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 18 in the NBA is the first since the trade deadline and buyout period. Traded players and recently signed free-agents are suiting up this week so keep in mind some of those changes when moving forward with your fantasy roster.
The week runs from February 26th through to March 4th. The week ahead has more scheduling anomalies than usual as the frequency of games for teams is all over the place. Let’s start with those clubs who are playing only two games this week.
The Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves and the Toronto Raptors all fall into this category. This isn’t overly impactful for your roster as only a handful of players like Kevin Love, Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin are true roster considerations.
The rest of the Association has a somewhat normal load of games, all except the New Orleans Pelicans who have the rare five game work week ahead. This will be a gruelling week for the Pelicans as all five games are on the road with two back-to-backs built in. While the stretch of games will be tiring; I still advocate the extra game worth of stats over that of a player with only four games.
With this is mind I certainly like Anthony Davis this week. Davis is rebounding nicely from a downturn heading into the All-Star break. He has registered three straight double-doubles and I expect more of the same this week. Not only are the scoring and rebounding numbers nice, but the value for Davis lies in the blocks; case in point the six rim rejections he put up against the Charlotte Bobcats last friday.
Another player riding a hot streak and who has a favourable schedule this week is the Indiana Pacer’s Paul George. Since the Danny Granger exodus from Indiana, George has responded with consecutive 30-point outings. The Pacers have a nice four game set this week and there is no reason to think that George will slow down.
It is clear that George is now the unchallenged top-dog in Indiana and George appears eager to prove his worth. George’s last two outings have seen him shoot the rock at a clip better than .500 and he shot a blistering 8-13 from beyond the arc as well. George is asserting himself at just the right time and accordingly now is a perfect time to get him into your starting lineup.
Moving to the Western Conference we see that the Phoenix Suns have a solid four game set for the week. They start the week on the road in Utah followed by three home games against the likes of New Orleans, Atlanta and the Los Angeles Clippers. Leading the charge through this four game stretch will be none other than Goran Dragic.
Dragic had cooled a bit from his hot first half of the season; however, he did explode on Sunday night for 35 points against the Houston Rockets. Dragic is capable of scoring in bunches and now is a great time to capitalize on a guys streak.
Our last stop takes us to Oklahoma where we have a bit of a dark horse pick for you. One might not be aware of the season that Reggie Jackson is having for the Thunder, but he has emerged as the complementary piece in the offense to Kevin Durant.
Jackson will be looking to put the finishing touches on a solid month of February as he has been averaging 13.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 4.7 apg so far. Jackson contributes nicely without forcing the action. He aggressively takes about 15 shots per night, unfortunately the field goal percentages are not great but he attacks the rim and can knock down the occasional jumper. As a cheap addition to your roster he does contribute with solid and consistent numbers; while he’s no Russell Westbrook, he can still benefit your fantasy roster.