The end of Sunday’s five-game Christmas Day bonanza means the start of the final week of 2022, and it will be crowded as far as the NBA is concerned. Fifteen teams will play four games in Week 11, with just one (Portland) playing two. And there are some significant injury concerns. Miami still has a crowded injury report, Sacramento is awaiting word on its starting center, and New Orleans gets its star power forward back. Let’s look ahead to Week 11 in the NBA.
Week 11 Schedule: Games Played
4 Games: CHA, CHI, DEN, DET, HOU, IND, LAC, MEM, MIA, MIN, NOP, SAC, SAS, UTA, WAS
3 Games: ATL, BOS, BKN, CLE, DAL, GSW, LAL, MIL, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHI, PHO, TOR
2 Games: POR
Top Storylines to Watch
-- Will this be a three-game week for Pelicans’ Williamson?
Zion Williamson landed in the league’s health and safety protocols ahead of New Orleans’ December 22 win over the Spurs, missing two games. He’s listed as doubtful for Monday’s game against the Pacers for conditioning reasons, which essentially strikes one game off the board. Can Zion get three games in with the Pelicans scheduled to play four times in Week 11? The week ends with a back-to-back against the 76ers (Friday) and Grizzlies (Saturday), and Williamson hasn’t played both ends of a back-to-back since November 9-10. He was out injured for the Pelicans’ most recent back-to-back (November 15-16), so it wouldn’t be fair to hold that against him.
The good news for managers who have him rostered is that this back-to-back occurs at the end of the week, possibly enhancing Williamson’s chances of playing both games. Naji Marshall started the Pelicans’ last two games, with his December 23 performance against the Thunder being one of his best of the season (18 points, eight rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one 3-pointer in 34 minutes. Naji Marshall, who’s rostered in 6% of Yahoo leagues, remains in play as a streaming option, and that may also be the case at the end of the week. As for Jaxson Hayes, he may be off the radar for Monday, even with Larry Nance (Achilles) questionable to play.
-- Who steps in if Kings’ Sabonis misses time?
Not only did the Kings perform poorly in their December 23 home loss to the Wizards, but they also lost their starting center. Domantas Sabonis exited late in the fourth quarter with an apparent right-hand injury, immediately walking back to the locker room. With the Kings’ next game not until Tuesday (the first of two in as many nights against the Nuggets), there still hasn’t been word regarding the severity of Sabonis’ injury...and if he’ll have to miss any time. That puts fantasy managers in a tough spot, along with the fact that, before the injury, Mike Brown was searching for a suitable option to back up Sabonis.
Trey Lyles isn’t a center, but he is the backup frontcourt player who’s consistently factored into the Kings’ rotation. Ranked outside the top 300 in 9-cat formats, he’s rostered in just 1% of Yahoo leagues and would not be worth the fuss if Sabonis isn’t facing an extended absence. The same can be said for Chimezie Metu, Richaun Holmes, and Neemias Queta. If anything, an extended absence for Sabonis would benefit the scorers already in the rotation. Harrison Barnes and Keegan Murray, starters ranked outside the top 100 in 9-cat formats, are worth tracking, and the same can be said for Malik Monk.
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-- How healthy is Jalen Brunson?
The Knicks point guard appeared to injure his right hip during Sunday’s loss to the 76ers, exiting with just under five minutes remaining and not returning. He wasn’t made available to the media afterward, so there’s been no answer regarding the severity of the injury. He’s yet to miss a game this season, playing through various maladies, but what happens if that changes during Week 11? The Knicks head to the Lone Star State for three games, beginning Tuesday night in Dallas, so it may not be until Monday afternoon when we get an answer. Hopefully, the update will come earlier in the day for fantasy managers in leagues where lineups are set weekly.
Immanuel Quickley, who replaced Quentin Grimes in the starting lineup when he missed last Tuesday’s loss to the Raptors, is the player whose fantasy value would be boosted the most if Brunson were sidelined. Rostered in 24% of Yahoo leagues, Quickley provides 14th-round, per-game value in 9-cat formats. Miles McBride could pick up a few more minutes, and Derrick Rose may be pushed back into the rotation. Brunson’s potential absence would impact the entire rotation; be prepared for a less efficient Julius Randle and RJ Barrett if that were to occur.
-- A three-game week for Clippers’ Leonard
The Clippers are scheduled to play four games in Week 11, but Kawhi Leonard is already down to three. He’s been ruled out for Monday’s game against the Pistons, but the good news is that no other rotation player is on the injury report. That leaves games against the Raptors (Tuesday), Celtics (Thursday), and Pacers (Saturday) before the Clippers return to Los Angeles. Three games of Kawhi is better than four from many other players, so there shouldn’t be much concern. The lingering question: is he the only Clipper still dealing with restrictions regarding back-to-backs?
Paul George has played in both ends of one back-to-back (December 7-8) since his return after a seven-game absence in November but sat out the back end of the second (December 14-15). John Wall has yet to play both ends of a back-to-back, while Monday/Tuesday will be the first time the team has faced this dilemma with Norman Powell since he returned from a strained groin on December 21. George and Leonard are the headliners, and the injury histories mean there will be questions to answer regarding availability. This hasn’t been a concern with starting center Ivica Zubac, who is providing 8th-round value in 9-cat formats.
-- Will Bucks’ Middleton return during Week 11?
Khris Middleton struggled to get going after making his season debut on December 2, appearing in seven games before being shut down due to multiple injuries, most notably swelling in his right knee. Sunday’s game against the Celtics was the fifth that he’s missed, and there’s been no definitive timeline regarding a return to game action.
“I would say way better than I was last week when I stopped playing,” Middleton told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after Saturday’s practice. “A lot of swelling in my knee went down. Just taking it day-by-day. Just trying to make sure the next time I go back out there I’ll be out there for the long run.”
There hasn’t been a consistent fill-in for Middleton in the starting lineup, with Mike Budenholzer making the decision based on that night’s matchup. Jevon Carter, MarJon Beauchamp, and Pat Connaughton have all been called upon to fill the void, but none have been great fantasy options. While Carter and Beauchamp sit outside the top 200 over the last week, Connaughton’s value lies just inside that threshold. With all three rostered in 9% (Carter) or less of Yahoo leagues, there’s no need to rush to add any of them. Especially with Milwaukee playing three games in Week 11, beginning Wednesday night in Chicago.
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-- Heat begin their four-game week with a crowded injury report
Many likely remember the shenanigans the Heat pulled after being fined $25,000 for issues with an injury report filed ahead of its December 14 game against the Thunder. The team responded by listing all 16 players for the next game. Well, that’s been cleared up, and the current injury report is no laughing matter. Bam Adebayo (shoulder), Jimmy Butler (ankle), Udonis Haslem (Achilles), and Gabe Vincent (knee) are all questionable for Monday’s game against the Timberwolves. In contrast, Caleb Martin (ankle) is probable, and Dewayne Dedmon (foot) has been ruled out.
The “sure things” heading into that game are Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro, and the former was nagged by a sore knee earlier this month. There may not be a surefire “add” on the Heat roster, but Haywood Highsmith is worth keeping an eye on, especially in deep leagues. Rostered in 1% of Yahoo leagues, he’s providing top 100 value over the last two weeks, playing 26 minutes per game. He’s performed well enough to gain the trust of Erik Spoelstra, averaging nearly 26 minutes per game in 16 appearances since November 18.
With Miami playing four games in Week 11, capped by a back-to-back in Denver (Friday) and Utah (Saturday), Highsmith is someone who could be asked to shoulder a heavier load than expected when the season began. Max Strus (25%) could be back in play, and Victor Oladipo (21%) should be a more popular target, even with that aforementioned back-to-back.
Light Game Days
Sunday: 3 Games
SAC vs. MEM
WAS vs. MIL
BOS vs. DEN
Week 11 Back-to-backs
Monday-Tuesday: CHA, HOU, IND, LAC, SAS
Tuesday-Wednesday: ATL, DEN, GSW, LAL, ORL, PHO, WAS
Wednesday-Thursday: None
Thursday-Friday: TOR
Friday-Saturday: CHI, DET, MIA, NOP, PHI, UTA
Saturday-Sunday: MEM
