Wired: Top Pickups for Week 24
Games Played Week 24
4 Games: ATL, BKN, CHA, LAL, MIN, NOR, PHO, POR, SAC, SAS
3 Games: BOS, CHI, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, GSW, HOU, IND, MEM, MIA, MIL, NYK, OKC, ORL, TOR, UTA, WAS
2 Games: LAC, PHI
Paul George is Back
After eight agonizing months of waiting on the sidelines, Paul George confirmed that he would make his long-awaited return vs. the Heat on Sunday. As awesome as that sounds, it’s important to understand that the Pacers are going to be extremely cautious moving forward and George is only hoping to play just 10-15 minutes on Sunday. With less than two weeks left in the season, I wouldn’t expect that number to rise over 20 any time soon and there is no guarantee that he will be allowed to play in all of their remaining games. I personally love the idea of George returning this season, and even if the Pacers fall out of playoff contention it would be a huge psychological boost for him to get out there and shake off some rust. In terms of fantasy, there is simply too much risk involved for owners in standard leagues and the low minutes are going to severely limit his upside. Solomon Hill should try and find a comfortable spot on the bench while C.J. Miles and Rodney Stuckey are bound to lose some looks on offense as well.
For fantasy advice, click here to follow me on Twitter!
Point Guards
Jordan Clarkson Lakers 54 percent owned in Yahoo! Leagues – It’s criminal that Clarkson isn’t owned in more leagues, as the rookie is quickly establishing himself as a rising star in the league. His last three games have been incredible, posting averages of 23.7 points, 6.7 boards, 8.7 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 3-pointer on 63.6 percent shooting from the field. The Lakers are riding their young guys the rest of the way, meaning Clarkson should be locked into all lineups.
Zach LaVine Timberwolves 24% – Ricky Rubio has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to his troublesome ankle, meaning LaVine’s only competition for minutes goes by the name of Lorenzo Brown. LaVine still has a lot of flaws in his game, but his ceiling is really high and the Wolves are going to keep force-feeding him minutes down the stretch. He is averaging 16.2 points, 4.8 boards, 4.6 assists and 1.0 3-pointer in nearly 40 minutes per game over his last five.
Ray McCallum Kings 9% – The Kings don’t have much to play for as the season starts to wind down, so they have even more incentive to give McCallum more minutes over Andre Miller. McCallum has shown improvement over his last three games, averaging 13.3 points, 4.0 assists, 3.7 boards and 1.3 3-pointers while shooting 56 percent from the field. If you can stomach a few turnovers, McCallum is worth a look in most leagues, especially with the Kings playing four times.
Langston Galloway Knicks 27% – The Knicks have been an absolute joke this season, and it’s crazy to think that Galloway has actually been one of their most consistent players down the stretch. His shooting has been horrendous, going just 35 percent from the field over his last five games, but he is still helping out enough in other areas to stay relevant. He is getting more than 36 minutes per game quite frequently, and the Knicks are slowly running out of bodies to give minutes to.
Greivis Vazquez Raptors 13% – If I’m being honest, Vasquez has been pretty pathetic lately, but Kyle Lowry still doesn’t have a timetable to return and Vasquez has played more than 30 minutes in each of his last four games. He is averaging 8.0 points, 4.0 assists, 3.8 boards, 1.0 steal and 2.0 3-pointers per game over that span, but the problem is that he is shooting just 36 percent from the field. If his shot starts falling, Vasquez could be a sneaky play this week.
Shooting Guards
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Pistons 38% – KCP is probably one of the streakiest shooters in the league, but the guy can fill it up in a hurry when he is on. If you take out his 2-point performance against the Hornets last Wednesday (the game was a blowout), KCP is averaging 15.0 points, 2.3 boards, 1.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.8 3-pointers over his last four, and he should continue to get more looks on offense with Greg Monroe on the shelf.
Ricky Ledo Knicks 7% – Ledo is an intriguing sleeper in deeper leagues after scoring 21 points with nine boards, three assists, one steal and two 3-pointers in his last game vs. the Wizards, and the most exciting thing about this line was that he played 32 minutes. Ledo is loaded with potential, but he has never been given a fair shot in the NBA. The Knicks are desperate to acquire more assets for the future, so they will likely give him every possible chance to succeed. Tim Hardaway Jr. has returned to action, but I’m still concerned about his wrist and I don’t see the Knicks risking his health too much as they continue to play for ping pong balls.
C.J. McCollum 3% – He has shown a ton of improvement this season, and the Blazers have now entrusted him with the sixth man role moving forward. McCollum has played slightly over 26 minutes in his last two appearances, averaging an impressive 18.5 points, 2.5 assists, 3.5 boards, 1.0 steal and 1.5 3-pointers in those games. The Blazers are going to rest Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge and Chris Kaman on Monday vs. the Nets, so McCollum should be considered a must-own player this week with four games on the schedule.
Rodney Hood Jazz 5% – His season has been ravaged by injuries so far, but the rookie returned to action on Saturday after passing the league’s concussion protocol. Hood scored 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting vs. the Suns, adding five boards, two assists, one steal and one 3-pointer in 29 minutes. The Jazz have every reason to give him minutes as the season draws to a close, and any owner in need of 3-pointers should scoop him up.
Anthony Morrow 44% – He has been impressive for the Thunder and is clearly reaping the awards of playing alongside Russell Westbrook. Morrow has played 28 or more minutes in his last four games and is averaging 17.0 points, 4.3 boards, 1.0 assist, 1.0 steal and 3.0 3-pointers over that span. He is a must-own player in standard leagues until further notice.
Small Forwards
Otto Porter Wizards 3% – Paul Pierce has sat out the past three games in order to rest up for the playoffs and it’s possible that he misses more time. Otto Porter has stepped up in Pierce’s absence and has averaged 13.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 2.3 steals and 1.3 3-pointers in his last three outings. If Pierce returns it would obviously dampen Porter’s value, but these numbers are good enough to warrant a speculative add in deeper formats.
Al-Farouq Aminu Mavericks 5% – Chandler Parson’s knee is pretty swollen and the Mavericks will probably be very cautious moving forward. Aminu was solid prior to Parson’s injury, so he could potentially carve out a decent role this week with the extra minutes available at small forward. Aminu is boasting averages of 7.0 points, 6.0 boards, 1.0 assist, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals over his last five and should be able to hold low-end value in standard leagues for the rest of the season.
Omri Casspi Kings 7% – Rudy Gay will miss his third consecutive game vs. the Jazz on Sunday due to a concussion and the Kings have no reason to rush him back. Casspi has averaged an impressive 17.5 points, 5.0 boards, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals over his last two games while shooting 58 percent from the field. Derrick Williams has also benefited, but head coach George Karl is a big fan of Casspi’s game.
Chase Budinger Timberwolves 23% – The Wolves have struggled to field a full team on most nights and Budinger has stepped up in a big way. He is averaging 15.6 points, 5.2 boards, 1.8 assists and 1.6 3-pointers in just under 34 minutes per game over his last four. If you need 3-pointers, Budinger is practically a must-own player and his playing time should be safe the rest of the way.
T.J. Warren Suns 4% – Warren struggled with foul trouble vs. the Jazz on Saturday which is why he was limited to just 14 minutes, but his play recently has been too good to ignore. In the three games prior to Saturday’s dud, Warren averaged 16.0 points, 3.7 boards, 1.7 assists, 1.0 block and 1.0 steal in around 26 minutes per game. The Suns are going to start giving their younger guys an extended look in their remaining games, meaning Warren’s value is on the rise.
Power Forwards
Aaron Gordon Magic 10% – Fresh off his first career double-double in Saturday’s win over the Bucks, Gordon looks poised to make a late season push. Channing Frye and Kyle O’Quinn have suddenly been kicked out of the rotation and Gordon has played over 29 minutes in his last two games. The Magic will give the rookie an extended look down the stretch, making him worth a look in most leagues.
Marvin Williams Hornets 18% – I’m not entirely proud of this recommendation, but Williams has somehow continued to produce for Charlotte in the absence of Cody Zeller. Williams is averaging 13.2 points, 6.0 boards, 1.8 assists, 1.0 block, 1.4 steals and 1.6 3-pointers over his last five games. Zeller could return as soon as Tuesday and the Hornets might feel obligated to give rookie Noah Vonleh more opportunities now that they are falling out of the playoff picture, but Williams is worth deploying while he is this hot.
Boris Diaw Spurs 24% – When Diaw is playing at a high level, the Spurs look so much more dynamic. Diaw has averaged 12.8 points, 4.0 boards, 2.6 assists and 1.6 3-pointers over his last five, and he should continue to hold value in standard leagues as long as he stays aggressive on the offensive end. The latest injury to Tiago Splitter could help him as well.
Anthony Tolliver Pistons 4% – Greg Monroe continues to miss time because of his knee, and even though he has a chance to return on Wednesday the Pistons might opt to err on the side of caution with their eyes shifting towards the lottery. Tolliver has averaged 10.8 points, 5.8 boards, 2.0 assists and 2.8 3-pointers over his last five games and should continue to be a decent asset in deeper leagues.
Drew Gooden Wizards 1% – Nene’s minutes are on the decline and he has been held out of the past two games in order to rest up for the playoffs. Gooden has been turning heads with averages of 10.8 points, 8.4 assists, 2.0 assists and 2.0 3-pointers over his last five. If the Wizards keep resting Nene, Gooden could be a decent play this week. Just don’t expect him to help you out in steals or blocks.
Centers
Bismack Biyombo Hornets 5% – The Hornets are fading in the Eastern Conference and there are reports that they are considering shutting down Al Jefferson because of his ailing knee. Biyombo drew the start against the 76ers on Saturday and finished with nine points, nine blocks and three blocks in 32 minutes. Unfortunately, Biyombo broke his nose during the game and is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game vs. the Heat. If he is able to play through the pain, Biyombo looks like a solid add in most formats for his upside in blocks.
Justin Hamilton Timberwolves 9% – Hamilton is back on the radar in most leagues after scoring in double digits in his last four games, and the Wolves have been forced to give him big minutes with Nikola Pekovic out for the season and Gorgui Dieng dealing with a concussion. The Wolves are still shorthanded and play four times this week, meaning Hamilton could be in line for another great run.
Brandan Wright Suns 31% – Alex Len could miss a couple more games because of a broken nose, meaning Wright should have more opportunities to impress. In four total starts this season, Wright has posted averages of 16.0 points, 8.5 boards, 3.3 blocks and 1.5 steals in 34 minutes per game, making him a must-start option in all formats.
John Henson Bucks 29% – Henson’s role has been all over the place this season (thanks Jason Kidd), but his value has started to trend up once again. Averaging 8.2 points, 7.0 boards, 1.0 assist, and 2.4 blocks over his last five, Henson is worth owning in most leagues despite the presence of Zaza Pachulia.
Mike Muscala Hawks 1% – To be clear, this suggestion is more for owners in deeper leagues. The Hawks play four times this week including two games on the road, so it’s possible that they give their starters a night or two off. Paul Millsap also left Saturday’s game vs. the Nets with a shoulder injury, and the Hawks opened the second half with Muscala in the lineup. For what it’s worth, Muscala has averaged 8.7 points, 8.7 boards, 1.3 assists and 1.0 block in three previous starts this season. Keep an eye on the injury report in case Millsap is forced to miss time.
