With many of the NBA reaching the official midway level of its common season schedules throughout Week 13, Week 14 means the February 8 commerce deadline is looming. Toronto has already made two vital strikes with an eye fixed towards the long run, and different struggling groups have gamers who can probably be impactful on groups with higher ambitions. Throughout Week 14, over half of the NBA’s 30 groups will play three video games, and two squads should navigate two back-to-backs. Let us take a look at the Week 14 schedule breakdown.
Week 14 Video games Performed
4 Video games: ATL, CHA, DAL, DET, IND, MEM, MIL, MIN, OKC, PHO, POR, SAS
3 Video games: BOS, BKN, CHI, CLE, DEN, GSW, HOU, LAC, LAL, MIA, NOR, NYK, ORL, PHI, SAS, TOR, UTA, WAS
Week 14 Storylines
— Celtics start Week 14 with a back-to-back
Boston’s needed to regulate its rotation all through the season attributable to back-to-backs. Al Horford has but to play each ends of 1, and whereas Kristaps Porzingis was reportedly cleared to play back-to-backs, that was earlier than a case of proper knee irritation sidelined him for the Celtics’ January 17 win over San Antonio. The workforce with the NBA’s finest file now embarks on a two-game Texas highway journey that begins in Houston on Sunday, and the Celtics will go to Boston the next night time.
If Horford performs on Sunday, it is secure to imagine that he is not going to on Monday. Jrue Vacation (elbow) can also be questionable for the sport towards the Rockets however has performed each ends of Boston’s prior back-to-backs. Add in Porzingis and Derrick White, who sat out that Spurs victory with a sprained ankle, and it is doable {that a} three-game Week 14 turns into two for some Celtics stars, relying on who performs within the workforce’s remaining sport of Week 13.
— Hawks place Trae Younger in concussion protocol
Sunday morning, it was introduced that Atlanta’s star level guard has been positioned within the league’s concussion protocol after he suffered a head harm throughout Saturday’s loss to the Cavaliers. Younger reportedly is not going to journey with the workforce forward of Monday’s sport towards the Kings, and it is doable that Wednesday’s matchup with the Warriors is also off the desk for him. Consequently, managers who’ve Younger rostered may very well be taking a look at a two-game week as a substitute of 4, and there is not a streaming possibility on the Hawks roster.
Dejounte Murray’s fantasy worth shall be boosted since he could be the lone level guard on the ground, and Bogdan Bogdanovic is already rostered in most traditional leagues. Trent Forrest and Patty Mills can be found to tackle rotation minutes in a reserve function, however neither stands to get the taking part in time (or present the manufacturing) wanted to make it worthwhile to stream them.
— When will the Spurs elevate Victor Wembanyama’s restrictions?
San Antonio’s rookie phenom has been underneath a couple of restrictions since spraining his ankle earlier than a December 23 loss to the Mavericks. Wembanyama has not performed each ends of a back-to-back since, and he hasn’t exceeded 27 minutes in any of the 11 video games he is been accessible for. So, when will Wemby, who has been sensational when on the courtroom, be allowed to play with out limitations? Following the Spurs’ January 20 win in Washington, Gregg Popovich stated that he did not assume Wembanyama’s minutes restrict would improve by the workforce’s subsequent sport, Monday night time in Philadelphia, “however maybe after that.”
The rookie has produced at a degree many gamers have not been capable of regardless of the restrictions. Nonetheless, one cannot blame fantasy managers for dreaming about what may very well be doable if Wembanyama constantly surpasses half-hour. San Antonio performs 4 video games throughout Week 14 with a back-to-back, so this may very well be a three-game week for Wemby. Because of this, Zach Collins, who performed on Friday and Saturday, stays a “maintain” in customary leagues; that might change as soon as the restrictions are lifted.
— Blazers and Thunder need to navigate two back-to-backs
The Path Blazers and Thunder are the 2 groups that can have two back-to-backs to cope with over the subsequent week, a stretch that begins once they face one another in Oklahoma Metropolis on Tuesday. Whereas Mark Daigneault’s workforce has stayed comparatively wholesome, that has not been the case for Chauncey Billups’ squad. An sickness sidelined Anfernee Simons for Friday’s win over the Pacers, whereas Scoot Henderson’s wonderful begin was interrupted by a nasal contusion. With Shaedon Sharpe already sidelined, that meant much more duty for Malcolm Brogdon, and the veteran guard flourished. Additionally of be aware for Portland was the return of Deandre Ayton, who logged half-hour in his first sport again.
Somebody to look at, particularly in deeper leagues, is Jabari Walker, who performed 41 minutes and completed the win over Indiana with 13 factors, 12 rebounds, three assists, and one blocked shot. Duop Reath could also be ranked greater over the previous two weeks, however Ayton’s return bumped him to the bench whereas Walker remained within the beginning lineup.
— Might the Knicks be with out Isaiah Hartenstein?
Since shifting into the beginning lineup on December 20, Hartenstein has been a power within the frontcourt for the Knicks. In 17 begins, he is averaged 7.4 factors, 11.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 33.8 minutes per sport. In line with Basketball Monster, he is ranked thirtieth in 9-cat per-game worth throughout that stretch. Sadly, he exited Saturday’s win over the Raptors in the course of the third quarter with a sore left ankle.
New York performs three video games throughout Week 14, with their lone highway journey being a trek to Brooklyn to face the Nets on Tuesday, so the schedule is favorable in that regard. However issues get tougher if they do not have Hartenstein on the ground. Ought to he miss time, Valuable Achiuwa could be the subsequent man up, with Jericho Sims re-entering the rotation. That is not nice for the Knicks or fantasy managers trying to find worth in that situation.
— Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. suffered a sprained ankle on Saturday
Smith hobbled off the courtroom in the course of the remaining minute of Houston’s extra time win over the Jazz, however not earlier than he hit the free throw that offered the ultimate margin (Houston acquired two crucial defensive stops to carry on). The excellent news is that Smith didn’t require a strolling boot or crutches after the win, however it’s honest to query whether or not or not he’ll be accessible for Sunday’s sport towards the Celtics. And if Smith would not play, what would that imply for his availability throughout Week 14?
One other piece of excellent information is the schedule, because the Rockets play thrice in Week 14, starting with the Path Blazers at dwelling on Wednesday. Jae’Sean Tate and Jeff Inexperienced are the gamers most impacted by Smith’s availability. Additionally of be aware is the continued absence of Tari Eason, who has not performed since New Yr’s Day with a decrease left leg harm. That is opened up further minutes for Cam Whitmore, who’s been a productive scorer and rebounder however hasn’t supplied a lot else to fantasy managers.
— Dallas and Phoenix are among the many groups that can play 5 video games from the beginning of Week 14 to the start of Week 15.
Becoming a member of the Mavericks and Suns on this listing are Charlotte, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Oklahoma Metropolis, Portland, and San Antonio. Phoenix has been comparatively wholesome not too long ago, with the absentees being gamers who haven’t been impactful in fantasy basketball. Dallas has additionally navigated a couple of accidents, however the prime fantasy choices amongst these gamers (most notably Luka Doncic and Dereck Vigorous II) are again to full energy. Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton performed each ends of the Bucks’ January 3-4 back-to-back however then sat out the second sport of the January 13-14 “model.” The Bucks finish Week 14 with a Friday/Saturday back-to-back.
Given how banged-up that workforce is, Memphis shall be an attention-grabbing workforce to look at throughout this busy interval. Gamers like Luke Kennard and Vince Williams Jr. will see their fantasy values improve much more. On the similar time, Santi Aldama’s profile has been boosted by the absence of Xavier Tillman from Saturday’s loss to the Bulls with a sore knee. Charlotte performed Saturday’s loss to Philadelphia with out LaMelo Ball (ankle), which was the second sport of a back-to-back for each groups. Cody Martin did not provide a lot manufacturing as a spot starter, however he is actually able to being an efficient streamer attributable to his steals potential.
Mild Recreation Days
Tuesday: 5 Video games
DEN vs. IND
NYK vs. BKN
UTA vs. NOR
POR vs. OKC
LAL vs. LAC
Sunday: 5 Video games
MEM vs. IND
TOR vs. ATL
OKC vs. DET
PHO vs. ORL
CHI vs. POR
Week 14 Again-to-backs
Sunday (Week 13)-Monday: BOS, ORL, PHO
Monday-Tuesday: None
Tuesday-Wednesday: OKC, POR
Wednesday-Thursday: GSW, MIA, MIN, WAS
Thursday-Friday: IND
Friday-Saturday: CHA, DAL, HOU, LAC, MIL, SAS
Saturday-Sunday: DET
Sunday-Monday (Week 15): MEM, OKC, ORL, PHO, POR
