RADIO
The year 2018 is winding down. I hope you had a good one. Personally, professionally and of course "fantasy NBA-ly". To help you keep it up in the New Year, we're back with our weekly streaming options.
Are you in a fight to earn a playoff spot? Is there a guy who's not really going to help you win your matchup and there's really little chance he will be of big help later on in the season? If both answers are YES - don't doubt the decision too much. Kick that poor sap at the end of your bench with the poor schedule next week to the curb. Just do it!
Let's get the Year 2019 off to a good start! Here are our Fantasy Basketball Streamers for Week 12.
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received five total writing awards and 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, tops in the industry! Congrats to all the award winners and nominees including NBA Writer of the Year, Best NFL Series, MLB Series, PGA Writer and Player Notes writer of the year. Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!
NBA Schedule Guide - Week 12
Five days next week have between seven and 10 games played so it's impossible to guess which fantasy teams will have trouble filling out their roster on which of these days. But this leaves us with two days with five and three games respectfully. It's pretty safe to assume most teams will have trouble fielding a full team on these days, so that's where our focus will be.
Here's the low-down:
Teams with 4 games:
Atlanta Hawks
Charlotte Hornets
Dallas Mavericks
Memphis Grizzlies
Minnesota Timberwolves
Oklahoma City Thunder
Orlando Magic
Phoenix Suns
Toronto Raptors
Teams with 3 games:
Boston Celtics
Brooklyn Nets
Chicago Bulls
Cleveland Cavaliers
Denver Nuggets
Detroit Pistons
Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
Miami Heat
Milwaukee Bucks
New Orleans Pelicans
Philadelphia 76ers
Portland Trail Blazers
Sacramento Kings
San Antonio Spurs
Utah Jazz
Washington Wizards
Teams with 2 games:
New York Knicks
Number of teams playing each day:
Monday: 14
Tuesday: 10
Wednesday: 18
Thursday: 6
Friday: 20
Saturday: 16
Sunday: 14
Back-to-Backs (beware of older or banged up players who might rest):
Monday/Tuesday: -
Tuesday/Wednesday: DET, PHI
Wednesday/Thursday: -
Thursday/Friday: -
Friday/Saturday: CLE, DAL, MEM, MIL, POR, UTA
Saturday/Sunday: CHA, TOR
Sunday/Monday the following: BRO, LAL, ORL
Days with five or fewer games
Tuesday: 5 games
Thursday: 3 games
Teams playing on both days:
Denver Nuggets (3 games this week)
Sacramento Kings (3 games)
Toronto Raptors (4 games)
Teams playing on Tuesday:
Toronto Raptors (4 games)
Sacramento Kings (3 games)
Los Angeles Clippers (3 games)
Denver Nuggets (3 games)
Milwaukee Bucks (3 games)
Utah Jazz (3 games)
Portland Trail Blazers (3 games)
Detroit Pistons (3 games)
Philadelphia 76ers (3 games)
New York Knicks (2 games)
Teams playing on Thursday:
Toronto Raptors (4 games)
San Antonio Spurs (3 games)
Golden State Warriors (3 games)
Sacramento Kings (3 games)
Denver Nuggets (3 games)
Houston Rockets (3 games)
Teams playing three games over the weekend (from Thursday to Sunday)
Toronto Raptors
Baller Streaming Strategy for Week 12
As always, Tuesday and Thursday are the most scarce gamedays and, as always, we will take a look at the players who play on these days.
Most valuable streamers for next week will be from teams that play on both these days. These teams are Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors. As the Raptors have a four-game week, they will be the stars of our article today.
In addition to these teams, we will take a look at guys from teams that play either on Tuesday or Thursday. This should give us some decent options to fill our lineups for the upcoming week.
Streaming Options for the Week
Shallower League Streaming Adds for the Week:
Danny Green, SG/SF, TOR, (55% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, BLK, a bit of everything
Monte Morris, PG, DEN, (44% Owned) -Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, AST, STL, FT%, FG%
Juan Hernangomez, SF/PF, DEN, (38% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, PTS, a bit of everything
Nemanja Bjelica, PF, SAC, (54% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM, a bit of everything
Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG/SF, SAC, (74% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, a bit of everything
Reggie Jackson, PG/SG, DET, (67% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, AST
Eric Gordon, SG, HOU, (75% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
P.J. Tucker, SG/SF, HOU, (43% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL
Jaylen Brown, PG/SG, BOS, (52% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, REB, a bit of everything
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG/SG, LAC (42% Owned) - Strong Cats: FT%, STL/BLK, AST, a bit of everything
Malcolm Brogdon, PG/SG, MIL, (77% Owned) - Strong Cats: FT%, FG%, REB, AST, 3PM, PTS
Noah Vonleh, PF, NYK, (54% Owned) - Strong Cats: STL/BLK, REB, AST
Kevin Knox, PF, NYK, (61% Owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, 3PM, REB
Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, NYK, (58% Owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, AST, 3PM
Al-Farouq Aminu, SF/PF, POR, (34% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL/BLK - buyer beware: can go on a shooting slump
Rudy Gay, SF/PF, SAS, (76% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%, STL
Jae Crowder, SF/PF, UTA, (40% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, REB, TO - buyer beware: getting an MRI on his thumb, might miss time
Derrick Favors, PF/C, UTA, (64% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, BLK
Player Recommendations
Shallower League Add
Fred Vanvleet, PG, TOR, (53% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, AST, STL
Not too popular a pick, and many fantasy owners might even be surprised that a backup PG for the Raptors is owned in over half the leagues. This is especially true if we consider the fact that VanVleet's season numbers of 10.2 PTS with 1.6 3PM on 40.9 FG% and 78.3 FT%, 2.4 REB, 4.3 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.3 BLK and 1.2 TO in 26 minutes per game have him ranked just barely inside the top-150.
So why am I recommending him? Plain and simple - Kyle Lowry's hurt. Just three months before his 33rd birthday, Lowry has missed six of Toronto's last seven with a lingering back and thigh issues. And in that time, Vleet has stepped up big time.
He is Toronto's second-best scorer behind superstar Kawhi Leonard in that time with 14.2 points, 2.5 threes on 39.5% from the field, 83.3% from the charity stripe, 2.5 board, 4.0 dimes, 1.0 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 1.0 turnovers in 33 minutes per game. That has him well inside the top-90. With him hitting double-digits in points in seven games straight and hitting at least two three-pointers in at six of those seven, he shows no signs of slowing down.
Lowry has been ruled out of the Friday's contest a day in advance, so it seems he could miss more time. If that is the case, Vleet should not be on your wire. At least not for the duration of next week.
Deep League Add
Mason Plumlee, PF/C, DEN, (17% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK, STL, FG%
Plumlee has been pretty solid since the beginning of the season Furthermore, his coach Mike Malone has mentioned that he wants to give him more minutes because he deserves them, but it's so hard with Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap in the frontcourt. Well, now Milsap is on the shelf and Plumlee is reaping the benefits.
Plumlee has been the second-best rebounder for the Nuggets (after the Joker, of course) in the eight games they were without Millsap and is putting up 7.9 PTS on 50.0 FG% and 47.4 FT%, 7.6 REB, 3.0 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.9 BLK, and 2.5 TO in 28 minutes per game. Those are some decent fantasy numbers, especially for those punting FT% and/or TO.
Now, Millsap is back in training and is questionable for Saturday's game against the Suns, so his return could dampen Mason's appeal. But I doubt Denver will throw Millsap in the fire unless he is 100%. And even when he is, he could still be eased back so Plumlee should still be getting 20-25 minutes, at least for the next week, which is usually enough for him to provide top-100 value for teams that punt free throws and turnovers.
Insanely Deep League Add
Delon Wright, PG/SG, TOR (3% Owned) - Strong Cats: FT%, AST
Continuing our story from VanVleet, Wright's appeal is mostly linked to Lowry's absence as well. With averages of just 7.7 PTS with 0.3 3PM on 38.6 FG% and 76.9 FG%, 4.5 REB, 3.7 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.3 BLK, and 1.2 TO in 26 minutes per game in the last two weeks, in which Lowry played only one game out of the possible six, Wright is not much more than a multi-cat streaming option. But that's exactly what we're looking for, right?
He will be on most waiver wires, he will not be someone who your opponent will see coming, and he will play four games next week - none of which come on Wednesday and Friday (the days with most games played on them with nine and ten).
He may not win you your matchup by himself, but let's face it, in this deep a league, no waiver wire add will. But, if Lowry remains out, he is good for 25 points, 12 boards, 10 dimes, 3 steals and a block next week. If your team can do with that boost, and doesn't mind the FG% and TO, Wright could be your guy. And, who knows? He might just explode in one of those four games if given the opportunity.
Other Deep League Options for the Week
OG Anunoby, SF/PF, TOR, (5% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL
C.J. Miles, SG/SF, TOR, (1% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM
Greg Monroe, PF/C, TOR, (4% Owned) -Strong Cats: REB, FG%
Norman Powell, SG/SF, TOR, (0% Owned) -Strong Cats: a bit of everything - buyer beware: missed his last game due to a personal issue
Torrey Craig, SF, DEN, (2% Owned) -Strong Cats: 3PM, REB
Malik Beasley, PG/SG, DEN (12% Owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, REB 3PM, STL
Trey Lyles, PF, DEN (7% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, a bit of everything
Iman Shumpert, SG/SF/PF, SAC, (8% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, STL
Justin Jackson, SF, SAC, (1% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB
Langston Galloway, PG/SG, DET, (2% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST
Reggie Bullock, SG/SF, DET, (22% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Andre Iguodala, SG/SF, GSW, (6% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, AST, STL/BLK
Jonas Jerebko, SG/SF, GSW, (4% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM, PTS, a bit of everything
Kevon Looney, PF/C, GSW, (6% Owned) - Strong Cats: BLK, REB, FG%
Danuel House, SG, HOU, (1% Owned) - Strong Cats: a bit of everything
Gerald Green, SG/SF, HOU, (3% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%
Nene Hilario, SG/SF, HOU, (0% Owned) - Strong Cats: FG%, STL/BLK, REB
Austin Rivers, PG/SG, HOU, (7% Owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, 3PM
Boban Marjanovic, C, LAC, (4% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK, FG%, FT%, PTS - buyer beware: they just refuse to unleash the Boban
Patrick Beverley, PG/SG, LAC (16% Owned) - Strong Cats: STL, AST, 3PM, REB
Marcin Gortat, C, LAC, (17% Owned) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB, BLK
Avery Bradley, PG/SG, LAC, (6% Owned) - Strong Cats: none really, but he once was a great fantasy player and is getting 30 minutes a night
George Hill, PG/SG, MIL, (5% Owned) - Strong Cats: FT%, AST, 3PM
Sterling Brown, SG/SF, MIL, (0% Owned) - Strong Cats: FT%, REB, 3PM
D.J. Wilson, PF, MIL, (1% Owned) - Strong Cats: BLK, REB
Tony Snell, SG/SF, MIL, (1% Owned) - Strong Cats: FT%, 3PM
Damyean Dotson, SG, NYK, (5% Owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, 3PM
Frank Ntilikina, PG/SG, NYK, (3% Owned) - Strong Cats: AST, 3PM, PTS
Wilson Chandler, SG/SF/PF, PHI, (7% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, STL, a bit of everything
T.J. McConnell, PG, PHI, (5% Owned) - Strong Cats: AST, STL, FG%
Mike Muscala, PF/C, PHI, (3% Owned)- Strong Cats: FT%, REB, 3PM, BLK
Landry Shamet, PG, PHI (1% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS
Furkan Korkmaz, SG, PHI, (1% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM
Zach Collins, PF/C, POR, (9% Owned) -Strong Cats: REB, BLK, FG%
Evan Turner, SG/SF, POR, (8% Owned) -Strong Cats: STL, REB, AST
Maurice Harkless, SF, POR, (5% Owned) -Strong Cats: STL/BLK, a bit of everything
Seth Curry, PG/SG, POR (2% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST
Nik Stauskas, SG/SF, POR (3% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%
Jakob Poeltl, C, SAS, (17% Owned) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK, FG%
Bryn Forbes, PG, SAS, (22% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Davis Bertans, PF/C, SAS, (7% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%, REB
Derrick White, PG, SAS, (11% Owned) - Strong Cats: AST, a bit of everything
Marco Belinelli, SG/SF, SAS, (11% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Patty Mills, PG, SAS, (11% Owned) -P Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%, AST
Kyle Korver, SG/SF, UTA, (6% Owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS
Dante Exum, PG/SG, UTA, (2% Owned) - Strong Cats: AST, PTS
Hope you guys enjoyed the article and the advice, and I hope that this will help you win your matchups next week and bragging rights for the week after.
