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 NBA 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
JODIE MEEKS, Los Angeles Lakers
Because I didn’t recommend enough Lakers for you to pick up last week, here’s one more. Meeks has been perhaps the most consistent Laker this season, averaging 14.4 points, 1.4 steals and 2.2 treys on 45 percent shooting from the field and 84 percent shooting from the line. An injured ankle forced him to miss the last five games before the All-Star break, but he’s expected to return this week, and can help out any owner in need of a steady shooting guard. Check your waiver wire to make sure that he wasn’t dropped while he was sitting out games.
MANU GINOBILI, San Antonio Spurs
Ginobili is expected to return from a hamstring injury this week, and while he’s certainly one of the league’s biggest injury risks, he still holds plenty of value when he’s on the court. The Argentinian averages 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists with 1.4 treys and 1.0 steals on the season and is one of the safest plays you can make. His upside is limited at this point of his career, but he’s a great add if you’re looking for somebody beef up the end of your bench with for the stretch run.
ZAZA PACHULIA, Milwaukee Bucks
Larry Sanders is on the shelf once again, and with John Henson a little dinged up as well, Pachulia should be in line for tons of run down the stretch. He’s averaging 11.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals over his last five games, which is probably right around where his averages will fall when it’s all said and done. It hurts to not get any blocks from a big man, but Pachulia does enough in the rebounding department to warrant ownership in all head-to-head leagues of at least 12 teams.
PLAYERS WHO MIGHT BE TRADED
It’s very important to keep an eye on what’s going on around the league this week, especially if you have a lot of dead weight at the end of your roster. Guys like Omer Asik, Greivis Vasquez, and O.J. Mayo have all been mentioned in trade rumors, and with the deadline looming on Thursday, it’s all about to come to a head. Make sure you know who on your waiver wire might be moved, or who is waiting in the wings for a teammate to be moved in order to become fantasy relevant.
LAST CALL
These guys were mentioned in previous editions and are listed in order of desirability. Go grab them if they’re still around.
Brandon Knight
Lance Stephenson
Isaiah Thomas
Terrence Jones
John Henson
Reggie Jackson
Ersan Ilyasova
Miles Plumlee
Kendall Marshall
Jared Sullinger
Gerald Green
Steve Blake
Avery Bradley
Glen Davis
Giannis Antetokounmpo
D.J. Augustin
Terrence Ross
Patrick Beverley
Marvin Williams
Chris Kaman
Alec Burks
Jeremy Lamb
Lou Williams
INJURIES
Waiting on injured players is tough, especially once the zeros start piling up. However, this is the time of year to do it. If you start slipping too much in the standings, you can go ahead and drop these guys, but for now, they’re worth the stash. This list is limited to guys with long-term injuries, so be sure to keep your eye out for players that are day-to-day too.
Russell Westbrook (should be back Thursday)
Kobe Bryant (expected to be re-examined this week)
Eric Bledsoe (out at least another week or two)
What do you think?
Follow Kevin on Twitter at @DimeFantasyDoc.
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.
