Injuries and Disappointments: The 7-10 Split of Fantasy Basketball

Week 5 Schedule

Team	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
			CHA		CLE
	NYK		@BOS		@ORL	@MIA
			BKN		POR	@MIL
	@OKC		@ATL		PHI
	MIL		DAL			PHI
	@MEM	PHO			@ATL	POR
		@PHI	@CHI			DET
	@UTA			@GSW	@LAL
	POR		PHO		@MEM	@DAL
				DEN		IND
		TOR	@OKC			UTA
		@LAL			@SAC	@GSW
	NOR		MIN			SAC
		IND			DEN		ORL
	CLE		TOR		DET	@SAS
				SAS		BKN
	@CHI		NYK		@MIN	BOS
		@SAC	@LAC		MIL
	@LAC		UTA			OKC
	@BKN		@MIL		WAS		PHO
	CHA		HOU		UTA	@NOR
			SAS		BKN		@LAL
		DAL			@CHA	@CHI
		@CLE	@DET		@DET		@NYK
	@DET		@WAS		@BOS	@CLE
		MIN			IND	@LAC
	@WAS		@ORL	@MIA		MEM
		@HOU	@MEM		PHO
	DEN		@NOR		@OKC	@HOU
	SAS		POR		@NYK

 

Atlanta, Golden State and Miami (for the second week in a row) are the unlucky trio with only 2 games this week, however, they are all home games.

The Los Angeles teams pattern of soft then hard weeks continues with a soft week as the Staples Center hosts all six games. The Clippers have it especially easy with no opponents with a better than .500 record. The Lakers don’t have it much harder with the barely .500 Indiana and Denver who will both be in the midst of extended road trips including the second night of a road back-to-back for the Nuggets. Chicago joins them with three home games but against much stiffer competition.

Two teams that don’t travel well, Phoenix and Portland, have a full docket of four road games. Their road fortunes may change though given the Eastern Conference cream puffs on their schedule. Only New York and Boston are even sniffing playoffs.

Toughest schedule falls to Brooklyn who starts at home against NYK and then travels to @BOS, @ORL and @MIA with the Florida games on a back-to-back. Easiest schedule goes to the league leading Grizzlies who get rest their starters against CLE, TOR and DET at home before heading to @SAS. For the Spurs it will be their first home game after a long road trip, which most NBA players acknowledge is the hardest to win.

Some games of note include:

NYK @ BKN on Monday. This is the make-up game from hurricane Sandy. It should be an emotionally charged affair for both clubs and especially the fans. Look for the stars like Carmelo Anthony and Deron Williams to step up big.

SAS @ MIA on Thursday. This is the classic fatigue versus rust duel. It is the final game of a six-game in nine nights road swing for the Spurs and the second of a back-to-back. On the other hand it will only the 3rd game (all at home) over the same period for the Heat and after four days of rest. Given the added pace of the Heat, will Tim Duncan finally show his age?

BOS @ MIL on Saturday. Two evenly matched squads both on the second of a back-to-back. The game also features some intriguing match-ups: Rajon Rondo versus Brandon Jennings; Monta Ellis and Paul Pierce each get mis-matchs; and the brawn of the Bucks front court against the skill of the Celtics.