Fantasy Basketball

2014-15 Fantasy Basketball: Week 18 Preview

Photo credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Photo credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

 

4 Games: BOS, BKN, CHA, CHI, CLE, DAL, DEN, GS, HOU, LAL, MEM, MIA, NO, PHI, PHO, SAC, TOR, UTA

3 Games: ATL, DET, IND, LAC, MIL, MIN, NY, OKC, ORL, POR, SA, WSH

 

On Fire:

Mo Williams – Since being traded to the Charlotte Hornets, Mo Williams has put up close to elite fantasy numbers as the Hornets starting point guard, filling in for the injured Kemba Walker. He’s averaging 23.4 points per game and has two double-doubles during that span. He’s been an absolute steal on DraftKings as of late, but his price is rising. He’s well worth the money spent in daily leagues and is well worth adding him in standard leagues as well. I would be skeptical of giving too much up in a trade, however, because Kemba Walker’s return will be detrimental to his value. Lean on him heavy and often in the meantime.

Isaiah Thomas – Another guard who’s benefiting from a trade deadline move is Isaiah Thomas. Thomas has scored at least 19 points in every game as a Celtic thus far, including 28 last Friday against the Hornets. Some would be concerned with his minutes while leaning heavy on him, eclipsing 30 minutes just one time in five games so far as a Celtic, but he’s been so productive that it doesn’t seem to matter. In fact, imagine the numbers he could be putting up if he was playing between 35-40 minutes a night?

Ice Cold:

Reggie Jackson – Jackson was traded to the Detroit Pistons at the NBA trade deadline and was almost brought to tears (according to his twitter account) because he was so happy to be given an opportunity to shine as a starting point guard. Since then, he has had a game where he shot 5/24 from the field, and was benched by head coach Stan Van Gundy. He’s relatively expensive on DraftKings considering that he has been a bench play for most of the season, and hasn’t produced the numbers so far to make me think he’s worth it in daily leagues.

Gordon Hayward – Hayward hasn’t been terrible by any stretch of the imagination, but he makes the ice cold list this week because of his production based on the amount he costs in daily leagues. Although SF can be a tough pool to pick from when you want consistency on nights where LeBron James isn’t playing, or if you don’t want to splurge for the 4-time MVP, I would look elsewhere and not lean on Hayward until the production picks back up, which I believe it will.

 

Stream options:

Jae Crowder – Crowder has made the most of his minutes increase in Boston and is worth a look in all leagues.

Terrence Jones – Jones is back to his big time production that he was giving before the injury, and with Dwight Howard out and James Harden suspended for one of the Rockets games this week, he could continue to post big time numbers.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – MKG has been spectacular since coming back from his short injury stint. On nights when he doesn’t do it with points, he does it with rebounds, steals, and/or blocks. MKG has been paying off big time in daily leagues and I would continue to use him until he proves otherwise.

Andrea Bargnani – That’s right…Add Bargs and, for now, party like it’s 2010! It will be short lived…

Will Barton – Will has been quite the surprise to me since Arron Afflalo was traded to Portland and he’s been an incredible find in daily leagues at his low cost. That cost, however, will likely continue to creep up the more productive that he continues to be, so get him now while you can.

Nikola Mirotic – Someone has to score for the Bulls without Rose and Butler in the lineup, and it will likely be Gasol and Mirotic, just be weary of that injury bug that’s floating around Chicago.

Rudy Gobert – Gobert is seeing big minutes with Enes Kanter gone to OKC, and so far he’s been well worth adding, just for the production he’s giving in blocked shots.

 

Injury report:

Anthony Davis is close to a return from his shoulder injury.

Kyrie Irving is day-to-day with a shoulder injury and should be close to a return.

Jimmy Butler is out 3-6 weeks with a hyper-extended elbow.

Jeff Teague (thigh) is day-t0-day after receiving an electric stimulant in his left thigh. Any time he is out Dennis Schroder is a nice play.

DeMarcus Cousins is day-to-day with an ankle injury and it doesn’t sound like he will miss much time.

Tyson Chandler is out with a hip injury, but shouldn’t miss a significant time. The Mavericks center has missed the last three games but will likely return to the lineup sooner rather than later.

Blake Griffin: No news on Griffin as he continues to rest his elbow injury, but he should be back in the next week or two.

Darren Collison is out with hip surgery to repair a core muscle injury. He will be re-evaluated in 3-6 weeks. I would be fine cutting him in standard leagues.

Kemba Walker will be re-evaluated Wednesday to see how far along his process is on his knee injury. He’s worth stashing at this point.

Taj Gibson is expected to miss around two weeks

Jose Calderon (achilles) is out at least two weeks. Langston Galloway is the primary beneficiary, Shved and Larkin will split backup point guard duties.

 

For more fantasy basketball analysis or to have your questions answered, Follow Max on Twitter @MaxHaldeman13.

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