We're about halfway through Week 23, which means that it's crunch time in fantasy basketball. One question that fantasy managers will have to answer for themselves is whether one game of Stephen Curry in Week 23 will be enough to take home the title. The Athletic reported on Tuesday that he's targeting Sunday for a return from a knee injury that's sidelined him for more than two months.
Can the future Hall of Fame guard do enough, likely in limited minutes, to provide suitable fantasy value? Or should managers look in another direction instead of slotting Curry into their lineups? That depends on the level of desperation and how much he'll be allowed to play. Below are some injury situations that are affecting fantasy basketball during the final week of Yahoo! default leagues.
Cole Huff reveals the players you should lean on to take home a fantasy basketball championship.
G Jaylon Tyson and F Dean Wade, Cleveland Cavaliers
Tyson has missed Cleveland's last six games and Wade the last four due to ankle injuries. Having been ruled out for the entirety of the Cavaliers' three-game road trip, they will also miss out on Thursday's game against the Warriors. Since Tyson's absence, Max Strus (six percent rostered, Yahoo!) and Sam Merrill (11 percent) have taken on added importance within the Cavaliers' rotation.
Strus, who made his season debut on March 15, started Tuesday's loss to the Lakers with Merrill unavailable; Merrill started Monday's win over the Jazz while Strus sat. After Thursday's game, the Cavaliers play once more in Week 23, at home against the Pacers on Sunday. Strus and Merrill offer solid upside in the matchup, especially if Tyson and Wade aren't available.
F P.J. Washington and F Naji Marshall, Dallas Mavericks
Washington and Marshall have missed Dallas' last two games due to illness, resulting in Khris Middleton (nine percent) and Ryan Nembhard (one percent) moving into the starting lineup. Neither offered much in blowout losses to the Timberwolves and Bucks. Middleton totaled 17 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, one steal and two three-pointers in 45 combined minutes, while Nembhard accounted for 17 points, three rebounds, nine assists, two steals and three three-pointers in 42 minutes.
In theory, Nembhard is better positioned to play more in the Mavericks' final two games of Week 23 with the team long eliminated from postseason contention. However, his playing time did not receive much of a boost after his contract was converted from a two-way to a standard deal, so nothing is guaranteed if Washington and Marshall remain out. Dallas plays games on Friday and Sunday, so there's no need to make a move now, as the time off may give the two starters the time needed to return to full strength.
F Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets
Gordon, who has injured his hamstring on multiple occasions this season, sat out Sunday's win over the Warriors due to tightness in his calf. Peyton Watson (21 percent), who remains under a minutes restriction as he returns from a strained hamstring, played 22 minutes, finishing with 10 points, six rebounds, five assists, one block and two three-pointers. Watson shot just 3-of-11 from the field, but the rebounds, assists and three-pointers were decent. With Gordon considered probable for Wednesday's game against the Jazz, Watson is likely to return to his usual reserve role.
There were other injuries of note during Sunday's victory. Cameron Johnson (71 percent) exited during the third quarter due to back spasms, and while he did return to the bench, the veteran wing did not check back into the game. Spencer Jones (one percent) exited with a strained hamstring, and that likely takes him off the board for the rest of Week 23. That does not affect fantasy basketball, but it may mean a few more minutes for Julian Strawther (one percent) if the Nuggets continue to limit Watson's playing time.
F/C Isaiah Stewart, Detroit Pistons
On Saturday, the Pistons announced that Stewart has been cleared to resume on-court activities. He's been out since March 15 with a strained left calf, freeing up rotation minutes for Paul Reed (eight percent). He's worth rostering in deep leagues for the rest of Week 23, as it is not clear exactly when Beef Stew will be allowed to play in games. And with the Pistons closing in on the top seed in the East, the final two games of Week 23 may not be viewed as a priority to get him back on the floor. Detroit could easily use Week 24 to help Stewart shake off the rust ahead of the postseason.
G Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Progress has been made regarding Curry's return from a right knee injury that sidelined him for over two months. Not long after Warriors head coach Steve Kerr announced that Curry would not play on Wednesday and is "doubtful" for Thursday, it was reported that the guard is targeting Sunday's game against the Rockets for his return. Given the time off, one would assume that there will be some restrictions regarding playing time, but simply having him on the court can give fantasy rosters a needed boost at the end of Week 23.
Brandin Podziemski (47 percent), Gui Santos (37 percent) and De'Anthony Melton (15 percent) will continue to have added fantasy value when they're available. Melton has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Spurs and Santos is questionable, which raises Podziemski's ceiling, even with the challenging matchup. The Warriors are locked into the Play-In tournament and trail the Clippers by two games in the loss column for eighth place in the Western Conference standings.
G/F Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies
On Tuesday, Wells underwent a procedure meant to stabilize his right great toe and is done for the rest of the season. Cedric Coward (23 percent) is a worthwhile target, even with his underwhelming showing in Monday's loss to the Suns. In the previous game, the rookie put up 24 points, nine rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two three-pointers in a March 28 win over the Bulls. The Grizzlies are also navigating injuries at the point guard position, with Ty Jerome sidelined by a sprained ankle. As a result, Cam Spencer (15 percent), Javon Small (nine percent) and Walter Clayton Jr. (three percent) take on added importance.
G Norman Powell, Miami Heat
Including Wednesday's matchup with the Celtics, Powell has missed Miami's last three games due to illness. Pelle Larsson (10 percent) has moved back into the starting lineup, totaling 35 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and one steal in those two games. The second-year wing has not offered much value in the three-point category, having shot 1-of-10 from deep over his last five games. So if you're targeting that category specifically, look elsewhere. But the overall shooting (15-of-24 FGs) and rebounding production were solid.
G Kevin Porter Jr., Milwaukee Bucks
Porter has been dealing with right knee synovitis, and on Saturday, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said that he would be "surprised" if the guard played again this season. KPJ has not been officially ruled out by the team, but with Milwaukee eliminated from postseason contention, it would not make much sense for them to put him back on the court.
As a result, Ryan Rollins (69 percent) takes on even greater value for the rest of Week 23. However, his status for Wednesday's game in Houston was undetermined in the aftermath of Tuesday's win over the Mavericks. Gary Trent Jr. (10 percent) and Ousmane Dieng (15 percent) are two players who would be worthy of streaming consideration if Rollins were to be ruled out, even though neither has point guard eligibility in fantasy leagues (Trent has SG/G eligibility).
F Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves announced on Monday that McDaniels is considered week-to-week after injuring his ankle during the team's March 25 win over the Rockets. Diagnosed with patella tendinopathy and a bone bruise in his left knee, this effectively rules McDaniels out for the rest of the fantasy season. The good news for the Timberwolves was that Anthony Edwards made his return from a knee injury in Monday's win over the Mavericks. Mike Conley (one percent) made another start, but that was because Edwards was late due to nature calling. Ayo Dosunmu (34 percent) is the fifth starter and should be rostered for the Timberwolves' final three games of Week 23.
G Miles McBride, New York Knicks
McBride made his return from sports hernia surgery in Sunday's loss to the Thunder but experienced an injury scare during the third quarter. The good news is that the reserve guard did not aggravate his surgically repaired sports hernia and was able to play in Tuesday's loss to the Rockets. McBride played 13 minutes off the bench but struggled, shooting 1-of-9 from the field and finishing with three points, one rebound, two assists, one block and one three-pointer.
Jordan Clarkson (three percent) has remained in the rotation, most recently playing 19 minutes on Tuesday, while Jose Alvarado (two percent) played 12. Mohamed Diawara (less than one percent) has fallen out of the rotation, playing a total of four minutes in New York's last two games.
F Franz Wagner and G Anthony Black, Orlando Magic
Black, who has been out with an abdominal strain, was seen going through an individual workout following shootaround ahead of Tuesday's win over the Suns. As for Wagner, who continues to recover from a high ankle sprain initially suffered in early December, he hopes to play again before the end of the regular season. However, that may not be of much use to fantasy managers, as it's unclear whether his return will occur in Week 23. Wagner has played 5-on-5, so a return may not be far off.
Tristan da Silva (20 percent) continues to serve as the fifth starter and is worth rostering in 14-team leagues. Orlando plays three more games in Week 23, with two coming against the Mavericks and Pelicans, who won't reach the postseason.
F Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers
Grant strained his right calf during a March 27 loss to the Mavericks, and the Trail Blazers have not announced a return timeline for him. Scoot Henderson (20 percent) has started the last two games, including a win over the Clippers on Tuesday, totaling 36 points, six rebounds, nine assists and four three-pointers while shooting 44 percent from the field.
The opportunity to start does raise Henderson's ceiling for now, but the playmaking responsibilities aren't his alone. Deni Avdija and Jrue Holiday also have the ball in their hands plenty, so the boost to Henderson's fantasy value is not as pronounced as some may have hoped. And with Portland only playing one more game in Week 23, Thursday against the Pelicans, there isn't much to gain from adding Scoot.
G Immanuel Quickley, Toronto Raptors
Counting Wednesday's game against the Kings, Quickley has missed Toronto's last six games with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. While Brandon Ingram returned from a heel injury on Tuesday, he will also miss Wednesday's game due to the back-to-back. Ja'Kobe Walter (four percent) has been Quickley's replacement in the starting lineup recently, while Ingram's absence also opens up a spot for Jamal Shead. While both offer limited streaming upside, Shead is worth a look in deep leagues for managers seeking assist and steals production specifically.
F/C Anthony Davis, Washington Wizards
Will we see Davis take the court in a Wizards jersey this season? Who knows. However, the team announced on Tuesday that he has been cleared for light contact work. This development is highly unlikely to affect Week 23, even with the Wizards having three more games to play this week. Something to watch is how the team manages Alex Sarr's minutes, as he is dealing with a left great toe injury. The 7-footer is questionable for Wednesday's game against the 76ers. Tristan Vukčević (seven percent) has been the starter when available, while Julian Reese (five percent) is not guaranteed to be active due to his status as a two-way contract player. When Sarr and Vukčević are out, the rookie is worth a roll of the dice due to his rebounding ability.
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