With Week 19 of the fantasy basketball season coinciding with the first full week of March, playoffs in many leagues will begin by the end of the month. That means the hunt for potential “silly season” stars grows more fierce, with multiple teams looking to get young, unproven players more game reps with an eye toward the future. Most of the NBA will play four games during Week 19, with the Nets being a notable exception due to their five-game week.
Let’s look at the Week 19 schedule breakdown and some of its essential fantasy storylines. Also, if you’re in the States and your residence observes Daylight Saving Time, that begins in the early morning of Sunday, March 10.
Week 19 (March 4-10) Games Played
5 Games: BKN
4 Games: ATL, CHI, CLE, HOU, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIL, MIN, OKC, ORL, PHI, POR, SAC, WAS
3 Games: BOS, CHA, DAL, DEN, DET, GSW, IND, NOR, NYK, PHO, SAS, TOR, UTA
Week 19 Storylines
– Brooklyn is scheduled to play five games in Week 19
As noted in the intro, the Nets are the only team in the NBA that will play five games in Week 19, beginning with a home back-to-back against the Grizzlies and 76ers on Monday and Tuesday. Kevin Ollie’s team will have to navigate two back-to-backs during the week, the second being a Saturday/Sunday roadie against the Hornets and Cavaliers. Personnel-wise, the statuses of Ben Simmons (leg) and Cam Thomas (ankle) will impact fantasy basketball, the latter more than the former, due to Simmons’ persistent availability issues. Dennis Schroder and Cameron Johnson have started Brooklyn’s last two games, and the latter has been a 7th-round player in 9-cat formats over the past two weeks. Both are already rostered in most fantasy leagues, but a young player like Jalen Wilson could be worth tracking during Brooklyn’s five-game week.
– It’s “Amen and Cam time” in Houston
Following Saturday’s win over the Suns, Rockets coach Ime Udoka announced that Tari Eason (leg) will undergo season-ending surgery on Monday. The second-year forward is looking at a four-month recovery timeline, but Eason is expected to be ready for the start of next season. In the short term, rookies Amen Thompson and…
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