Basketball demands we break down its players not just by stats, but by the time and place they occur. That’s not the case in fantasy hoops, though, where cold calculations rule the day and the matchup. Who are the Fantasy Doctor’s choices for this week’s best pickups? Hit the jump to find out.
*** *** ***
FRESH PICKINGS
Pau Gasol (84 percent owned in Yahoo!, 67 percent in ESPN)
Gasol’s return couldn’t have come at a better time. As the fantasy playoffs crept closer and closer, his ownership plummeted, but with his return coming this week, that ownership should spike right up to 100 percent. He might miss the beginning of the week, but if you’re confiident that you can hold your matchup close, he can help you win at the end of it. Dwight Howard hampers his fantasy potential, but Gasol can still be plenty helpful. In the three games prior to his injury, Gasol put up 20.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists with 0.6 steals and 1.7 blocks. He’s one of the league’s best passing big men and the D’Antoni system is the perfect fit for anyone with his basketball acumen. You should check your waiver wire for his availability before moving on to our next suggestion.
Gerald Henderson (46 percent owned in Y!, 73 percent in ESPN)
Henderson has experienced plenty of highs and lows in his first four seasons in the NBA, but lately he has been playing some of his best ball. Over the Bobcats last five games, Henderson is averaging 22.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.6 threes, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks. He doesn’t hurt you in any categories, making him a great add, especially in rotisserie formats.
Rodney Stuckey (25 percent owned in Y!, 32 percent in ESPN)
Brandon Knight‘s ankle injury opens up the door for lots of minutes down the stretch of the fantasy season. So far, he’s has been taking full advantage of the extra run, putting up 23.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 treys and 1.0 steals over his last three games. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Stuckey catch fire this year so we know the stats are legitimate. Unfortunately, Knight’s return will crush all the fantasy value that he has, but until his return comes, adding Stuckey is a cheap way to make up guard stats.
Wesley Johnson (Five percent owned in Y! Two percent in ESPN)
There’s no denying the potential that Johnson has, but his addition is recommended in deeper leagues only at this point. The former No. 4 overall pick hasn’t proven much over his short career so far, but his length and scoring ability make him an intriguing prospect. Johnson is putting up 11.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 0.5 treys and 1.0 steals over his last six games. He’s always battling inconsistency, but with the waiver wire being so thin in leagues of 14-plus teams, Johnson is as good of an add as you can make.
LAST CALL
These guys were mentioned in previous editions. Go grab them if they’re still around
Bradley Beal
Beal returned Saturday night and should get plenty of run down the stretch.
Tobias Harris
Harris has been absolutely on fire lately, averaging 17.0 points and 9.3 rebounds over his last three games.
Marcus Thornton
Three out of his last four games have resulted in single digit scoring performances, but he can go off of any night.
Carlos Delfino
Delfino can rack up treys with his eyes closed in Houston’s system.
Gordon Hayward
Hayward is as solid of a rotisserie player has you can find.
Danny Green
Green is considered a three-point specialist, but helps out in every other category too.
Jermaine O’Neal
Marcin Gortat‘s absence opens up tons of playing time for the savvy veteran.
INJURIES
It’s hard to consider anyone stash worthy with the fantasy playoffs coming up, but if you have a bye week or think your team has the ability to win a matchup down a player, these guys are worth the wait. Still, don’t hesitate to drop them mid-week if you’re falling behind.
Derrick Rose (the Bulls are being hush about it, but I think he’ll play before the end of the season)
Kevin also writes for the brand new Turnontheknicks.com. Catch them on Twitter at @TurnOnTheKnicks
Which player from this list is most likely to help a team in the fantasy playoffs?
Follow Kevin on Twitter at @DaOtherKevSmith.
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.
