• If March 23 to March 29 is your final, I wish you the best of luck and I hope the day-by-day breakdown in the streaming section serves you well.

    Injuries to Watch

    This is for Saturday, March 21 to Sunday, March 29.

    Timelines Getting Close

    Paul George (suspension) will be eligible to return to action on Wednesday, March 25 vs. the Bulls. If your H2H final is next week (March 23 to March 29), I don’t think George is worth stashing ahead of time, as you’d only be getting two games (Wednesday and Saturday), but you can try to grab him on the Tuesday if your league isn’t sharp.

    In Week 24 (March 30 to April 5), George should play three of a possible four games (Monday, Wednesday & one of the Friday-Saturday back-to-backs).

    In Week 25 (April 6 to April 12), George has games on the Monday, Thursday-Friday and Sunday.

    Early Next Week:

    Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain) appears to be close.

    Joel Embiid (right oblique strain) was doubtful for Thursday (March 19), so he should be back soon.

    Jarrett Allen (right knee tendinitis) had been officially ruled out through March 21, so we will have to see if he can return next week or not.

    Bennedict Mathurin (toe) ws also ruled out through March 21, so we may or may not see him early next week.

    Peyton Watson (right hamstring strain) was expected to return late this week (march 16 to March 22), so if he doesn’t, I would project him to suit up early next week.

    Moses Moody (right wrist sprain) was hoping to return by the end of the current road trip (March 23), but it does sound like he might be a little behind schedule.

    Late Next Week:

    Jaden Ivey (left knee) is no longer experiencing pain and plans to travel with the team for their road trip next week (March 25 to March 30). He doesn’t have a timeline, but the hope is that he will play again this season, possibly on that road trip. I don’t think he is worth stashing.

    Dillon Brooks (left hand fracture) has been doing some non-contact work without his cast, but taking contact with his cast still on, per an update last week. If he is on the early end of his 4-to-6-week timeline, we could see him next week. He is a watch-list option for points and treys.

    Impending Evaluations

    Remember, an evaluation doesn’t mean a player will return immediately. It just means the team is assessing where they are at in their recovery. Sometimes, they will be ready to return immediately, but sometimes they won’t.

    Early Next Week:

    Isaiah Stewart (left calf strain) will be evaluated early next week.

    Al Horford (calf) and Seth Curry (adductor).

    Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee hyperextension & bone bruise) is expected to be evaluated in the early portion of the week, but we have heard the rumors about the Bucks wanting to shut him down and Antetokounmpo wanting to return. I am going to guess we don’t see him, honestly.

    Anthony Edwards (right knee inflammation/patellofemoral syndrome) would be evaluated next week if he is on the one-week side of his 1-to-2 week timeline. I don’t think we will see him next week, especially after they added the patellofemoral syndrome label to his injury on March 19.

    Late Next Week:

    If Nikola Vucevic (finger) is on the three-week (early) side of the 3-to-4 week timeline, we would get an update next weekend. He isn’t worth your consideration.

    Kelly Oubre (left elbow) should be evaluated around midweek, but I think he may be out a bit longer.

    Mark Williams (left foot) could be evaluated at any point next week, but I don’t expect to see him back soon.

    Shaedon Sharpe (left leg) if he is on the early end of his 4-to-6-week evaluation timeline, but I don’t think we see him back soon.

    Keegan Murray (left ankle sprain), but I don’t expect to see him again this season.

    Kyshawn George (left elbow) should be evaluated late next week, but I don’t expect to see him back.

    Tyrese Maxey (finger) should be evaluated more around March 30 or March 31, but there is always a chance that we hear something a little earlier. I am not expecting to see him back by then.

    Other Injury Notes

    I have no idea when Collin Murray-Boyles (left thumb sprain) will return. He has continuously been listed as either doubtful or out in the past two weeks.

    Lauri Markkanen (hip) will be “evaluated again in two weeks” and Keyonte George (right hamstring strain) is due for an evaluation in the middle of next week. Realistcially, I don’t think we are seeing either player again this season. In the case of George, he cannot hit the 65-game threshold for the Most Improved Player award anymore, so he has no more incentives to return to play.
    I also do not think we are going to see Anthony Davis (left hand ligament damage) this season.

    Unknown timeline but probably not close to playing: Pascal Siakam (right knee sprain), Ja Morant (left elbow), Brandon Clarke (right calf), Franz Wagner (left ankle), Anthony Black (lateral abdominal muscle strain), Jonathan Isaac (left knee).

    Unknown timeline but likely close to playing: Andrew Wiggins (toe).

    Schedule Breakdown

    Weekly Info

    Games played:

    20 teams with FOUR games: Hawks, Nets, Hornets, Bulls, Nuggets, Pistons, Warriors, Rockets, Pacers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Heat, Bucks, Pelicans, Thunder, Magic, Blazers, Kings, Raptors, Jazz
    EIGHT teams with THREE games: Celtics, Cavs, Mavs, Lakers, Knicks, Sixers, Spurs, Wizards
    TWO teams with TWO games: Suns, Wolves

    Back-to-Backs (B2Bs) This Week:

    15 teams with ONE B2B: Blazers, Raptors, Nuggets, Nets, Magic, Pistons, Jazz, Grizzlies, Hawks, Bucks, Kings, Hornets, Bulls, Pelicans, Cavs
    15 teams with ZERO B2Bs: Warriors, Rockets, Clippers,Pacers, Spurs, Mavs, Sixers, Lakers, Knicks, Suns, Wolves, Heat*, Thunder*, Celtics*, Wizards*

    Note: The Heat, Thunder, Celtics & Wizards have a (W23) SUN-MON (W24) B2B into the following week, which sort of counts if they rest guys on the Sunday, rather than the Monday.

    Start/Sit Decisions for Weekly Lineup Leagues:

    If you only play in leagues with Daily Lineup Changes, this does not apply to you, so you can move along to the next section.

    Since 20 teams have four games, that consists of two-thirds or around 66.7 percent of the NBA. The two-game teams are at a massive disadvantage, even with no five-game teams. Of course, you will know the depth of your weekly changes league as two games of Ayo Dosunmu may beat four games of a random 10-day contract player for a manager in a 30-team or 20-team league. In a 12-team weekly lineup league however, guys like Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert and Devin Booker could be questionable or 50-50 decisions and I likely wouldn’t want to start Naz Reid, Jalen Green or anyone else. To be successful in a two-game week, those players need to be “near perfect” by having two strong games. One flat game or an injury during one game, or an ejection or anything like that could greatly reduce their total production across two games.

    Now, the three-game teams (Celtics, Cavs, Mavs, Lakers, Knicks, Sixers, Spurs, Wizards) are also at a bit of a disadvantage, as they as they make up 26.7 percent of the teams. You can likely still start the star, top-50 level players in a 12-team weekly changes league, but anyone below that threshold could be beat by a four-game player, even if that player is “slightly worse.”

    Now, of these three-game teams, is anyone at risk of a two-game week due to back-to-backs?
    Celtics: (W23) Sunday-Monday (W24) B2B into the following week (March 30)
    Cavs: Tuesday-Wednesday B2B
    Wizards: (W23) Sunday-Monday (W24) B2B into the following week (March 30)

    Alex Sarr will be too risky to trust and so will Trae Young. Jayson Tatum could either have a three-game week or two-game week depending on if he sits out on the Sunday vs. the Hornets or on the Monday vs. the Hawks. If your alternate is a top-100 player, you should likely choose Tatum, but a mid-round player with four games might have a better floor, albeit lacking Tatum’s ceiling. For the Cavs, Max Strus should definitely sit a leg of the back-to-back and Jarrett Allen might also, if he is back by then.

    Daily Info

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