Fantasy Forecaster: Jan. 21-27
By Neil Tardy | Special to ESPN.com
A month ago, I told you about the Charlotte Bobcats' struggles and explained why they are the opponent to target for fantasy owners as they set their weekly or nightly lineups.
It remains ugly in Charlotte, but I can now report that the ugliness is spreading. That sweet, sweet, exploitable ugliness.
In all honesty, as a Minnesota Timberwolves fan, I hate to see what's happening here with this injury-ravaged team. As an NBA fan -- and really, as a sports fan -- I hate to see what's happening with the Sacramento Kings.
But as fantasy owners, we can use this.
I think you know the headlines. The Wolves lose Kevin Love, and then lose him again -- along with about half their roster to injury. Sacramento's loyal fans may be losing the Kings.
Through all of the struggles, all of the ugliness, these are two teams that are slipping in the standings. Most important for us, they're slipping statistically. Since Love reinjured his hand against the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 2, the Wolves have lost six of seven games and five straight. While they remain in the middle of the pack in scoring defense, they've allowed 103.4 points per game over the past seven contests.
The Kings have won their past two games, edging two of the league's worst teams in the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards. But since news broke about their possible relocation to Seattle, the Kings have allowed a staggering 114.8 points per game. Admittedly, we're only talking about four games. But we'll really know where things are headed soon, because starting this weekend, the Kings enter a stretch in which they play nine of 11 games on the road.
It's ugly in Sacramento and Minneapolis -- and it should get uglier. And it remains ugly in Charlotte. Use it to your benefit.
[h=3]Week 13 at a Glance[/h]
<style type="text/css">.mod-inline td img {margin: 0px;}</style>
<thead>
</thead><tbody>
</tbody>"R" matchup ratings are based upon a scale from 1 (poor matchup) to 10 (excellent matchup) and are calculated using a formula that evaluates the team's season-to-date and past 10 games' statistics, their opponents' numbers in those categories, and their performance in home/road games depending on where the game is to be played. The column to the right lists the team's total number of games scheduled ("G") as well as home games ("H"), and lists the overall rating from 1-10 for that team's weekly schedule ("R").
By Neil Tardy | Special to ESPN.com
A month ago, I told you about the Charlotte Bobcats' struggles and explained why they are the opponent to target for fantasy owners as they set their weekly or nightly lineups.
It remains ugly in Charlotte, but I can now report that the ugliness is spreading. That sweet, sweet, exploitable ugliness.
In all honesty, as a Minnesota Timberwolves fan, I hate to see what's happening here with this injury-ravaged team. As an NBA fan -- and really, as a sports fan -- I hate to see what's happening with the Sacramento Kings.
But as fantasy owners, we can use this.
I think you know the headlines. The Wolves lose Kevin Love, and then lose him again -- along with about half their roster to injury. Sacramento's loyal fans may be losing the Kings.
Through all of the struggles, all of the ugliness, these are two teams that are slipping in the standings. Most important for us, they're slipping statistically. Since Love reinjured his hand against the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 2, the Wolves have lost six of seven games and five straight. While they remain in the middle of the pack in scoring defense, they've allowed 103.4 points per game over the past seven contests.
The Kings have won their past two games, edging two of the league's worst teams in the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards. But since news broke about their possible relocation to Seattle, the Kings have allowed a staggering 114.8 points per game. Admittedly, we're only talking about four games. But we'll really know where things are headed soon, because starting this weekend, the Kings enter a stretch in which they play nine of 11 games on the road.
It's ugly in Sacramento and Minneapolis -- and it should get uglier. And it remains ugly in Charlotte. Use it to your benefit.
[h=3]Week 13 at a Glance[/h]
<style type="text/css">.mod-inline td img {margin: 0px;}</style>
<center> </center> | Team | <center> Mon 1/21 </center> | <center> Tue 1/22 </center> | <center> Wed 1/23 </center> | <center> Thu 1/24 </center> | <center> Fri 1/25 </center> | <center> Sat 1/26 </center> | <center> Sun 1/27 </center> | <center> </center> |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta HAWKS | MIN R: 6 | OFF | @CHA R: 7 | OFF | BOS R: 5 | OFF | @NY R: 2 | G: 4 H: 2 R: 6 |
| Boston CELTICS | OFF | @CLE R: 6 | OFF | NY R: 3 | @ATL R: 4 | OFF | MIA R: 3 | G: 4 H: 2 R: 6 |
| Brooklyn NETS | @NY R: 5 | OFF | @MIN R: 6 | OFF | @MEM R: 3 | @HOU R: 8 | OFF | G: 4 H: 0 R: 7 |
| Charlotte BOBCATS | HOU R: 6 | OFF | ATL R: 4 | OFF | OFF | MIN R: 4 | OFF | G: 3 H: 3 R: 3 |
| Chicago BULLS | LAL R: 6 | OFF | DET R: 4 | OFF | GS R: 4 | @WSH R: 5 | OFF | G: 4 H: 3 R: 6 |
| Cleveland CAVALIERS | OFF | BOS R: 4 | OFF | OFF | MIL R: 4 | @TOR R: 3 | OFF | G: 3 H: 2 R: 3 |
| Dallas MAVERICKS | OFF | OFF | OFF | OFF | SA R: 6 | OFF | PHX R: 7 | G: 2 H: 2 R: 1 |
| Denver NUGGETS | OFF | OFF | @HOU R: 10 | OFF | OFF | SAC R: 10 | OFF | G: 2 H: 1 R: 3 |
| Detroit PISTONS | OFF | ORL R: 7 | @CHI R: 1 | OFF | @MIA R: 3 | OFF | @ORL R: 5 | G: 4 H: 1 R: 6 |
| Golden State WARRIORS | LAC R: 4 | OFF | OKC R: 4 | OFF | @CHI R: 3 | @MIL R: 6 | OFF | G: 4 H: 2 R: 6 |
| Houston ROCKETS | @CHA R: 10 | OFF | DEN R: 10 | OFF | @NO R: 7 | BKN R: 7 | OFF | G: 4 H: 2 R: 9 |
| Indiana PACERS | @MEM R: 1 | OFF | @POR R: 4 | OFF | OFF | @UTA R: 4 | OFF | G: 3 H: 0 R: 2 |
| Los Angeles CLIPPERS | @GS R: 7 | OKC R: 8 | OFF | @PHX R: 9 | OFF | @POR R: 8 | POR R: 10 | G: 5 H: 2 R: 10 |
| Los Angeles LAKERS | @CHI R: 5 | OFF | @MEM R: 5 | OFF | UTA R: 8 | OFF | OKC R: 5 | G: 4 H: 2 R: 7 |
| Memphis GRIZZLIES | IND R: 1 | OFF | LAL R: 6 | OFF | BKN R: 4 | OFF | NO R: 5 | G: 4 H: 4 R: 5 |
| Miami HEAT | OFF | OFF | TOR R: 7 | OFF | DET R: 7 | OFF | @BOS R: 6 | G: 3 H: 2 R: 4 |
| Milwaukee BUCKS | OFF | PHI R: 7 | OFF | OFF | @CLE R: 9 | GS R: 6 | OFF | G: 3 H: 2 R: 5 |
| Minnesota TIMBERWOLVES | @ATL R: 5 | OFF | BKN R: 4 | OFF | @WSH R: 4 | @CHA R: 8 | OFF | G: 4 H: 1 R: 7 |
| New Orleans HORNETS | SAC R: 7 | OFF | @SA R: 5 | OFF | HOU R: 7 | OFF | @MEM R: 2 | G: 4 H: 2 R: 6 |
| New York KNICKS | BKN R: 5 | OFF | OFF | @BOS R: 5 | OFF | @PHI R: 6 | ATL R: 7 | G: 4 H: 2 R: 7 |
| Oklahoma City THUNDER | OFF | @LAC R: 7 | @GS R: 9 | OFF | @SAC R: 10 | OFF | @LAL R: 10 | G: 4 H: 0 R: 10 |
| Orlando MAGIC | OFF | @DET R: 3 | OFF | TOR R: 5 | OFF | OFF | DET R: 5 | G: 3 H: 2 R: 3 |
| Philadelphia 76ERS | SA R: 3 | @MIL R: 2 | OFF | OFF | OFF | NY R: 3 | OFF | G: 3 H: 2 R: 2 |
| Phoenix SUNS | OFF | OFF | @SAC R: 6 | LAC R: 2 | OFF | @SA R: 3 | @DAL R: 6 | G: 4 H: 1 R: 5 |
| Portland TRAIL BLAZERS | WSH R: 5 | OFF | IND R: 1 | OFF | OFF | LAC R: 3 | @LAC R: 2 | G: 4 H: 3 R: 4 |
| Sacramento KINGS | @NO R: 3 | OFF | PHX R: 7 | OFF | OKC R: 4 | @DEN R: 5 | OFF | G: 4 H: 2 R: 6 |
| San Antonio SPURS | @PHI R: 9 | OFF | NO R: 9 | OFF | @DAL R: 10 | PHX R: 10 | OFF | G: 4 H: 2 R: 10 |
| Toronto RAPTORS | OFF | OFF | @MIA R: 3 | @ORL R: 5 | OFF | CLE R: 8 | OFF | G: 3 H: 1 R: 4 |
| Utah JAZZ | OFF | OFF | WSH R: 7 | OFF | @LAL R: 8 | IND R: 3 | OFF | G: 3 H: 2 R: 4 |
| Washington WIZARDS | @POR R: 2 | OFF | @UTA R: 3 | OFF | MIN R: 4 | CHI R: 1 | OFF | G: 4 H: 2 R: 4 |
<thead>
</thead><tbody>
</tbody>
<center> Ratings color scale </center> |
---|