Forwards
Corey Maggette SF Bobcats – Maggette backed up his season-high 29 points with 25 points and seven boards on Wednesday. He’s on fire and while he remains a big injury risk, the sooner you pick him up and plug him in, the more he’s going to be able to help you before eventually shutting it down for the season with an injury. I picked him up on Monday and he’s carrying one of my teams this week in a highly competitive league. The Bobcats finish up at 4-3-4-4-5-4-3, and if he’s still healthy for that five-game week, he could help you win a championship. He should be owned in all leagues until further notice, and is averaging 21 points, 4.4 rebounds and a 3-pointer over his last five games.
Trevor Booker PF Wizards – Booker stayed hot on Wednesday with 18 points, a career-high 17 boards, a steal, a block and a 3-pointer. Yes, Rashard Lewis is out and Andray Blatche is getting limited minutes, but Booker has been too good for too long to be ignored any longer. And Blatche played just 10 minutes in his last game. The Wizards go 5-4-4-4-4-3-3 the rest of the way, making Booker look like a must-add player for the upcoming week.
Alonzo Gee G/F Cavs – Gee started at small forward for the third straight game on Wednesday and had 19 points, seven boards, three assists, four steals, a block and a 3-pointer in Cleveland’s win. In his three recent starts he’s averaging 17 points, five boards, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.6 3-pointers. Cleveland’s schedule is pretty good going forward at 3-4-4-4-5-4-3, and Gee looks like a very savvy pickup right now. I’d bench him for the upcoming three-game week, but after that, as long as he’s still starting, he looks good.
Josh Howard SF Jazz – If nothing else, Howard has been consistent and healthy lately, scoring between 10 and 14 points over his last five games, averaging 12 points, six boards and 1.6 steals over that stretch. He’s locked in as Utah’s starting small forward and is basically a must-own player as long as he’s healthy. The Jazz have five games in the upcoming week, and I’m rolling with Howard in that one. They finish up 5-4-4-4-4-3-2 to end the season.
Kenneth Faried PF Nuggets – I love Faried’s game, but am concerned about Nene and Danilo Gallinari getting healthy. He’s averaging nearly 13 points, nine boards, a block and a steal over his last five games, but had just five points, nine boards, zero steals and zero blocks in his last one, when he played only 20 minutes. If he keeps his starting job alongside Nene, and they bring Timofey Mozgov off the bench, Faried will be worth holding in all leagues. But if he moves to the bench, you can probably do better. The Nuggets go 3-4-4-3-4-4-2 to finish up the season.
Steve Novak F Knicks – Novak was on fire for eight straight games, but cooled off suddenly on Wednesday when he had just four points and one 3-pointer in 17 minutes. Novak could be yet another victim of Carmelo Anthony’s return, as he was consistently playing more than 20 minutes per game. In his five games before Wednesday’s stinker, he had scored between 12 and 17 points, draining 22 3-pointers. Points and threes are all he’s really good for, but he’s so good at them he’s worth owning in most leagues. At least on nights when he’s getting more than 17 minutes. I’m hoping for a bounce-back game against the Bucks on Friday.
Amir Johnson PF/C Raptors – Johnson is playing well again, but Andrea Bargnani will be back soon from his calf injury, which has to hurt Johnson. He’s averaging nearly 11 points, eight boards and three blocks over his last four games, but a move to the bench once Bargnani is back would hurt his value. Feel free to pick Johnson up if he’s available, but keep an eye on the starting lineup and rotation once Bargnani returns, which should happen on Sunday.
Jason Thompson PF Kings – Thompson is averaging 12.5 points and eight boards over his last two games, but one of those saw DeMarcus Cousins in street clothes due to food poisoning. The Kings finish up with a schedule of 4-4-3-4-4-5-3, and if your league uses that final full week of five games, Thompson could be a sneaky play.
Brandon Bass PF Celtics – Bass is averaging 12 points, four rebounds and a block over his last five games, but is also just getting healthy again after dealing with a left ankle injury. It’s still sore, but don’t be surprised if his numbers pick up a bit going forward. The Celtics remaining weekly schedule is 4-4-4-4-5-3-3-2.
Gustavo Ayon PF Hornets – Ayon is dealing with a foot injury, but is expected to play on Friday. In his previous four games, he’s averaging 10 points, 3.5 boards, two assists, 1.5 steals and nearly a block. The Hornets finish up 4-3-5-3-4-4-2, and Ayon will be especially valuable in that five-game week in some leagues.
Linas Kleiza F Raptors – Kleiza stepped up when James Johnson appeared to leave with a thigh injury and had 19 points, four boards, a steal, a block and a 3-pointer Wednesday. He’s been inconsistent, but could get hot and help fantasy teams now that he’s finally over his knee injury. The Raps go 4-4-4-4-4-3-2 to finish up.
Jason Maxiell PF Pistons - Maxiell had 10 points and 10 boards on Tuesday in another start, and is averaging eight points, seven rebounds and a block over his last five. He's simply worth a look, but Jonas Jerebko could come along and ruin his value at any time.
Derrick Williams & Wes Johnson F Timberwolves – Despite coming off the bench, Williams is averaging 11 points, seven boards and a 3-pointer over his last five games, giving him more value than Michael Beasley. And if Beasley gets traded, Williams becomes a must-own fantasy player. Johnson is also coming on after going for 19 points, four boards, two steals and three 3-pointers on 8-of-11 shooting Wednesday. But he had scored five or less in three of his previous four games (despite starting), which is a big reason why Williams has been playing well. Williams is the guy to own here, but just keep an eye on Johnson.
Chandler Parsons F Rockets – Parsons has been a fantasy tease all season, but has hit double figures in four straight games, capped off by Wednesday’s performance, when he had 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, a block, three steals and a 3-pointer. The Rockets go 4-3-4-3-4-5-1 to finish out the season, and Chandler might be worth using in deeper leagues on those four-game weeks.
First of all, I didn’t include Kemba Walker, Samuel Dalembert, MarShon Brooks, Jared Dudley or Ersan Ilyasova in this week’s column, mainly because they shouldn’t be available in your league right now. Just double check and make sure that’s the case.
Five Games Next Week
For those of you in weekly head-to-head leagues, where the number of games played per week matters, the Suns, Clippers, Jazz and Wizards all play five times in the upcoming week. That makes guys like Channing Frye, Jared Dudley, Grant Hill, Randy Foye, Gordon Hayward, Devin Harris, Trevor Booker, Jordan Crawford and Nick Young all nearly must-starts in many cases.
Guards
Raymond Felton PG Blazers – Felton, who should be owned in all leagues by now, is back as the starting PG in Portland and had 23 points and nine dimes on Wednesday. He might get traded any day now, which would likely hurt his value, but he should be owned in all leagues at this point, now that he has his job back from Jamal Crawford. The Blazers weekly schedule is 4-4-4-4-4-3-2 the rest of the way.
Evan Turner SG Sixers – Turner blew up for a career-high 26 points to go along with nine rebounds, two assists and a 3-pointer on 11-of-19 shooting in 37 minutes on Wednesday. I have no idea how he’s going to look on a nightly basis, but it’s quickly become clear that he, and not Jodie Meeks, is the new starting shooting guard in Philly, and he’ll be in that role until the end of the season. I think he’s worth picking up in most leagues, if you can find someone to cut. Carlos Delfino, Dorell Wright and Brook Lopez are all guys I would dump to take a chance on Turner. The only problem is the Sixers schedule, which finishes up in ugly fashion at 3-4-3-4-3-4-3.
Jarrett Jack & Greivis Vasquez PG Hornets – Jack was terrible on Monday and had a nice game on Wednesday, when he had 25 points, four assists, a steal and a 3-pointer on 11-of-17 shooting. Vasquez keeps chugging along as Jack’s backup and had 10 points, six rebounds, four assists and a 3-pointer in 23 minutes in the loss to the Kings. Jack is must-own again, while Vasquez might be worth a shot in deeper leagues.
Isaiah Thomas PG Kings – A lot of folks have jumped off the Isaiah bandwagon, especially after he played just 17 minutes on Wednesday. However, he still managed 12 points, three assists, two steals and two 3-pointers despite the limited run, and is still the starting point guard for the Kings. Keith Smart appears to be afraid to use the little man against bigger point guards, which is going to be a problem in fantasy due to the minutes crunch, but it wasn’t too long ago that Thomas was killing it, either. I’m still holding him in most leagues, but understand if you want to cut him to get a more productive player. At this point, he’s not trustworthy enough to start in weekly leagues, but I will still argue that he should be held in case he gets hot again. If he flat-out loses his starting job, or starts playing less than 25 minutes per game consistently, I will cave and dump him.
Luke Ridnour G Timberwolves – I don’t claim to understand how, but Ridnour continues to play well for the Wolves. He had 22 points, four boards, five assists and three 3-pointers in 37 minutes Wednesday, and when you add in the fact Juan Jose Barea got hurt, and Ricky Rubio is struggling, Ridnour looks like a solid add. The Wolves finish up 4-4-4-3-4-4-1 in weekly leagues.
Nick Young & Jordan Crawford SG Wizards – Randy Wittman is back on board with Young, yet Crawford started again on Wednesday. JC was 6-of-19 for 14 points and five assists, and 0-for-6 from downtown, while Young was 7-of-19 for 19 points, six dimes, two steals, a block and a 3-pointer. Aaron Bruski is a Young guy, but I’m still in Crawford’s corner for now. Both should be owned, but as long as they’re sharing minutes, neither is a must-start as of now.
Roddy Beaubois G Mavericks - Roddy Buckets had nine points on Monday, bounced back with 18 points and two 3-pointers in 20 minutes on Tuesday, and then struggled on Thursday with five points on 2-of-9 shooting. If you started him this week it should work out, although it’s been a bumpy ride so far. The fact he got just 20, 21 and 22 minutes in his last three games is a concern. Vince Carter finally woke up on Thursday and Roddy is just too inconsistent to be relied upon going forward. The Mavs go 3-4-3-4-4-4-1 to finish out the season, so I’m not bending over backwards to own Roddy after this week ends.
Jason Kidd PG Mavericks - Kidd finally had an offensive explosion on Tuesday with 15 points, three 3-pointers, four rebounds, six assists and a steal on 4-of-9 shooting, and then scored 12 on Thursday, marking the first time all season he scored in double figures in back-to-back games this season. He’s recorded a steal in 15 straight games though, and despite a lack of offense, is still worth owning in almost all leagues.
Marco Belinelli SG Hornets - Belinelli is averaging 15.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 3-pointers over his last five games, but didn’t have a steal in any of them. Eric Gordon still doesn’t look close to returning, so Belinelli should be a solid option going forward, as long as you’re not looking for steals. The Hornets go 4-3-5-3-4-4-2 to finish out the season.
Iman Shumpert G/F Knicks – Shumpert started over Landry Fields on Wednesday, but laid an egg with two points, four assists and five fouls in another Knicks loss. I think he’ll be better on most nights and would drop Fields for him as of today. The Knicks finish up with a weekly schedule of 4-4-4-3-4-4-2, and Shumpert might get hot in the near future.
Goran Dragic PG Rockets – Kyle Lowry is dealing with a groin injury and was actually in the hospital on Friday, meaning he could miss a game or three. And as we’ve seen in the past, Dragic is nearly a must-own player whenever Lowry’s out. If you can pick him up now and use him for the rest of this week, do it.
Randy Foye SG Clippers - Foye broke out of a slump last night with 24 points and five 3-pointers on 8-of-18 shooting on Wednesday and should remain the starting SG in LAC until further notice. They play five games next week, adding to his intrigue, and the Clippers finish the season with a weekly schedule of 5-4-4-4-4-4-2.
Ben Gordon SG Pistons – Gordon had 15 points, five rebounds and five assists on Tuesday, but has only one 3-pointer over his last five games. He’s finally getting healthy again and could start scoring and hitting threes on a regular basis going forward. The Pistons finish up 4-3-4-4-4-4-2.
Gordon Hayward G/F Jazz – Hayward is now coming off the bench and had 23 points and two threes on Monday, followed up by eight points, six boards and four assists on Wednesday. He’s going to be hit or miss going forward, but might be worth adding in deeper leagues, as the No. 1 scoring option for Utah’s second unit. The Jazz finish up 5-4-4-4-4-3-3, which makes him worth owning for the upcoming week, at least.
George Hill G Pacers – Hill has hit double figures in three straight games as Darren Collison continues to struggle. I bet Collison gets hot again this weekend and Hill should be too inconsistent to use in most leagues. But if you’re in a deep league with a bare waiver wire, he might be worth adding to replace some dead weight on your roster. The Pacers finish up with a weekly schedule of 4-4-5-4-4-4-2 games played.
Jerryd Bayless G Raptors – Bayless has been a model of inconsistency, going for five, 18, five, 15 and five points over his last five games. He’s finally getting healthy again, but as long as Jose Calderon is starting in front of him, will just be too inconsistent to trust on a nightly basis. But stashing him in case Calderon gets traded makes sense in some leagues. The Raps finish at 4-4-4-4-4-3-2.
Klay Thompson & Brandon Rush G/F Warriors – Dorell Wright played just 10 minutes and failed to score on Wednesday, when Thompson went for 16 points, six boards and three 3-pointers, and Rush had 11 points, six boards and a 3-pointer. If Wright loses his starting job, both of these guys may enter must-own territory.
Jordan Farmar G Nets – Farmar had 16 points, three assists, two steals and three 3-pointers, including the game-winner, on Wednesday, despite playing just 19 minutes. He’s splitting time with Anthony Morrow, and is at least worth a look in most leagues. The Nets go 4-4-4-4-3-3-2 to finish out the season.
Forwards
Corey Maggette SF Bobcats – Maggette backed up his season-high 29 points with 25 points and seven boards on Wednesday. He’s on fire and while he remains a big injury risk, the sooner you pick him up and plug him in, the more he’s going to be able to help you before eventually shutting it down for the season with an injury. I picked him up on Monday and he’s carrying one of my teams this week in a highly competitive league. The Bobcats finish up at 4-3-4-4-5-4-3, and if he’s still healthy for that five-game week, he could help you win a championship. He should be owned in all leagues until further notice, and is averaging 21 points, 4.4 rebounds and a 3-pointer over his last five games.
Trevor Booker PF Wizards – Booker stayed hot on Wednesday with 18 points, a career-high 17 boards, a steal, a block and a 3-pointer. Yes, Rashard Lewis is out and Andray Blatche is getting limited minutes, but Booker has been too good for too long to be ignored any longer. And Blatche played just 10 minutes in his last game. The Wizards go 5-4-4-4-4-3-3 the rest of the way, making Booker look like a must-add player for the upcoming week.
Alonzo Gee G/F Cavs – Gee started at small forward for the third straight game on Wednesday and had 19 points, seven boards, three assists, four steals, a block and a 3-pointer in Cleveland’s win. In his three recent starts he’s averaging 17 points, five boards, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.6 3-pointers. Cleveland’s schedule is pretty good going forward at 3-4-4-4-5-4-3, and Gee looks like a very savvy pickup right now. I’d bench him for the upcoming three-game week, but after that, as long as he’s still starting, he looks good.
Josh Howard SF Jazz – If nothing else, Howard has been consistent and healthy lately, scoring between 10 and 14 points over his last five games, averaging 12 points, six boards and 1.6 steals over that stretch. He’s locked in as Utah’s starting small forward and is basically a must-own player as long as he’s healthy. The Jazz have five games in the upcoming week, and I’m rolling with Howard in that one. They finish up 5-4-4-4-4-3-2 to end the season.
Kenneth Faried PF Nuggets – I love Faried’s game, but am concerned about Nene and Danilo Gallinari getting healthy. He’s averaging nearly 13 points, nine boards, a block and a steal over his last five games, but had just five points, nine boards, zero steals and zero blocks in his last one, when he played only 20 minutes. If he keeps his starting job alongside Nene, and they bring Timofey Mozgov off the bench, Faried will be worth holding in all leagues. But if he moves to the bench, you can probably do better. The Nuggets go 3-4-4-3-4-4-2 to finish up the season.
Steve Novak F Knicks – Novak was on fire for eight straight games, but cooled off suddenly on Wednesday when he had just four points and one 3-pointer in 17 minutes. Novak could be yet another victim of Carmelo Anthony’s return, as he was consistently playing more than 20 minutes per game. In his five games before Wednesday’s stinker, he had scored between 12 and 17 points, draining 22 3-pointers. Points and threes are all he’s really good for, but he’s so good at them he’s worth owning in most leagues. At least on nights when he’s getting more than 17 minutes. I’m hoping for a bounce-back game against the Bucks on Friday.
Amir Johnson PF/C Raptors – Johnson is playing well again, but Andrea Bargnani will be back soon from his calf injury, which has to hurt Johnson. He’s averaging nearly 11 points, eight boards and three blocks over his last four games, but a move to the bench once Bargnani is back would hurt his value. Feel free to pick Johnson up if he’s available, but keep an eye on the starting lineup and rotation once Bargnani returns, which should happen on Sunday.
Jason Thompson PF Kings – Thompson is averaging 12.5 points and eight boards over his last two games, but one of those saw DeMarcus Cousins in street clothes due to food poisoning. The Kings finish up with a schedule of 4-4-3-4-4-5-3, and if your league uses that final full week of five games, Thompson could be a sneaky play.
Brandon Bass PF Celtics – Bass is averaging 12 points, four rebounds and a block over his last five games, but is also just getting healthy again after dealing with a left ankle injury. It’s still sore, but don’t be surprised if his numbers pick up a bit going forward. The Celtics remaining weekly schedule is 4-4-4-4-5-3-3-2.
Gustavo Ayon PF Hornets – Ayon is dealing with a foot injury, but is expected to play on Friday. In his previous four games, he’s averaging 10 points, 3.5 boards, two assists, 1.5 steals and nearly a block. The Hornets finish up 4-3-5-3-4-4-2, and Ayon will be especially valuable in that five-game week in some leagues.
Linas Kleiza F Raptors – Kleiza stepped up when James Johnson appeared to leave with a thigh injury and had 19 points, four boards, a steal, a block and a 3-pointer Wednesday. He’s been inconsistent, but could get hot and help fantasy teams now that he’s finally over his knee injury. The Raps go 4-4-4-4-4-3-2 to finish up.
Jason Maxiell PF Pistons - Maxiell had 10 points and 10 boards on Tuesday in another start, and is averaging eight points, seven rebounds and a block over his last five. He's simply worth a look, but Jonas Jerebko could come along and ruin his value at any time.
Derrick Williams & Wes Johnson F Timberwolves – Despite coming off the bench, Williams is averaging 11 points, seven boards and a 3-pointer over his last five games, giving him more value than Michael Beasley. And if Beasley gets traded, Williams becomes a must-own fantasy player. Johnson is also coming on after going for 19 points, four boards, two steals and three 3-pointers on 8-of-11 shooting Wednesday. But he had scored five or less in three of his previous four games (despite starting), which is a big reason why Williams has been playing well. Williams is the guy to own here, but just keep an eye on Johnson.
Chandler Parsons F Rockets – Parsons has been a fantasy tease all season, but has hit double figures in four straight games, capped off by Wednesday’s performance, when he had 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, a block, three steals and a 3-pointer. The Rockets go 4-3-4-3-4-5-1 to finish out the season, and Chandler might be worth using in deeper leagues on those four-game weeks.
Centers
Ekpe Udoh C Warriors – Udoh had nine points, six boards, four assists and four blocks in 34 minutes on Wednesday. The minutes are the key here, and he’s going to get as many as he can handle the rest of the way. He struggled on Tuesday, but went off for 17 points, six boards and a block on Monday. Another thing working in Udoh's favor is that the Warriors have two five-game weeks remaining, and I think he’s a must-own player. The Warriors remaining weekly schedule is 4-5-4-4-4-5-2.
Bismack Biyombo C Bobcats – After dominating against Dwight Howard on Tuesday (10 points, 15 rebounds, seven blocks), Biyombo was dominated by Al Jefferson on Wednesday, finishing with just two points, nine boards and zero blocks before fouling out. The Bobcats have won a total of five games this year and there is no reason why they won't run BB out there for as many minutes as he can handle the rest of the way. Along with Ekpe Udoh and Samuel Dalembert, Biyombo should now be owned in every fantasy league out there. I wish I had a crystal ball and could tell you if Biyombo, Udoh or Dalembert will be the guy to own the rest of the way, but Biyombo seems to have the most upside. The Bobcats finish up with a schedule of 4-3-4-4-5-4-3.
Zaza Pachulia C Hawks - Pachulia has quietly been a stud lately and had 12 points, 10 boards, a steal and a block on Tuesday, and is averaging nine points and 12 boards over his last five games. If you missed out on Biyombo, Udoh and Dalembert, Pachulia is your next best bet.
Shelden Williams F/C Nets – With Brook Lopez possibly done for the season, Shelden looks like the starting center in Jersey for the foreseeable future. He had 15 points and 10 boards in 41 minutes, which is not normal for him, but makes him worth a look in deeper leagues. The Nets finish up with a weekly schedule of 4-4-4-4-3-3-2.
Aaron Gray C Raptors – Gray has been quietly been playing very well lately, averaging 7.4 points and 5.6 rebounds over his last five. I picked him up in my 30-team league, but with Andrea Bargnani due back Sunday, the window on Gray’s value should be closing soon.
Josh Harrellson F/C Knicks – Tyson Chandler could miss a couple more games with a hamstring injury and Harrellson should get decent minutes, even if he’s not starting. He had eight points and eight boards on Wednesday night, and is another potential deep-league special.
Byron Mullens C Bobcats – With Boris Diaw shutdown after making a trade/buyout demand, Mullens is suddenly becoming relevant again. He’s quietly averaged 12 points, eight boards and two blocks over his last three games. I think that’s a bit of a fluke, but I’ve been wrong before. If he does it again on Friday against the Nets, maybe I’ll change my mind, but keep in mind New Jersey starts freaking Shelden Williams at center.
Good luck this week and in getting to the playoffs!