What's on the Schedule: Week 14

Fantasy Writer

March 26, 2012 11:06 AM ET

The playoffs have arrived in several leagues, making Fantasy Week 14 (March 26-April 1) the most important scoring period of the season.

There are 58 games scheduled over the next seven days as the NBA season enters its final month and things are a bit more balanced than last week. Only two teams are slated to play five games and there are 26 sets of back-to-backs. However, there are no back-to-back-to-backs scheduled this week, which hasn't happened much this year.

Follow us, Like us, Join us
Want more? Join the discussion on our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter for additional insight while interacting with a community geared toward Fantasy Hoops.

The team we have chosen to highlight is the Lakers, who are slated to play four times during Week 14. Los Angeles will play three of its games at home with its lone road contest coming on Tuesday night at Golden State. The Lakers will then face the Thunder and Hornets at home on Thursday and Saturday, respectively, before wrapping up the scoring period against the Warriors on Sunday.

The Lakers have been much more efficient on the offensive side of the ball since acquiring Ramon Sessions at the trade deadline and now look to have some favorable matchups on the docket this week. Kobe Bryant and Co. have scored more than 100 points in each of their two matchups against Oklahoma City and New Orleans this year and now will face each of those teams at the Staples Center, where the Lakers are averaging nearly 98 points per contest. Los Angeles' other two matchups are against the Warriors, who are one of five teams surrendering more than 100 points per game on the season. While nothing is certain, it appears Los Angeles should be able to continue its improved scoring this week, making most of its Fantasy options viable plays for the upcoming period. Besides must-start options Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, owners should make sure to get Sessions active for the scoring period. Even Metta World Peace, Steve Blake and Matt Barnes could be worth using in deeper formats.

Pacific: Los Angeles Clippers (NO, PHO, POR, UTA): After enduring a brutal three-game road trip, the Clippers will be back home during Week 14. All four of Los Angeles' games will be played at the Staples Center, starting on Monday night against the Hornets. Steve Nash and the Suns will be in town on Wednesday before the Trail Blazers and Jazz close out the week on Friday and Saturday night, respectively. While the Clippers' recent offensive struggles have been well-documented, maybe some home cooking is what the team needed to get back on track. Chris Paul and Co. were finally able to break their 100-point drought last week against the Grizzlies and will face some suspect defenses over the next few days. Despite beating the Clippers in their lone meeting of the season, New Orleans has had its fair share of issues on defense this year. The Trail Blazers have allowed an average of 102.4 points per game over their last five contests, while the Jazz continue to rank near the bottom of the league in both points allowed (98.3) and opposition field-goal percentage (45.7). The only team that could give the Clippers some trouble is the Suns. Phoenix has held the Clippers to an average of 82.5 points in their two meetings this season. However, that shouldn't be enough to sway Fantasy owners from using the majority of Los Angeles' Fantasy options. Obviously, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul should always be active, but Nick Young, DeAndre Jordan, Caron Butler and Mo Williams -- if healthy -- can all be considered viable plays.

Pacific Division schedule
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Warriors		LAL	NO		NJ		@LAL
Clippers	NO		PHO		POR	UTA
Lakers		@GS		OKC	NO	GS
Suns		SA	@LAC				NO
Kings	@HOU		SA		@UTA	NJ

Northwest: Denver Nuggets (@CHI, @TOR, @CHA, @ORL): The Nuggets are slated to play four times during Week 14, although all of their contests will be on the road. Denver will start the week in Chicago to take on the Bulls on Monday night before heading to Toronto on Wednesday night. After a day off, the Nuggets will face the Bobcats on Friday night before wrapping up the scoring period against the Magic on Sunday. While coach George Karl's squad has struggled to collect wins of late, they certainly have not had a hard time scoring points. Denver enters the scoring period as the highest-scoring road team in the league, averaging 105.6 points per game. However, the Nuggets do have some tough matchups this week, especially against the Bulls and Magic, as both teams rank in the top 10 in points allowed and opposition field-goal percentage. Still, Denver should be able to make up for that against the defensively challenged Bobcats and Raptors, so owners should feel free to roll with the majority of its Fantasy options. In addition to Ty Lawson and JaVale McGee, make sure to get Al Harrington, Arron Afflalo, Wilson Chandler and Kenneth Faried active this week. Andre Miller and Corey Brewer should only be used in deeper formats.

Northwest Division schedule
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Nuggets	@CHI		@TOR		@CLE		@ORL
T'Wolves		@MEM	@CHA		BOS		@POR
Thunder		@POR		@LAL			CHI
Trail Blazers		OKC		NO	@LAC		MIN
Jazz	@NJ		@BOS		SAC	@LAC

Southwest: Dallas Mavericks (HOU, @MIA, @ORL): The Mavericks are one of six teams slated to play just three games in Week 14. The Mavericks will open the week at home against the Rockets on Tuesday night before playing the next two games on the road. Dallas will be in Miami to take on the Heat on Thursday night and in Orlando to face the Magic on Friday. With only three games on the schedule, Fantasy owners won't have much room for error this week. One bad performance can really put most teams in a serious hole, which makes most of Dallas' Fantasy options risky plays for the upcoming scoring period. With the defensive prowess shown by Miami and Orlando this season, Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry are the only two players we would recommend starting. The rest of the Mavericks' spotty production just leaves too many question marks heading into the upcoming scoring period.

Southwest Division schedule
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Mavericks		HOU		@MIA	@ORL
Rockets	SAC	@DAL			MEM		IND
Hornets	@LAC		@GS	@POR		@LAL	@PHO
Grizzlies		MIN			@HOU	@MIL
Spurs		@PHO	@SAC			IND

Atlantic: New Jersey Nets (UTA, IND, @GS,@SAC): The Nets are slated to play four times during Week 14, with two of those contests coming on the road. New Jersey will be at home in the beginning of the scoring period as they host the Jazz on Monday night and the Pacers on Wednesday. After a day off, New Jersey will head out to the West Coast to take on the Warriors Friday night in Oakland before closing out the week against the Kings on Saturday night. While New Jersey ranks near the bottom of the league in points scored this season (92.7), the Nets look to have some favorable matchups on the schedule. Utah, Golden State and Sacramento all rank in the bottom tier in points allowed this season and the Warriors and Kings are two of the teams surrendering more than 100 points per game on the season. The only club that will present a defensive challenge is the Pacers, although New Jersey is averaging 94 points in its three meetings against them this season. Besides must-start options Deron Williams and Kris Humphries, make sure to get Gerald Wallace and MarShon Brooks active in the majority of formats as well. Even Anthony Morrow and Gerald Green can be considered viable plays in deeper formats this week.

Atlantic Division schedule
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Celtics	@CHA		UTA		@MIN		MIA
Nets	UTA		IND		@GS	@SAC
Knicks	MIL		ORL		@ATL	CLE
76ers		CLE			@WAS	ATL
Raptors	ORL		DEN		MIA		WAS

Central: Indiana Pacers (MIA, @NJ, WAS, @SA, @HOU): The Pacers are one of two teams slated to play five times during Week 14 with three of those contests coming on the road. Indiana will welcome the Heat to town on Monday night before facing the Nets on Wednesday in New Jersey. The Pacers then host the Wizards on Thursday before heading out to Texas to take on the Spurs and Rockets on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. While the Pacers have been a bit inconsistent on offense lately, Indiana does look to have some favorable matchups on the docket. The Nets and Wizards rank near the bottom of the league in points allowed and opposition field-goal percentage, while the Spurs and Rockets are each allowing their opponents to make more than 45 percent of its shots. The only team that looks to be a concern is the Heat, which have held the Pacers to an average of 88 points per game this season. With five games crammed into a seven-game stretch, fatigue and depth will likely play a major factor this week. That means some of Indiana's mid-range and even lower-end options could see extended minutes. In addition to must-starts Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert, make sure George Hill, David West and Darren Collison are all active this week. Tyler Hansbrough, George Hill and Leandro Barbosa also deserve some run in deeper leagues.

Central Division schedule
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Bulls	DEN		@ATL		DET		@OKC
Cavaliers		@PHI	DET		MIL	@NY
Pistons	@WAS		@CLE		@CHI	CHA
Pacers	MIA		@NJ	WAS		@SA	@HOU
Bucks	@NY	ATL			@CLE	MEM

Southeast: Orlando Magic (@TOR, @NY, DAL, DEN): The Magic are scheduled to play four times during Week 14, with two of those contests coming at home. Orlando will be on the road in the early part of the week, starting Monday night in Toronto. The Magic will then be in New York on Wednesday night before returning home to face the Mavericks on Friday. Dwight Howard and crew will then wrap up the week by welcoming the Nuggets to town on Sunday. While the Magic should have no problems putting up points against the defensively challenged Raptors and Nuggets, the Mavericks and Knicks could prove to be tougher. Despite Dallas' inconsistent play this season, the Mavericks still rank in the top 10 in points allowed and opposition field-goal percentage. Meanwhile, the Knicks have looked very strong under new coach Mike Woodson and are surrendering just 87 points per game since he took over. However, in lieu of some tough matchups, most of Orlando's main Fantasy options can still be considered viable plays this week. Obviously, Dwight Howard is always going to remain active, but owners should make sure to get Ryan Anderson, Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson and Jason Richardson active in most formats as well. J.J. Redick and Glen Davis remain riskier plays, so leave them on the bench unless you are in a deeper league.

Southeast Division schedule
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Hawks		@MIL	CHI		NY	@PHI
Bobcats	BOS		MIN		DEN	@DET
Heat	@IND			DAL	@TOR		@BOS
Magic	@TOR		@NY		@DAL
DEN
Wizards	DET			@IND	PHI		@TOR

Parker disappears in second half
Tony Parker, PG, SA
6/14/2013

News: Spurs point guard Tony Parker as able to play through a Grade 1 hamstring strain in Game 4 for the NBA Finals Thursday. Parker made a trip to the locker and was held scoreless in the second half. He finished with 15 points, nine assists and four rebounds in a 109-93 loss. "[My hamstring] was kind of weak," he said. "I didn't know what to expect. So the first three, four minutes, I was testing it. And the first half, it felt OK. And the second half I think I got fatigued a little bit. But overall, I'm just happy I didn't make it worse. That was the goal, to not try to get hurt because Pop was not really happy, meaning I wanted to play and took a little risk. So I'm happy I'm not worse."

Analysis: Parker was obviously not at full strength during the second half and Miami took advantage of his inability to score. Still, Parker will receive two days of rest before Game 5, so we expect him to be ready to go. Parker missed 17 games in the regular season due to injury, which was the most since his 2009-10 campaign. He averaged 20.3 points on 52.2 percent shooting, along with 7.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds this season. Consider grabbing him in the first few rounds on Draft Day next season.

Kidd calls it quits
Jason Kidd, PG, NY
6/3/2013

News: The Knicks announced Monday that guard Jason Kidd will retire. Kidd, 40, spent 2012-13 with the Knicks in a reduced role and averaged 6.0 points, 3.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds while making 114 3-pointers. For his 19-year career, Kidd averaged 12.6 points, 8.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds. He should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer as one of the best point guards in NBA history.

Analysis: Kidd was an elite Fantasy option for the majority of his career and should go down as one of the best point guards of all time. He is no longer worth drafting in any Fantasy leagues.

Hill decides to retire
Grant Hill, SF, LAC
6/3/2013

News: USA Today reports that Grant Hill has decided to retire. The 18-year veteran and seven-time All-Star, who played for the Clippers this past season, announced his retirement Saturday on TNT moments before the start of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Heat and Pacers. Hill, 40, hinted at retirement this season but didn't come to his decision until earlier in the week. "The last four or five years I would take about a month (after the season to decide to continue) and within a month, if I still wanted to do it, I would. Putting it simply, after a month, I just realized I didn't want to play anymore," Hill said. "There's a lot of reasons for that, but you know when you know. It just felt right. I'm excited and looking forward to moving on and doing other things. I worked hard. I put a lot into it, and I enjoyed every minute of it. But now is the time to move on. I feel great physically. It's important to go out feeling good, particularly considering all the setbacks I had health-wise throughout my career."

Analysis: A gifted all-around player – he could score, pass and rebound – Hill seemed destined for a Hall of Fame career before ankle injuries derailed him. For his career, he averaged 16.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals. He was once a great Fantasy option, but now that he's retired he should no longer be owned in any leagues.

Knicks hoping old Chandler can learn new tricks
Tyson Chandler, C, NY
5/29/2013

News: Knicks center Tyson Chandler has made his reputation in the NBA on being a stout defensive presence, but that did not prove to be enough as the Knicks were handled fairly easily by Pacers' big man Roy Hibbert in a playoff series loss. As a result, Chandler is hoping to expand his offensive game this offseason, with the hopes of becoming a bigger part of the team's plans. “I definitely want to be a more involved, more consistent on the offensive end,” Chandler told NBA.com. “I would like for us to develop some consistency with the offensive game plan. Right now we are a jump shooting team and I would like us to have a more free flowing offense that we all can be comfortable with and we’ll go from there.” Head coach Mike Woodson plans to work with Chandler on developing his offensive game as a go-to option on the block, as well.

Analysis: Chandler averaged a double-double this season, but managed 10.4 points per game on just 6.1 field-goal attempts per game. He can post gaudy rebound totals and contributes in blocks, but a more well-rounded offensive game would certainly be a boon to his Fantasy value at such a shallow position. Chandler turns 31 before the season begins, so it is fair to wonder how much room there is for him to grow. Fantasy owners should not expect a big increase in Chandler's offensive production when they target him on Draft Day, but it would be a nice bonus. He remains an early-middle round Fantasy option at this point.

Vasquez goes under the knife
Greivis Vasquez, PG, NO
5/29/2013

News: Hornets guard Greivis Vasquez had surgery to remove bone spurs from his right ankle last week, and tweeted from his personal account that he will likely need 12 to 16 weeks to recover fully from the procedure. That will likely put his return to the court between August and September, giving him plenty of time to be fully healed for training camp.

Analysis: Hopefully Vasquez does not suffer from any lingering effects heading into the season, as he was a true breakout Fantasy option last season. The 26-year-old not only posted career highs in almost every major offensive category, but also established himself as a high-end Fantasy option. Vasquez averaged 13.9 points, 9.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game on 43 percent shooting. He finished as the 11th highest scoring Fantasy guard in standard formats last season. Fantasy owners should plan on targeting Vasquez in the middle rounds of all formats on Draft Day next fall.

Matthews undergoes surgical procedure
Wesley Matthews, SG, POR
5/29/2013

News: Blazers guard Wesley Matthews underwent an athroscopic debridement of his left elbow Wednesday, a procedure that is expected to require three to four weeks of recovery time. He is expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp.

Analysis: Matthews averaged 14.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, a career high, in 2012-13 with the Blazers. He missed 13 games due to a variety of injuries, mostly related to his ankle. Matthews is a solid scorer and three-point shooter, but he doesn't bring a ton to the table otherwise, which limits his Fantasy value. Fantasy owners should plan on targeting Matthews in the later rounds in most draft formats next fall, assuming he does not have any setbacks with his elbow.

Jefferson opts in for one more
Richard Jefferson, SF, GS
5/29/2013

News: It comes as little surprise, but Warriors forward Richard Jefferson opted into the final year of his player option Wednesday. He will make $11 million for 2013-14, despite appearing in just 56 games last season, averaging 3.1 points per game.

Analysis: Jefferson's days are clearly behind him, but the Warriors are saddled with a big contract they have no use for. He will likely play a similarly limited role in the upcoming season, and can be safely ignored in all Fantasy formats on Draft Day.

Chalmers back in action vs. Pacers
Mario Chalmers, PG, MIA
5/24/2013

News: Heat guard Mario Chalmers, who left Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals with a shoulder injury, returned to action in Game 2 Friday against the Pacers. Chalmers scored six points on 2 of 6 shooting and dished out five assists in a 97-93 defeat.

Analysis: Chalmers seemed shaken up during a few sequences on Friday, but was healthy enough to stay on the floor. We'll continue to keep an eye on his status throughout the postseason. Chalmers shot 40.9 percent from three-point range this season, and that is where his Fantasy value will always come from. This injury is unlikely to linger into the offseason, so it should not change his Fantasy value for next season. He remains useful in deeper Rotisserie Fantasy formats on Draft Day.

Gray to remain in Toronto
Aaron Gray, C, TOR
5/23/2013

News: TSN.ca reported last week that Raptors forward Linas Kleiza and center Aaron Gray picked up their player options for the 2013-14 season. Kleiza's option will pay him $4.6 million, while Gray will make $2.6 million, in the final years of both of their deals.

Analysis: Gray averaged just 2.8 points per game over the course of 42 games, and he saw his role dramatically reduced as the team leaned on younger options. He will likely assume a similar role for Toronto this season, and should be ignored in most Fantasy formats on Draft Day.

Kleiza picks up option
Linas Kleiza, SF, TOR
5/23/2013

Analysis: Kleiza did not play after Dec. 28, thanks in part to lingering issues with his surgically-repaired knee. He averaged just 7.4 points on 33.3 percent shooting in the 20 games he appeared in, and is unlikely to be worth targeting in any Fantasy formats on Draft Day.

More Updates

1	LaMarcus Aldridge, POR, PF
2	David Lee, GS, C
3	Al Horford, ATL, C
4	Dwight Howard, LAL, C
5	Marc Gasol, MEM, C
6	Al Jefferson, UTA, C
7	Greg Monroe, DET, C
8	DeMarcus Cousins, SAC, C
9	Joakim Noah, CHI, C
10	Nikola Vucevic, ORL, C
All Rankings

1	LeBron James, MIA, SF
2	Kevin Durant, OKC, SF
3	Kobe Bryant, LAL, SG
4	David Lee, GS, C
5	Blake Griffin, LAC, PF
6	Carmelo Anthony, NY, SF
7	LaMarcus Aldridge, POR, PF
8	Josh Smith, ATL, SF
9	Paul George, IND, SF
10	Greg Monroe, DET, C
All Rankings

1	Russell Westbrook, OKC, PG
2	Kobe Bryant, LAL, SG
3	James Harden, HOU, SG
4	Stephen Curry, GS, PG
5	Monta Ellis, MIL, PG
6	Jrue Holiday, PHI, PG
7	Chris Paul, LAC, PG
8	Deron Williams, BKN, PG
9	Damian Lillard, POR, PG
10	Kemba Walker, CHA, PG
All Rankings