In head-to-head leagues, it all comes down to the weekend. You can have a comfortable lead in multiple categories or by a bunch of points, but if you don’t make the most of the weekend, you can walk out with a loss.
14 teams play only once this weekend, including the Hawks, Nets, Bulls, Cavaliers, Nuggets, Warriors, Grizzlies, Thunder, 76ers, Kings, Raptors, Jazz and Wizards. Avoid those teams if you’re looking to maximize your games played.
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That’s often what it comes down to in standard points and category leagues, but that’s not always the case. Leagues with some sort of games cap or best ball formats like Yahoo!’s High Score leagues aren’t just looking for volume, though having two chances at a big night is a good strategy in best ball leagues.
Absolute must-start: Jrue Holiday, Portland Trail Blazers
Holiday missed a big chunk of games from November to January, and they eased him back into things after that, but he has been on fire in February and March. Over the past month, he has averaged 20.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 3.0 triples per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor and 90.9 percent from the free throw line. That led to one of his best performances of the season on Wednesday, where he finished with a season-high 35 points, dished out 11 assists and matched his career high with eight three-pointers. Somehow, he’s available in 43 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Now, it’s a two-game weekend for him, starting in Houston on Friday. The Rockets are a tough matchup, but Portland will have a rest advantage since Houston played on Thursday. However, the favorable matchup is against the Pacers on Sunday. Indiana is first in pace over their last 10 games and 27th in defensive rating during the same stretch. More opportunities to score on an ineffective defense is a strong recipe for success.
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Guards:
Ryan Rollins, Milwaukee Bucks
With Kevin Porter Jr. sidelined on Wednesday due to swelling in his knee, Rollins returned to the starting unit and had 13 points, eight rebounds, 12 assists and three steals. Milwaukee has a back-to-back this weekend, with one of those games coming against the tanking Jazz, who play fast and have struggled on defense. The second matchup against the Magic isn’t as favorable, but Rollins could still have a strong outing. However, the game against the Jazz is enough to make him a must-start.
Collin Sexton, Chicago Bulls
Chicago is incredibly shorthanded right now, which resulted in Sexton moving into the starting unit on Thursday night. He ended up scoring a season-high 30 points, which came after two 20-point games off the bench. They only play one game this weekend, though it’s against the Kings, who rank dead last in defensive rating over their last 10 games. Expect Sexton to stay hot and pour in the points.
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Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons
Prior to exiting early on Thursday night, Thompson had averaged 13.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.8 blocks over a four-game stretch. Now, he gets to take on Brooklyn, who ranks 29th in defensive rating over their last 10 games, and Miami, who ranks second in pace over their last 10 games, in the same weekend. It’s worth noting that Daniss Jenkins started the second half after Thompson’s premature departure. If Thompson is sidelined, Jenkins should be worth streaming in if he starts despite struggling on Thursday.
Forwards:
Saddiq Bey, New Orleans Pelicans
Bey has been fantastic this season, and this weekend should be a strong opportunity for him to be productive across the board. They take on the Suns on Friday and the Wizards on Sunday. Both teams have struggled on the glass recently, with Washington being worse than Phoenix, though the Suns are set to be without Mark Williams for a few weeks. Plus, the Wizards play at a fast pace and have struggled on defense. Start all your Pelicans with confidence.
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Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers
Grant has been red-hot recently, scoring at least 20 points in five of his last six games. As mentioned previously, Houston on Friday is a tougher matchup, but the Pacers game on Sunday is where Grant feels like a lock to shine. He is coming off his fourth 30-point game of the season and matched his season high for rebounds in Wednesday’s win over the Grizzlies.
Ace Bailey, Utah Jazz
The Jazz only play one game this weekend, though it comes against the Bucks, who rank in the bottom five in defensive rating over their last 10 games. Bailey had arguably the best offensive performance of his career on Thursday, setting new career highs with 32 points and seven three-pointers in the win. Bailey should be a priority on offense for the rest of the season, so there should be more performances like that coming up.
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Centers:
Oso Ighodaro, Phoenix Suns
Ighodaro stepped into the starting unit on Thursday and should remain there for a while with Mark Williams (foot) expected to miss at least 2-3 weeks. As a starter against the Bulls, he contributed 10 points (5-of-5 FGs), nine rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block in 36 minutes. Friday’s matchup with the Pelicans is more favorable than Sunday’s against the Hornets, but New Orleans has been much better as of late. Neither will be easy, but this isn’t about the matchups. It’s about the opportunity.
Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta only plays once this weekend, but it comes against the 76ers, who have struggled on the glass recently, ranking 27th in rebounding percentage over their last 10 games and have allowed the second-most second chance points per game during the same stretch. Okongwu isn’t a great rebounder, but he has averaged 10 boards over his last five games and has provided first-round value over the past two weeks.
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Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers
Three Blazers may seem excessive, but the story remains the same. Friday’s game against the Rockets isn’t a favorable matchup, but it is another opportunity. It’s Sunday’s game against the Pacers that is a recipe for success. Indiana ranks 28th in rebounding percentage and have allowed the most points in the paint per game over their last 10 outings.