Working the Wire: Last-Second Chaos

  • You’ve made it! We’re at the end of the NBA’s regular season and while franchises are still slipping some shocking news in before the buzzer sounds, most fantasy leagues are done and dusted. Any reasonable head-to-head league has been done for a week (or likely more) at this point but some embrace the chaos of the season’s final games. We’ve got that covered for you, with a team-by-team assessment of which players could be in line for extended opportunity in games that may or may not mean anything.

    For everyone else, we have a look back at the year that was, highlighting the top pickups throughout a busy, unpredictable campaign. We won’t keep you waiting any longer. Let’s dive in.

    Weekend Adds

    You’re not going to get a volume edge this weekend because both Friday and Sunday are 15-game slates. Your only foothold is to figure out which of your players are not going to be starting (for you) on either of those nights and trying to find someone who might pop off as rest and tanking kick into their final gear. As such, we’re going to offer a smattering of potential options broken down by team. Good luck out there.

    Something to Play For

    Los Angeles Lakers

    The Lakers only have a one-game lead on the pack in the Western Conference as of this writing, and with three games to go there’s still a chance they fall all the way to the Play-In. That’s how deadly the Western Conference is. As such, we would be surprised if the team pumped the brakes; securing home court in the first round should be a priority. Things could change if the rest of the group can’t handle their business but for now, the Lakers figure to have something to work towards over their remaining three games. If they don’t, Jordan Goodwin, Dalton Knecht and Gabe Vincent stand out as streaming options.

    Denver Nuggets

    The Nuggets are one of the teams one game back of the Lakers, and they’re only one game up on Minnesota back in 9th. Under a new coach suddenly there’s an impetus to get some reps together, not that the team’s systems are changing overnight, but the Nuggets don’t look like a team that will be able to afford any nights off. Julian Strawther, Peyton Watson and Julian Pickett are the guys you’d target if that changes, with DeAndre Jordan also in the mix.

    Memphis Grizzlies

    The Grizzlies’ write-up isn’t that dissimilar from Denver’s. New coach, same standings spot (7th because of tiebreakers but same record), the whole deal. If the Grizzlies play their way into a lazy Sunday we figure to see a ton of Scotty Pippen Jr. — who should be in lineups anyway at this point — as well as Luke Kennard, Vince Williams and GG Jackson. Maybe even some John Konchar for the true sickos.


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