Our weekly Fantasy Basketball Planner is the essential guide to setting your lineup for the upcoming scoring period. Every week, we provide you with news and notes for each team, tracking hot and cold players, injuries and rotation changes.
Atlanta Hawks
Schedule: @ORL, MIL, UTA, MIN
Good
Plays: Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, Al Horford, Jamal Crawford
Bad Plays: Jeff Teague, Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby
Tough Call: Marvin Williams, Zaza Pachulia
Injury
Report: Jamal Crawford
(toe/day-to-day), Marvin Williams
(knee/day-to-day)
Notes: Crawford is considered day-to-day. He
may miss another game this weekend, but is likely to be available for
Week 3. He is a safe play. ... Just when Williams started to play well,
he picks up a knee injury. It is diagnosed as just a bone bruise,
however. We fully expect him to be available. Given favorable matchups
against high-volume teams in the Jazz and Timberwolves, he can be used
as a low-end starter this scoring period.
Boston Celtics
Schedule: @DAL, @MIA, @MEM
Good
Plays: Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett
Bad
Plays: Jermaine O'Neal, Shaquille O'Neal, Nate Robinson, Delonte West
Tough Call: Ray Allen,
Glen Davis
Injury Report: Shaquille O'Neal (knee/day-to-day), Kendrick Perkins (knee/February)
Notes: Shaq is considered
questionable for the team's three-game road trip in Week 3. Given his
limited statistical upside at this stage in his career, he is certainly
not worth the risk. ... O'Neal's possible absence could provide a
mild boost to Jermaine O'Neal's Fantasy
appeal, but he has not inspired much confidence in Shaq's absence thus
far. We recommend avoiding him like the plague. ... Allen began to show
some life this week both from beyond the arc and in his mid-range game.
He scored 20 points against Miami in their first meeting this season and
appears to be a strong play.
Charlotte Bobcats
Schedule: SA, @TOR, @WAS, UTA
Good
Plays: Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson
Bad Plays: Nazr Mohammed,
Shaun Livingston
Tough Call: D.J. Augustin, Boris Diaw, Tyrus Thomas
Injury Report: Gerald Wallace (ankle/day-to-day)
Notes: Wallace tweaked an
ankle in Wednesday's game, but he played on. He said he felt sore on
Thursday, but the injury does not appear to be anything serious. Count
on using him. ... Augustin has been hot-and-cold early, but the assist
numbers have been steady throughout. He should post solid scoring
numbers this week against the Wizards and Jazz, who each allow over 106
points per game. We like him a as a No. 3/4 guard this week. ... Diaw
looked excellent against the Nets on Wednesday and attempted a
season-high 18 shots that led to 24 points. We can't expect that
consistently, but he seems to be getting more looks than earlier on. He
is a solid low-end play as well in any format. ... Thomas is getting
just around 20 minutes per game with erratic shot totals. Barring a
quick surge over the weekend, we recommend sitting him. ... Mohammed has
begun to get more involved, but still not to a level we are comfortable
recommending him outside of the deepest of leagues in an emergency.
Chicago Bulls
Schedule: DEN, GS, WAS
Good Plays: Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng
Bad Plays: Ronnie Brewer,
C.J. Watson, Kyle Korver
Tough Call: Taj Gibson
Injury
Report: Carlos Boozer (hand/December)
Notes:
Two of Chicago's opponents this week, the Warriors and the Wizards,
entered the weekend allowing over 108 points per game. ... Deng dropped
40 on a good defensive team in the Trail Blazers this week. Imagine what
he might do against teams like the Warriors and Wizards in Week 3. ...
Gibson is playing an increased role with Boozer out of action and scored
in double figures in each of his first four games with a healthy
offensive workload. We like him as a low-end starter in standard
leagues. ... Korver showed some life from the oustide against the Knicks
on Thursday night, but he has not shown enough consistency to trust just
yet. Avoid him for now.
| ||
| ||
Player | Start % | |
1. | Danilo Gallinari, F, NY | 47 |
2. | Richard Jefferson, F, SA | 38 |
3. | Luol Deng, F, CHI | 62 |
4. | Ben Gordon, G, DET | 56 |
5. | D.J. Augustin, G, CHA | 65 |
6. | Taj Gibson, F, CHI | 30 |
7. | Serge Ibaka, F, OKC | 27 |
8. | Boris Diaw, F, CHA | 40 |
9. | Beno Udrih, G, SAC | 49 |
10. | Al Thornton, F, WAS | 26 |
Cleveland Cavaliers
Schedule: @NJ, NJ, IND
Good
Plays: J.J. Hickson
Bad
Plays: Jamario Moon, Anthony Parker, Antawn Jamison
Tough
Call: Anderson Varejao, Daniel Gibson, Ramon Sessions
Injury
Report: Antawn Jamison
(knee/day-to-day)
Notes: Jamison is expected to be back over
the weekend, but he has voiced displeasure over his limited role behind
Hickson. He has far too much upside to just cut ties with, but it may
take him a while to get used to this role and produce with any
consistency. Stash him where possible on your bench. ... The Nets, a
team the Cavs will play twice in Week 3, entered the weekend allowing
just 96 points per game while the Pacers have allowed 102.5. ...
Williams still has some rust to shake off after missing most of the
first two weeks of the season. Conditioning is an issue, but so is his
relationship with new coach Byron Scott. They have not appeared to get
off on the right foot with Scott keeping Williams out in a highly
questionable manner, citing lack of familiarity of the system. Avoid him
for now. ... Gibson, for now, is still looking at double-digit shot
totals including around five shots per game from beyond the arc. He is
worth taking a chance off the waiver wire in deeper leagues while
Williams remains somewhat marginalized. ... Hot-and-cold Sessions is a
very low-end play this week given the addition of Williams likely adding
to his inconsistency.
Dallas Mavericks
Schedule: BOS, @MEM, PHI
Good
Plays: Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry
Bad
Plays: Shawn Marion, Brendan Haywood
Tough Call: Tyson Chandler
Injury Report: Roddy Beaubois (foot/mid-November)
Notes: Terry has gotten
off to a nice offensive start, scoring 15-plus in three of his first
four games and 20-plus twice. He is also averaging 5.0 assists and 1.5
steals to go with his usual high-end 3-point numbers. ... Chandler
continues to start over Haywood at center, but remains just a
waiver-wire stopgap option. He has been good for around seven points and
seven boards with a block or two per game.
Denver Nuggets
Schedule: @CHI, @IND, LAL
Good
Plays: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups
Bad Plays: J.R. Smith,
Ty Lawson,
Tough Call: Nene,
Al Harrington, Arron Afflalo, Shelden Williams
Injury
Report: Nene (groin/day-to-day), Chris Andersen (knee/December), Kenyon Martin
(knee/January)
Notes: Nene was
scratched from Wednesday's game and went into the weekend as a game-time
decision for Friday's game. Groin injuries tend to linger, so Fantasy
owners are advised to have healthy alternatives in case of setbacks. He
has gotten off to a slow start, but had 12 points and 12 boards in the
last game he played in prior to getting hurt. He remains a viable play,
when healthy, especially in leagues that require two centers. ... The
Nuggets moved Gary Forbes into the
starting lineup with Nene out on Wednesday on a night when they used
just eight players. Forbes should not be targeted off the waiver wire
outside of deep, deep daily formats.
Detroit Pistons
Schedule: @POR, @LAC, @SAC
Good
Plays: Ben Gordon
Bad Plays: Will Bynum, Austin Daye, Tracy McGrady, Greg Monroe, Ben Wallace
Tough Call: Rodney Stuckey, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Charlie Villanueva
Injury
Report: Richard Hamilton
(foot/day-to-day), Will Bynum
(hamstring/day-to-day), Jonas Jerebko
(Achilles'/February)
Notes: Hamilton was expected to return
over the weekend, according to the team. He has gotten off to a very
slow start this season, however, and seems to be losing ground to Gordon
in the offensive pecking order. We recommend reserving him until he can
prove both healthy and productive. ... Daye may be starting at
power forward, but it has been Charlie Villanueva
who has been doing the heavy lifting. At around 14 points and five
boards per game, Charlie V -- who was involved in a much-heralded run-in
with Kevin Garnett this week -- can be
considered a decent low-end forward in standard leagues, but beware of
tough battles against LaMarcus Aldridge
and Blake Griffin this week. ...
Monroe, who had a promising preseason but was off to a slow start due to
a lingering hamstring issue to begin the year, started showing some
signs of life this week. He is a player to monitor in larger leagues,
but is not yet a recommended play. ... The Pistons are giving Prince
heavy minutes (36.0 per game) and he has seen his shot total increase in
the early going. View him as a decent No. 3/4 forward this week in any
format.
Golden State Warriors
Schedule: @TOR, @NY, @CHI, @MIL
Good
Plays: David Lee, Monta Ellis, Dorell Wright
Bad
Plays: Andris Biedrins, Reggie Williams
Tough Call: Stephen Curry
Injury Report: Stephen Curry (ankle/day-to-day)
Notes: Curry is receiving
daily treatment on his thrice sprained right ankle. He will be a
game-time decision on Friday and should return over the weekend,
making him a must-start for the upcoming scoring period. Monitor him for
possible setbacks, of course, and to see if the ankle limits him at all.
... The Warriors are likely to play two very high-scoring games this
week against the Raptors and Knicks given their up-tempo styles. Expect
some inflated numbers in those games that could trickle down to players
like Biedrins and Williams, but they have each been too inconsistent to
trust. ... Williams put up a solid 16-8-4 stat line vs. Memphis this
week, but keep in mind that came with added playing time due to Curry's
absence.
Houston Rockets
Schedule: @WAS, @IND, @NY
Good
Plays: Aaron Brooks, Kevin Martin, Luis Scola
Bad
Plays: Courtney Lee, Brad Miller, Shane Battier, Chase Budinger, Kyle Lowry
Tough
Call: Yao Ming
Injury Report: No
significant injuries.
Notes: There will be no back-to-back
games for the Rockets in Week 3, which means Yao should be available for
all three games. Yao is starting to settle into his restricted role and
looks like a player you can count on for about 15 points and six boards
with two blocks per game. That is useful in most formats that require
two centers. ... Budinger has been far from consistent, but he showed
this week against the Hornets that he can be a mid-teens scorer when
given the opportunity. Unfortunately, that opportunity will not come on
a regular basis.
Indiana Pacers
Schedule: DEN, HOU, @CLE
Good
Plays: Danny Granger, Roy Hibbert, Darren Collison
Bad
Plays: Josh McRoberts, Tyler Hansbrough, T.J. Ford, Brandon Rush, Dahntay Jones
Tough
Call: Mike Dunleavy
Injury
Report: No significant injuries.
Notes: Hansbrough is
gaining ground on Josh McRoberts, which
is currently doing more to hurt McRoberts' Fantasy appeal than it is to
Hansbrough's limited scope. Neither is recommended in Fantasy at the
moment. ... Dunleavy, forgotten and tossed aside in many Fantasy
leagues, is quietly playing a significant role again for the Pacers. He
is consistently seeing 11-13 shots per game with healthy rebounding and
3-point shooting numbers. We like him as a sleeper for larger leagues
this week, especially against Houston and Cleveland. ... The Pacers will
face a Rockets team in Week 3 that entered the weekend allowing a
league-high 114.5 points per game.
L.A. Clippers
Schedule: @NO, @SA, DET
Good Plays: Chris Kaman, Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon
Bad Plays: Rasual Butler,
Randy Foye, Ryan Gomes, Al-Farouq Aminu
Tough
Call: Baron Davis, Eric Bledsoe
Injury Report: Baron Davis (knee/day-to-day), Randy Foye
(hamstring/mid-November)
Notes: Davis is dealing with a cyst
behind his left knee that could keep him from going on his team's road
trip in Week 3. He is officially listed as day-to-day. While we consider
him too risky to trust barring a declared return date, his undetermined
status also makes possible sleeper Eric Bledsoe
a gamble.
| ||
| ||
Player | % Change | |
1. | Dorell Wright, G, GS | 55 |
2. | Al Thornton, F, WAS | 33 |
3. | Landry Fields, G, NY | 32 |
4. | Eric Bledsoe, G, LAC | 31 |
5. | Serge Ibaka, F, OKC | 30 |
6. | Glen Davis, F, BOS | 29 |
7. | Daniel Gibson, G, CLE | 28 |
8. | Carlos Delfino, G, MIL | 27 |
9. | Reggie Evans, F, TOR | 27 |
10. | Francisco Garcia, G, SAC | 24 |
L.A. Lakers
Schedule: WAS, @LAC, @CHI, @NJ
Good
Plays: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom
Bad
Plays: Derek Fisher, Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, Shannon Brown
Tough Call: Ron Artest
Injury
Report: Andrew Bynum (knee/late
November)
Notes: Barnes has shown some flashes of brilliance
this week, including his 16-point, 14-rebound effort against the
Grizzlies on Monday. However, he continues to see no more than 20-25
minutes on most nights and will find it hard to put up consistent
production. He should only be trusted in deeper leagues for now. ...
Artest finally showed some signs of life offensively this week with 17
points at the Kings. Perhaps favorable matchups against the Wizards and
Nets this week could lead to similar outbursts, but we expect him to be
highly spotty as he continues to focus mainly on his defensive
responsibilities. Avoid him outside of deeper formats.
Memphis Grizzlies
Schedule: PHO, DAL, BOS
Good
Plays: Marc Gasol, Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo
Bad
Plays: Hasheem Thabeet, Xavier Henry
Tough Call: Mike Conley
Injury
Report: Zach Randolph
(tailbone/day-to-day)
Notes: Randolph's return date keeps
getting pushed back, but he is expected to be able to play over the
weekend. Barring setbacks, he should be a fine play again in all formats
for Week 3 and beyond. ... Randolph's expected return will finally push
Arthur back to the bench. Arthur has been in the starting lineup first
due to the injury to Gasol to begin the year and then following
Randolph's injury. His Fantasy appeal is quickly about to fade. ...
Conley, our "Start of the Week" for Week 2, has enjoyed quite a
productive past few games and a very solid start overall. However,
beware of matchups against Jason Kidd and Rajon Rondo this week. We still view him as a good start, but do not
be surprised if his numbers take a slight hit this week due to the
opposition. Steve Nash should give him
plenty of room to operate in the opening game of the week against the
Suns, however, which helps tip the scales in his direction.
Miami Heat
Schedule: UTA, BOS, TOR
Good Plays: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh
Bad Plays: Carlos Arroyo,
Mario Chalmers, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Joel Anthony, Jerry Stackhouse
Tough Call: Udonis Haslem, James Jones
Injury
Report: LeBron James
(shin/day-to-day), Mike Miller (thumb,
ankle/January)
Notes: Relax. Breathe easy. LeBron is OK. He
complained of some lingering pain in his shin following Tuesday's game
against the Timberwolves and he was held out of practice for
precautionary reasons. He is not expected to miss any time. ... Jones,
playing the role many anticipated for Miller coming into the season,
leads the league in 3-point shooting and should continue to lead the
world in open looks playing alongside Miami's big three. He is mainly
just a one-category guy for Rotisserie formats, but he could just about
wrap that category up for you each week -- at least while Miller remains
out. In standard Head-to-Head leagues, his scoring will be too
inconsistent to trust in most formats.
Milwaukee Bucks
Schedule: NY, @ATL, GS
Good
Plays: Brandon Jennings, Andrew Bogut
Bad Plays: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
Tough Call: John Salmons, Carlos Delfino, Corey Maggette, Drew Gooden, Ersan Ilyasova
Injury Report: Chris Douglas-Roberts (eye/late November), Michael Redd (knee/February)
Notes: Salmons has been ice-cold
from the field through the first two weeks of the season. He missed the
entire preseason with a knee injury and just seems to be behind in
conditioning. Better days are ahead, but he should be reserved where
possible. ... The Bucks have been getting most of their production on
the wing from Delfino and Maggette. With favorable matchups against the
Knicks and Warriors, both players should be able to co-exist in a
productive manner. Both are worth activating as low-end starters in
standard formats. ... Gooden's role seems to be diminishing with each
game and his playing time has been reduced to about 20 minutes per
contest. He has double-double upside, but not the playing time for it
right now. Avoid him. ... Ilyasova got his first real playing time of
the season this week and made the most of it with strong scoring and
rebounding efforts. If Ilyasova can back it up over the weekend, he can
be a sleeper for deep formats given the matchups against the Knicks and
Warriors this week.
| ||
Team | Schedule | |
1. | Warriors | @TOR, @NY, @CHI, @MIL |
2. | Knicks | ORL, @CHI, WAS, PHI |
3. | Hawks | @ORL, MIL, UTA, MIN |
4. | Bobcats | SA, @TOR, @WAS, UTA |
5. | Spurs | @CHA, LAC, PHI, @OKC |
Minnesota Timberwolves
Schedule: @LAL, @SAC, NY, @ATL
Good
Plays: Kevin Love, Michael Beasley
Bad Plays: Anthony Tolliver, Corey Brewer, Darko Milicic, Wesley Johnson, Sebastian Telfair,
Tough Call: Luke Ridnour
Injury Report: Michael Beasley (back/day-to-day), Jonny Flynn
(hip/late November), Martell Webster
(back/late November)
Notes: Beasley took a nasty spill on
Tuesday in Miami and was held out the next day in Orlando due to the
quick turnaround. He was considered a game-time decision going into
Friday's action and was expected to play over the weekend. He should be
monitored over the weekend for setbacks and possible restrictions, but
we would go ahead and count on him for Week 3. ... With Flynn's return
pushed back to late November, Ridnour is clear and free as a safe play
for Week 3. He should benefit from a four-game slate and likely
high-scoring games against the Kings and Knicks. ... Milicic has seen
his playing time drop below 20 minutes in three straight games. He is
still the starter at center, but that may not last long at this rate.
New Jersey Nets
Schedule: CLE, @CLE, ORL
Good
Plays: Brook Lopez, Devin Harris
Bad Plays: Travis Outlaw,
Jordan Farmar, Kris Humphries, Terrence Williams, Anthony Morrow
Tough Call: Troy Murphy,
Derrick Favors
Injury Report: Brook Lopez (shoulder/day-to-day), Devin Harris
(shoulder/day-to-day)
Notes: Lopez and Harris were hurt on
Wednesday against the Bobcats. Lopez's injury is not considered serious
and he should be a safe play. Harris suffered a sprained, non-shooting
shoulder and is being treated with caution. He is expected to play,
however, and we expect him to be fully available for Week 3. ... Murphy
finally made his Nets debut after missing the entire preseason and first
week of the regular season. Coach Avery Johnson plans on bringing him
along slowly -- too slowly to consider activating him just yet. ...
Favors has gotten off to a hot start in his rookie season, but with
Murphy back there is some concern his minutes and touches could be
compromised. Our expectation is that Favors will see enough touches in
the short term to remain a solid low-end starter in Fantasy, but his
long-term value this season is less certain.
New Orleans Hornets
Schedule: LAC, POR
Good
Plays: Chris Paul, David West
Bad Plays: Marco Belinelli, Marcus Thornton,
Peja Stojakovic
Tough Call: Trevor Ariza, Emeka Okafor
Injury
Report: No significant injuries.
Notes: The Hornets are
the only team to play just two games in Week 3. ... Belinelli and
Thornton continue to go back and forth. Consistency will likely elude
each player to the point neither will be useful outside of larger
formats until somebody emerges as the primary shooting guard. ... Ariza
is averaging just 7.3 shots per game, far below the 13.9 shots per game
he averaged with the Rockets last season. His scoring has dropped
accordingly. ... Okafor averaged 9.3 points and 7.6 rebounds through his
first four games. He is certainly not worth starting this week in
cumulative formats and could struggle against bigger lineups this week
to the point he should be avoided in cumulative formats as well.
New York Knicks
Schedule: @MIL, GS, @MIN, HOU
Good
Plays: Amar'e Stoudemire, Raymond Felton
Bad Plays: Timofey Mozgov, Anthony Randolph
Tough
Call: Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Toney Douglas, Ronny Turiaf
Injury Report: Kelenna Azubuike (knee/out indefinitely)
Notes: The Warriors,
Timberwolves and Rockets have allowed an average of 112.3 points per
game. The Knicks should be in for very high scores. ... Randolph is back
from his ankle injury, but is being brought along slowly by coach Mike
D'Antoni. Given his struggle to pick up the team's system during the
preseason, we would wait to see him produce before activating him in any
league despite his upside. ... Gallinari, who struggled mightily with
his shot in the preseason and during the first week of the regular
season, finally looked comfortable on Thursday against the Bulls. He
should flourish late in the week given the matchups and open looks he
should get. ... Douglas is back in the mix at shooting guard in New
York, putting Fields' early-season Fantasy appeal in danger. ...
Gallinari, Chandler, Fields and Douglas all have the potential to put up
numbers, but inconsistency could become the norm with so many mouths to
feed. However, this week, all have a chance to contribute in high-volume
matchups. ... Mozgov is playing a very limited role in the early going,
opening things up for Turiaf off the bench. Turiaf is a good rebounder
and shot blocker, but his offensive game is weak. He could see a boost
in that category this week, though.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Schedule: PHI, POR, SA
Good
Plays: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green
Bad
Plays: Nenad Krstic, James Harden, Cole Aldrich
Tough
Call: Serge Ibaka
Injury
Report: Nick Collison
(knee/mid-November)
Notes: Ibaka averaged 11.0 points and 7.6
rebounds with 2.0 blocks per game in his first five games, earning
center eligibility in leagues that allow multiple eligibility. With
Krstic doing very little as the team's starting center, Ibaka's role
figures to continue to expand. ... Harden has yet to crack double
figures and has been ice-cold from the field. He went 7 for 28 from the
floor over his first five games.
Orlando Magic
Schedule: PHI, POR, SA
Good Plays: Dwight Howard Vince Carter
Bad
Plays: Brandon Bass, Chris Duhon, J.J. Redick, Quentin Richardson
Tough Call: Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson, Ryan Anderson
Injury Report: No significant injuries.
Notes:
Anderson has moved into the starting lineup at power forward,
pushing unproductive Bass to the bench. Anderson is an excellent outside
shooter who should be scooped up immediately in category leagues for his
3-point shooting. He also blocked three shots in his first start. ...
Moving Anderson to power forward has allowed Lewis to move back to his
more comfortable small forward position. Over time, this should help
Lewis regain a lot of his lost Fantasy appeal. He remains a low-end play
for now, however. ...Nelson has gotten off to a slow start, but much of
the reason has been the fact the Magic have played in so many blowouts
early. He is still a safe play as a No. 4 guard in standard formats.
Philadelphia 76ers
Schedule: @OKC, @DAL, @SA
Good
Plays: Andre Iguodala
Bad
Plays: Thaddeus Young, Spencer Hawes
Tough Call: Jrue Holiday,
Elton Brand, Evan Turner, Lou Williams, Thaddeus Young, Andres Nocioni
Injury
Report: No significant injuries.
Notes: Brand looks like
his old self again, averaging 18.0 points and 9.6 rebounds, hinting at
being one of the steals of the Fantasy season so far. ... Holiday has
gotten off to a slow start, but is averaging a steady 2.2 steals per
game and is starting to pick up the pace in assists with modest scoring
totals. We still like him plenty long term, but he is a low-end starter
for now. ... Turner has been highly inconsistent in his first five
games, but his rebounding numbers have been steady. He can offer around
six boards per game to go with just under 10 points. Continue to stash
him for his long-term appeal. ... Young continues to flash potential,
but his limited playing time caps his appeal. With tough matchups all
week, we recommend reserving him. ... Nocioni's hot start has quickly
faded.
Phoenix Suns
Schedule: @MEM, SAC, @LAL
Good
Plays: Steve Nash, Jason Richardson
Bad Plays: Grant Hill,
Channing Frye, Josh Childress, Goran Dragic, Jared Dudley
Tough Call: Hedo Turkoglu, Hakim Warrick, Robin Lopez
Injury Report: No significant injuries.
Notes:
Turkoglu may not be in line for a bounce-back season after all.
Getting 20-25 minutes per game, he has scored under 10 points in three
of his first four games. ... Warrick is showing the potential to emerge
as the team's primary power forward, but also the inconsistency that has
plagued him throughout his career. He is worth owning, but remains a
low-end play. ... Lopez went from scoring 18 points with 14 rebounds in
one game, to four points and three rebounds the next as his playing time
fluctuated. Expect him to be somewhere in between in Week 3 and consider
him a No. 2 center for larger formats until he can develop a more
consistent role.
Portland Trail Blazers
Schedule: DET, @OKC, @NO
Good
Plays: Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Andre Miller, Marcus Camby
Bad Plays: Rudy Fernandez
Tough Call: Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews
Injury
Report: Joel Przybilla (knee/late
November), Greg Oden (knee/out
indefinitely)
Notes: Batum got off to a hot start, then
quickly faded along with his playing time and shot attempts. He put up
another big game against the Thunder on Thursday night, but his playing
time should continue to fluctuate, making him hard to trust in Fantasy.
Our suggestion is to avoid him. ... Matthews is only seeing around 20
minutes per game, but he has turned that into three games of 13 or more
points in his first five contests. He has some mild appeal for deeper
leagues as a reserve.
Sacramento Kings
Schedule: MIN, @PHO, DET
Good
Plays: Tyreke Evans, Carl Landry
Bad Plays: Jason Thompson, Omri Casspi, Donte Greene
Tough Call: Beno Udrih, DeMarcus Cousins, Samuel Dalembert, Francisco Garcia
Injury
Report: Tyreke Evans
(ankle/day-to-day)
Notes: Udrih has scored at least 17 points
in three of his first five games, getting 35-plus minutes and around 12
shots per game. ... The Sixers will go with Dalembert over Cousins in
the starting lineup, but Cousins should continue to see around 20-25
minutes per game as he has thus far. With that playing time, he has
managed 13 points and six rebounds per game. We expect more of the same.
... Dalembert is not doing much offensively, but he is working the
boards and blocking shots again. ... Garcia posted three games with 17
or more points in his first five, but he scored just four points in his
other two. ... The three teams the Kings will face in Week 3 have
allowed an average of 107.4 points per game.
| ||
Team | Schedule | |
1. | Hornets | LAC, POR |
2. | Jazz | @MIA, @ORL, @ATL, @CHA |
3. | 76ers | @OKC, @DAL, @SA |
4. | Clippers | @NO, @SA, DET |
5. | Grizzlies | PHO, DAL, BOS |
San Antonio Spurs
Schedule: @CHA, LAC, PHI, @OKC
Good
Plays: Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker
Bad
Plays: George Hill, DeJuan Blair, Tiago Splitter, Antonio McDyess, James Anderson
Tough
Call: Richard Jefferson,
Injury
Report: George Hill
(neck/day-to-day)
Notes: Jefferson looks much more comfortable
in the San Antonio system early this season. He averaged 20.0 points
over his first four games and looks like a strong play in any format.
... Blair could begin to lose playing time with Splitter back from his
injury and gaining playing time by the day. Given Blair's slow start
even before Splitter's return, he should be reserved in all formats.
Toronto Raptors
Schedule: GS, CHA, @ORL, @MIA
Good
Plays: Andrea Bargnani
Bad
Plays: Jose Calderon, Leandro Barbosa, Amir Johnson, Sonny Weems
Tough Call: Jarrett Jack,
Linas Kleiza, DeMar DeRozan, Reggie Evans
Injury
Report: No significant injuries.
Notes: Jack has been
highly erratic in the early going, depending on his playing time. In the
two games he has played 30-plus minutes, he has put together solid stat
lines. He has been held under 25 minutes in his other two games,
however. ... Kleiza has gotten off to a strong overall start. Expect him
to be among the league leaders in 3-point shooting, but he will play
three teams with strong perimeter defense in Week 3. ... DeRozan is
getting around 10-13 shots per game and is looking like a consistent
mid-teens scorer. He is not offering much else, but is a suitable
low-end play in standard leagues. ... Focusing primarily on his
rebounding, Evans brought down at least 14 boards in his first three
games. He is a one-category player, but could be among the league
leaders in rebounding by the end of the season if he continues to get
30-plus minutes on a regular basis.
Utah Jazz
Schedule: @MIA, @ORL, @ATL, @CHA
Good
Plays: Deron Williams, Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap
Bad
Plays: Mehmet Okur, Raja Bell, Earl Watson, Gordon Hayward
Tough Call: Andrei Kirilenko, C.J. Miles
Injury
Report: Mehmet Okur
(Achilles'/day-to-day)
Notes: There is still no definitive
word on when Okur will return, but what is certain is that he will be
too risky to play in Week 3. ... Millsap sprained his ankle this week,
but is going to play on. ... Miles has made the most of his playing time
over the last week, putting up 19 and 21 points in back-to-back games
despite playing just 25 minutes. He is being featured prominently from
beyond the arc and looks like a real steal in category leagues. He also
offers decent numbers in steals and blocks. He is worth scooping up and
even starting in deeper leagues, but beware of four tough matchups
against top defensive teams. ... Miles is cutting into Kirilenko's time
and touches, but he still has the upper hand as far as starting and
getting more overall playing time. The situation does not seem ideal for
consistency, but Kirilenko can still be viewed as a low-end starter in
deeper leagues. As with Miles, beware of the matchups this week.
Washington Wizards
Schedule: HOU, CHA, @CHI
Good
Plays: John Wall
Bad Plays: JaVale McGee, Kirk Hinrich, Yi Jianlian
Tough Call: Andray Blatche, Al Thornton
Injury
Report: Gilbert Arenas
(ankle/day-to-day), Josh Howard
(knee/mid-November)
Notes: Arenas could return over the
weekend, but Fantasy owners will have to be convinced that he is healthy
enough to take on a prominent role before deciding to activate him. With
Wall carrying the load, exactly what role Arenas will play remains to be
seen. ... Blatche looks to be gaining some steam after a slow start. He
is getting a high volume of shot attempts with at least 17 in
back-to-back games. He is a safe play again in all formats. ... Thornton
has been getting heavy playing time, -- about 40 minutes per game --
over the last week and about 12-15 shots in the offense. He is
rebounding well and scoring in the mid-teens, making for a strong play
in any format.
Stay in touch with the most passionate Fantasy staff in the business by following us via Twitter . You can e-mail us your Fantasy Basketball questions to DMFantasyHoops@cbs.com . Be sure to put Fantasy Planner in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state.