“Although we’ve come, to the end of the road
Still, I can’t let go.
It’s unnatural, you belong to me
I belong to you.”
Yes, friends, the end is upon us. What marks the beginning of some teams (my Raptors not included) playoff run towards a championship also spells the end of another fantasy basketball season. What did we learn this year? Well, we learned that a contingency plan is always required and you need to have your neck on a swivel when it comes to keeping your squad relevant and competitive. We witnessed the rise of the NY Knicks which absolutely no one saw coming led by Julius Randle and his top 25 finish on the season. WOW! It will be of no coincidence that he is on many championship teams when the dust settles. On the other hand, we were also witnesses to the defending champions free-falling down in the standings as they cobbled together a lineup without LeBron James and Anthony Davis for significant portions of the season. It will be interesting to see what a play-in matchup between the Lakers and the Warriors looks like, the prospect has me more than just a little intrigued. Many storylines created and possibly, we will take a more thorough look at some in the coming weeks but for now, let us end off on one final underperformer before we close out this column for the season.
For the final time this season, I bring to you…
Every Player in the League
We are looking at three or four games depending on the schedules so it is time to consider everything and everybody. No one is off-limits when it comes to dropping or sitting a player, I mean absolutely NO ONE.
I will set the scene for you:
You are battling for points in the three-point category and you are running out of games to play. Depending on your situation, you may need to sit a stud player who occupies your utility spot like Rudy Gobert in favor of a hot hand who is bombing away from three. Even if that player is a far lesser player that you would not play under normal circumstances but as I said last week, these are silly season times and words like “normal” are tossed out of the sunroof.
You should view each game at this point under the lens of a microscope, as paying attention to detail has likely not been as crucial as it is with only a few games remaining. This is not the time to start letting up because the GM sprinting behind you is pumping his arms and track spikes are barely kissing the ground as you both eye the finish line. You could win or lose by a nose depending on how you treat the final games.
Pay close attention to teams that still have something to play for be it a playoff birth or seeding, as this could determine if a star player rests and provides an opportunity for an unlikely hero to emerge. More than that though, you do not want to waste a roster spot on a player that does not intend to play, we do not have time for that anymore.
Do what is best for your roster and do not fear being creative.
It has been an absolute pleasure curating a list of players for you week to week to help you have an advantage in your leagues.
Be safe and good luck.
Peace.
