Hello, Week 15 is here, and it brings us one step closer to the fantasy basketball playoffs.  Now is the time to make a significant trade that vaults you up the standings.  Do not forget to check out the fantastic Advanced Schedule Grid on Hashtag Basketball.  Without further ado, let us roll right into it.

Weekly lock leagues

Tips for the week: The schedule is dominated by high volume teams this week.  The Orlando Magic are the only team that plays just two games.  13 squads play four games this week meaning I would bench every Magic player in this matchup.

Note: 16 teams play three games this week, and your lineup should feature a few of these men.  Hopefully, the majority is four-game guys, but that does not always work out.

Top 10 potential pickups playing four games:  (All ownership percentages based on ESPN leagues and under 40 percent owned was the cut-off for available on the waiver wire)

1. Bogdan Bogdanovic- Sacramento Kings (31.8%)- Bogdanovic is morphing into a steady contributor in points, assists, steals, and rebounds who produces enough 3-pointers not to hurt your squad.
2. Wesley Matthews- Dallas Mavericks (33.8%)- 12.5 points, 2.3 3-pointers, 2.8 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game make Matthews a steady across the board contributor worth owning in any league.
3. Dewayne Dedmon- Atlanta Hawks (24.1%)- Dedmon gives 8.0 rebounds per game with 10.5 points and nearly a block.  Then you add it 1.4 assists, and 0.7 3-pointers and the profile is worth holding in any league.
4. Taurean Prince- Atlanta Hawks (27.5%)- Despite his poor form recently, Prince should be owned in all leagues for his ability to produce in every fantasy category.
5. De’Aaron Fox- Sacramento Kings (38.2%)
6. Kyle Anderson- San Antonio Spurs (16.1%)- Produces well with Kawhi Leonard out. Expect defensive stats including rebounds from Anderson.
7. John Collins- Atlanta Hawks (35.7%)- Needs a few more minutes to vault inside the top 100, but they are likely coming soon enough.
8. Robin Lopez- Chicago Bulls (39.1%)- Averaging nearly 13 points and five rebound per game with over two assists and almost a block.
9. J.J. Barea- Dallas Mavericks (23.6%)- Barea is averaging six assists in 23.0 minutes per game plus 11.8 points and over three rebounds.
10. Milos Teodosic- LA Clippers (14.5%)- Teodosic’s 5.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 2.0 3-pointers, and 9.2 points are valuable, but just do not live up to his on-court look. He needs to give some defensive stats to increase his value.

Daily roster changes

First, a word on the schedule itself: Friday features ten games and is the only day with double-digit games.  Monday and Wednesday both have nine games, though.  I will leave in every day for back-to-back purposes this week.

NOTE: The absolute best schedule this week goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder who play all four games on light schedule days.

Back-to-backs

Monday- Tuesday

Sacramento Kings

De’Aaron Fox (38.2%)- The Kings' recent commitment to youth has opened up more opportunities for Fox. In 2018, Fox is averaging 6.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 13.3 points per game.

Bogdan Bogdanovic (31.8%)- Expect 30 points, seven assists, seven rebounds, three 3-pointers, and two steals over the set.

George Hill (23.4)- Sat out the Kings last game so he could play both games and he has two 20 point games in his previous four.  Keep an eye on Hill especially if he moves before the deadline.

Buddy Hield (17.7%)- Getting more minutes and Hield is one of the most accurate 3-point shooters in the NBA.  Plus, he is averaging nearly a steal per game and 12.3 points.

Skal Labissiere (2.1%)- Figures to start and play around 28 minutes in each game and can produce some monster stats when on the court.

Tuesday-Wednesday

Boston Celtics

Marcus Smart (36.5%)- Smart is bang on ten points per game, but his contributions in steals, rebounds, assists, and blocks make him worth holding in 12 team leagues.

Marcus Morris (15.9%)-  Morris can score with 1.5 3-pointers per game and around five rebounds.

Terry Rozier (13.1%)- Deeper league steals streamer.

San Antonio Spurs

Kyle Anderson (16.1%)- Not a big scorer which makes Anderson underrated.  His 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 5.9 rebounds per game make him valuable.

Danny Green (9.3%)- Green is producing 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game heading into the week meaning stream him if you need a boost in those categories.

Tuesday-Thursday pseudo

Golden State Warriors

Zaza Pachulia (1.5%)- Center eligible with the ability to get 2-3 assists per game could swing a deeper league contest.

David West (1.4%)- Averaging 1.1 blocks per game in just 13.3 minutes a night.

New York Knicks

Courtney Lee (38.0%)- Should be owned in all leagues.

Jarrett Jack (17.6%)- 6.1 assists per game make Jack viable in any league.

Kyle O’Quinn (8.0%)- KOQ is averaging 5.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 block per game for the season.

Frank Ntilikina (2.8%)- The rookie is still a steals streamer despite a rough patch recently.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Andre Roberson (1.1%)- steals and blocks add, but he provides little else.

Jerami Grant (1.0%)- Averaging nearly one block per game.

Sacramento Kings

Listed under Monday-Tuesday

Wednesday-Thursday

Minnesota Timberwolves

Gorgui Dieng (21.2%)- Blocks streamer probably best suited for deeper leagues given the lack of minutes.

Jamal Crawford (4.2%)- Sat on Saturday with a toe injury, but if he returns and Jimmy Butler is out then significant minutes and production could be their for Crawford.

Tyus Jones (1.5%)- 1.2 steals per game in just 18.5 minutes gives him streaming status in a lot of leagues.

Thursday-Friday

New York Knicks

Listed under Tuesday-Thursday pseudo

Thursday-Saturday pseudo

Denver Nuggets

Trey Lyles (28.3%)- double-digit points and six rebounds per game seem safe from Lyles.

Mason Plumlee (10.2%)- 5.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 blocks in just 20.4 minutes a night for Plumlee.

Miami Heat

Kelly Olynyk (28.8%)- The Heat need more production from Olynyk with Dion Waiters out for the season so expect his points, threes, and assists to pick up going forward.

Tyler Johnson (16.5%)- Monitor his status as an ankle injury has him currently on the shelf.

Wayne Ellington (13.1%)- 3.0 3-pointers per game plus 11.2 points and only should play more minutes if Johnson is out.

Bam Adebayo (2.8%)- Assists are healthy for a big man, and the potential for defensive stats is there, but still only stream in deep leagues at the moment.

Washington Wizards

Markieff Morris (25.6%)- I am a believer in the talent, but the minutes are sporadic.  Expect rebounds and points, but you might be disappointed.

Kelly Oubre Jr. (22.8%)- He is on a good scoring run and should provide enough rebounds for a wing.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Listed under Wednesday-Thursday.

Golden State Warriors   

Listed under Tuesday-Thursday pseudo.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Listed under Tuesday-Thursday pseudo.

Friday-Saturday

Brooklyn Nets

Caris LeVert (31.1%)- Steals, assists, rebounds, and points should be enough to earn LeVert a place on your roster.

Allen Crabbe (11.5%)- Crabbe is a point, and 3-pointers made streamer.

Indiana Pacers

Bojan Bogdanovic (21.6%)- Bogdanovic is behind Crabbe for those two categories.

Lance Stephenson (10.7%)- If three assists per game are what you need than Lance is your man.

Cory Joseph (3.8%)- Also averages three dimes, but with a steal per game.

Atlanta Hawks

John Collins (35.7%)-  Collins is producing fantasy relevant stats in just 22.2 minutes per game and as the Hawks slip from the contention that playing time figures only to go upward.

Taurean Prince (27.5%)- Prince has hit a rough patch, but still producing well enough across the board to be owned.

Dewayne Dedmon (24.1%)- Points, rebounds, and blocks addition.

Ersan Ilyasova (19.7%)- The production is inconsistent, but nearly a double-double in points and rebounds with a steal and two 3-pointers is not out of the realm of the possibility.

Marco Belinelli (4.3%)- 11.5 points, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.8 3-pointers made per game is worth streaming in 12 team leagues and larger.

Charlotte Hornets

Marvin Williams (18.8%)- Up and down performer this season, but five rebounds, two 3-pointers, and ten points on average seem like safe bets.

Frank Kaminsky (11.3%)- Points and 3-pointers add at PF or C.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (6.7%)- Averaging 27.7 minutes per game over his last six games, MKG can be a one block and one steal player in 30 minutes if he can inch his way there.

Dallas Mavericks

Wesley Matthews (33.8%)- Matthews has overcome his Achilles repair to be worth owning in all standard leagues.

J.J. Barea (23.6%)- six assists per game are hard to find on the wire and Barea gives nearly 12 points with over three rebounds and 1.7 3-pointers per game too.

Yogi Ferrell (10.4%)- 14 team league or deeper streamer for points, assists, rebounds, and 3-pointers mostly because of his significant playing time.

Salah Mejri (0.2%)- Played in each of the last 17 games and has 18 blocks in that period.

Saturday-Sunday

Detroit Pistons

Ish Smith (27.8%)- Starting and producing well in assists, steals, and points.

Reggie Bullock (2.2%)- Steals addition in a deeper league.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Listed under Tuesday-Thursday pseudo

Looking ahead to Week 16

Perhaps, you have an extra pickup heading into Sunday’s games and would like to take advantage of both that and the beginning of next week.  Here is the place for you.

Sunday-Monday of Week 16

Milwaukee Bucks

John Henson (23.2%)- Blocks and rebounds target in any league.

Tony Snell (1.0%)- Steals and 3-pointers made are enough for 16 team leagues.

Philadelphia 76ers

T.J. McConnell (14.0%)- Solid percentages on limited attempts plus 4.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game over the season.

Phoenix Suns

Tyson Chandler (20.4%)- 9.8 rebounds per game on the season makes him an outstanding addition to tip the scales in that category.

Alex Len (17.9%)- Rebounds and blocks streamer even in 20 minutes per game.

Josh Jackson (12.4%)- Taking a step forward in scoring, but with T.J. Warren back it is tricky to recommend streaming him in standard leagues.

Isaiah Canaan (2.0%)- Canaan should produce double-digit points with a steal per game over the two games.

Troy Daniels (0.5%)- 3-pointers made streamer in deeper leagues.

Final thoughts

Hopefully, we are all one step closer to the championship.  If you have any questions, you can Tweet me @wattsy4444, or our main account @hashbasketball and we will answer all your basketball related questions.  Be sure to check out the Watching the Boxes Podcast for all the fantasy basketball information you need in a podcast.