NBA Wired: Top Week 5 Pickups
Games Played for Week 5
4 Games: ATL, BOS, BRK, CHA, DAL, DEN, DET, GSW, HOU, IND, LAL, MIA, MIL, MIN, NOP, NYK, PHX, SAS, WAS
3 Games: CHI, CLE, LAC, MEM, OKC, ORL, PHI, POR, TOR, UTA
2 Games: SAC
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Point Guards
Trey Burke Jazz 66% owned
Burke will make his first start on Sunday for the Jazz and should be owned in all leagues, and not just 66 percent of them. He’s only played in two games this season, but he’s good to go and should get better with every passing week.
Rodney Stuckey Pistons 51% owned
Stuckey is playing more shooting guard than point, but he should qualify at both spots. He’s been on a ridiculous tear, averaging 20 points, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals over his last five games, and is shooting 90 percent from the line and 53 percent from the floor during that stretch. The fact he’s available in half the leagues out there is a joke.
Kirk Hinrich Bulls 28% owned
With Derrick Rose now out for the rest of the season, it looks like Hinrich will have to carry much of the load in his absence. I honestly don’t feel great about how long he’ll be able to stay healthy for the Bulls, but he had nine points, seven assists and a 3-pointer in 28 minutes of Sunday’s ugly loss to the Clippers. He probably would have played more had the game not been over at halftime, and deserves to be given a close look by any owner in need of a point guard.
Reggie Jackson Thunder 16% owned
Jackson will get the start on Sunday for the resting Westbrook, but has been quietly playing pretty well off the bench. Prior to Sunday’s start, where he should do nice work, he was averaging 11 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in his previous five games, meaning he’s always worth a deep-league look.
Shaun Livingston Nets 10% owned
Livingston had just four points, seven assists and five fouls before suffering a head injury late in Sunday’s game, and was even worse on Friday, when he missed all seven of his shots, didn’t hand out an assist and scored just one point. But prior to his last three games, he was playing very well while filling in for Deron Williams. I have no interest in using Livingston if the grumpy and perpetually injured Williams is going to play, but any time he’s sitting out, Livingston should be a safe bet for production, despite his last few miserable starts.
Shooting Guards
Gerald Green Suns 30% owned
When Green first burst onto the scene this season I really wasn’t too impressed, as far as long-term plans go. We’ve seen him break out in the past but it never, ever has lasted more than a few games or weeks. But things are different this time, as it would appear that he has earned substantial minutes even when (or should I say ‘if’) we ever see Eric Bledsoe back on the court after his shin injury. Green is clocking in at 17 points and 2.6 3-pointers over his last five games and with there still being an outside chance that he can steal P.J. Tucker’s starting job at some point, I’m planning on holding him until further notice.
Mike Dunleavy Bulls 11% owned
With Jimmy Butler going down with a foot injury, Mike Dunleavy should be ready to step up to the mic and make some noise. Sunday’s ugly slaughter at the hands of the Clippers isn’t a great game to use as a Dunleavy road map, but he had a solid 14 points, two boards, three assists and two 3-pointers on 6-of-9 shooting, and is averaging 11.6 points, 3.8 boards and two 3-pointers over his last five. If he can stay healthy, he should be reliable enough to start on a daily basis for as long as Butler is out.
James Anderson Sixers 25% owned
It seems like Anderson is on this list every week, simply because he’s still not really owned, but isn’t going away. He’s been incredibly consistent, scoring between 11 and 14 points in his last five games, averaging 12.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and two 3-pointers over that stretch. He’s not going to blow your mind, but he’s also not going to hurt you anywhere, and there’s always a chance he’ll go crazy again one night and put up a 36-point effort like he did a couple weeks ago.
Lou Williams Hawks 23% owned
I don’t think I would have even put Williams on this list if I didn’t receive so many questions about him. He’s played in just two games this season, scoring six points and playing less than 20 minutes in each of them. He’s coming off of major knee surgery and while there’s a chance he could be effective a month from now, he’s just not at the top of my list for guys to go after. If you’re in a super deep league and need 3-pointers, stashing him makes sense. But I see no reason to hold him right now in 12-team leagues.
Matthew Dellavedova Cavaliers 0% owned
Just as a heads up, this kid has started two straight games at shooting guard for the Cavs. He did nothing in his 12 minutes in the first one, but had 14 points, four steals and a 3-pointer on 6-of-8 shooting in 34 minutes on Saturday. If you’re in a 20-team league, he might be worth a look if he continues to start while C.J. Miles is injured.
Small Forwards
Harrison Barnes Warriors 68% owned
With Andre Iguodala out indefinitely after hearing a pop in his hamstring, Barnes is an automatic pick up in all leagues. He’s still available in 32 percent of Yahoo! Leagues, and you should stop reading this and make sure he’s not there in your league. Even with Iguodala in there for most of it, Barnes is averaging 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.8 3-pointers on 53 percent shooting over his last five games, and it should only get better with Iguodala out.
Corey Brewer Timberwolves 47% owned
Brewer quietly took over the starting small forward job this season and is making the most of it, averaging 17.5 points, nearly three steals, and 1.2 3-pointers over his last four games. The minutes are there, he’s playing with confidence and looks like a must-own player until further notice, regardless of the size of your league.
Wilson Chandler Nuggets 70% owned
Chandler still hasn’t gotten it going since debuting from his hamstring injury. In fact, he appears to be getting worse instead of better, as he’s scored 19, 14, 8, 0 and 10 points in each of his last five games. He’s not shooting it well, but I’m chalking it up to rust. He’s owned in 70 percent of Yahoo! Leagues but if he doesn’t shake off the rust and start ballin,’ owners might get antsy and cut him. As long as Danilo Gallinari is out, Chandler should be a safe player to own, and I suspect his slump is about to end.
Trevor Ariza 52%/Martell Webster 43% Wizards
Ariza missed Friday’s game with his hamstring injury and Martell Webster has been fun to use in his place. Once Ariza’s back, I doubt Webster will offer his owners much more than a few threes and some points on most nights. The bottom line is that Ariza should be getting close to a return and it’s time to think about grabbing him if he was dropped in your league. He was off to a great start, averaging 15 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.1 steals and 2.5 3-pointers in his eight games this season. And as long as you know he’s not playing, Webster is worth using in all formats, as well.
Caron Butler Bucks 29% owned
Butler sandwiched a great 38-point game between two duds after returning from his shoulder injury, and I’m still on board with owning him, despite the fact the Bucks are a bloody mess. In his good game, Butler added eight boards, three assists, three steals and four 3-pointers, and as long as he sticks in the starting lineup for Larry Drew, I plan on using him.
Power Forwards
Terrence Jones Rockets 45% owned
Jones burst onto the scene seven games ago and is averaging a ridiculous 16 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.0 3-pointers and 1.4 blocks over his last five on 65 percent shooting. He’s hitting just 69 percent of his free throws over that stretch, but is only shooting a couple of them per game, meaning he won’t hurt you too badly. I think he’s the power forward the Rockets have been looking for, and I will be surprised if he doesn’t keep it going.
Glen Davis Magic 21% owned
Davis had 20 points, five boards and two steals in his debut, hitting 7-of-13 shots, and then had six points, four boards, four assists, two steals and a block on Sunday in 22 minutes. He’s going to be hit or miss as he works his way back to full strength, and it’s crowded in the Magic frontcourt with Nikola Vucevic, Tobias Harris, Moe Harkless and Andrew Nicholson. But as long as Baby is healthy and getting minutes, he’ll be worth owning in most leagues.
John Henson Bucks 24% owned
Henson’s coming off the bench and isn’t scoring a lot, but the averages of 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks over his last five are serviceable. Now that Ersan Ilyasova is relatively healthy, Henson may not be a must-own player, but if you need boards and blocks, he’s a guy that might be available in your league to help in those categories.
Josh McRoberts Bobcats 20% owned
McBob refuses to go away or yield to Cody Zeller, averaging 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.4 3-pointers over his last five games, despite shooting just 38 percent. Once his shot starts falling again, he’ll be fun to own, and the fact he’s putting up numbers across the board means he should be owned in most leagues.
Marvin Williams Jazz 5% owned
Williams was surprisingly named the starter at power forward on Sunday, putting Enes Kanter on the bench and Derrick Favors at center. We’ll have to see how he does on Sunday, but he was playing pretty well coming off the bench, averaging 16 points, 6.3 boards, 1.3 steals and 2.7 3-pointers in his last three games. If he somehow continues to start, he’ll probably be worth owning in most leagues, assuming he can stay healthy. As for Kanter, don’t drop him, unless you’re very deep at center and simply don’t need him.
Centers
Jordan Hill Lakers 61% owned
Like Terrence Jones, Hill got the starting gig in L.A. around the same time and is averaging 17 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in his last five games and owners will enjoy his four-game week after the Lakers played just twice last week. He’s somehow still available in 39 percent of Yahoo! Leagues, which makes no sense to me.
Jared Sullinger Celtics 32% owned
Sullinger has been playing well for four straight games now and has been starting for injured Kelly Olynyk. And the way things are going, he may not give the job back, either. He’s averaging 14 points and 10 rebounds over his last four games, and can also get you threes, steals and blocks on any given night. Brad Stevens and the Celtics like him and he’s finally getting his conditioning where it needs to be. Now is the time to pounce on Sully if he’s still available in your league.
Kosta Koufos 17%/Ed Davis 3% Grizzlies
There’s really no reason Koufos shouldn’t play well for as long as Marc Gasol is out, and that could be a long time. He’s quietly averaging 6.6 points, 7.0 boards and 1.4 blocks over his last five games, and those numbers should be heading north as long as he’s starting at center. Davis is worth keeping an eye on in deeper leagues, but if Koufos gets the starting gig, and we think he will, he’s the guy you want to go out and pick up before the cat’s out of the bag.
Andray Blatche Nets 18% owned
Brook Lopez missed his fifth straight game on Sunday with a sprained ankle and Blatche has been filling in nicely, averaging 16 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals on 57 percent over that stretch. Once Lopez is back Blatche will take a hit, but any time he’s out, Blatche is a safe fantasy play in all formats.
DeJuan Blair Mavericks 17% owned
Blair’s been pretty inconsistent lately, scoring 18, 0, 2, 11 and 8 points in each of his last five games. He’s averaging 7.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals over those five and while the inconsistency is annoying, he’s a good option in deeper leagues. At least on most nights, when the Mavs are using a big lineup.
