The 12th week of NBA action stars off with six games featuring some of the biggest stars in the game. Jayson Tatum duals with Tyrese Haliburton, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo are in action, as well as a star-packed game between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers.
Stars have been performing all season with some of the highest point totals the league has ever seen.
However, the key to winning a week as a fantasy manager is in the margins. Around the stars. When the stars are out of action. Every day presents an opportunity to add points towards winning a category.
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As always the availability is based on Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Basketball leagues. All players recommended are available in at least 50% of leagues to give you, the fantasy manager, the best opportunity to win the waiver wire this week and your matchup overall.
Guards
Jaden Ivey – Detroit Pistons (50% Rostered)
Three Games: Sacramento Kings (Tuesday), San Antonio Spurs (Wednesday) and Houston Rockets (Friday)
If Ivey is available in your league he has started to show some consistency since Detroit’s loss to the Boston Celtics. Since then he has scored double-figures in five straight games, made 11 threes, grabbed 26 rebounds with 16 assists.
Ivey is still not playing huge minutes, but when he is on the court he has been stuffing the statsheet and making a case to be on the court a lot more. This week Detroit has two games against bad perimeter defenses in Sacramento and San Antonio setting the stage for a big week.
Corey Kispert – Washington Wizards (7% Rostered)
Two Games: Oklahoma City Thunder (Monday) and @ Indiana Pacers (Wednesday)
Kispert has become one of the most consistent bench guards/wings this season. Over his last eight games he has seven games in double-figures and has 13 made three-pointers.
This week he will face Oklahoma City for the first time this season, who give up the second most three-point attempts this season and an Indiana team for the second time. He finished with 23 points on 3-of-7 from three in the first game.
Ayo Dosunmu – Chicago Bulls (5% Rostered)
Three Games: @ Charlotte Hornets (Monday), Houston Rockets (Wednesday) and Golden State Warriors (Sunday)
Despite Chicago getting closer to full strength again, Dosumnu is still playing 30-plus minutes a game.
Last week he finished averaging 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists . As a deep bench filler on nights where you have players out, Dosunmu might win you a week with STOCKS.
Forwards
Obi Toppin – Indiana Pacers (44% Rostered)
Three Games: Boston Celtics (Monday), Washington Wizards (Wednesday) and @ Atlanta Hawks (Friday)
Indiana is a tough team to project which players are going to be fantasy players week-by-week. Toppin has been as reliable as any forward on the team over his last five games with 54 points, 25 rebounds, 11 assists and six STOCKS.
Even more valuable is his shooting with seven made threes in his last three games and nine in his last five from the power forward position.
Simone Fontecchio – Utah Jazz (25% Rostered)
Three Games: @ Milwaukee Bucks (Monday), Denver Nuggets (Wednesday) and Toronto Raptors (Friday)
While Utah is one of the most experimental teams this season with starting lineups and rotations, Fontecchio is making a case to be the starter for the rest of the season.
In 19 starts he is averaging 12.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while making 2.2 three-pointers per game.
Toumani Camara – Portland Trail Blazers (3% Rostered)
Three Games: @ New York Knicks (Tuesday), @ Oklahoma City Thunder (Thursday) and @ Minnesota Timberwolves (Friday)
Over Camara’s last four games played the rookie has been filling up the statsheet. He has 38 points, 29 rebounds and seven steals with five made three-pointers. He is slowly becoming a reliable specialist for steals, but with his ability to fill-up the statsheet Camara brings so much more to your team.
Centers
Jalen Smith – Indiana Pacers (11% Rostered)
Three Games: Boston Celtics (Monday), Washington Wizards (Wednesday) and @ Atlanta Hawks (Friday)
Smith gets a second look at two teams he just played last week again today. In those two games against Boston (seven points and seven rebounds) and Atlanta (11 points and two rebounds) Smith played well. He also made one three-pointer in each game.
Trayce Jackson-Davis – Golden State Warriors (32% Rostered)
Three Games: New Orleans Pelicans (Wednesday), @ Chicago Bulls (Friday) and @ Milwaukee Bucks (Saturday)
Jackson-Davis is making a case to be a full-time rostered player in fantasy basketball as of late. He is playing 20-plus minutes per game for a Golden State team that desperately needs size, rebounding and athleticism in the paint.
As a starter Jackson-Davis is averaging 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game with a block and a steal in both games. This week Golden State has three great rebounding teams on the schedule setting the stage for big minutes for the rookie.
Kevin Love – Miami Heat (23% Rostered)
Three Games: Houston Rockets (Monday), Oklahoma City Thunder (Wednesday) and Orlando Magic (Friday)
Have you noticed that Love has scored in double-figures in four straight games? Or that he is averaging 14.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game on 55-30-61 splits?
There has been a modest resurgence for Love in Miami as of late, filling in for Jimmy Butler and providing the team with scoring, rebounding and some playmaking off the bench.
Specialists
REBOUNDING – Josh Hart – New York Knicks (45% Rostered)
Three Games: Portland Trail Blazers (Tuesday), @ Dallas Mavericks (Thursday) and @ Memphis Grizzlies (Sunday)
With Mitchell Robinson out for the rest of the season, rebounding is a premium for New York. Hart has gobbled up double-digit rebounds in three of his last five games with at least four or more rebounds in eight straight games.
THREES – Malik Beasley – Milwaukee Bucks (39% Rostered)
Three Games: Utah Jazz (Monday), Boston Celtics (Thursday) and Golden State Warriors (Sunday)
Role players typically play better at home, which is something that Beasley is looking forward to after combining for just five made three-pointers in his last three games on the road.
Before this stretch, Beasley had made four or more three-pointers (19 total) in four of his last five games. Milwaukee was 3-1 in the games Beasley was stretching the defense and 10-4 in games where Beasley made four-plus three-pointers in a game.
STEALS – Aaron Nesmith – Indiana Pacers (33% Rostered)
Three Games: Boston Celtics (Monday), Washington Wizards (Wednesday) and @ Atlanta Hawks (Friday)
Yes, another Indiana player this week. Not only does the team have three games on the schedule, but it has a lot of productive players. Nesmith has a steal in six straight games, at least one in 10 of 11 games and multiple steals in three of his last four.
Definitely worth a flier, especially with Nesmith’s potential to score in double-figures, make multiple three-pointers and stuff the statsheet.
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