This week's top pickups

Prince is on fire, scoring 20, 20 and 29 points in his last three games. He’s getting a ton of minutes and has hit five treys over his hot streak.  He won’t score 20 per game, but is playing well enough to be added in nearly all leagues.

Nicolas Batum Blazers

Batum went on a tear in the absence of Marcus Camby but suffered an eye injury on Wednesday.  Camby is due back for the Blazers Friday, but so is Batum, who likely earned more minutes after averaging 24 points, eight rebounds, a steal, two blocks and four 3-pointers over a recent two-game stretch without Camby in uniform.

Trevor Ariza Hornets

Ariza came back from his groin injury with a bang on Wednesday, racking up 18 points, five rebounds, seven assists, four steals and a block on 7-of-13 shooting.  He hit just 3-of-9 with a 3-pointer on Thursday for 10 points, five boards, three assists and a steal.  His shooting percentage is always a concern, but he’ll do enough across the board to be worth using in many leagues.  He will also take a hit once Eric Gordon is back, but we still don’t know when that will be. Ariza’s groin flared up on Thursday but he played through it.  

Marvin Williams Hawks

Marvin is recovering from a sprained ankle and hasn’t looked great in his return, but should get plenty of minutes and shots with Al Horford shut down with shoulder surgery.  He had 12 points and eight boards in his last game and was hitting a 3-pointer per game before suffering the injury.  Twelve points, seven boards and a 3-pointer per game should be easily in reach once he’s back at full strength.

Carlos Delfino & Tobias Harris Bucks

Delfino hasn’t blown up yet, but is getting minutes and has hit 13 threes in his last six games.  Stephen Jackson is in Scott Skiles’ doghouse (and suspended for Friday), while Mike Dunleavy should be back for that one.  Delfino is still worth a look right now, despite inconsistent scoring.  He’s also racked up 10 steals and three blocks in his last four games, and is rebounding and handing out assists.  If his shot starts falling, he could put up some really big numbers.  Rookie Tobias Harris is also worth a look, averaging 13 points and 5.5 boards in his last two games.  He’s a deep-league special, but will see inconsistent minutes coming off the bench.  But as long as Jackson is struggling and fighting with his coach, Skiles won’t be afraid to let Harris play.

The Rest

Chandler Parsons Rockets – Inconsistent scorer, but starting and averaging nearly eight points, seven boards, two steals and a block in eight starts.

Omri Casspi Cavaliers – Is finally coming on, averaging close to 12 points, six rebounds and a 3-pointer over his last three games.  He also has two steals and two blocks over that stretch.

Richard Jefferson Spurs – Cooled off recently, but still starting and a good source of threes.

James Johnson Raptors – Now starting for Raptors, but awful on Wednesday.  Just keep an eye on him if you need steals and blocks.
 
Corey Brewer Nuggets – Getting inconsistent minutes, but productive when he plays.

Power Forwards

Andray Blatche Wizards

Blatche is back in the starting five for the Wizards and had 12 points, 10 boards, four assists, two steals, a block and a 3-pointer on Wednesday.  He should be owned in all leagues, but grab him if he was dropped in yours.  I picked him up in a 14-team league on Sunday and am pretty happy about it.

Markieff Morris Suns

His first start was ruined by the flu on Wednesday but it looks like he could be the starting PF in Phoenix the rest of the way.  He can score, board, block and hit 3-pointers, making him a very attractive fantasy option.  I think he should be grabbed in most leagues, even if you’re not going to start him.

Al Harrington Nuggets

Harrington is quietly averaging 14 points, five boards, 1.8 steals and 1.7 3-pointers off the Nuggets bench.  He’s getting 24 minutes a game and seems to be doing exactly what George Karl wants him to.

  

Marreese Speights Grizzlies

Speights has been hit or miss as the Grizzlies starting power forward in place of Zach Randolph, deserves to be owned as long as he’s starting.  And he should keep the job for another month or so as Randolph recovers from his torn MCL.

Tyrus Thomas Bobcats

Thomas has struggled as the starting power forward in Charlotte but could get hot at any time.  He’s averaging six points, three boards and two blocks recently, but is still worth holding in case he finally gets it figured out.  Bismack Biyombo recently had a big game, but I’ve listed him under the centers.

Centers

Samuel Dalembert Rockets

We told you to hang onto Sammy through his slow start and that patience is really paying off, as he’s averaging 15 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks over his last five games.  If he’s available in your league, pick him up right now.

Brook Lopez Nets

Lopez is recovering from a broken foot but appears to be on pace to return sometime in the next month.  I have trouble holding injured players for too long, but Lopez is getting close enough that it’s time to move on him.  And over the final 25 games of last season, he averaged 22.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks, and while I doubt he does that again this year, he might come close if he truly is healthy.

Mehmet Okur Nets

In the meantime, Okur is holding down the center position in Jersey and playing better.  He’s averaging 11 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 3-pointers over his last five games.  And he should continue to do so over the next month with Lopez in street clothes.

Nikola Pekovic Timberwolves

Pekovic’s numbers are not impressive, but he did start over Darko Milicic for the second half of Wednesday’s game, and Darko hasn’t exactly gotten it done at center for the Wolves this season.  If Pekovic does take the job, he’ll be worth adding in deeper leagues and could average 10 points, five boards and a block per game, which he came close to in 11 starts last season.

Jason Thompson Kings

Thompson replaced J.J. Hickson in the starting five for Sacramento on Wednesday and had nine points, 10 rebounds and a couple steals in 26 minutes.  While he’s worth a close look, Thompson, Hickson and Chuck Hayes (once he’s back from a shoulder injury) will all share time at PF for the Kings.  But until Hayes is back, Thompson might be worth a deep-league fill-in.

Bismack Biyombo Bobcats

The rookie had 11 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks on Tuesday, which was his first real production of the season.  He might be worth a flier right now, but only if you have a scrub to cut.  I need to see him do this a couple more times before taking the bait.  Before getting 21 minutes on Tuesday, he was a DNP in his previous game, and is averaging just 12 minutes per game on the season.  Keep a close eye on him Saturday at Chicago.

The Magic play five games in Week 5, while the Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, Thunder, Kings and Jazz have three games.  All other teams go four times next week.

Week 5 is nearly here, although many of us are just trying to survive the end of Week 4.  Injuries to Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Stephen Curry and Spencer Hawes, to name a few, have been devastating to fantasy owners.  And if you’re like me and have Wade in your lineup this week, sorry about your luck.  C.J. Watson, Mo Williams and Nate Robinson should be owned, at least watched closely, by the owners of Rose, Paul and Curry, while Wade and Hawes don’t really have a backup worthy of being owned in most leagues.  And while Mike Miller was all the rage after his six treys on Wednesday, he didn’t do much of anything on Thursday.  He’s worth watching, but my guess is he’ll be hurt before he helps your fantasy team.  

The rookies are also playing very well this season and point guards Ricky Rubio, Kyrie Irving, Brandon Knight, Iman Shumpert and Kemba Walker, along with shooting guard MarShon Brooks should all be owned in most leagues.  

The NBA Season Pass is up and running, so check it out!  Weekly projections and rankings, exclusive live chats, the schedule grid and breakdown, customizable scoring, and much more is all there.  Do you miss football already?  Didn’t get into enough hoops leagues?  Check out SnapDraft, where you can draft a new team every night and win some cash.

Point Guards

Luke Ridnour Timberwolves

Ridnour is starting at shooting guard, but might only qualify at point guard in some leagues.  In any case, he’s averaging 12.5 points, 3.4 assists, 1.4 3-pointers and 1.0 steal per game.  He cooled off on Wednesday night and while it’s possible his run could finally be slowing down, Rick Adelman likes him and Ridnour is worth owning in most leagues.

Andre Miller Nuggets

Miller is stuck on the bench behind Ty Lawson, but is making the most of it this season, averaging more than 10 points, six dimes and a steal per game.  He will also have the occasional explosion from behind the arc, as he’s hit seven 3-pointers this season with five of them coming in just two games.  And one of those games was a big one, when he blew up for 28 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and three 3-pointers on Wednesday.  And it looks like he’s spending enough time on the court with Lawson that it’s hurting Arron Afflalo’s progress this season.  

Rodney Stuckey Pistons

Stuckey is also coming off the bench and is recovering from a groin injury.  He’s been hit or miss since his return from injury, but is averaging 11 points and nearly 4.5 assists per game on the season.  He’ll be shaky off the bench, but should be able to match those numbers as the sixth man in Detroit.  Late breaking news tells us that Stuckey's groin will keep him out on Friday and this is an injury that could linger, so you might want to look elsewhere for help in Week 5.

Delonte West Mavericks

West is starting at shooting guard and playing point guard when Jason Kidd is injured or resting, and is averaging 8.5 points, 3.0 assists and more than a steal per game in January.  Vince Carter is currently injured, which helps West’s cause, but he looks like a useful add in deeper leagues as long as he’s starting.

Baron Davis Knicks

Davis is due back in the next two weeks from a sore back and is worth stashing now that he’s getting close.  Point guards generally fare well under Mike D’Antoni and while I think Davis will be hurt on and off for the whole season, he’ll be worth using when healthy.  Iman Shumpert should be owned in most leagues right now and my hope is he slides over to shooting guard once Davis is back.  But even if he ends up being Davis’ backup, Baron should be hurt enough that Shumpert will hold his value.

The Rest

Kirk Hinrich Hawks - He’s due back any day now and could have value off Hawks bench.

Devin Harris Jazz - He’s been terrible, but could still have value, especially if traded.

Isaiah Thomas Kings - He’s getting solid minutes and looks like a better hold than

Shooting Guards

Ben Gordon Pistons

Gordon is heating up, averaging 14.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.3 3-pointers per game.  He’s scored 18 in two straight games and is playing heavy minutes, and it looks like he might finally be ready to start producing consistently.  

Evan Turner Sixers

Turner is back from a quad injury and playing well, going for 20 points on Wednesday with a near triple-double, and has scored in double figures in four straight games, if you don’t count a two-point effort on the night he suffered the injury.  He’s coming off the bench, but should get starter’s minutes for the Sixers.

Nick Young Wizards

Young got off to a slow start and is challenged by Jordan Crawford, but is fighting him off, averaging 16 points and 1.5 threes per game. As long as he’s starting over Crawford, he should be safe to put into starting fantasy lineups.  He’s scored 24 and 27 points in two of his last four games, and could be heating up for the lowly Wizards.

Richard Hamilton Bulls

Hamilton is back from a groin injury and had 11 points, six assists and a 3-pointer in his return to action Wednesday.  Once healthy and grooving again for the Bulls, he should be able to average close to 14 points, four rebounds and four assists, with the occasional steal and 3-pointer.

J.J. Redick Magic

Redick has been filling in for Jason Richardson, who is due back soon from a knee injury.  Redick has scored in double figures in four of his last five games, knocking down eight 3-pointers during that stretch.  And even with Richardson’s return looming, is still worth a look if you need threes. Especially with the league’s only five-game week coming in Week 5.

The Rest

Arron Afflalo Nuggets – Off to a slow start, but has hit double digits in points in eight of his last nine games, hitting 16 3-pointers over that stretch.

Leandro Barbosa Raptors – Cooled off on Wednesday, but has scored 20 or more in three of his last five with six 3-pointers.   

Kawhi Leonard Spurs – He’s starting for the Spurs and hit double figures in six straight before Wednesday’s 2-point dud.

Shannon Brown Suns – Coming off bench, but could be starting before long, after Ronnie Price failed miserably in Wednesday’s start.

Small Forwards

Tayshaun Prince Pistons

Prince is on fire, scoring 20, 20 and 29 points in his last three games. He’s getting a ton of minutes and has hit five treys over his hot streak.  He won’t score 20 per game, but is playing well enough to be added in nearly all leagues.

Nicolas Batum Blazers

Batum went on a tear in the absence of Marcus Camby but suffered an eye injury on Wednesday.  Camby is due back for the Blazers Friday, but so is Batum, who likely earned more minutes after averaging 24 points, eight rebounds, a steal, two blocks and four 3-pointers over a recent two-game stretch without Camby in uniform.

Trevor Ariza Hornets

Ariza came back from his groin injury with a bang on Wednesday, racking up 18 points, five rebounds, seven assists, four steals and a block on 7-of-13 shooting.  He hit just 3-of-9 with a 3-pointer on Thursday for 10 points, five boards, three assists and a steal.  His shooting percentage is always a concern, but he’ll do enough across the board to be worth using in many leagues.  He will also take a hit once Eric Gordon is back, but we still don’t know when that will be. Ariza’s groin flared up on Thursday but he played through it.  

Marvin Williams Hawks

Marvin is recovering from a sprained ankle and hasn’t looked great in his return, but should get plenty of minutes and shots with Al Horford shut down with shoulder surgery.  He had 12 points and eight boards in his last game and was hitting a 3-pointer per game before suffering the injury.  Twelve points, seven boards and a 3-pointer per game should be easily in reach once he’s back at full strength.

Carlos Delfino & Tobias Harris Bucks

Delfino hasn’t blown up yet, but is getting minutes and has hit 13 threes in his last six games.  Stephen Jackson is in Scott Skiles’ doghouse (and suspended for Friday), while Mike Dunleavy should be back for that one.  Delfino is still worth a look right now, despite inconsistent scoring.  He’s also racked up 10 steals and three blocks in his last four games, and is rebounding and handing out assists.  If his shot starts falling, he could put up some really big numbers.  Rookie Tobias Harris is also worth a look, averaging 13 points and 5.5 boards in his last two games.  He’s a deep-league special, but will see inconsistent minutes coming off the bench.  But as long as Jackson is struggling and fighting with his coach, Skiles won’t be afraid to let Harris play.

The Rest

Chandler Parsons Rockets – Inconsistent scorer, but starting and averaging nearly eight points, seven boards, two steals and a block in eight starts.

Omri Casspi Cavaliers – Is finally coming on, averaging close to 12 points, six rebounds and a 3-pointer over his last three games.  He also has two steals and two blocks over that stretch.

Richard Jefferson Spurs – Cooled off recently, but still starting and a good source of threes.

James Johnson Raptors – Now starting for Raptors, but awful on Wednesday.  Just keep an eye on him if you need steals and blocks.
 
Corey Brewer Nuggets – Getting inconsistent minutes, but productive when he plays.

Power Forwards

Andray Blatche Wizards

Blatche is back in the starting five for the Wizards and had 12 points, 10 boards, four assists, two steals, a block and a 3-pointer on Wednesday.  He should be owned in all leagues, but grab him if he was dropped in yours.  I picked him up in a 14-team league on Sunday and am pretty happy about it.

Markieff Morris Suns

His first start was ruined by the flu on Wednesday but it looks like he could be the starting PF in Phoenix the rest of the way.  He can score, board, block and hit 3-pointers, making him a very attractive fantasy option.  I think he should be grabbed in most leagues, even if you’re not going to start him.

Al Harrington Nuggets

Harrington is quietly averaging 14 points, five boards, 1.8 steals and 1.7 3-pointers off the Nuggets bench.  He’s getting 24 minutes a game and seems to be doing exactly what George Karl wants him to.

  

Marreese Speights Grizzlies

Speights has been hit or miss as the Grizzlies starting power forward in place of Zach Randolph, deserves to be owned as long as he’s starting.  And he should keep the job for another month or so as Randolph recovers from his torn MCL.

Tyrus Thomas Bobcats

Thomas has struggled as the starting power forward in Charlotte but could get hot at any time.  He’s averaging six points, three boards and two blocks recently, but is still worth holding in case he finally gets it figured out.  Bismack Biyombo recently had a big game, but I’ve listed him under the centers.

Centers

Samuel Dalembert Rockets

We told you to hang onto Sammy through his slow start and that patience is really paying off, as he’s averaging 15 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks over his last five games.  If he’s available in your league, pick him up right now.

Brook Lopez Nets

Lopez is recovering from a broken foot but appears to be on pace to return sometime in the next month.  I have trouble holding injured players for too long, but Lopez is getting close enough that it’s time to move on him.  And over the final 25 games of last season, he averaged 22.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks, and while I doubt he does that again this year, he might come close if he truly is healthy.

Mehmet Okur Nets

In the meantime, Okur is holding down the center position in Jersey and playing better.  He’s averaging 11 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 3-pointers over his last five games.  And he should continue to do so over the next month with Lopez in street clothes.

Nikola Pekovic Timberwolves

Pekovic’s numbers are not impressive, but he did start over Darko Milicic for the second half of Wednesday’s game, and Darko hasn’t exactly gotten it done at center for the Wolves this season.  If Pekovic does take the job, he’ll be worth adding in deeper leagues and could average 10 points, five boards and a block per game, which he came close to in 11 starts last season.

Jason Thompson Kings

Thompson replaced J.J. Hickson in the starting five for Sacramento on Wednesday and had nine points, 10 rebounds and a couple steals in 26 minutes.  While he’s worth a close look, Thompson, Hickson and Chuck Hayes (once he’s back from a shoulder injury) will all share time at PF for the Kings.  But until Hayes is back, Thompson might be worth a deep-league fill-in.

Bismack Biyombo Bobcats

The rookie had 11 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks on Tuesday, which was his first real production of the season.  He might be worth a flier right now, but only if you have a scrub to cut.  I need to see him do this a couple more times before taking the bait.  Before getting 21 minutes on Tuesday, he was a DNP in his previous game, and is averaging just 12 minutes per game on the season.  Keep a close eye on him Saturday at Chicago.