Whether your fantasy basketball team is comfortably resting atop your league’s standings, or in need of a desperate push to make the playoffs, there is still room to improve your team as we enter the final stretch of the fantasy basketball season. Which under-the-radar players are primed to but up big numbers this week? Who’s upcoming schedule strength will allow for more opportunity? These questions can be answered through the evaluation of our top five waiver wire pickups for this week. The Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Portland Trail Blazers all possess favorable schedules over the next seven days, each playing at least four games, with the Lakers suiting up for five.
1. Kent Bazemore, SG, Los Angeles Lakers
Since being acquired in the trade that made Steve Blake a Golden State Warrior, Bazemore has filled up the stat sheet, averaging 16.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, and a very strong 33.4 minutes per game. With Nick Young still sidelined with an aggravated knee injury, Bazemore holds tremendous fantasy value. It is obvious that Mike D’Antoni is going to continue giving him playing time, thus making him a fantasy must add this week.
2. Jordan Farmar, PG, Los Angeles Lakers
Another Laker who has found recent fantasy success, Farmar has been stealing a substantial amount of playing time from the previously hot Kendall Marshall, since his return. After a 30-point outing against the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, he is another obvious must add player. That being said, any amount of playing time is never guaranteed with D’Antoni coaching.
3. Courtney Lee, SG, Memphis Grizzlies
Courtney Lee is the perfect example of how a change of scenery can completely invigorate a player’s performance. Since being traded to Memphis from Boston, where he was fantasy irrelevant, Lee has averaged 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, along with posting a career high and impressive Player Efficiency Rating of 15.4.
4. Brian Roberts, PG, New Orleans Pelicans
With the Pelican’s all-star point guard Jrue Holiday officially out for the remainder of the season after having surgery to repair a stress fracture in his tibia, Brian Roberts is now the man in charge of this team. In his last 24 starts for Holiday, Roberts has averaged 12.2 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game. Despite these reliable numbers, he is still available in many leagues due to the questions surrounding Holiday’s return, which makes now the optimal time to pick him up.
5. Brandon Bass, PF, Boston Celtics
While he is definitely not an extremely popular or flashy player, Brandon Bass is a very consistent player, and, perhaps even more outstandingly, he is also a rare breed of power forward that has the innate ability to knock down his free throws, shooting 91.7% from the charity stripe on the season. He has also put up a solid stat line of 13.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game. He appears to be in no danger of losing his job to Jared Sullinger this season.
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