Many leagues begin their championships next week, while others only need to wait another week or two to get to that point. That means every move counts a little bit more. Making the right pickup could be the difference between receiving a ring with your team and being sent home (figuratively).
Saturday's nine games featured plenty of entertaining performances, but none more than what happened in the final two minutes of the Warriors-Lakers game. It ended up taking over 20 minutes due to reviews and clock issues, but by the time it was over it was almost comical.
Other than that, it was a relatively normal nine-game series. Sunday will conclude the week with seven games, with Brooklyn and Washington playing the second night of a back-to-back. The game starts at 1pm ET, so decide on your lineup early.
Jackson Hayes – 1% registered in Yahoo League
Anthony Davis left Saturday's game early after scratching his eye. Hayes started in the second half in his place and had seven points and 12 rebounds in 28 minutes. Hayes didn't make a shot in this game, but we know he has the athleticism to make a shot if given time. If AD remains out for Monday's game against Atlanta, Hayes should be a suitable replacement.
Georges Niang – 11%
Niang has shined recently even with Dean Wade out of the lineup, and that continued Saturday. Against Houston, he played 29 minutes and had 14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 triples. Niang has provided top-150 value over the past two weeks, and Cleveland has four games scheduled next week.
Aaron Nesmith – 41%
Nesmith has been great this season, but his production has stagnated recently. But he's been a top-25 player in 9-cat leagues the last two weeks, posting a line of 16/4/3/2/2 on Saturday. Indiana has four games next week, and Nesmith will start in all of them.
Dalano Banton – 27%
If you read my Waiver Wired column two days ago, you probably thought it was ironic that Bunton was on this list. I specifically described him as a “tired” player, meaning I wouldn't mind taking him off. I was wrong. Banton should be on the roster as long as he's starting, and he should be as long as he's monitoring Scoot Henderson's playing time. Bunton scored 28 points on Saturday, and Portland has four games scheduled next week.
Sometimes you don't need a hot add that will give you some worthwhile games. Sometimes you just need someone to get you through Sunday and get you to the next round of the playoffs. That's what the next few people are going to do.
Duncan Robinson – 48%
Robinson has been a consistent starter for Miami in recent weeks, and with Jimmy Butler questionable to play Sunday, Robinson could take on more responsibility on offense. He obviously gives us an advantage from beyond the arc, but he also chips in some numbers across the board to help us out.
Tim Hardaway Jr. – 43%
Like Robinson, THJ also gives us points and triples. Luka Doncic and Dante Exum are both questionable, so more shots could be taken. It doesn't always work out for him, but he certainly has the ability to get hot.
Peyton Pritchard – 5%, Sam Hauser – 7%
Derrick White is out, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both questionable. Pritchard should start, and Hauser has a chance to join him. While Pritchard has shown the ability to contribute across the board as a starter, the only thing Hauser can really rely on is his 3-point shooting.
Bones Highland – 10%
It's questionable whether James Harden will play Sunday, but Hyland has played well as the starting point guard over the past two games. If Harden remains sidelined, Bones should provide points, assists and triples.
