Let’s dive right into the Dose with a team-by-team breakdown of each team in the league. The numbers after the team name represent their remaining weekly schedule. And for the full Injury Report, just click here.
Atlanta – 5-4-3-3-4-2 - Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Jeff Teague and Zaza Pachulia are hot and Kirk Hinrich is starting and playing well. All five look like great starts with five games this week. Marvin Williams has been out with a hip injury, and I’m going to ignore him for now.
Boston – 4-4-4-5-3-2 – Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Brandon Bass all look like strong plays, while Jermaine O’Neal’s season appears to be complete.
Charlotte – 3-4-4-5-4-3 – Corey Maggette is very iffy for Monday due to a bad back, and the shutdown’s wheels could be in motion. With three games this week, no Bobcats look like must-starts. But after that D.J. Augustin, Gerald Henderson, Bismack Biyombo, Maggette, and possibly Kemba Walker, Reggie Williams and Tyrus Thomas are all worth a look.
Chicago – 3-4-3-3-4-2 – The Bulls schedule isn’t great and Derrick Rose sounds doubtful for Monday with his groin injury, and might be out until Saturday, giving him a one-game week. Bench him if you can. C.J. Watson might be a sneaky play in his stead, while Luol Deng, Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer are decent options, as usual. Deng plans on playing through his sore wrist, as Richard Hamilton continues to make slow progress from a shoulder injury, but has no target date for his return.
Cleveland – 4-4-4-5-4-3 – Anderson Varejao still doesn’t have a target date for his return from a wrist injury, so I have a hard time recommending he be held. Tristan Thompson is showing signs of playing well, but still hasn’t blown up. However, he did start at center on Sunday, so keep a close eye on him, as this move could be permanent. Kyrie Irving, Antawn Jamison, Alonzo Gee are looking like must-starts, while Daniel Gibson is starting to get solid minutes with Ramon Sessions out of town. He also started the second half of Sunday’s game over Anthony Parker, and could be a sneaky pickup if he ends up taking the job.
Dallas – 4-3-4-4-4-1 – Brendan Haywood will miss at least a week with a sprained knee, making Ian Mahinmi worth a look if you’re desperate at center. Jason Kidd and Roddy Beaubois are playing well as of late, and along with Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry, are the guys you want to play for Dallas. Shawn Marion was out Saturday with a sore knee, but should be back for their next game, which isn’t until Wednesday. And that will likely push Beaubois back to the bench.
Denver – 4-4-3-4-4-2 – The Nuggets finally signed Wilson Chandler, but I’m leery about his role with Arron Afflalo and Danilo Gallinari already in the lineup. JaVale McGee should make his debut on Monday and with four games, Ty Lawson, Afflalo, Gallinari, a red-hot Kenneth Faried, and McGee should all be in starting lineups. Andre Miller, Al Harrington (who played through a sore knee on Saturday) and Chandler are also worth consideration in deeper leagues.
Detroit – 3-4-4-4-4-2 – The three games are a buzzkill for those of us in leagues where the playoffs start, but Greg Monroe is still nearly a must-start player. Rodney Stuckey cooled off on Sunday with just seven points on 1-of-8 shooting, but should be a safe play going forward, while Tayshaun Prince stayed hot with 20 points against the Clippers. Brandon Knight struggled on Sunday and isn’t a great option in a three-game week, while Jonas Jerebko and Jason Maxiell have become too unpredictable to be trusted.
Golden State – 5-4-4-4-5-2 – I dropped Stephen Curry on Sunday night to pick up George Hill, and didn’t feel too bad about it. I think Curry is going to be shut down for the year now that the tank is on. Nate Robinson, Klay Thompson, Dorell Wright and David Lee are all must-starts with five games, while Brandon Rush and Richard Jefferson should be decent options. And with that schedule, all of these guys should be owned in head-to-head leagues.
Houston – 3-4-3-4-5-1 – Goran Dragic and Luis Scola are suddenly the only sure bets in Houston, and I’ve got them on the bench in a weekly league with three games. Courtney Lee backed up a season-high 25 points with just two of them on Sunday, missing all eight of his shots. Kevin Martin’s missed four straight games with a shoulder injury, and his mystery date to return will keep Lee’s owners looking over their shoulders. Chase Budinger and Chandler Parsons have both had their moments of late, but Budinger is playing much better than Parsons, who is coming off a bout with the flu. And finally center Samuel Dalembert is now sharing time with Marcus Camby, hurting both of their fantasy value. As for Kyle Lowry, if you need healthy bodies right now and don’t have room to stash him, you’re simply going to be forced to drop him, as much as it might hurt. The last two transactions in my main league were: Drop Stephen Curry for George Hill & and Drop Kyle Lowry for Richard Jefferson. Funny (and sad), huh?
Indiana – 4-5-4-4-4-2 – The Pacers have a golden schedule the rest of the way so Danny Granger, Paul George, David West (who is struggling) and Roy Hibbert should all be rock solid, while Darren Collison and George Hill should be owned in all leagues. Tyler Hansbrough and Leandro Barbosa are also worth a look in many leagues. I have no idea if Mike Wells can predict the future, so whether or not Hill takes over the starting point guard duties for Collison happens or not, they should both be owned. I recently cut Stephen Curry for Hill, and wouldn’t mind see him taking Collison’s job at some point. Barbosa is expected to make his Pacers’ debut on Tuesday.
Clippers – 4-4-4-4-4-2 – Nick Young came off the bench and hit just 1-of-6 shots for nine points on Sunday, but also played 29 minutes. You have to think he replaces Randy Foye as the starting shooting guard soon. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are your sure bets with a great schedule, while slumpers Caron Butler and DeAndre Jordan are worth a look in many leagues. Mo Williams hit just 2-of-10 shots on Sunday and is probably ticked off at the arrival of Young, making Mo-Will a roll of the dice from here on out.
Lakers – 4-4-4-4-4-1 – The Lakers have a great schedule so Kobe Bryant (3-of-20 on Sunday), Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum remain must-starts, while Ramon Sessions has played fairly well in his two games for the Lakers. He came off the bench again on Sunday, but easily outplayed Steve Blake, and should take the starting gig soon. I’d continue to ignore Metta World Peace, but keep an eye on Matt Barnes, who played well on Sunday.
Memphis – 4-3-5-5-4-2 – That three-game week is going to be a hassle, but the back-to-back five-gamers are gold, Jerry! Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol are auto-starts with four games, while O.J. Mayo and Tony Allen are worth a look – especially during those five-game weeks. Randolph still hasn’t started, but has looked good in his two games, and should render Marreese Speights useless going forward.
Miami – 3-4-4-4-5-2 – I own Wade across the board and am not thrilled with his three-game week, especially in my 30-team league, where I moved on to the Final 4 this week. But he’s still D-Wade and has to be started, along with LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Mario Chalmers is serviceable in four-game weeks, while James Jones and Shane Battier are worth a look in deep leagues with Mike Miller hurting.
Let’s dive right into the Dose with a team-by-team breakdown of each team in the league. The numbers after the team name represent their remaining weekly schedule. And for the full Injury Report, just click here.
Atlanta – 5-4-3-3-4-2 - Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Jeff Teague and Zaza Pachulia are hot and Kirk Hinrich is starting and playing well. All five look like great starts with five games this week. Marvin Williams has been out with a hip injury, and I’m going to ignore him for now.
Boston – 4-4-4-5-3-2 – Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Brandon Bass all look like strong plays, while Jermaine O’Neal’s season appears to be complete.
Charlotte – 3-4-4-5-4-3 – Corey Maggette is very iffy for Monday due to a bad back, and the shutdown’s wheels could be in motion. With three games this week, no Bobcats look like must-starts. But after that D.J. Augustin, Gerald Henderson, Bismack Biyombo, Maggette, and possibly Kemba Walker, Reggie Williams and Tyrus Thomas are all worth a look.
Chicago – 3-4-3-3-4-2 – The Bulls schedule isn’t great and Derrick Rose sounds doubtful for Monday with his groin injury, and might be out until Saturday, giving him a one-game week. Bench him if you can. C.J. Watson might be a sneaky play in his stead, while Luol Deng, Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer are decent options, as usual. Deng plans on playing through his sore wrist, as Richard Hamilton continues to make slow progress from a shoulder injury, but has no target date for his return.
Cleveland – 4-4-4-5-4-3 – Anderson Varejao still doesn’t have a target date for his return from a wrist injury, so I have a hard time recommending he be held. Tristan Thompson is showing signs of playing well, but still hasn’t blown up. However, he did start at center on Sunday, so keep a close eye on him, as this move could be permanent. Kyrie Irving, Antawn Jamison, Alonzo Gee are looking like must-starts, while Daniel Gibson is starting to get solid minutes with Ramon Sessions out of town. He also started the second half of Sunday’s game over Anthony Parker, and could be a sneaky pickup if he ends up taking the job.
Dallas – 4-3-4-4-4-1 – Brendan Haywood will miss at least a week with a sprained knee, making Ian Mahinmi worth a look if you’re desperate at center. Jason Kidd and Roddy Beaubois are playing well as of late, and along with Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry, are the guys you want to play for Dallas. Shawn Marion was out Saturday with a sore knee, but should be back for their next game, which isn’t until Wednesday. And that will likely push Beaubois back to the bench.
Denver – 4-4-3-4-4-2 – The Nuggets finally signed Wilson Chandler, but I’m leery about his role with Arron Afflalo and Danilo Gallinari already in the lineup. JaVale McGee should make his debut on Monday and with four games, Ty Lawson, Afflalo, Gallinari, a red-hot Kenneth Faried, and McGee should all be in starting lineups. Andre Miller, Al Harrington (who played through a sore knee on Saturday) and Chandler are also worth consideration in deeper leagues.
Detroit – 3-4-4-4-4-2 – The three games are a buzzkill for those of us in leagues where the playoffs start, but Greg Monroe is still nearly a must-start player. Rodney Stuckey cooled off on Sunday with just seven points on 1-of-8 shooting, but should be a safe play going forward, while Tayshaun Prince stayed hot with 20 points against the Clippers. Brandon Knight struggled on Sunday and isn’t a great option in a three-game week, while Jonas Jerebko and Jason Maxiell have become too unpredictable to be trusted.
Golden State – 5-4-4-4-5-2 – I dropped Stephen Curry on Sunday night to pick up George Hill, and didn’t feel too bad about it. I think Curry is going to be shut down for the year now that the tank is on. Nate Robinson, Klay Thompson, Dorell Wright and David Lee are all must-starts with five games, while Brandon Rush and Richard Jefferson should be decent options. And with that schedule, all of these guys should be owned in head-to-head leagues.
Houston – 3-4-3-4-5-1 – Goran Dragic and Luis Scola are suddenly the only sure bets in Houston, and I’ve got them on the bench in a weekly league with three games. Courtney Lee backed up a season-high 25 points with just two of them on Sunday, missing all eight of his shots. Kevin Martin’s missed four straight games with a shoulder injury, and his mystery date to return will keep Lee’s owners looking over their shoulders. Chase Budinger and Chandler Parsons have both had their moments of late, but Budinger is playing much better than Parsons, who is coming off a bout with the flu. And finally center Samuel Dalembert is now sharing time with Marcus Camby, hurting both of their fantasy value. As for Kyle Lowry, if you need healthy bodies right now and don’t have room to stash him, you’re simply going to be forced to drop him, as much as it might hurt. The last two transactions in my main league were: Drop Stephen Curry for George Hill & and Drop Kyle Lowry for Richard Jefferson. Funny (and sad), huh?
Indiana – 4-5-4-4-4-2 – The Pacers have a golden schedule the rest of the way so Danny Granger, Paul George, David West (who is struggling) and Roy Hibbert should all be rock solid, while Darren Collison and George Hill should be owned in all leagues. Tyler Hansbrough and Leandro Barbosa are also worth a look in many leagues. I have no idea if Mike Wells can predict the future, so whether or not Hill takes over the starting point guard duties for Collison happens or not, they should both be owned. I recently cut Stephen Curry for Hill, and wouldn’t mind see him taking Collison’s job at some point. Barbosa is expected to make his Pacers’ debut on Tuesday.
Clippers – 4-4-4-4-4-2 – Nick Young came off the bench and hit just 1-of-6 shots for nine points on Sunday, but also played 29 minutes. You have to think he replaces Randy Foye as the starting shooting guard soon. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are your sure bets with a great schedule, while slumpers Caron Butler and DeAndre Jordan are worth a look in many leagues. Mo Williams hit just 2-of-10 shots on Sunday and is probably ticked off at the arrival of Young, making Mo-Will a roll of the dice from here on out.
Lakers – 4-4-4-4-4-1 – The Lakers have a great schedule so Kobe Bryant (3-of-20 on Sunday), Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum remain must-starts, while Ramon Sessions has played fairly well in his two games for the Lakers. He came off the bench again on Sunday, but easily outplayed Steve Blake, and should take the starting gig soon. I’d continue to ignore Metta World Peace, but keep an eye on Matt Barnes, who played well on Sunday.
Memphis – 4-3-5-5-4-2 – That three-game week is going to be a hassle, but the back-to-back five-gamers are gold, Jerry! Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol are auto-starts with four games, while O.J. Mayo and Tony Allen are worth a look – especially during those five-game weeks. Randolph still hasn’t started, but has looked good in his two games, and should render Marreese Speights useless going forward.
Miami – 3-4-4-4-5-2 – I own Wade across the board and am not thrilled with his three-game week, especially in my 30-team league, where I moved on to the Final 4 this week. But he’s still D-Wade and has to be started, along with LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Mario Chalmers is serviceable in four-game weeks, while James Jones and Shane Battier are worth a look in deep leagues with Mike Miller hurting.
Milwaukee – 4-4-4-4-3-3 – The Bucks have a nice remaining schedule so keep Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis, Carlos Delfino, Ersan Ilyasova and Drew Gooden in most lineups. And keep an eye on Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who blew up for 22 points and 17 rebounds on Friday, when Ilyasova was out with the flu. Mike Dunleavy is still red-hot off the bench and should be owned in most leagues. Ekpe Udoh is going to play behind sizzling Gooden, and I’m not interested in owning him any longer.
Minnesota – 4-4-3-4-4-1 – Jose Juan Barea and Kevin Love got into it on the bench on Sunday, but cooler heads prevailed after the game. Luke Ridnour, Love and Nikola Pekovic, who missed Sunday with a sore knee, should all be owned and in starting lineups going forward. Pekovic’s injury doesn’t appear to be serious, and I plan on starting him this week, praying that he’ll play on Monday night. Derrick Williams played well with 16 points and nine boards off the bench, but has been very inconsistent recently, and Michael Beasley returned from a toe injury with 13 points and seven rebounds, also off the bench. Williams and Beasley are probably worth owning, but I’d weigh options carefully before starting either of them.
New Jersey – 4-4-4-3-3-2 – Deron Williams returned from his calf injury on Saturday and had 20 points and 12 assists, so the shutdown isn’t a major threat of happening just yet. Jordan Farmar is due back from a groin injury on Monday, but isn’t an exciting option now that Williams is back. MarShon Brooks continues to start at shooting guard, but has been struggling, and isn’t helped by the arrival of Gerald Wallace, who had 11 points in 37 minutes on Saturday. Starting center Shelden Williams suffered a shoulder stinger on Saturday, but played through it. The bottom line in Jersey is that Deron Williams, Wallace and Kris Humphries are must-start players, while Gerald Green, Brooks, Anthony Morrow (20 points on Saturday) and Shelden Williams are all worth a watchful eye. Green was signed for the rest of the season on Sunday and is somehow averaging 19 points and 1.6 3-pointers over his last five games. I don’t trust him, but picking him up and throwing him out there could help you win this week. Morrow is playing well again, hitting double figures in four of his last five, but he’s hard to trust coming off the bench and with Green coming on and Farmar returning.
New Orleans – 3-5-3-4-4-2 – The three-game week isn’t great, but Jarrett Jack, Trevor Ariza and Chris Kaman are all worth a look as starters. Marco Belinelli, Greivis Vasquez and Gustavo Ayon will be popular pick-and-plays for the following five-game week, while Emeka Okafor remains without a target return date from his mysterious knee injury (I am guessing he’s done). As for Eric Gordon, I am not sure whether or not we’ll see him again this season, and am not holding him in any of my leagues, either.
New York – 4-4-3-4-4-2 – Guess what? Jeremy Lin is still an effective point guard, going for 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists, a steal and a block on Saturday, as the Knicks improved to 3-0 under Mike Woodson. Baron Davis is hoping to return from his hamstring injury on Tuesday, but is only worth a look in deeper leagues, if at all. Lin, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler are your must-starts, while J.R. Smith, Landry Fields, Iman Shumpert and Steve Novak are your fringe fantasy players.
Oklahoma City – 4-3-4-4-4-2 – There’s not much to say about the Thunder, as Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka can be started blindly in fantasy leagues. However, Harden jammed a finger on Sunday, but played through it, hitting just 1-of-7 shots. He appears to be OK, and I am going to run him out there this week unless we get bad news on Monday.
Orlando – 3-4-3-4-4-2 – Jameer Nelson is suddenly hot for the Magic, but is a little iffy to start with just three games this week. Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, Ryan Anderson and Dwight Howard are your other usual suspects, but only Howard, and maybe Anderson, are must-starts with three games. Anderson was suspiciously quiet on Sunday with five points on 2-of-6 shooting, Turkoglu was just 1-of-5 for two points, and Howard failed to block a shot in a loss to the Heat. I expect all of them to bounce back, but just weigh options carefully if games played matter. J.J. Redick is worth a look, but isn’t a great option now that J-Rich is back. Nelson was poked in the eye on Sunday, but played through it and should be fine.
Philadelphia – 4-3-4-3-4-3 – The schedule isn’t great, but with four games this week, Jrue Holiday (30 points on Saturday), Evan Turner, Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand, Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young should all be in starting lineups. Spencer Hawes is back from his Achilles injury, but is seeing limited run. He’s not allowed to play in back-to-backs, but the Sixers don’t have one this week. Nikola Vucevic isn’t a great center option, and there’s a chance Hawes could play in all four games for the Sixers, starting on Monday.
Phoenix – 4-3-4-4-4-2 – The Suns are coming off a five-game week when Jared Dudley and Channing Frye went off, but Dudley crashed to earth with just four points on 1-of-4 shooting as Michael Redd caught fire off the bench. Redd hit 10-of-13 shots and three 3-pointers, but I’m not taking the bait. Dudley should bounce back, while Steve Nash, Frye and Marcin Gortat are also must-starts, with Grant Hill looking like a solid play for the Suns. They do go back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday, but my guess is that Hill, who had 10 points, five boards and seven assists on Sunday, plays in both.
Portland – 4-4-4-4-3-2 – Nicolas Batum disappeared on Sunday with six points, six rebounds and nothing else, but also played 40 minutes in a loss to the Thunder. I’m starting him over Carmelo Anthony in the playoffs in one league this week, and am hoping he bounces back. Raymond Felton, Wesley Matthews, Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge are all must-starts until further notice, while Jamal Crawford should be solid after going for 23 points and three 3-pointers on Sunday. Joel Przybilla had six points, 11 boards and two blocks in another start, and should at least be on fantasy radar going forward.
Sacramento – 3-4-5-4-3 – Isaiah Thomas bounced back in a big way this week and is averaging 17 points. 2.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, a steal and 2.5 3-pointers over his last four games. None of the Kings are must-starts with three games this week, but Thomas, Marcus Thornton and DeMarcus Couins will be must-starts once this one’s over. Tyreke Evans missed another game with an ankle injury (which has helped Thomas), leaving him iffy for Tuesday. I’d play it safe and bench him in weekly leagues. Jason Thompson is suddenly hot for the Kings, averaging 18 points, 13 boards and a steal over his last three games, and he could be a difference maker in the playoffs.
San Antonio – 4-3-4-4-5-3 – Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan are going to be risky starts for much of the rest of the season, as the Spurs play back-to-backs in 18 of their remaining 23 games. This week they go on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and then play on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. With four games, Parker, Duncan and Manu are all worth a close look, but it’s very possible that Gregg Popovich sits them all down for one game this week. Stephen Jackson (33 years old) is back in action and had five points in 17 minutes on Saturday, and should limit Kawhi Leonard’s fantasy appeal on most nights, but could also see some surprise DNPs. Start all Spurs at your own risk going forward, including DeJuan Blair and Tiago Splitter, who will share minutes at center.
Toronto – 4-4-4-4-3-2 – Jose Calderon is due back on Tuesday from an ankle injury, which could slow the roll of Jerryd Bayless, who is hot. I’d plan on starting Calderon, Bayless, DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani this week, while Amir Johnson and James Johnson are worth a look in most leagues. Linas Kleiza and Ed Davis also deserve a watchful eye going forward. Watch for an update on Calderon on Monday before locking him in.
Utah – 4-4-4-4-3-2 – Al Jefferson missed a couple games due to a funeral, but should be back this week, meaning Derrick Favors strong play will be rewarded with a return to the bench. Gordon Hayward disappeared on Sunday, with Alec Burks getting some of his minutes, but he is still a worthy fantasy consideration, while Devin Harris (12 & 9 Sunday), Paul Millsap and Jefferson are must-starts. Other guys to consider in addition to Hayward are Josh Howard and C.J. Miles, both worth a look depending on your league.
Washington – 4-4-4-4-3-3 – John Wall, Jordan Crawford and Trevor Booker are all must-starts, while Nene is expected to debut on Wednesday against the Nets. The Wizards go back-to-back on Wednesday and Thursday, and then again on Monday & Tuesday, and Thursday & Friday, so I’m not thrilled with the idea of putting Nene into lineups. Kevin Seraphin has been playing well at center, but the debut of Nene should at least mean a timeshare for the duo.