NBA Schedule Breakdown: What is Your Favorite?

It was Friday night, and I didn’t know what to do. I was flipping channels, trying to find something to pass the time as I wound down after work when I found it: Goldeneye was on, right at the tail end of the tank chase scene. Problem came when, during the next commercial, I stumbled upon The Princess Bride.

It actually should have been an easy choice. Goldeneye is my favorite Bond movie, but The Princess Bride is on my shortlist for favorite movie. Of all time. It is right up there with Empire Strikes Back, Batman Begins and Love, Actually. Even so, I found myself watching more Goldeneye and less Princess Bride. I don’t know why; maybe I was just in the mood for gunfire and innuendo.

Eventually I began to question if I really like Princess Bride as much as I think I do. After all, can a movie really be one of your favorites if you would choose to pass it up for another movie that isn’t one of your favorites? Maybe I don’t actually like Princess Bride as much as I think I do. Maybe my tastes have changed. Maybe I’m growing up.

Okay, that last one is doubtful, but you never know. In the end I decided it was just an aberration. After all, there is nothing wrong with choosing an awesome action movie over one of your favorite comedies every once in a while. The same is true with this column every week. I try to never offer fantasy advice I would not follow myself. I am pretty sure everyone at FantasyAlarm operates that way, which is one of the many things I love about this organization. That being said, every once in a while there are exceptions.   I took my own advice by adding Pero Antic in our FantasyAlarm league, but I just couldn’t find room for Devin Harris. Also I just really need a center; I am fine at the guard positions. If you need help at the guard positions I have great news: there are a lot of nice pickups this week.

Elfrid Payton, Orlando Magic (Home vs. Spurs, Road vs. Timberwolves, Road vs. Bucks) The Magic have a really unusual schedule this week. They have four days off before Wednesday’s game with the Spurs, and another three days off after the back-to-backs in Minnesota and Milwaukee. Elfrid Payton is averaging 9.4 points, 7.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 5.8 rebounds on two or more days rest. More importantly for his fantasy value, the Bucks, Timberwolves and Spurs rank fourth, fifth and 11th in opponent’s steals this season. Picking up Payton could be a great way to make up ground in steals in shallow leagues.

Arron Afflalo, Portland Trail Blazers (Home vs. Suns, Home vs. Clippers, Road vs. Lakers, Home vs. Pelicans, Road vs. Nets) Afflalo hasn’t taken off with Wesley Matthews out the way some people thought he might, but he hasn’t been terrible either. He is still shooting .833 from the foul line on the season, and he could get to the line plenty this week. The Lakers, Clippers and Suns are second, third and fourth in opponent’s free throw attempts this season while the Lakers, Clippers and Nets are top 10 in opponent’s made 3-pointers.

Matt Barnes, Los Angeles Clippers (Home vs. Warriors, Road vs. Trail Blazers, Road vs. Nuggets, Road vs. Lakers) It is always sad when you find a team with a really great schedule that does not have any players who are a) widely available and b) good enough to take advantage of that schedule. The Clippers have been one of those teams all season long, and the only reason Matt Barnes qualifies is because Jamal Crawford is still out. The Clippers actually have a great schedule the entire rest of the season, which could make Crawford worth stashing if we get any indication he is close to returning. The Lakers and Nuggets are third and fourth in opponent’s scoring this season, while the Warriors and Trail Blazers are top 10 in opponent’s steals. The Lakers are fifth in opponent’s made threes, which of course helps Barnes as well.

Devin Harris, Dallas Mavericks (Road vs. Thunder, Home vs. Rockets, Home vs. Warriors)

Dallas’s schedule is pretty similar to Orlando’s, with just three games—including a back-to-back—and a lot of time off before and after. Dallas also happens to get three of the top five teams in pace over the last 15 games. Harris missed a couple of games this month with a hand injury and left a couple others early due to illness, but he has been effective when healthy. He should certainly get plenty of shots up with the Mavericks playing three very fast teams.

Pero Antic, Atlanta Hawks (Home vs. Bucks, Road vs. Pistons, Home vs. Nets) Since returning from an ankle injury March 11 Antic has averaged 7.6 points and 3.5 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game. The Nets and Pistons are fourth and ninth in defensive rating over the last 15 games. Antic could start when Mike Budenholzer rests his starters, making Antic an even more enticing pickup.

I think the takeaway here is you have to factor in your own individual circumstances when you consider fantasy advice. I like all of these guys, but if you do not need threes then Elfrid Payton may be the only one who actually helps you. That doesn’t make Matt Barnes a bad recommendation, even though he may not be great for you. After all, The Princess Bride is still one of my favorite movies, even if it wasn’t my favorite Friday night. We can’t always be in the mood for a kissing book.