As the closing weeks of the season are among us, be prepared to see a lot of familiar names from previous articles. At this point, every move you make is a risk, especially if you are in a weekly league. At this point, you must trust those players who you were able to short-term success this season. Sometimes you need to play the hits and know that if you see a player you owned at some point, you will understand how exactly they will help you and there is less of the unknown surrounding the player.
JaMychal Green PF MEM-24% Ownership: We have seen Green’s minutes fluctuate all season and even though Zach Randolph has had yet another good season, Green is a future piece of this team and has been getting a steady dose of games in the 20’s. Green’s rebounding, steals and blocks have stood out recently. Green has grabbed over 10 boards in 2 of his last 4 games. Green has a total of three blocks and three steals over the last two games. Green’s scoring ability has been inconsistent, as he has been hitting double figures every third game as of late. He does have a small long-range game and made two three-pointers in his last game. The playing time being consistent makes him a safe add.
Sean Kilpatrick G BKN-28% Ownership: The Nets are going nowhere and they are currently evaluating their assets and if Kilpatrick can keep his defensive play up, he won’t lose playing time. Caris LeVert is looking to take it away from him and Jeremy Lin is back. He has scored in the 20’s and grabbed at least 4 rebounds in 3 of his last 6 games. Kilpatrick has a quick step to the basket and can rotate to both guard spots very nicely. Kilpatrick dished five assists in two of his last six games. Of all of the guards, he is most familiar with the offense and will help with steals on the other side of the ball. Kilpatrick does have an effective long-range game as well.
Patty Mills PG SAS-33% Ownership: The Spurs Guards are hurt and they need to rely on their spark shooter off the bench to also run point and Mills has certainly delivered. Mills has scored in double figures in four of his last five games and hit at least three three-pointers in four of them. Mills is a good change of pace guard who on is good at slowing and controlling the break. Just when you think he’s about to pull up, he drives to the basket with quickness. Mills has also been a big assist help compiling at least four in five of his last six games. Mills is a consistent steals threat and his defense should give him even more playing time when Tony Parker is fully healthy. Teams have been able to take advantage of the Spurs guards and Mills will see a ton of time down the stretch because of his defense as the Spurs look to compete for the top spot in the West.
Joe Ingles SG/SF UT-9% Ownership: The Jazz are a bit banged up and if Rodney Hood needs another couple of games off Ingles benefits completely. Ingles is one of the leagues most efficient three-point shooters and he is labeled more of a specialist. Credit to Ingles for compiling four rebounds and assists in two of his last three games. Again, Ingles is a good short-term pick up if you need the scoring, but once Hood comes back, drop him. Ingles could keep himself in the rotation if he can stop ball movement around the perimeter on the defensive side and he has swiped the ball in his last two games. The Jazz pride themselves on defense and Ingles needs to be out there to get shots. I cannot stress enough that at this point Ingles is a short-term scoring solution with potential to help in other areas.
Ivica Zubac C LAL-35% Ownership: The Lakers have waived the white flag and veterans such as Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng are being shut down for the season. Enter Zubac. We’ve seen his post moves in which he attacks the middle of the paint and he will certainly be getting a lot more playing time down the stretch. Zubac has scored in double figures in three of his last four games with one of those games being a double-double. Zubac is a decent defender and recently had a four-block game. He uses his size well to clog the middle and he is not easy to box out. Zubac is still learning the ropes of the league and especially is learning how easy it is to get called for a foul. Foul trouble will of course take him out of the game, but there are a lot of minutes in his future and will produce.
Jamal Murray G DEN-36% Ownership: Murray is starting to come into his own and has been the Nuggets most consistent Guard when shooting. Murray has scored in double figures in all but one game since the month of March began. Murray is good at the pick and pop and shoots three’s off of screens (very similarly to Boston’s Isaiah Thomas) and because Emmanuel Mudiay is so inconsistent from the field, it forces Mudiay out of the rotation for shots and that benefits Murray. You know how I feel about Guards who rebound and Murray has grabbed at least three boards in four of his last five games. Murray has also been rewarded from the Nuggets because of his defense. He has stolen the ball a total of seven times in his last three games. He has gotten a bit more run with Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari banged up, but his defense should provide protection for his playing time.
Tony Snell SG/SF MIL-13% Ownership: Snell has come alive over the last couple of weeks as he has scored in double figures in five of his last six games. Snell has also been more aggressive in following his own and his teammates shots and has grabbed at least three rebounds in five of his last six games, including a couple of seven-rebound games. Snell has been playing steadily in the late 20’s-early 30’s and his defense is the main reason. Snell has an effective pull up jumper and is often left open for shots. Snell is a HUGE steals help. He has four multi-steal games in his last six and as long as the defensive intensity stays up, his minutes will. He is a safe add.
Garrett Temple G SAC-4% Ownership: Temple is not anything outstanding when it comes to an ideal add, but he helps out in just about every category. Temple has had two multi-steal games in his last five and he has good long-range shooting ability. His minutes have been all over the place, but the Kings need all of the scoring help they can get and Temple can rotate at both guard spots. Temple has grabbed at least three rebounds in three of his last five games. Temple has been a consistent assist help as well. He has dished at least three assists in each of his last five games. When it comes to scoring, he is all over the board because he has to run the point and that takes shot opportunities out of his hands.
Skal Labissiere PF/C SAC-19% Ownership: We all knew that filling DeMarcus Cousins shoes and production would take an entire village and Labissiere has been able to benefit and standout among other Kings bigs. Labissiere runs the floor effectively and powers down the lane with force. Labissiere has played 20 minutes or more in his last three games. He is aggressive inside and takes a ton of contact. He shot 11 free throws in his last game. He has scored in double figures in four of his last six games and recently had a four-block game. Labissiere has grabbed five rebounds or more in his last six games. He is definitely trending upward on an injury-ridden and stripped Kings team.
WILD CARD PICK UP: Lance Thomas SG/SF NY-2% Ownership: Thomas defense and hustle on the court keeps him in the game because he does not standout offensively, but with the Knicks getting closer to mathematically being eliminated, there is a chance that Kristaps Porzingis can be benched and if that’s the case, Thomas will get even more playing time. He has played over 30 minutes in his last three games and hit double figures twice with a double-double. Thomas has grabbed no fewer than four rebounds in his last seven games. Thomas does have a long-range game and hit three three-pointers in two of his last three games. He does a lot of the intangibles for the Knicks, but it is the intangibles that give lesser-known/flashy NBA players more playing time in the rotation.