NBA Category Strategy: Dishing in Brooklyn

The Warriors are the only team to play two games this week. In fact, they only play two games over the next 10 days. The rest of the league plays four or five games before Dec. 23, minus the Cavaliers, possessors of three games over that span.

The Cavaliers (three games), Rockets (four games) and Lakers (three games) are the only teams to play three games on nights with fewer than eight NBA games. That makes Patrick Beverley, last week's steals target, a serviceable streaming option because you can get him into your active lineup more times than not this week.

The Mavericks (three games), Warriors (two games), Spurs (three games) and Jazz (three games) play all their games on nights with at least 10 on the NBA schedule. That limits their streaming appeal.

The Pelicans and Bucks play all four games on the road. The Pelicans are 1-10 on the road and score 13 fewer points per game away from Smoothie King Center. The Bucks are 2-10 on the road and score 10 fewer points per game outside of Wisconsin. Michael Carter-Williams' home/road splits are terrible, lowering the expectations for the 2013 Rookie of the Year this week.

Three of the Nuggets' four opponents this week have been bottom-five defenses over the last 10 games on a per possession basis. Perhaps that will permit Emmanuel Mudiay (ankle) to convert better than 31 percent of his shots from the floor if he plays this week.

Key Date: Dec. 15

Free agents who signed this offseason can officially be traded on Dec. 15. Prior to Wednesday, teams are limited in the players they could package in a deal. Now that the player pool will expand, sans players with no-trade clauses and exceptions like Brook Lopez, who can't be traded until Jan. 15, you don't want to max out your waiver claims at the beginning of the week. Otherwise, you risk forfeiting a chance at adding a player whose role increases after a trade. There's a potential Markieff Morris-for-Ryan Anderson deal fermenting, and both players have missed games recently due to non-injury reasons. Clearly I'm speculating, but I advise hoarding a few add/drops this week on the off chance players swap teams.

Arbitrary Suggestion Thresholds:
Yahoo - less than 40 percent owned
ESPN - less than 45 percent owned

POINTS

Louis Williams (PG/SG)
(Ownership percentages: Yahoo - 55; ESPN - 46.4)

Full disclosure: the points category has been my weakest this season. I typically catch players at the end of hot streaks or incorrectly predict which player will perform above replacement level. You're welcome to revisit past iterations of Category Strategy, not only to increase my page views, but to also bear witness to some ghastly recommendations. For that reason, I'm playing it safe this week and ignoring my arbitrary suggestion limitations. Williams is a scorer first, second, third, fourth and fifth. He's scored at least 12 points in eight straight games while averaging 16.1 per game over that stretch. Coach Byron Scott moved Williams into the starting lineup last week, and it's a move that will endure for the next 1-6 games, depending on Scott's stick-to-itiveness. If you missed out on Williams, consider Allen Crabbe, who is averaging 15.4 points per game this month.

REBOUNDS

Omri Casspi (SF)
(Ownership percentages: Yahoo - 30; ESPN - 27.7)

Casspi entered the starting lineup when Willie Cauley-Stein dislocated a right index finger in Mexico City, costing the rookie upwards of a month on the sidelines. Before the upgrade, Casspi grabbed 6.1 rebounds in 26 minutes per game as a reserve. In six starts, he's steady at 6.3 in 35 minutes per game. Casspi corrals so many rebounds because he guards the opposing team's power forward, situating him closer to the basket. He rarely grabs offensive rebounds because he camps out at the three point-line and scrambles back to limit transition opportunities. If it's offensive boards you seek, consider last week's suggestion, Trevor Booker, who's averaging 4.5 offensive rebounds per game over the last four.

ASSISTS

Shane Larkin (PG)
(Ownership percentages: Yahoo - 8; ESPN - 6.5)

Prior to Saturday's game, when Larkin was poked in the right eye and didn't return, he was averaging 4.6 assists per game in the previous 11. The Nets play early enough on Monday for you add someone like Kendall Marshall, Cory Joseph or Jameer Nelson if Larkin is ruled out. The backup point guard primarily operates out of the pick-and-roll, and his blazing speed allows him to weave through the paint before locating the open man. When he's not playing with the starters, Larkin executes a fluid pick-and-pop with Andrea Bargnani.

STEALS

O.J. Mayo (SG)
(Ownership percentages: Yahoo - 27; ESPN - 18.3)

Mayo replaced Jabari Parker in late November to add spacing and adequate facilitating to the first unit. After the Bucks lost Jerryd Bayless (ankle), Greivis Vasquez (ankle) and Tyler Ennis (shoulder) to injuries, Parker was reintegrated into the starting lineup and Mayo shifted to point guard. Prior to Mayo's insertion into the starting lineup, the Bucks were 6-10 and allowed a league-worst 109.5 points per 100 possessions. In the last nine games, the Bucks are 4-5 and allow 96.1 points per 100 possessions, good for fourth-best. Mayo has recorded a steal in nine consecutive games, averaging 1.8 steals in 34 minutes per game over that span.

BLOCKS

Ian Mahinmi (C)
(Ownership percentages: Yahoo - 27; ESPN - 25.5)

This is the third time I've recommended Mahinmi, but it's been a month since the last iteration, so I feel comfortable going back to the well. He's not a shot-blocking dynamo, averaging 1.0 per game over the last 10, but his role is solidified and rookie Myles Turner (thumb) may not return until January. Four games this week for the Pacers against teams with traditional centers increases the odds of Mahinmi erupting for a four-block game. In an unrelated note, Mahinmi has made 67.6 percent of his free throws in the last nine games after starting the season 5-of-24 from the charity stripe. Teams will continue to intentionally foul him, but as long as he makes close to 70 percent of his free throws, coach Frank Vogel can confidently leave him on the court.

THREE-POINTERS

Mirza Teletovic (PF)
(Ownership percentages: Yahoo - 34; ESPN - 21.1)

I could have chosen several players this week for three-point help but selected Teletovic because of a potential Markieff Morris trade. It also helps that Teletovic nailed 29 three-pointers in the last eight games, third-most over that timeframe. Tyson Chandler (hamstring) is expected to return this week, and while that'll reduce Alex Len's minutes, it's possible Len retains the starting role. Even if those two traditional centers alternate shifts, coach Jeff Hornacek has regularly played without a center for large portions of games to provide Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight ample room to operate. Teletovic may not command 30 minutes per night, but he's made 47 percent of his three-point attempts in the last 20 games, and 70 percent of his attempts this season have been three-pointers.