In Yahoo! default leagues, Week 22 is the semifinal round of the fantasy playoffs. While most NBA teams play four games, a few have bad schedules, either because of the games they play or where those matchups fall on the schedule. And there are key injuries that will significantly affect how managers craft their lineups. Let’s look at the Week 22 schedule primer.
Week 22 Games Played
4 Games: ATL, BKN, CHA, CHI, DEN, DET, GSW, HOU, IND, LAC, MEM, MIA, MIL, NOR, OKC, ORL, POR, SAC, TOR, UTA
3 Games: BOS, CLE, DAL, LAL, NYK, PHI, SAS, WAS
2 Games: MIN, PHX
Week 22 Back-to-backs
Sunday (Week 21)-Monday: BKN, POR, TOR
Monday-Tuesday: ORL
Tuesday-Wednesday: CLE, DEN
Wednesday-Thursday: DET
Thursday-Friday: NOP
Friday-Saturday: ATL, CHI, MEM, UTA
Saturday-Sunday: CHA, MIL, SAC
Sunday-Monday (Week 23): BOS, MIA, OKC, WAS
Week 22 Storylines of Note
– Suns, Timberwolves boast the worst schedules of Week 22.
Regarding low-rostered players, Phoenix and Minnesota are the teams to avoid next week due to their two-game slates. While the Suns are scheduled to play on Tuesday, one of the lighter game days, the Timberwolves play their first game of Week 22 on Wednesday, the busiest day of the week due to a 12-game slate. For the Suns, Tuesday’s matchup with the Nuggets, as part of a four-game slate, could be a spot where managers who can update their lineups daily will look to players like Collin Gillespie or Oso Ighodaro for fantasy value.
However, for players on these teams who are dealing with injuries, the light schedules could prove beneficial. Anthony Edwards is the biggest name, and as of March 17, he was expected to be re-evaluated in one to two weeks. So, it’s possible that he’s available for Minnesota’s final game of Week 22 on March 28 against the Pistons. Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland have picked up their production in Edwards’ absence and may be worth holding onto, even with the poor schedule.
– Will Stephen Curry or Joel Embiid be available to play?
Curry, who is progressing in his recovery from a knee injury, is expected to be re-evaluated on Tuesday after the Warriors return home from their current road trip. Before that, he will reportedly scrimmage on Sunday, so a return to game action may not be far away. Would it happen sometime during Week 22, when the Warriors are scheduled to play four games? Whenever Curry is cleared to play, it would be surprising if his playing time is not monitored closely. Still, Curry under a minutes restriction is more productive than most players at his position.
The same can be said for Embiid, who has been sidelined with a strained oblique muscle. He went through an on-court workout on March 20; however, while there has not been a setback, the 7-footer is still dealing with some soreness in his oblique, according to Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The 76ers are scheduled to play three games in Week 22, the last of which is on March 28 against the Hornets. We’ll see if Embiid can get back at some point during this period. Even if he doesn’t return, the rotation could look much different than it did to end Week 21. Paul George will be eligible to return from his 25-game suspension on March 25 against the Bulls, and Kelly Oubre Jr. was given a two-week re-evaluation timeline after spraining his left elbow on March 11.
– The Cavaliers, Mavericks and Lakers are done with Week 22 on Friday.
Not only are these teams scheduled to play three games, but they will all be done for the week after Friday’s games. Cleveland is active on one of the light game days, as they host the Magic on Tuesday. As for the Mavericks and Lakers, they play on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the busiest days of Week 22. That will make it more challenging for fantasy managers to gain an advantage, at least with players on those teams. And the Lakers have another concern to address going into Week 22.
– How many games will fantasy managers get out of Luka Dončić?
Dončić got into it with Magic backup center Goga Bitadze during Saturday’s game in Orlando, resulting in both players being assessed technical fouls. While Bitadze getting one doesn’t affect fantasy basketball, that is not the case for Dončić. The technical foul was his 16th of the season, which triggers an automatic one-game suspension. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Lakers plan to appeal the technical foul, and there are differing accounts from the players on what was said during their third-quarter exchange.
If the appeal is denied, Dončić would not be available for Monday’s game against the Pistons, leaving him with two games to play the rest of Week 22. During the Lakers’ nine-game winning streak, he has been on a roll, averaging 40 points per game and being the most productive player in fantasy basketball. With the Lakers facing the Pacers and Nets in their final two games of the week, Dončić can certainly make up for a one-game suspension. But it would be best for the Lakers and fantasy managers if his tech gets rescinded.
– Tuesday and Thursday are the light gamedays of Week 22.
These are the two days to mine for potential streaming value, with Saturday’s six-game slate being another opportunity to do so. There are four games on the schedule for Tuesday, and three on Thursday. The teams that will play on both days are Charlotte, New Orleans, New York, Orlando and Sacramento. New Orleans (Thursday/Friday) and Orlando (Monday/Tuesday) will have a back-to-back, which is of greater concern for the former, given their current standing as a team likely headed for the draft lottery. It’s possible that fantasy managers only have Dejounte Murray available for one of those light game days, and Trey Murphy may be someone else to keep an eye on regarding availability for back-to-backs.
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