NBA Category Strategy: Playoff Push

SPECIAL NOTE: NBA League Pass is free today, Sunday, Feb. 21. Check your local listings. There are 10 games and they begin at 3:30 p.m. EST.

In most standard leagues, three weeks remain in head-to-head fantasy leagues before the playoffs commence. In that time, most NBA teams play 10 or 11 games, excluding the Celtics, Bulls and Mavericks, all of whom play nine times.

At this point, you've clinched a fantasy playoff berth, are competing for one, or you're on the cusp of being mathematically eliminated. Selecting players to stream will depend on your preferred categories and opponent's strengths. My advice is to plan ahead. Compare your accumulated stats this week to next week's opponent for an approximate matchup tale. Standing pat is a reasonable reaction unless you need significant help. In that case, cycle through players based on categorical portfolio and the schedule. Knowing when teams play on back-to-back days and which teams play the most quality games can give you a leg up on the competition if your lineups don't lock at the beginning of the week. It's also important to make sure anyone you add will fit into your active lineup. Unless a no-brainer hits the waiver wire, consult your team lineup for both availability and position. Nothing stings as much as wasting a transaction on a player you can't play because your lineup is already full or you added a guard when your center slot was the only one vacant.

Twelve teams play four times this week and the rest of the league plays thrice. Each night contains at least five games but no more than 10, offering a balanced schedule with which to maximize streaming. Theoretically, you could probably stream in a new player every night if your league permits anywhere between seven and unlimited transactions in a head-to-head league.

The Trail Blazers and Magic each play four games this week, three of which occur on nights with no more than seven contests. In a competitive league, Aaron Gordon and perhaps Brandon Jennings have already been added. Fringe players like Allen Crabbe, Ed Davis, Gerald Henderson, Maurice Harkless and Jason Smith hold the potential to change your playoff fortunes this week in daily moves leagues.

The Nets begin a nine-game road trip this week. Since Jan. 1, they shoot eight percent worse on three-pointers on the road, but the rest of their output doesn't noticeably deviate.

The Sixers and Wizards embark on a five-game, seven-night journey beginning on Tuesday. Bradley Beal played on three consecutive nights last week, but I believe he'll miss at least one upcoming game considering the Wizards play the Sixers twice in a four-day span.

The trade deadline for standard ESPN leagues is Feb. 24 at noon EST, and it's March 3 at 11:59 p.m. EST in Yahoo leagues. For most, this is your last time to make significant moves to your fantasy roster.

POINTS
Brandon Jennings (PG)
Not only is Jennings competing with Elfrid Payton for playing time, but C.J. Watson recently returned after missing 44 games with a calf issue. Had Friday's game not entered overtime, Jennings would have finished with 16 points and two assists in 20 minutes. He's risk personified, especially given the Magic's point guard depth and coach Scott Skiles implementing a 10-man rotation last time out. However, the Magic play four times this week, five if you add Jennings before Sunday's game. Whether or not Skiles shifts Jennings into the starting lineup, he seems poised for at least 20 minutes a night and significant crunch-time or garbage-time minutes with two games against the Sixers on tap this week.

Over the last 10, point guards averaged 24.9 points per game against the Sixers, the fifth-worst mark during that time. And to be frank, Skiles' goal is the playoffs, and he will play those performing well regardless of contract or stature. Earlier this season, Shabazz Napier played 30 minutes in a two-point win over the Lakers, the same game Nikola Vucevic came off the bench. As recently as Jan. 31, Skiles benched Payton the final 20 minutes of a five-point win over the Celtics. On 12 different occasions this season, Payton has played fewer than 25 minutes. Playing Skiles Lineup Roulette can be a losing proposition.

Check the waiver wire for Luol Deng, who's owned in 25.1 percent of ESPN leagues. Without Dwyane Wade (knee) and Chris Bosh (calf) the last two games, Deng's scored 57 points. Bosh could miss the rest of the season, and Wade may not play all four games this week because of a weekend back-to-back set.

REBOUNDS
Ian Mahinmi (C)
This may not be the popular or trendy recommendation, but the Pacers play four times this week and Mahinmi is owned in less than 25 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues. Bobby Portis (28 rebounds in the last three games) and Alex Len (ankle) get dinged because their teams play three games this week, Brandan Wright is being brought along slowly and Justise Winslow's rebound percentage doesn't stack up. Mahinmi is very much a safe pick and one who could net close to 35 rebounds this week, especially if you add him before Sunday's game against the Magic, a team that's allowed the fifth-most rebounds per possession since Jan. 1. If you're looking to maximize quality games and Mahinmi isn't available, add Ed Davis to guarantee yourself at least three games played in daily moves leagues, but between you and me, Davis' minutes rarely exceed 21 even though Mason Plumlee doesn't play in the fourth quarter anymore.

ASSISTS
Mario Chalmers (PG)
The Grizzlies have one of the easiest schedules in February. Although they play three times this week, they play the two worst Western Conference teams, squaring off against the Lakers twice and the Suns once. Since Jan. 1, the Lakers and Suns registered the worst defensive rating, each allowing over 107 points per 100 possessions. In his first meeting against the Lakers this season, Chalmers recorded a team-high seven assists in 29 minutes backing up Mike Conley. Tony Allen (knee) sustained an injury on Friday, opening up more backcourt minutes for Chalmers to play alongside Conley and boost his assists this week.

Dennis Schroder remains a solid option. He's recorded the second-most assists as a reserve this season behind only Evan Turner. E'Twaun Moore is in the same boat as Portis: the Bulls play three games each of the next three weeks, a third of which are quality games, which limits their appeal if you're focused on making the fantasy playoffs. And once those playoffs typically begin, Nikola Mirotic (abdomen) and Jimmy Butler (knee) may have returned, diminishing the need to stash Portis or Moore for Weeks 21-23 when the Bulls play a league-high 13 games.

STEALS
Allen Crabbe (SG)
Every week I must restrain myself from suggesting Gary Harris or Crabbe, two players owned in less than 20 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues. I don't enjoy being predictable or repetitive. Last week, I suggested both Harris and Crabbe, favoring Harris for the rest of the season, but Crabbe gets the sole nod this week because the Trail Blazers play four times. Gerald Henderson remained on the Blazers post trade deadline as they attempt to secure a playoff spot, and he was one of four other prospects I considered; the others all play three times this week. Over the past nine games, both Crabbe and Henderson are averaging at least 26 minutes and more than one steal per game. The Trail Blazers' opponents this week includes the Nets, a team allowing 9.0 steals per game since Jan. 1, and the Rockets, one of four teams averaging more than 16 turnovers per game this season. Crabbe will undoubtedly cover James Harden, the league leader with 4.4 turnovers per game, and in three previous games against the Nets and Rockets this season, Crabbe accumulated six steals while averaging a season-high 34.7 minutes per game against the Rockets.

BLOCKS
Jerami Grant (SF/PF)
I compiled a list of 10 players owned in less than 40 percent of fantasy leagues who strike me as genuine threats to average at least 1.5 block per game this week. In order to nominate one player, I consulted blocks against over the past 10 games. Only three teams - the Nuggets, Hornets and Magic - yielded over seven blocks per game over the last 10. The Sixers play four games this week, including two against the Magic. Grant recorded six blocks in the two previous games against the Magic this year and has blocked a shot in nine straight games while averaging 26.4 minutes per game. He benefits from coach Brett Brown staggering Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor at center after the first six minutes of both halves. If you missed out on Grant, give Miles Plumlee a shot. He's currently starting over Greg Monroe with John Henson (back) unavailable, and he's also blocked a shot in nine straight games.

THREE-POINTERS
Mirza Teletovic (PF)
Similar to the blocks category, I generated a list of eight players worthy of three-point consideration. Matt Barnes became my primary target, but I suggested him last week and he crossed the 40 percent ownership threshold. Teletovic's ownership levels rose 17 percent in Yahoo leagues after his 25-point outburst on Friday, but let's reverse engineer how he was able to lead the Suns in scoring after Markieff Morris' departure: Alex Len didn't play due to a right ankle sprain, starting power forward Jon Leuer was limited to 21 minutes on account of foul trouble and Tyson Chandler exited in the second quarter because of a sprained right shoulder. Since Earl Watson inherited the interim coaching title, Teletovic leads the Suns with 2.3 three-pointers per game and attempts 5.8 threes in fewer than 23 minutes per contest. Watson referred to Teletovic as "instant offense" off the bench. According to this report, Len should play Sunday and Chandler, though questionable, won't be too far behind. Expect Teletovic to hover around 24 minutes per night when the roster becomes fully healthy.

Doug McDermott intrigues me after scoring a career-high 30 points on Friday, but as I mentioned last week, McDermott has recorded the fewest combined assists, steals and blocks of anyone who's played at least 700 minutes, and McDermott has played 1,196 minutes this season. Teletovic will at least sprinkle in a few assists and blocks when you least expect it. Both play three times this week.