March 9, 2017

JT picks fantasy basketball waiver wire streamers and adds for points, assists, and three pointers in Week 20 of the NBA season. These players can be sleepers.

It's never too early to start streaming. Whether you have an opening due to an injury, you auction-drafted a crew of stars and scrubs, or you just didn't bother putting any effort into your last couple draft picks, you probably have a player or two on your team who isn't must-own. You're better off using that roster spot to stream players to eke out wins in close categories in your weekly head-to-head matchups.

This year, RotoBaller will be making weekly recommendations for extreme short term category specialists every week in all six counting stat categories (points, assists, threes, rebounds, steals, and blocks).

Below are my Week 20 offensive category streamers for fantasy basketball - points, threes, and assists are below. All position eligibility and ownership percentages are based on Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Threes Streamers

Channing Frye, F/C, CLE, Opponents: Thursday @ DET, Saturday @ ORL, Sunday @ HOU (20% Owned)

Frye has had a few clunkers and a few solid games since Kevin Love (knee) went down as he’s been swapping starts with Richard Jefferson. Throw Derrick Williams in the mix and you can see why he’s only been 20 percent owned, despite being a perfect fill-in for Love. While he’s not a must-own in most formats, he’s still putting up value for his ability to knock down a few triples on any given night. Frye is averaging 1.9 triples since the break and should be able to help rack up those triples with three games left in the late week. Give him a look.

Speaking of three game weeks, Nik Stauskas and the Sixers are on their west coast road trip starting Thursday. You can bet Brett Brown’s going to lean on his sharpshooter during the trip with averages of 11.3 points and 1.6 triples in 27.2 minutes since the break. Wayne Ellington has been hot for Miami with four straight games in double figures and a streak of 15 straight games with a three. E’Twaun Moore has provided value in deeper formats, hitting a three in five straight games as Alvin Gentry has relied on him for perimeter shooting since the Boogie trade.

Other Options: Nik Stauskas, G/F, PHI (6% Owned); Wayne Ellington, G/F, MIA (8% Owned); E’Twaun Moore, G, NOP (6% Owned);

Points Streamers

Bobby Portis, F/C, CHI, Opponents: Friday vs. HOU, Sunday @ BOS (25% Owned)

Portis has been mostly solid since Taj Gibson was shipped at the deadline with averages of 11.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 1.0 threes on 45.6 percent from the field. He’s scored in double figures his last four games. The Bulls square off against Houston on Friday, which should be a fast paced game with plenty of offense. On top of the scoring, he’ll be great for keeping those percentages in check. A solid choice for the weekend.

Justin Anderson has three games in the late week, but Gerald Henderson is back and will limit Anderson in his minutes. A risky option, but could provide lots of value evidenced by two career-nights of 19 points in the last three games. Jaylen Brown has averaged 25.9 minutes for the Celtics and with Avery Bradley limited, should see steady minutes. He’s averaged 12.4 points since the break. Norm Powell has stepped up in March, with 16.7 points in his last three games. DeMarre Carroll (ankle) is dealing with injuries once again, which puts Powell in a great position to continue his hot scoring. The Knicks have thrown Thomas into the starting unit, and he’s actually been decent. He’s averaging 11.6 points on 44.3 percent from the field in 32.1 minutes. Not world beating numbers, but if you need offense, it’s there.

Other Options: Justin Anderson, F, PHI, (4% Owned); Jaylen Brown, G/F, BOS (11% Owned); Norm Powell, G/F, TOR (6% Owned); Lance Thomas, G/F, NYK (4% Owned);

Assists Streamers

Ty Lawson, G, SAC, Opponents: Saturday vs. WAS, Sunday vs. DEN (21% Owned)

Lawson has been bouncing around this section for the entirety of the season. He’s been waiver wire fodder all season, but should be owned as Dave Joerger has been using him tonnes lately (32.1 minutes since the break). He’s looking more reliable than in the past, and should continue this pace until Garrett Temple is ready to resume a full workload. Lawson is averaging 11.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists since the break.

Ish Smith is a great add, but is limited by Reggie Jackson. Still, if you need assists, Ish makes a great target in Week 20. Matthew Dellavedova is coming off the bench, but has played better off the bench than in the starting unit. He’s putting up 5.3 assists in 27.9 minutes since the break. Sergio Rodriguez has three games in the late week, so in terms of volume and opportunity, he’s great for deeper leagues.

Other Options: Ish Smith, G, DET (26% Owned); Matthew Dellavedova, G, MIL (20% Owned); Sergio Rodriguez, G, PHI (8% Owned);