NBA Waiver Wire Streamers for Fantasy Basketball Week 9 (Dec 13 - Dec 19)

Milos Zvekic analyzes Week 9 streaming opportunities for head-to-head fantasy basketball leagues for the 2021-22 season. He reviews the upcoming NBA schedule and players to add.

As is the case almost every week, NBA has scheduled fewer games on Tuesday and Thursday for next week as well. With just four games on Tuesday and five on Thursday, players from teams playing on these two days will be worth a look if you're looking to stream your way to victory in your fantasy NBA matchup.

So, if you've got a guy on the verge of being cut, and if he is by any chance from the OKC Thunder (who play just two games next week) there are plenty of other (dare I say - better) fish in the sea. At least for streaming purposes.

Here are the fantasy basketball streamers for Week 9.

NBA Schedule Guide - Week 9

Tuesday with four and Thursday with five games will be the most difficult for fantasy owners to have a full starting lineup. Saturday is next in line with seven games. We will focus on these three days.

Here's the low-down:

Teams with 4 games:
Atlanta Hawks
Brooklyn Nets
Charlotte Hornets
Cleveland Cavaliers
Denver Nuggets
Detroit Pistons
Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets
Memphis Grizzlies
Miami Heat
Milwaukee Bucks
Philadelphia 76ers
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers
Sacramento Kings
Toronto Raptors
Washington Wizards

Teams with 3 games:
Boston Celtics
Chicago Bulls
Dallas Mavericks
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans
New York Knicks
Orlando Magic
San Antonio Spurs
Utah Jazz

Teams with 2 games:
Oklahoma City Thunder

Number of teams playing each day:
Monday: 18
Tuesday: 8
Wednesday: 22
Thursday: 10
Friday: 16
Saturday: 14
Sunday: 18

Back-to-Backs (beware of older or banged-up players who might rest):
Monday/Tuesday: GSW, PHO, TOR
Tuesday/Wednesday: POR
Wednesday/Thursday: HOU, IND, PHI, WAS
Thursday/Friday: -
Friday/Saturday: BOS, GSW, MIL, ORL, UTA
Saturday/Sunday: BKN, CLE, DET
Sunday/Monday the following: CHA, CHI, MEM, PHI, SAC, SAS

Days with SEVEN or fewer games
Tuesday: 4 games
Thursday: 5 games
Saturday: 7 games

Teams playing on all three days:
Brooklyn Nets (4 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Detroit Pistons (4 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Toronto Raptors (4 games - Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat)
New York Knicks (3 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat)

Teams playing on Tue/Thurs:
Brooklyn Nets (4 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Detroit Pistons (4 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Toronto Raptors (4 games - Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat)
New York Knicks (3 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat)
Phoenix Suns (4 games - Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sun)
Chicago Bulls (3 games - Tues, Thurs, Sun)

Teams playing on Tue/Sat:
Brooklyn Nets (4 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Detroit Pistons (4 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Toronto Raptors (4 games - Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat)
New York Knicks (3 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat)
Golden State Warriors (4 games - Mon, Tues, Fri, Sun)

Teams playing on Thurs/Sat:
Brooklyn Nets (4 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Detroit Pistons (4 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Toronto Raptors (4 games - Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat)
New York Knicks (3 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat)
Houston Rockets (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
Washington Wizards (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)

Teams with a GOOD START to the week (three games from Monday to Thursday)
Houston Rockets (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
Phoenix Suns (4 games - Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sun)
Toronto Raptors (4 games - Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat)
Washington Wizards (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
Indiana Pacers (3 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs)
Philadelphia 76ers (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sun)

Teams with a GOOD END to the week (three games from Thursday to Sunday)
Brooklyn Nets (4 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Detroit Pistons (4 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun)

Teams with a POOR START to the week (one or no games from Monday to Thursday)
Oklahoma City Thunder (2 games - Wed, Sat)
Boston Celtics (3 games - Mon, Fri, Sat)
Los Angeles Lakers (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun)
Minnesota Timberwolves (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun)
New Orleans Pelicans (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun)
Orlando Magic (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)
San Antonio Spurs (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun)
Utah Jazz (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)

Teams with a POOR END to the week (one or no games from Thursday to Sunday)
Oklahoma City Thunder (2 games - Wed, Sat)
Dallas Mavericks (3 games - Mon, Wed, Sun)
Los Angeles Clippers (3 games - Mon, Wed, Sat)
Indiana Pacers (3 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs)

Baller Streaming Strategy for Week 9

Tuesday with four and Thursday with five games are the hardest days to start a full roster, followed by Saturday with seven games. This is why players from teams playing on these days will be the ones we turn to in this article.

Brooklyn, Detroit, Toronto (all with 4 games next week) and New York (3 games) are the only teams playing on all three of these scarce days. Therefore, players from these teams should be the most sought-after streamers.

There are five other teams that play two games on these three scarcest days:

• Tuesday and Thursday - Phoenix (4 games) and Chicago (3 games)
• Tuesday and Saturday - Golden State (4 games)
• Thursday and Saturday - Houston and Washington (both with 4 games)

Players playing on these teams are worth a longer look as well.

Streaming Options for Week 9

Shallower League Streaming Adds for the Week (Rostered in 25-75ish % of Yahoo leagues):

LaMarcus Aldridge, PF/C, BKN (72% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, PTS, BLK
Patty Mills, PG/SG, BKN, (50% Rostered) - Strong Cats: PTS, AST, 3PM
Saddiq Bey, SG/SF, DET, (58% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%, REB, PTS
Chris Boucher, PF/C, TOR, (53% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK/STL - buyer beware: should see his minutes take a hit when Precious Achiuwa and Khem Birch return
Mitchell Robinson, C, NYK, (76% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, BLK
Alec Burks, SG/SF, NYK, (69% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, STL - positive circumstance: is the starter with Kemba Walker out of the rotation
Evan Fournier, SG/SF, NYK, (69% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, STL
Derrick Rose, PG/SG, NYK, (58% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, AST, STL
Nerlens Noel, PF/C, NYK, (43% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK - buyer beware: misses games often
Jae Crowder, SG/SF, PHO, (29% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, a bit of STL, REB, PTS
Jae'Sean Tate, SF/PF, HOU, (75% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB, STL/BLK
Garrison Mathews, SG/SF, HOU, (43% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, STL - positive circumstance: is the starter with Jalen Green out with an injury 
Eric Gordon, SG/SF, HOU, (36% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, AST
Alperen Sengun, C, HOU, (37% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, STL/BLK
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, PG/SG/SF, SAS, (51% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, PTS, a bit of everything

Shallower League Add

Garrison Mathews, SG/SF, HOU, (43% Rostered)

Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, STL

Positive Circumstance: is the starter with Jalen Green out with an injury 

The Rockets were off to a very rocky start, going 1-17 in their first 18 games. And then, to add insult to injury, their 2nd pick from the 2021 draft, Jalen Green, goes down with a strained hamstring. Nobody really expected what was about to happen - Houston is 7-0 since this happened.

And in no small way due to Mathews being ON FIRE! In these seven games since Green's injury, Garrison is averaging 17.7 PTS with 4.3 3PM on 51.3 FG% and 76.2 FT%, 3.3 REB, 0.1 AST, 1.3 STL, 0.6 BLK and 0.1 TO in over 35 minutes per outing. This is good enough for him to be ranked at #22 for the previous 14 days. Yup, you read that right - #22!

Now, I have to say that I seriously doubt that this level of production is sustainable in the long term. But it is also worth noting that:

• Mathews has played 28 minutes in seven straight games
• Mathews has hit multiple three-pointers in seven straight games
• Matthews has scored in double-digits in seven straight games
• Matthews has grabbed at least two boards in seven straight games
• Matthews failed to record a steal in just two of his previous seven games
• Green has missed those same seven games and doesn't have a target return date yet

With four games (several on scarce days) next week and the form he's been in, Mathews should be on the radar in most, if not all leagues.

Deeper League Add

Jae Crowder, SG/SF, PHO, (29% Rostered)

Strong Cats: 3PM, a bit of STL, REB, PTS

A guy who plays 29 minutes a game is rostered in just 29% of Yahoo leagues. He must be posting some PJ Tucker-type empty stat lines, right? (I'm kidding, of course. I really like PJ and I am a Rockets fan myself so he has a special place in my heart - although it is a fact that his game makes him much more valuable in real life than in fantasy).

Well, actually - no! Jae has been a counting stats monster lately and is ranked inside the top 120 in the last two weeks despite his poor shooting. In his six games during this period, Crowder is averaging 11.7 points with 2.5 treys on 42.9% from the field and 63.6% from the line, 5.8 boards, 1.5 dimes. 1.3 steals, 0.3 blocks and 1.0 turnover.

Crowder is pretty much guaranteed to get close to 30 minutes a night, and while he probably won't grab close to 6 boards and get 1.3 steals every night, he is not too far off his averages from last season (4.7 REB and 0.8 STL). And he could get some more blocks (0.5 both career and last season averages) and should shoot better from the charity stripe (77.7% career shooter).

So those things could even it out and Crowder can stay inside the top 120 for the foreseeable future. And with four games coming up next week, he should be on your radar in most - especially deeper leagues.

Insanely Deep League Add

Armoni Brooks, PG, HOU, (5% Rostered) 

Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, a bit of PTS, AST, REB

Positive Circumstance: is getting more minutes with Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. out with injuries 

Now this is a risk, as Armoni played over 10 minutes in a game just two times before November 23. Bu has played 17+ since then in nine straight games, playing 34 in his last game.

Over this stretch of nine games he has:

• Scored in double-digits = six times
• Had at least one steal = six times
• Had at least one block = four times
• Had multiple rebounds =eight times
• Had multiple assists = five times
• Hit 3+ three-pointers = six times
• Had 0 turnovers = six times

Not too bad for a guy rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues.

Now, his minutes might take a hit when Kevin Porter Jr. returns. But KPJ has missed only five of the nine games I mentioned above, so Brooks is still capable of contributing even with Porter Jr. healthy.

In deep leagues, Brooks is a relatively low-risk - high-reward player who will help out almost everywhere without hurting you much anywhere (except maybe in FG% - he is averaging just above 40% in the last 14 days).

Other Deep League Options for the Week

Rostered in less than 25% of Yahoo leagues

Bruce Brown, SG/SF, BKN, (5% Rostered) - Strong Cats: STL, REB
DeAndre' Bembry, SF/PF, BKN, (6% Rostered) - Strong Cats: STL, REB, FG%
James Johnson, PF/C, BKN, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: a little bit of everything
Nicolas Claxton, C, BKN, (8% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, BLK
Blake Griffin, PF/C, BKN, (8% Rostered) - Strong Cats: a little bit of everything but poor % this season - buyer beware: misses games left and right
Cameron Thomas, SG, BKN, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: a little bit of 3PM, PTS, REB, FT%
Killian Hayes, PG/SG, DET, (12% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, STL, REB, but poor FG%
Cory Joseph, PG, DET, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, FT%
Frank Jackson, PG/SG, DET, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
Josh Jackson, SG/SF, DET, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, a bit of REB
Trey Lyles, PF/C, DET, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, a bit of PTS
Hamidou Diallo, SG/SF, DET, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: BLK/STL, a bit of REB
Precious Achiuwa, SF/PF/C, TOR, (21% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK/STL - buyer beware: missed two straight games with shoulder tendinitis
Svi Mykhailiuk, SF, TOR, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, a bit of PTS
Yuta Watanabe, SF/PF, TOR, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM
Immanuel Quickley, PG, NYK, (20% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, FT% - positive circumstance: is seeing some additional minutes with Kemba Walker out of the rotation
Obi Toppin, SF/PF, NYK, (6% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK
JaVale McGee, C, PHO, (24% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK, FG%
Cameron Johnson, SF/PF, PHO, (20% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, a bit of STL, PTS, REB
Cameron Payne, SF/PF, PHO, (6% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, a bit of STL, AST, PTS
Landry Shamet, PG/SG, PHO, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, a bit of PTS, FT%
Alfonzo McKinnie, SF/PF, CHI, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB - buyer beware: just called up from the G-league with the Bulls having many players out
Ayo Dosunmu, PG, CHI, (5% Rostered) - Strong Cats: a bit of AST, PTS
Troy Brown Jr., SG/SF, CHI, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: a bit of REB, STL
Otto Porter Jr., SF/PF, GSW, (22% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM, STL
Nemanja Bjelica, PF, GSW, (4% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM, a little bit of everything
Gary Payton II, PG/SG, GSW, (7% Rostered) - Strong Cats: STL
Kevon Looney, PF/C, GSW, (4% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, STL/BLK
Damion Lee, SG/SF, GSW, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Juan Toscano-Anderson, SF/PF, GSW, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, AST, STL (but not a lot of any of them)
Armoni Brooks, PG, HOU, (5% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, a bit of PTS, AST, REB
KJ Martin, SF, HOU, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: a little bit of REB, PTS, AST
Deni Avdija, SG/SF, WAS, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK
Raul Neto, PG, WAS, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, STL, a bit of 3PM, PTS
Davis Bertans, PF/C, WAS, (4% Rostered) - Strong Cats: a bit of 3PM, PTS, FT%

Good luck with your next week's matchup!

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