By Raphielle Johnson
Comparatively speaking, Week 13 is a return to “normal” in the NBA, as the absence of an overseas trip means all 30 teams will play between two and four games. The week begins with observing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with Monday’s schedule consisting of 11 games with multiple matinees.
While there’s an intriguing return to consider, so is the fantasy impact of two elite point guards and a league MVP being sidelined. Let’s look ahead to the Week 13 schedule and critical storylines that will impact how managers put their lineups together.
Week 13 Games Played
4 Games: ATL, BOS, BKN, HOU, IND, LAL, MIA, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHI, SAS, TOR, UTA, WAS
3 Games: CHA, CHI, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, GSW, MEM, MIN, NOR, PHO, POR
2 Games: LAC, MIL, SAC
Notable Week 13 Storylines
— How many games will managers get out of Luka Doncic?
The Mavericks point guard has missed his team’s last two games with a sprained ankle, and Dallas is among the teams that will play three games during Week 13. His absence resulted in Tim Hardaway Jr. moving into the starting lineup, while Kyrie Irving has been outstanding running the show himself. Rostered in 57% of Yahoo leagues, Hardaway matched his season high with 32 points in Thursday’s win over the Knicks, in which Irving dropped 44 points and 10 assists. According to Basketball Monster, the latter is ranked first in 9-cat per-game value over the past week, while the former provides 8th-round value. Dallas plays on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of Week 13. Will he be available for Monday’s game against the Pelicans? Or are road matchups with the Lakers (Wednesday) and Warriors (Friday) more realistic?
— Joel Embiid and his potential timeline for return
The reigning MVP has missed Philadelphia’s last three games with a sore knee. Before Friday’s win over the Kings, 76ers coach Nick Nurse said that Embiid remains day-to-day and hopes to have him back for Monday’s game against the Rockets. Philadelphia plays four games during Week 13, but their schedule is weird in that they’ll play two back-to-backs. So, even if Embiid were to return on Monday, what happens with Tuesday’s game…
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