The NBA is fantastic and there are so many things to talk about each and every week. Whether you are a Fantasy Basketball fanatic or just a fan here is ten things about the NBA that I want you to know about as we head into week 23 of the NBA season!
Best Games to Watch in Week 23
Monday March 19: Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs. The injury riddled Warriors against a Spurs team fighting to make the playoffs. Should be a great way to begin the week!!
Tuesday March 20: Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers. Two of the best teams in the West on a Tuesday night? Oh, I am there for this one.
Wednesday March 21: Toronto Raptors at Cleveland Cavaliers. This one is a possible playoff preview and always must see TV!
Thursday March 22: Memphis Grizzlies at Charlotte Hornets. Two teams without playoff hopes and the best of an interesting Thursday night schedule.
Friday March 23: Utah Jazz at San Antonio Spurs. Two teams hoping to reach the playoffs in what should be a slow paced, grind it out, playoff atmosphere.
Saturday March 24: New Orleans Pelicans at Houston Rockets. Anthony Davis and James Harden mixing it up on an NBA version of Saturday Night Fights!!
Sunday March 25: Portland Trail Blazers at Oklahoma City Thunder. A possible first round playoff preview to end the week? Thanks NBA!!
You are a Happy Fantasy Basketball General Manager If
If you have players on your roster from the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz as each team has four games this week.
Every other NBA team has three games this week.
Waiver Wire Pickup of the Week for Week 23
I don’t know what has gotten into Atlanta Hawks SF Taurean Prince but over his past five games he’s averaging 19 points, 6.6 rebounds, four assists, one block and nearly four triples a night. Prince also has solid shooting percentages and is good for the occasional block and steal per night. The Hawks have four games this week (@Utah, @Sacramento, @Golden State and @Houston) and is widely available across the Fantasy Basketball industry.
Worst Defensive Efficiency Ratings Since the All Star Break
It makes sense for Fantasy Basketball General Managers and Daily Fantasy NBA players to target bad defenses. Here are the bottom ten since the All Star Break.
30). New York Knicks: The Knicks are a dumpster fire on the defensive end without Kristaps Porzingis.
29). Denver Nuggets: Hard to believe the Nuggets are fighting for a playoff berth playing defense like this.
28). Phoenix Suns: Unless the Suns are playing the OKC Thunder or another lottery team they are horrible all the way around.
27). Brooklyn Nets: Injuries and crazy rotations have more to do with this than anything else…..D’Angelo Russell returning hasn’t helped much either.
26). Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies went from top five to bottom five in only a season. They have perfected the “tank”!!
25). Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves weren’t all that great before Jimmy Butler got hurt so it’s no surprise they are in the bottom ten.
24). Sacramento Kings: Tanking teams don’t generally play much defense and the Kings are no exception.
23). Atlanta Hawks: Hard to believe a Mike Budenholzer team is in the bottom ten in defense but it is what it is.
22). Charlotte Hornets: The Hornets are a mess and maybe they should just blow the team up and start all over.
21). Chicago Bulls: Watch out NBA. Soon this young team is going to be good.
Top Ten Offenses Since the All Star Break and Widely Available Players to Add
Taking advantage of bad defenses is a given. Fantasy Basketball General Managers and Daily NBA players also should be on the lookout for hidden gems on the best offenses. Below are the top ten offenses since the All Star Break.
1). Golden State Warriors: Klay Thompson is probably going to be out this week. You should think about picking up Nick Young this week.
2). Toronto Raptors: Pascal Siakam is averaging 20 minutes a night. You could also add Fred Van Fleet as he has also seem more than 20 minutes a night.
3). Denver Nuggets: Wilson Chandler is widely available and gets a heavy dose of minutes.
4). Houston Rockets: Trevor Ariza is probably the only widely available Rocket worthy of an addition this week.
5). Minnesota Timberwolves: Nemanja Bjelica is the one you want to add this week.
6). Cleveland Cavaliers: Jordan Clarkson and Kyle Korver are the best widely available options. Okay, if you feel daring then add George Hill to the mix too.
7). Los Angeles Clippers: Montrezl Harrell and Austin Rivers are roster worthy on this suddenly strong offensive unit.
8). Los Angeles Lakers: There isn’t a single player worth adding that isn’t over 25 percent available.
9). Boston Celtics: Terry Rozier is the player on the Celtics you want to add to your roster.
10). Portland Trail Blazers: The Blazers don’t have Fantasy gold outside of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum so don’t waste your time!
Widely Available Streaming Options for Week 23
Monday March 19: Indiana Pacers small forward Bojan Bogdanovic has a great opportunity Monday against a Los Angeles Lakers dead last in the NBA against small forwards defense.
Tuesday March 20: Over the past five games the Portland Trail Blazers are dead last against small forwards so adding Rockets small forward Trevor Ariza might be a good idea.
Wednesday March 21: Brooklyn Nets PG/SG Caris LaVert is a very good option on Wednesday against the worst defense in the NBA against point guards.
Thursday March 22: Memphis Grizzlies SF Dillon Brooks might be a good option Thursday against a bottom five against small forwards Charlotte Hornets defense.
Friday March 23: Miami Heat PG/SG Tyler Johnson has a great opprotunity Friday against a bottom five over their past five games OKC Thunder defense against shooting guards.
Saturday March 24: You can add the Rockets Ariza against a bottom five against small forwards New Orleans Pelicans defense in what should be a high scoring affair.
Sunday March 25: Brooklyn Nets small forward DeMarre Carroll is the one you want on Sunday against the dumpster fire Cleveland Cavaliers defense against small forwards.
Tweet of the Week
Russell Westbrook racks up triple doubles at a rate that McDonalds sells hamburgers. At least it seems like it. NBA Analyst Dean Oliver says those triple doubles aren’t as valuable as when Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant gets one……check out this Tweet of the Week worthy Tweet!!
I'm not a huge fan of the triple-double stat, so celebrating Westbrook and Lebron for that over their overall greatness is weird. Among players with >=5 triple-doubles (incl playoffs) since Westbrook started, his have been only 10th most valuable. pic.twitter.com/06OvPmFPaV
— Dean Oliver (@DeanO_Lytics) March 14, 2018
Dunk of the Week
LeBron James has been in the League for 15 seasons. He has had his share of great dunks but this one over Portland Trail Blazers center Jusef Nurkic might be the Dunk of the Year!!
Taking Advantage of the Tankapalooza
Because the NBA powers that be didn’t think the Lottery all the way through we now have a NBA Front Offices building rosters solely to lose enough games in hopes of getting the number one pick in the NBA Draft. It sucks for fans of tanking teams but for wise Fantasy Basketball General Managers this is a beautiful thing and something to take advantage of. I’m going to give you one player on a few of these tanking teams that could pay off big in either Daily Fantasy Leagues or Season Long Fantasy Leagues. Each of these players is widely available across the Fantasy Basketball industry.
Memphis Grizzlies: SF Dillon Brooks is still getting plenty of minutes and putting up strong numbers.
Atlanta Hawks: We already mentioned Prince but you can also look to PF/C John Collins and PG/SG Tyler Dorsey. Both are getting 25 plus minutes a night and seeing good results.
Brooklyn Nets: SF/PF DeMarre Carroll is the only Nets player getting at least 30 minutes consistently and is good for everything except steals and blocks. You could also use SG/SF Allen Crabbe this week.
New York Knicks: PF/C Kyle O’Quinn is seeing 20 minutes a night consistently as is SF/PF Michael Beasley.
Worst Three Point Defenses Since the All Star Break and Players to Stream Against These Teams
Monday March 19: Three point shooters against the Sacramento Kings make a League best 38.5 percent of their triples. Over the past five games Detroit Pistons SG/SF Reggie Bullock has been knocking down three per night. This is about as good as it gets.
Tuesday March 20: Utah Jazz sharpshooter Joe Ingles would be my first choice at home against the Hawks. If he isn’t on your waiver wire try Jae Crowder. The Hawks allow three point shooters to knock down 38.1 percent of their triples so it would behoove you to play one of those two on Tuesday.
Wednesday March 21: The Charlotte Hornets are third from the bottom in three point percentage allowed. Brooklyn Nets sharpshooter DeMarre Carroll is knocking down just over two a game over his last five. If Carroll isn’t available try Allen Crabbe or even Joe Harris.
Thursday March 22: Bogdan Bogdanovic is knocking down nearly two triples per night and he’s in a great spot to knock down a bunch against a Hawks defense allowing shooters to make 38.1 percent of them this season from downtown. You could also use the Hawks Taurean Prince in the same game as he’s been raining threes at a four per game rate over his past five games.
Friday March 23: Minnesota Timberwolves small forward Nemanja Bjelica is averaging 2.4 made triples a night over his past five games and is in a nice spot Friday against a New York Knicks defense in the bottom five in three point field goal percentage allowed.
Saturday March 24: Dallas Mavericks SG/SF Wesley Matthews is out for the season; shooting guard Yogi Ferrell took his place in the starting lineup and has been knocking down two triples a night over his past five. The Hornets allow a high percentage of triples made. Seems like a good idea to stream Ferrell Saturday night.
Sunday March 25: Boston Celtics PG/SG Terry Rozier is averaging three made triples a night over his past five games and has a great opportunity Sunday against that terrible Kings defense against the triple. Yes; pick on the Kings this week!!!
You can reach Phil on Twitter. Listen to his Fantasy Basketball show on Fantrax and his NBA show the Phil Naessens Show.
