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Trevor Crippen analyzes Week 21 streaming opportunities for head-to-head fantasy basketball leagues. He reviews the upcoming NBA schedule and players to add.
It's the last week of the regular season in many default 12 teamers. Meanwhile the playoffs have already begun in many other leagues. It's time to dump anyone who's not producing right now. Use those spots for streaming, especially if you're in the midst of fighting for the postseason.
If you have some dead weight that you wouldn't mind dropping and are looking to maximize your chances of winning your matchup next week, you're in the right place!
Here are our fantasy basketball streamers for Week 21.
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NBA Schedule Guide - Week 21
This is shaping up to be a week seriously influenced by schedule. You have one day -- Thursday -- with only two games, and three others with only six or seven. Meanwhile you've got a couple teams only playing two games, compared to several with four. Long story short, this is a big week for streaming.
Here's the low-down:
Teams with 4 games:
Atlanta Hawks
Chicago Bulls
Dallas Mavericks
Miami Heat
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans
New York Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers
Phoenix Suns
Teams with 3 games:
Brooklyn Nets
Boston Celtics
Charlotte Hornets
Denver Nuggets
Detroit Pistons
Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Lakers
Memphis Grizzlies
Oklahoma City Thunder
Orlando Magic
Portland Trailblazers
Sacramento Kings
San Antonio Spurs
Toronto Raptors
Utah Jazz
Washington Wizards
Teams with 2 games:
Cleveland Cavaliers
Los Angeles Clippers
Number of teams playing each day:
Monday: 14
Tuesday: 12
Wednesday: 20
Thursday: 4
Friday: 18
Saturday: 12
Sunday: 18
Back-to-Backs (beware of older or banged up players who might rest):
Monday/Tuesday: -
Tuesday/Wednesday: BOS, CHI, MIN, PHI
Wednesday/Thursday: -
Thursday/Friday: OKC
Friday/Saturday: CHA, WAS
Saturday/Sunday: ATL, MIL, MIN, NYK, PHO
Sunday/Monday the following: DET, HOU, TOR
Days with seven or fewer games
Monday: 7 games
Tuesday: 6 games
Thursday: 2 games
Saturday: 6 games
Teams playing on three of four days:
Milwaukee Bucks (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Portland Trailblazers (3 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat)
Teams playing on Mon/Thurs:
Milwaukee Bucks (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Teams playing on Mon/Sat:
Atlanta Hawks (4 games - Mon, Weds, Sat, Sun)
Brooklyn Nets (3 games - Mon, Weds, Sat)
Los Angeles Lakers (3 games - Mon, Weds, Sat)
Milwaukee Bucks (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
New York Knicks (4 games - Mon, Weds, Sat, Sun)
Phoenix Suns (4 games - Mon, Weds, Sat, Sun)
Sacramento Kings (3 games - Mon, Weds, Sat)
Teams playing on Tue/Thurs:
Indiana Pacers (3 games - Tues, Thurs, Sun)
Oklahoma City Thunder (3 games - Tues, Thurs, Fri)
Portland Trailblazers (3 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat)
Teams playing on Tues/Sat:
Boston Celtics (3 games - Tues, Weds, Sat)
Minnesota Timberwolves (4 games - Tues, Weds, Sat, Sun)
Portland Trailblazers (3 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat)
Team playing on Thurs/Sat:
Milwaukee Bucks (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Sat, Sun)
Portland Trailblazers (3 games - Tues, Thurs, Sat)
Teams playing three games over the weekend (from Thursday to Sunday)
Milwaukee Bucks
Baller Streaming Strategy for Week 21
It is even worse than usual to be rostering Cavs players this week (only two games, on two days with the most games). It'll be pretty hard to even roster the better playing Cavs -- like Cedi Osman -- if you're in a playoff matchup this week. It's also a worse than usual to be facing Giannis Antetokounmpo (the Bucks have four games and slot into three lightly scheduled days).
Portland players also make for good adds for the middle of the week, despite only playing 3 games -- an ideal scenario is to carry over a guy playing on Monday, drop him for a Blazer playing on Tues/Thurs/Sat, then drop the Blazer for someone playing Sunday. Perhaps even better, you could add a player from Oklahoma City for his Tues/Thurs/Fri slate, then drop him for player from one of five teams playing a Saturday/Sunday back-to-back.
Streaming Options for the Week
Shallower League Streaming Adds for the Week:
Mitchell Robinson, C, NYK (63% owned) - Strong Cats: BLK, FG%, REB -- is this guy still somehow not owned in your league?
Enes Kanter, C, POR (68% owned) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB
Dennis Schroder, PG, OKC (66% owned) - Strong Cats: AST, PTS, FT%
Taurean Prince, SF, ATL (66% owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, combo of REB+AST, FT%
Elfrid Payton, PG, NOP (57% owned) - Strong Cats: AST, REB
Al-Farouq Aminu, SF/PF, POR (43% owned) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM
Tyler Johnson, PG/SG, PHO (40% owned) - Strong Cats: AST, 3PM, PTS
Taj Gibson, PF/C, MIN (38% owned) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%
Dwyane Wade, PG/SG, MIA (36% owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, combo of REB+AST
Robin Lopez, C, CHI (33% owned) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, BLK
Mikal Bridges, SG/SF, PHO (24% owned) - Strong Cats: STL, AST, 3PM
Shallower League Add
Wesley Matthews, SG/SF, IND (35% owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, 3PM, FT%
The Pacers, still hanging strong as 3rd seed in the East even after the loss of Victor Oladipo, just seem to elevate the play of everyone on their roster. Moving from the young and still sloppy Mavs to the Pacers has allowed Wesley Matthews to focus on what he's good at, and his efficiency is showing it. Matthews has been consistently dropping shots since the All-Star Break, averaging 16.8 points and 3.8 treys on percentages of .463 and .938. Sure, he's not going to get you rebounds, assists, or defensive stats, but you're rarely going to find any sort of efficient 15+ point scorer off the wire.
Add him in standard leagues where you're fighting for points and treys.
Deeper League Add
Maurice Harkless, SF, POR, (20% Owned) - Strong Cats: STL, REB, FG%, lack of TO
How could you be Moe Harkless? Harkless has a history of hyper-efficient productive spurts broken up by a litany of injuries. Right now he's feeling good and says he's no longer thinking about his surgically repaired left knee. It's showing in his recent play. He's shooting .560 since the All Star Break, averaging 12.6 PTS, 7.0 REB, and 2.4 STL. He never turns the ball over, has good percentages, and brings in boards and defensive stats.
This surge, combined with Portland's friendly schedule for streamers, makes Harkless a great add, come Monday.
Other Deep League Options for the Week
Damyean Dotson, SG, NYK (18% owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, 3PM, AST+REB combo
Cheick Diallo, PF/C, NOP (13% owned) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%
Kevin Huerter, SG, ATL (13% owned) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS
Allonzo Trier, SG, NYK (7% owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, FT%
Jalen Brunson, PG, DAL (6% owned) - Strong Cats: PTS, 3PM, AST
Jake Layman, PF, POR (8% owned) - Strong Cats: FG%, 3PM, BLK
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.
