With the observance of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday being on Monday, Week 14 will get off to an early start, comparatively speaking. Eight of the nine games played on Monday are scheduled to begin before 6 PM Eastern, leaving fantasy managers in weekly leagues less time to set their lineups. Add in a game in Paris between the Bulls and Pistons on Thursday, and Week 14 offers up some interesting challenges. Let’s take a look at the week ahead.
Week 14 Schedule: Games played
5 Games: TOR
4 Games: ATL, BKN, CLE, DEN, GSW, IND, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIN, NOP, NYK, PHO
3 Games: BOS, CHA, DAL, HOU, MIL, OKC, PHI, POR, SAC, UTAH, WAS
2 Games: ORL, SAS
1 Game: CHI, DET
Top Storylines in Week 14
-- Week 14 is a good time to load up on Raptors
Toronto is the only team in the NBA that will play five games in Week 14, with two back-to-backs. None of the starters are rostered in less than 87% of Yahoo leagues, going from Gary Trent Jr. (87%) to Pascal Siakam (100%), so this doesn’t apply to them. But Week 14 may be a good time to roll the dice on Chris Boucher or Precious Achiuwa, with both being rostered in no more than 20% of Yahoo leagues. The recent returns haven’t been great for either player, with Boucher providing 14th-round value in 9-cat formats over the last week and Achiuwa being a 17th-round player. But with five games, it would make sense to add one of those two reserve bigs, especially if you have a fringe Bull or Piston on your fantasy roster (more on those teams below).
With starting point guard Fred VanVleet (back) questionable for Monday’s game against the Knicks, maybe Malachi Flynn gets into the mix as well. While a case can be made for Boucher and Achiuwa in leagues that set lines for the entire week, Flynn will be worth a look in leagues with daily lineups, as his opportunities depend on VanVleet’s availability/effectiveness.
-- How many games will managers get out of Giannis?
Milwaukee plays three games in Week 14, including a Monday/Tuesday back-to-back against the Pacers and Raptors. Giannis Antetokounmpo missed both of Milwaukee’s games in Miami with a sore left knee, and he’s yet to play in both ends of a back-to-back this season. The good news is that he’s probable for Monday’s game against the Pacers, but could this be a two-game week for him? After Tuesday, the Bucks don’t play again until Saturday night in Cleveland, so the approach of resting Giannis would make some sense, although it would be frustrating for fantasy managers.
Bobby Portis is already rostered in most leagues and has the most to gain from an Antetokounmpo absence. And the back-to-back to begin the week could also impact other Bucks. Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez, and Grayson Allen have all been rested on occasion, with the latter sitting out Thursday’s loss to the Heat (the second game of a back-to-back). This would be more palatable if the Bucks were looking at a four-game week instead of three.
-- Warriors begin with a “wraparound” back-to-back
The Warriors may not have two back-to-backs in Week 14, but they have two over a seven-day stretch. Sunday’s loss in Chicago will be followed by an afternoon game against the Wizards in D.C., and they’ve got road games in Boston (Thursday) and Cleveland (Friday). Stephen Curry has been cleared to play in both ends of the first back-to-back, but Klay Thompson is expected to sit on Monday. Prior to Sunday’s game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that Thompson experienced some soreness in his surgically repaired knee last week. For him, Week 14 could be a two-game week, depending on what the Warriors decide.
Add in Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins, and some rest days may be in the cards for the Warriors. Who benefits? Jordan Poole and Donte DiVincenzo are the obvious answers, as they’ve been in that position before. Another name to keep in mind: Anthony Lamb. A double-figure scorer in four of the Warriors’ last five games, he’s providing 7th-round value in 9-cat formats over the last two weeks.
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-- Will Suns’ Johnson return by the end of the week?
Cameron Johnson has been out since early November after undergoing surgery on his right knee, but a return appears to be on the horizon. He won’t be available for Monday’s game in Memphis to start Week 14, but Johnson did tell the Arizona Republic that he could be back “soon, very soon.” Phoenix closes Week 14 with three home games over a four-day stretch, beginning Thursday against the Nets. If Johnson can return at that point, fantasy managers are likely looking at a two-game week for him. Weekly league managers should keep him in an IL+ slot for Week 14. But that will be an interesting situation, especially with Chris Paul (hip) and Devin Booker (groin) still sidelined.
Torrey Craig is the player most impacted by Johnson’s availability, as he’s been a starter most nights since November. As for Paul and Booker, Duane Washington Jr. and Damion Lee are the ones to watch, especially with Landry Shamet (hip) sidelined.
-- Is it time to bid farewell to Bulls’ Caruso and Pistons’ Burks?
While Toronto is the only team scheduled to play five games in Week 15, Chicago and Detroit are on the opposite end of the spectrum. They’ll only play once, with the teams scheduled to face each other Thursday in Paris. A nice opportunity for both teams to experience France (Killian Hayes is a native), but fantasy managers are left in a difficult spot regarding some of the teams’ fringe options. Alex Caruso, who has been starting for the injured DeMar DeRozan, and Pistons reserve Alec Burks may be on the outs despite their solid play of late.
Caruso, who’s rostered in 38% of Yahoo leagues, has been a 7th-round player over the last week. As for Burks, he’s returned 11th-round value over the last two weeks and is rostered in 36% of Yahoo leagues. Dropping either of those players won’t make or break a fantasy season, but now would be a good opportunity to move on in favor of a player who will play four (or even five) games in Week 14. Looking ahead to Week 15, Chicago will play four games and Detroit three.
-- Are we looking at a three-game week for Clippers’ Leonard?
The Clippers remain without Paul George (hamstring) and Luke Kennard (calf), and Marcus Morris (knee) also missed Sunday’s win over the Rockets. Tyronn Lue‘s team will play four games in Week 14, but the beginning of the week is a concern. They’ve got a home/road back-to-back, hosting the 76ers on Tuesday before visiting the Jazz the following night. So the “how many games will he play” question applies to George and Morris and Kawhi Leonard. Leonard, the top-ranked player in 9-cat formats over the last week, has yet to play both ends of a back-to-back this season. Does that change in Week 14? And if it doesn’t, which game will he miss?
Also worth keeping an eye on with the Clippers is the point guard position, with Terance Mann taking over as the starter last week. Rostered in 14% of Yahoo leagues, he’s been a 6th-round player over the last week. With the upcoming schedule and the Clippers’ injuries, now is the time to add Mann, especially with the expansion of his role. Reggie Jackson is back in the rotation as Mann’s backup, as an abdominal strain will sideline John Wall for at least two weeks. Jackson wasn’t a good fantasy option when starting, so he isn’t a pickup now, but he is worth keeping an eye on, especially if George and Kennard remain sidelined.
Light Game Days
Tuesday: 4 Games
TOR vs. MIL
BKN vs. SAS
POR vs. DEN
PHI vs. LAC
Thursday: 5 Games
CHI vs. DET
GSW vs. BOS
TOR vs. MIN
BKN vs. PHO
PHI vs. POR
Week 14 Back-to-backs
Monday-Tuesday: MIL, TOR
Tuesday-Wednesday: DEN, LAC
Wednesday-Thursday: MIN
Thursday-Friday: BKN, GSW
Friday-Saturday: ATL, CLE, IND, ORL, SAC
Saturday-Sunday: PHO, TOR