NBA Seasonal Playbook Pro Week 24

If you’re still alive in your fantasy basketball playoffs, congratulations! It’s likely the final week of your postseason, so knowing the right targets to stream and which teams are stacked with games is going to be make or break in Week 24.

Notable Four-Game Weeks

Minnesota Timberwolves

Because of Condensation-gate just under a month ago, Wolves’ fantasy owners who are playing for their championships this week have a fantastic outlook ahead. Minnesota is the only team that has five games in Week 24 and even though they have been eliminated from the playoffs, it’s not like a Tom Thibodeau team to rest players. However, with five games and nothing to play for, ownership may step in and overrule the coach here Either way, with two games against the Blazers and one apiece against the Warriors, Jazz and Lakers, the Wolves are going to be a tem to target early and often this week on the waiver wire. 

Denver Nuggets

Denver opens the week with a three games in four nights stretch against the Pelicans twice and the Rockets. Considering they are still alive in the playoffs to start the week and two games back of the Blazers, they are going to need to string together some wins to have a shot at making it back into the 8th seed. Any team with motivation to keep playing hard at this time in the year is going to have some fantasy appeal and a guy like Kenneth Faried who is starting again might be a key pickup if your opponent hasn’t already.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies are in a position to move up in the standings but with the health of Marc Gasol and the fact that they have already clinched a playoff spot, don’t expect them to bring back Gasol before he is ready. However, that may play into the hands of everyone who doesn’t own the Grizzlies’ big man. JaMychal Green is also out so Brandan Wright and Zach Randolph have become must-own players and could be the answer to any big men dilemmas in your fantasy finals. It’s also probably really nice to own Mike Conley right now and with a nice four-game week the Grizzlies are easily one of the best teams to target.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers have a situation where they have to k keep playing in order to try and secure the number one overall seed and while they may abandon that pursuit later in the week, for now they look like they are going to go for it. However, with a back to back early in the week with the second game being against the Celtics, Cleveland may choose to rest their starters in the Tuesday game against Orlando in order to be ready to face Boston the next night. After the showdown against the C’s, Cleveland follows that up with two games against the Hawks, so regardless they have a nice week even if we don’t get four games out of the big three.

Dallas Mavericks

Even with being eliminated from the playoffs, the Mavs will still play their younger players until the end of the season. With Seth Curry potentially coming back this week that should breath some life into the Mavs. If you own a guy like Harrison Barnes this week all you have to hope is that Mark Cuban doesn’t give Rick Carlisle the signal to sit him out with nothing to play for. However, with some easy games against the Kings and Suns this week, hopefully that call isn’t made. It might be for Dirk Nowitzki though, so be ready for that if you’re still playing and own him.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Even with a game against the Grizzlies this week the Thunder have a lot of fantasy appeal as they try to secure the sixth seed and a historic season for Russell Westbrook. The triple-double race has done a lot for Westbrook and the rest of the Thunder’s fantasy value, because someone has to be on the opposite end of a Brodie assist. They start their week against the Bucks and Grizzlies, but after that they play the Suns and Nuggets. It should be a fine week to target some of the Thunder fringe players, especially if they start to test some of their veterans when they secure a seed.

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors have finally stopped their tumble in the standings and have won eight of their last nine games coming into this one. Plus, Kyle Lowry will likely made his return at some point before the playoffs after practicing some on Monday, so look out for news on him potentially coming back. If he was dropped in your league, it could be a league-winning pickup to stream him for a game or two. The Raptors play the Pacers, Pistons, Heat and Knicks this week and with only one game remaining in their season after this week, the Raptors might continue to play hard to try and get some chemistry heading into the playoffs. 

New York Knicks

Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony have been sitting out as the Knicks tank for draft positioning and with that comes heaps of value on the New York Knicks. Kristaps Porzingis has been unleashed and guys like Willy Hernangomez and Ron Baker are seeing their stocks rise. With four games this week against the Bulls, Wizards, Grizzlies and Raptors, you’re playing with house money this week if you were able to snag some of the key young Knicks off waivers and are still alive. 

Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers are another team taking advantage of the lost game a month ago and now are playing four games in what could be a big week for the Blazers in fantasy. They ton’ yet have a magic number to make the playoffs, but with two games apiece against the Wolves and Jazz, it’s not going to be a cakewalk by any means. However, with motivation on their side for pretty much the entire week, the Blazers have to be a team to target in your fantasy hoops championships.

San Antonio Spurs

You have to be skeptical of the Spurs this week. They are 3.5 games back of the Warriors for the top spot with six games to go and with three of their last four overall coming on the road, we can feel the rest coming on. They start their week with two home games against the Lakers and Grizzlies and if they win both of those and the Warriors keep winning too, I would be surprised if we see many of the big name veteran Spurs play anymore after that. That will only open up some streaming options, but it sucks if you own Kawhi Leonard.

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Notable Three-Game Weeks

New Orleans Pelicans

There are some teams with some incredible three-game weeks ahead of them and one of the best of that category is the Pelicans. They are still alive in the playoff hunt and they are going to need some help, but their destiny lies in their own hands this week with two games against the Nuggets and one against the Warriors. Golden State might be resting by the time they play the Pelicans on Saturday too, so we could be looking at three wins and three big fantasy days from New Orleans in Week 24.

Chicago Bulls

Another team with a soft three-game schedule this week is the Bulls and they need to win if they want a shot at the playoffs. At the start of Week 24 the Bulls are sitting in the 7th seed and they could easily move up with games against the Knicks, Sixers and Nets. None of the games are on back-to-back nights either, so the Bulls have no one to blame but themselves if they miss the playoffs with this cake calk of a schedule. Plus, their Week 25 is against Orlando and Brooklyn, so it would almost surprise me to see them miss the playoffs.

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors may only have three games this week but guess what their magic number is to clinch the overall top seed in the West? If you guessed three, you’re correct! Pat yourself on the back and get ready for one last show from the Warriors to clinch their top playoff spot. With games against the Wolves, Suns and Pelicans it shouldn’t be that hard to do this week in order to get a full week’s worth of rest next week before the playoffs start. However, with a back to back against the Suns on Wednesday, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Steve Kerr rest some of his guys on that trip, so be careful.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets sat out James Harden over the weekend and there could be more room for them to do that this week if all goes as planned. The Rockets are settling into the third seed in the West and they need just one more win to clinch at least that third seed. They start their week against the Nuggets too so you know the Blazers will be cheering them on Wednesday as well. After that it gets murky for the Rockets, but that doesn’t mean they won’t have some nice streaming potential on the guys who do play assuming they secure the third seed on Wednesday. 

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks’ appeal this week mainly comes from the fact that they need to keep winning. The bottom half of the Eastern Conference is close right now with five games separating seven teams into four final playoff spots. The Bucks are currently at the top of that leaderboard at 5th with a one game lead on the Hawks right now. They have a three-game road schedule against the Thunder, Pacers and Sixers, so while it won’t be easy, the Bucks could come away with two of three this week in order to keep them in the middle of the Eastern Conference playoffs. 

Philadelphia 76ers

With tanking season in full effect I Philadelphia, you have to be selective when it comes to streaming Sixers this week. Dario Saric looks like he is on a minutes cap for the rest of the year and without too many remaining options, the big men or T.J. McConnell seem like the best streaming options for your championships. The Sixers play the Nets, Bulls and Bucks all at home this week, so at least they have the home court advantage in order to find some fantasy appeal in a tanking team.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings may be resting guys left and right as they tank their way to a top pick in the draft, but with all their resting comes value from other guys. When Kosta Koufos sits there is seemingly a buffet of different bigs you can stream with the Kings and Buddy Hield and Ben McLemore have benefitted from the increase in playing time from all the rest. These will be the targets this week in a nice three-game schedule against the Mavs, Lakers and Rockets. 

Phoenix Suns

After their three-game week in Week 24, the Suns only have one game left in their season. They are currently the second worst team in the league and with chance to get the top odds in the lottery still, the Suns are going to be trying to lose this week against the Warriors, Thunder and Mavericks. However, with all three of those games at home, the Suns that are playing should have some nice fantasy appeal, so hopefully your league allows same-day pickups with the potential for there to be guys sat out or shut down. 

Utah Jazz

The Jazz are fighting to get healthy and keep ahold of the 4th seed to ensure they have home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. That should keep them in fantasy relevance this week against the Blazers twice and the Wolves once. The Blazers have been a tough team lately so both those games will be hard, but if Utah can somehow get three wins this week they will clinch at least the 5th seed and be only two wins away from guaranteeing the 4th assuming the Clippers won’t start losing a bunch this week. 

Orlando Magic 

Orlando may be tanking but they have been one of the better tanking teams to target in fantasy circles. The Magic are averaging over 110 points per game in their last eight games and they have gotten production from a wide variety of players. Elfrid Payton put up a triple-double over the weekend and guys like Terrence Ross and Aaron Gordon have been putting up numbers. Hopefully if you’re still alive you have a share or two of the Magic, because even in a three game week against the Cavs, Nets and Pacers, you have to like the Magic in fantasy with they way their offense is starting to play.

Los Angeles Lakers 

The Lakers have probably been the MVTT (Most Valuable Tanking Team) other than Orlando when it comes to fantasy hoops value. This week eve with all the guys they have lost or shut down along the way, this team still has five or six good fantasy assets to work with at this point in the season. Against the Spurs, Kings and Wolves this week, that could be enough to help you win!

Miami Heat

The Heat are only on this list because they are clinging to life in the 8th seed and will need a big week if they want to keep it. Miami plays the Hornets, Raptors and Wizards all on the road, so while their games will all be tough, they have the motivation to keep playing hard, which is good enough for some extra fantasy appeal in Week 24. 

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets have been scratching and clawing their way back into playoff contention in the East and as of Monday they are one game back of the Miami Heat. With motivation on their side and a matchup against that same Heat team on Wednesday, the Hornets are going to keep playing hard until the bell sounds on their season. This makes them great values this week against the Celtics and Wizards as well. 

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The Rest

Boston Celtics

It’s hard to put Boston this low on the list when they have a chance at securing the #1 seed. However, either way that game on Wednesday goes against the Cavaliers, they will start what could be their pathway to shutting down guys to rest. If they lose they are almost guaranteed the 2nd seed and if they win they are almost guaranteed the 1st. Either way they could be faced with a scenario by their next game on Friday where they don’t need to push much further. Keep that in mind when looking at the implications of all outcomes for Wednesday’s big game. 

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks are huddled with that bottom half group in the Eastern Conference playoffs right now and the only way they are going to guarantee they don’t have to play the Cavs or Celtics in the first round will be to keep winning. Atlanta may have a tough time doing that this week though as they have to play exactly those two teams. They play the Cavs twice too in what could be a make or break series for Cleveland if they want the top spot. It’s a tough time to be a Hawks owner, but at least they have Paul Millsap back, who really improves the offensive outlook. 

Washington Wizards

You have to think the Wizards are going to want to try to make a move back into the third seed after losing their last three in a row, because if they can avoid Cleveland until the second round, they have a chance to get back to another conference finals. This week will go a long way to doing that against the Hornets, Knicks and Heat. The first two teams are beatable, but they would also love to play spoiler to keep the Wizards down at 4th. These first two games will go a long way in deciding if they rest their guys for the third too.

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets don’t care about tanking right now, they only worry about finishing the season on a high note. Considering they are 6-5 in their last 11 games I think they are doing just that. While that may add to their fantasy value, with the depth of their rotation there aren’t many guys who are reliable assets. Sean Kilpatrick just came back and could be an interesting guy to target, but unless it’s Jeremy Lin or Brook Lopez, everyone else comes with nothing guaranteed. That’s tough this time of year. 

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons look like they gave up on the season weeks ago but somehow they have yet to be eliminated from the playoffs. At two games back and with a ton of help needed, it’s only a matter of time before they are ultimately eliminated. With the dysfunction thrown in, it’s hard to trust the Pistons right now in fantasy regardless of who they are playing this week. 

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers may also be fighting for their playoff lives but with the ease of some of the schedules of the teams ahead of them, it’s going to be tough. Plus, they are coming off a demoralizing double overtime loss to the Cavs in Cleveland and with two tough games to start the week against the Bucks and Raptors, if the Pacers lose just one of those games, they may have to kiss the playoffs goodbye. 

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers will still be trying to take back the fourth seed in the West this week but they will be faced with some stiff competition depending on who is resting. They play the Mavs, Spurs and Rockets before a one-game week next week. Don’t be surprised if they shut down guys in their final one or two games, which limits their appeal this week.