a home game against Utah. I’m liking Nowitzki this week to turn back the clock and torch a couple of these teams for big nights.
Our last look in takes us to New Orleans where we see that Anthony Davis is red hot. Davis is coming off a monster game against the Orlando Magic in which he scored 22 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, blocked 7 shots, had 3 assists and 2 steals. Davis followed that performance up with an equally dazzling 30 point, 7 rebound, 8 block outing against Cleveland in the Hornets next outing.
Davis’s last five game averages have looked like 22.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 2.8 apg, 6.3 blocks and 2 steals per game. This week’s four games are against Atlanta, Minnesota, Brooklyn and Toronto; none of which are able to matchup very well against the long and athletic Davis. I expect big things this week from ‘The Brow’ as he and the rest of the city get jacked up to host the all-star game next week.