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 23 in the NBA goes from April 2 through to April 8th. After this week there is only one more week of NBA action followed by the regular season finale day where every team plays. That means that teams have between seven and ten games remaining on the schedule. No time to waste if you are trying to make up ground in your fantasy league.
Every team on the schedule this week, with the exception of one, plays either three or four games. The Portland Trailblazers have a mere two games this week so for sure you are going to sit them in favour of busier fantasy options.
The team with the most favourable schedule this week is without a doubt the Miami Heat as they have four games all coming at home. The risk here is that some of the stars are slightly banged up and may see some rest here to ready themselves for the playoffs. It is more likely though that everyone plays at home and the rest comes on the road next week.
With that in mind get LeBron James into your lineup. He has been churning out LeBron like performances on a regular basis and I see no reason for a drop off this week. I would stay away from Dwyane Wade this week as he is nursing a hamstring injury and they won’t want to rush him back to action. In lieu of Wade look to Chris Bosh this week. Coach Spoelstra and the staff know that they will need a confident Bosh heading into the playoffs so I expect him to see some good run this week at home in hopes of getting him going.
From Miami we check in with the Houston Rockets who also play a nice four game set this week. The Rockets have Toronto and Los Angeles Lakers on the road and play host to Oklahoma and Denver. Dwight Howard is expected to miss the entire week of action due to a tweaked ankle.
In Howard’s absence, James Harden will have to step up and compensate for that void. Harden is primed to have a great week as he is riding a personal hot streak of late. His last five games have averages of 30.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 7.8 apg and 1.6 steals per. Harden also recorded his first triple-double of the season recently; albeit it came against the lowly Philadelphia 76ers, but nonetheless it is good for a confidence boost.
Our final look in takes us to Sacramento where we see that the Kings also have a four game set this week with three of those coming at home. While normally starting Isaiah Thomas here would be the play, he is injured and has been missing far too much action of late. Instead the reliable play here is none other than DeMarcus Cousins who is quietly going about having a career year.
Cousins has been averaging 21.3 ppg and 12.3 rpg since the start of March and those numbers are pretty much inline with his season averages. He has been as reliable an options as they come with 45 double-doubles in 63 games played so far. Insert Cousins into your lineup this week and expect similar like production for your fantasy squad.