Week 7 Start 'Em and Sit 'Em
Start 'Em & Sit 'Em is our weekly look at the best and worst matchups from around the NBA and how they might affect lineup decisions for your Fantasy Basketball team. We are not in the business of stating the obvious, so you won't be reading here why you need to start LeBron James or why you need to sit Brian Scalabrine. We want to give you some help with some of the tough lineup decisions.
With Tracy McGrady out of the lineup, it was suggested in our weekly Waiver Wire column that Fantasy owners should flock to Luther Head and Aaron Brooks as they'd see a big increase in minutes. Rafer Alston was not mentioned, considering he is owned in most CBSSports.com leagues.
The former Fresno State Bulldog and And1 street baller has seen the biggest Fantasy boost so far, but he is still only active in 49 percent of leagues. This is where we try to sell you on Alston by calling him our Start of the Week for the upcoming scoring period.
McGrady, who will be out for at least the next couple of scoring periods, has been out since Nov. 26. Alston has averaged 15.2 points, 5.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds over those five games. He has made at least two three pointers in four straight contests and has at least one trey in eight straight. He is averaging 10.3 shot attempts in the four games as the team looks to him to fill some of the scoring role in the back court.
This week, the Rockets will play a four-game schedule that features matchups against a Grizzlies team that gives up 99.8 points per game, a Hawks team that allows 97.1 points, a Warriors team that allows 112.0 points and a Clippers team that gives up 99.5 points. Clearly, the matchup against the Warriors alone should have Fantasy owners licking their chops.
Alston had 18 points, three assists, two rebounds, four steals and even a block Friday against the Warriors in game in which the Rockets scored 131 points. He scored 21 points with eight rebounds and seven assists this past Wednesday against the Clippers. Fantasy owners would love a repeat of those performances this week.
Guards
Start 'Em
Delonte West, Cavaliers (Dec. 9 vs. TOR; Dec. 10 @PHI; Dec. 12 vs. PHI; Dec. 13 @ATL): West will play an Atlanta team he scored 19 points on with five assists and two rebounds on Nov. 22. He has not played Philadelphia or Toronto this season, but has been scoring in double figures more often than not of late with around three assists and three rebounds per game. The Cavaliers will continue to give him around 10 shots per game, making him useful in situations like this where he faces a favorable four-game week.
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| Jameer Nelson has returned to the Orlando lineup and hasn't missed a beat. (Getty Images) |
Jameer Nelson, Magic (Dec. 8 @LAC; Dec. 9 @POR; Dec. 12 @PHO; Dec. 13 @UTA): Nelson is back from a five-game absence and did not seem to have any rust Friday when he scored 15 points with seven assists against the Thunder. Prior to the game in which he got hurt, he had scored 20-plus points in four of five contests and was playing his best, most consistent basketball of the season (if not his entire career). Get him back active for this four-game week.
Ownership: 82 percent Starting: 43 percent
Sleeper Alert: Derek Fisher, Lakers (Dec. 9 @SAC; Dec. 10 vs. PHO; Dec. 12 vs. SAC; Dec. 14): The Lakers have four games this week, including two very favorable matchups against a Kings team that gives up 105.7 points per game. Fisher had 10 points and five assists, but shot just 3-for-10 in that game. He could put up better numbers than that this week in the two games if his shot falls better than it did on Nov. 23.
Ownership: 33 percent Starting: 16 percent
Sit 'Em
Rajon Rondo, Celtics (Dec. 11 @WAS; Dec. 12 vs. NO): The Rondo bandwagon keeps adding passengers by the game and with good reason. He is contributing healthy scoring, rebounding and assist totals, but even the 11-10-7 line he has averaged over his last five games caps his production at around 75 points in standard head-to-head leagues. If you have a four-gamer who can guarantee you 75-plus points this week, go that route. One bad game and Rondo leaves you hanging this week. Playing against Chris Paul could mean a bad game.
Ownership: 98 percent Starting: 65 percent
Ramon Sessions, Bucks (Dec. 9 @PHO; Dec. 10 @GS; Dec. 13 vs. IND): As anticipated, the return of Michael Redd has severely cut into his playing time. He has scored a combined five points over his last two games and played just six minutes in his last game. Despite averaging 14.3 points and 5.8 assists to this point, he is headed back to a reduced role.
Ownership: 98 percent Starting: 65 percent
Bust Alert: Chauncey Billups, Nuggets (Dec. 10 vs. MIN; Dec. 13 vs. GS): The Nuggets play just two games this week, which makes Billups a bit of a risk in most cumulative-scoring leagues. He had just 12 points, four assists and two rebounds on Dec. 4 against the Spurs. While that was between four 20-point games, it goes to show that he can have a poor game just like anyone else and one poor game like that would just about seal his fate this week in Fantasy.
Ownership: 100 percent Starting: 70 percent
Forwards
Start 'Em
Jermaine O'Neal, Raptors (Dec. 9 @CLE; Dec. 10 vs. IND; Dec. 12 @NJ; Dec. 14 vs. NO): O'Neal is back from his ankle injury and has scored at least 10 points in two games despite playing limited minutes. The minutes should increase as he gets healthier and back into shape this week and a matchup against his former team should have him fired up for a big performance. The Nets also give up a ton of points per game, which should help.
Ownership: 95 percent Starting: 59 percent
Jeff Green, Thunder (Dec. 8 vs. GS; Dec. 10 vs. MEM; Dec. 13 @DAL; Dec.14 @SA): Since the team's coaching change, Green has been moved to power forward and has been playing well there. It also gives him a chance for more rebounds. He has four games this week including a very appetizing matchup against the Warriors. He is a great start this week in any format.
Ownership: 86 percent Starting: 54 percent
Sleeper Alert: Luis Scola, Rockets (Dec. 8 @MEM; Dec. 9 vs. ATL; Dec. 12 @GS; Dec. 13 @LAC): Scola will have four games in Week 7, including everyone's favorite Fantasy-matchup team in the Warriors as well as a favorable matchup against the Clippers. He should be able to pick up a double-double or two during the week and is a good start in average-based or cumulative scoring leagues.
Ownership: 69 percent Starting: 32 percent
Sit 'Em
Michael Beasley, Heat (Dec. 8 vs. CHA; Dec. 12 vs. ATL; Dec. 14 @MEM): Beasley has hit the proverbial rookie wall, averaging just 12.2 points and 4.4 rebounds over his last five games. Add to that the fact the Heat play just three games in Week 7 and you've got a case to sit Beasley wherever possible. There are better days ahead for him, but tough games against stingy teams like Atlanta and Charlotte mean those days will likely not come this week.
Ownership: 96 percent Starting: 50 percent
Kevin Love, Timberwolves (Dec. 9 vs. UTA; Dec. 10 @DEN; Dec. 12 vs. SA; Dec. 14 @LAL): Love is coming off a double-double in which he had 13 points and 15 rebounds Saturday against the Clippers. He has double-doubles in three of his last five games despite being in and out of the starting lineup (he did not start Friday night). In his previous game against the Spurs this season, he had 14 points and nine rebounds with three blocks.
Ownership: 71 percent Starting: 30 percent
Peja Stojakovic, Hornets (Dec. 10 vs. CHA; Dec. 12 @BOS; Dec. 14 @TOR): Peja is a streaky player who is on a hot streak at the moment, but he will face three tough defensive matchups in the upcoming scoring period that could lead to him hitting a bit of a snag. Charlotte, Boston and Toronto defend the perimeter well, which is where Stojakovic butters his bread. In cumulative leagues, go with a similar option who has four games instead of three.
Ownership: 79 percent Starting: 34 percent
Bust Alert: Kevin Garnett, Celtics (Dec. 11 @WAS; Dec. 12 vs. NO): Fantasy owners should know by now that the Boston version of The Big Ticket just is not the same Fantasy beast that he was in his days with the Minnesota Timberwolves. His 16-9-2 line makes him more of a No. 2 forward these days, but consider reserving him in cumulative scoring leagues due to the two-game schedule.
Ownership: 100 percent Starting: 83 percent
Centers
Start 'Em
Marc Gasol, Grizzlies (Dec. 8 vs. HOU; Dec. 10 @OKC; Dec. 12 vs. CHI; Dec. 14 vs. MIA): Gasol is coming off a 21-point, seven-rebound effort at the Hornets on Friday and has some favorable matchups during his upcoming four-game week. He had 12 points and 12 rebounds against the Rockets in his first ever NBA game and also had 16 points and six rebounds on Nov. 29 against the Thunder. View him as a solid No. 2 center this week.
Ownership: 83 percent Starting: 42 percent
Sleeper Alert: Andrea Bargnani, Raptors (Dec. 9 @CLE; Dec. 10 vs.IND; Dec. 12 @NJ; Dec. 14 vs. NO; Dec. 15 vs. NJ): Bargnani has hit a little bit of a snag after getting off to a great start when he was moved to the starting small forward spot for the Raptors. The Raptors have a four-game week, though, including a pair of matchups against a Nets team he lit up for 29 points and 10 rebounds on Nov. 21. He made five three-pointers in that game. In leagues where Bargnani is eligible at center, he's a great start as a No. 2 center this week if you can look past his recent funk.
Ownership: 82 percent Starting: 52 percent
Sit 'Em
Nene, Nuggets (Dec. 10 vs. MIN; Dec. 13 vs. GS): Nene has been a nice surprise for Fantasy owners this season, but he's going to be a tough start this week due to the two-game schedule Denver faces. The matchups are favorable, meaning he could wind up with somewhere around the 15 points and eight rebounds over the two games. That makes him a good start in average-based leagues, but the majority of leagues on CBSSports.com are cumulative-based and 30 points with around 16 rebounds can be replaced by even a mediocre four-start center with a chance for better production (like an Andrea Bargnani, see above).
Ownership: 96 percent Starting: 46 percent
Kendrick Perkins, Celtics (Dec. 11 @WAS; Dec. 12 vs. NO): Hopefully, Fantasy owners have noticed that Perkins has picked up his production significantly of late. In fact, he is probably playing his steadiest, most impressive basketball of his brief NBA career, averaging 11.8 points and 10.8 rebounds over his last five games. While he is certainly a center we recommend adding off the waiver wire if he's available and while we have been recommending him as a solid No. 2 center, this is not the week to activate him -- especially in cumulative-scoring leagues due to the two game schedule. Keep him stashed and hope he does not completely fizzle out.
Ownership: 62 percent Starting: 29 percent
Bust Alert: Brad Miller, Kings (Dec. 9 vs. LAL; Dec. 12 @ LAL; Dec. 13 vs. NY): Sure, the matchup against the Knicks bodes well for a big game for anyone on the Kings roster. However, the two matchups against a Lakers team with a strong front court duo in Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum negate that. Miller was held to six points and six rebounds in his only matchup against the Lakers this season on Nov. 23.
Ownership: 97 percent Starting: 57 percent
Do you have a lineup question for our staff? You can e-mail us at DMFantasyHoops@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: Start /Sit in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state.
