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Milos Zvekic's fantasy basketball waiver wire streamers for head-to-head leagues. He reviews the Week 19 NBA schedule (5/3 - 5/9) and streaming options to pick up.
Week 19 is the penultimate week of the NBA regular season and in most fantasy leagues it's the finals! Hope you made it this far and congratulations if you did!
It was an insanely difficult season, filled with Covid protocols, jam-packed schedules, game postponements, and too many injuries. But all that is coming to an end, and if you're looking to end it with a bang you better do all you can to win next week!
I've taken a look ahead and here are my thoughts on the fantasy basketball streamers for Week 19.
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NBA Schedule Guide - Week 19
Here's the low-down:
Teams with 5 games:
Detroit Pistons
Teams with 4 games:
Charlotte Hornets
Chicago Bulls
Cleveland Cavaliers
Dallas Mavericks
Denver Nuggets
Golden State Warriors
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Lakers
Memphis Grizzlies
New Orleans Pelicans
New York Knicks
Oklahoma City Thunder
Orlando Magic
Philadelphia 76ers
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers
Sacramento Kings
San Antonio Spurs
Utah Jazz
Washington Wizards
Teams with 3 games:
Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics
Brooklyn Nets
Houston Rockets
Los Angeles Clippers
Miami Heat
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
Toronto Raptors
Number of teams playing each day:
Monday: 16
Tuesday: 14
Wednesday: 18
Thursday: 14
Friday: 20
Saturday: 14
Sunday: 16
Back-to-Backs (beware of older or banged-up players who might rest):
Monday/Tuesday: DET, GSW, NOP
Tuesday/Wednesday: CLE, MIL, PHO, SAC
Wednesday/Thursday: ATL, IND, MEM, WAS
Thursday/Friday: CHA, CHI, DAL, LAL
Friday/Saturday: DEN, HOU, PHI, POR, SAS, UTA
Saturday/Sunday: DET, OKC
Sunday/Monday the following: CLE, NOP
Days with SEVEN or fewer games:
Tuesday: 7 games
Thursday: 7 games
Saturday: 7 games
Teams playing on all three days:
Detroit Pistons (5 games - Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Golden State Warriors (4 games - Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Oklahoma City Thunder (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Brooklyn Nets (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Toronto Raptors (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Teams with a GOOD START to the week (three games from Monday to Thursday)
Detroit Pistons (5 games - Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Golden State Warriors (4 games - Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Indiana Pacers (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
Memphis Grizzlies (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
Washington Wizards (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
Atlanta Hawks (3 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs)
Teams with a GOOD END to the week (three games from Thursday to Sunday)
Detroit Pistons (5 games - Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Charlotte Hornets (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Chicago Bulls (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Dallas Mavericks (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Los Angeles Lakers (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Oklahoma City Thunder (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Teams with a POOR START to the week (one or no games from Monday to Thursday)
Boston Celtics (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun)
Houston Rockets (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)
Miami Heat (3 games - Tue, Fri, Sun)
Minnesota Timberwolves (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun)
Teams with a POOR END to the week (one or no games from Thursday to Sunday)
Atlanta Hawks (3 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs)
Milwaukee Bucks (3 games - Tue, Wed, Fri)
Baller Streaming Strategy for Week 19
As this week is pretty evened out with seven to ten games on every day, fantasy GMs might look to maximize their games by adding players with a good start to the week and then swapping them out for someone with a good end.
We will focus on players from teams that play:
- Three times from Monday to Thursday: Detroit (5 games in Week 19), Golden State, Indiana, Memphis, Washington (all with 4 games) and Atlanta (3 games)
- Three times from Thursday to Sunday: Detroit (5 games), Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Oklahoma City and Los Angeles Lakers (all with 4 games)
Detroit has a five-game week which allows them to be on both lists, so their players could be worth gold. If they can avoid missing games due to rest that is...
Streaming Options for Week 19
Shallower League Streaming Adds for the Week (Rostered in 25-75 % of Yahoo leagues):
Saddiq Bey, SF, DET, (35% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Mason Plumlee, PF/C, DET, (56% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB, STL/BLK - buyer beware: gets rest days
Josh Jackson, SG/SF, DET, (34% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, PTS, STL/BLK
Isaiah Stewart, C, DET, (58% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, STL/BLK
T.J. McConnell, PG/SG, IND, (59% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, STL, FG%
Justin Holiday, SG/SF, IND, (37% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
Oshae Brissett, SF/PF, IND, (51% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL/BLK
Dillon Brooks, SG/SF, MEM, (59% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, STL, FT%
Brandon Clarke, SF/PF, MEM, (57% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB, STL/BLK
Rui Hachimura, SF/PF, WAS, (60% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, PTS, a bit of everything
Davis Bertans, PF/C, WAS, (56% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Daniel Gafford, C, WAS, (30% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB, BLK
Danilo Gallinari, SF/PF, ATL, (60% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Kevin Huerter, SG/SF, ATL, (58% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%, STL, AST - buyer beware: missed two straight games due to the sprained shoulder
Lou Williams, PG/SG, ATL, (42% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Tim Hardaway Jr., SG/SF, DAL, (57% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS
Josh Richardson, SG/SF, DAL, (39% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%, STL - buyer beware: just returned after missing two straight games due to hamstring tightness
Dorian Finney-Smith, SF/PF, DAL, (43% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, REB - buyer beware: missed the previous game due to a lower leg contusion
Jalen Brunson, PG/SG, DAL, (26% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST
Luguentz Dort SG/SF, OKC, (56% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, STL - buyer beware: gets rest days
Darius Bazley, SF/PF, OKC, (60% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, REB
Moses Brown, C, OKC, (33% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK/STL, FG%
Isaiah Roby, PF/C, OKC, (25% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK
Kyle Kuzma, SF/PF, LAL, (64% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, REB
Shallower League Add
Isaiah Stewart, C, DET, (58% Rostered)
Strong Cats: REB, FG%, STL/BLK
Stewart has carved himself a nice role in the Pistons rotation, and fantasy managers' hearts as well!
He is absolutely rolling in the past week with averages of 11.0 PTS with 0.7 3PM on 53.8 FG%, 7.7 REB, 0.3 AST. 1.0 STL, 3.3 BLK and 1.3 TO in over 27 minutes per outing. He also hit all three of his free throw attempts in these three games. This is enough for a top 20 rank in this period. He is also comfortably inside the top 50 for the past month as well, so this is no fluke.
Isaiah reached double digits in boards in six of his previous nine games and had at least two blocks in eight of those games. His rostered % skyrocketed lately and no wonder, as he has been a real fantasy beast.
With a five-game slate coming up, and Mason Plumlee being almost certain to miss at least one or two of those games, Stewart can almost singlehandedly win you the blocks category and help out quite nicely in boards, steals and field goal percentage as well. If he is available in your league ignore him at your own peril.
Deeper League Add
Killian Hayes, PG/SG, DET, (19% Rostered)
Strong Cats: STL, AST
Hayes is a two-trick pony, but he is pretty darn good at those two tricks. The seventh pick in last year's draft has had a rough start to his NBA career as he missed three months due to injury.
He has been back for almost a month now and is establishing himself as an assist and steals specialist with averages of 6.4 points with 0.5 threes on 36.4% from the field and no misses from the charity stripe (seven attempts), 3.1 boards, 5.6 dimes, 1.7 steals, 0.6 blocks and 3.1 turnovers in 25 minutes per outing.
Now his FG% is quite poor, he doesn't score much and those turnovers will hurt. But if you are looking for a guy to bolster your assists and steals, with a small but positive influence on your boards, threes and FT%, and you don't care much about his weak traits, the rookie will give you a push.
He did miss a few games due to condition maintenance when he returned but played five straight since. Although I could potentially see him being rested on one occasion next week, I doubt he will play fewer than four games, which could be more than enough for him to contribute 20+ assists and 5+ steals, which could mean the difference between lifting the trophy or getting teased by your buddy for an entire year as you came in second.
Insanely Deep League Add
Frank Jackson, PG, DET, (3% Rostered)
Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Frank will round off our three Detroit picks for this week.
He is almost the complete opposite to Killian Hayes, as he doesn't really get many assists, and barely any stocks, but he can shoot the ball and then some!
Over the last two weeks, Jackson is averaging 15.6 points with 2.6 threes on 49.4% from the field and 72.2% from the line, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.1 steals, 0.1 blocks and 1.3 turnovers in 25 minutes a night. Not too impressive as a whole, but if your focus is on the threes and points, his output there is pretty hard to find in leagues this deep.
With Detroit in tank city, they are turning to their young guys more and more. Frank (who will turn 23 in a day or two) is one of the guys who isn't getting random rest days and is one of the primary beneficiaries of Detroit's no-pressure situation.
If you're looking for some scoring and don't mind Frank not contributing too much elsewhere, Jackson is a decent option in the deepest leagues with a five-game week coming up.
Other Deep League Options for the Week
Rostered in less than 25% of Yahoo leagues
Killian Hayes, PG/SG, DET, (19% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, STL
Hamidou Diallo, SG/SF, DET, (10% Rostered) - Strong Cats: STL, PTS, a bit of everything - buyer beware: gets rest days
Cory Joseph, PG, DET, (7% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, FT%, STL - buyer beware: gets rest days
Wayne Ellington, SG/SF, DET, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS - buyer beware: gets rest days
Frank Jackson, PG, DET, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Sekou Doumbouya, SF/PF, DET, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: none really...
Kevon Looney, PF/C, GSW, (5% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, STL/BLK - positive circumstance: getting more minutes due to both James Wiseman and Eric Paschall being out
Juan Toscano-Anderson, SF/PF, GSW, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK, FG% - positive circumstance: getting more minutes due to both James Wiseman and Eric Paschall being out
Jordan Poole, PG/SG, GSW, (10% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT% - positive circumstance: should get more playing time with Kelly Oubre Jr. out
Kent Bazemore, SG/SF, GSW, (10% Rostered) - Strong Cats: STL, a little bit of everything - positive circumstance: should get more playing time with Kelly Oubre Jr. out
Mychal Mulder, PG, GSW, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM - buyer beware: when Damion Lee returns it will hurt his value
Doug McDermott, SF/PF, IND, (11% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Jeremy Lamb, SG/SF, IND, (9% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, FT% - buyer beware: missed seven straight games due to a sore knee
Edmond Sumner, PG/SG, IND, (11% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, STL - buyer beware: left his previous game due to a bruised knee
Aaron Holiday, PG, IND, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, STL, FT% - positive circumstance: could see more minutes if Malcolm Brogdon and Edmond Sumner miss time
Grayson Allen, SG/SF, MEM, (22% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, STL, FT% - buyer beware: is dealing with a hand issue
De'Anthony Melton, PG/SG, MEM, (16% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, STL
Desmond Bane, PG/SG, MEM, (4% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM
Justise Winslow, PF, MEM, (4% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL, AST
Robin Lopez, C, WAS, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB
Raul Neto, PG, WAS, (7% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%, STL
Alex Len, PF/C, WAS, (6% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB, STL/BLK
Ish Smith, SG/SF, WAS, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST
Solomon Hill, SG/SF, ATL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
Onyeka Okongwu, C, ATL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, STL/BLK
Brandon Goodwin, PG, ATL, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST - buyer beware: his playing time dropped when Trae Young returned
Kris Dunn, PG/SG, ATL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, STL - buyer beware: just returned from a long injury
Cody Zeller, C, CHA, (9% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, STL/BLK - buyer beware: lost a lot of playing time
Bismack Biyombo, C, CHA, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, BLK - buyer beware: lost a lot of playing time
Cody Martin, SG/SF, CHA, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: he gets a little bit of everything
Brad Wanamaker, PG/SG, CHA, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%, STL
Jalen McDaniels, PF/C, CHA, (16% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL
Maxi Kleber, PF/C, DAL, (14% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FT%, 3PM, STL/BLK - positive circumstance: should get more playing time while Kristaps Porzingis is out
J.J. Redick, SG, DAL, (6% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%
Willie Cauley-Stein, PF/C, DAL, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, BLK - positive circumstance: should get more playing time while Kristaps Porzingis is out
Dwight Powell, PF/C, DAL, (7% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, STL - positive circumstance: should get more playing time while Kristaps Porzingis is out
Trey Burke, PG/SG, DAL, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%, STL
Aleksej Pokusevski, SF, OKC, (19% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, REB, BLK/STL - buyer beware: missed his previous game with a bruised knee
Theo Maledon, PG, OKC, (20% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, AST, STL
Kenrich Williams, SF/PF, OKC, (5% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL - buyer beware: was not in the rotation on Thursday due to coach switching things up and giving other guys a shot, but returned in the previous game
Tony Bradley, C, OKC, (4% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, BLK - buyer beware: missed two of his last four games with an ankle sprain (played in his previous game)
Svi Mykhailiuk, SF, OKC, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, STL
Ty Jerome, PG/SG, OKC, (8% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, AST
Marc Gasol, C, LAL, (14% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK - buyer beware: missing too many games to be safe to count on
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, PG/SG, LAL, (18% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%, STL - buyer beware: missed one game last week due to a sprained ankle
Talen Horton-Tucker, SG/SF, LAL, (15% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL
Alex Caruso, PG/SG, LAL, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, STL - buyer beware: missed the previous two games due to back spasms
Markieff Morris, PF/C, LAL, (6% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB
Ben McLemore, SG/SF, LAL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM
I hope that you get that title, and if I contributed at least a little, that's a smile on my face right there!
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