Week 10 Fantasy Basketball Start Em’ & Sit Em’: It's Kemba Walker Time!
In Week 10, most NBA teams and rosters have been affected by the spread of COVID-19. As a result, much of the considerations this week have been based on which players and how many players are sidelined on given rosters. These picks are also affected by how many games teams are playing in Week 10. Given the speed and unpredictability at which COVID-19 is spreading throughout the league, these picks may no longer be valid in 24 hours. Nonetheless, here are your picks to start and sit at each position in Week 10 of the regular season. Check out the Week 10 edition of fantasy basketball start 'em and sit 'em!
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Teams Playing 4 Games: Oklahoma City Thunder
Teams Playing 3 Games: Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz
Teams Playing 2 Games: (Many of these teams have had one game canceled against the COVID-19 infected teams): Toronto Raptors, Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Washington Wizards
Teams with Delayed Week 10 Schedules due to COVID-19 (We will not include any players from these teams as a result): Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic.
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Week 10 Guards To Start:
PG Kemba Walker, New York Knicks
The Knicks are without a vast majority of their active roster as a result of COVID-19. This left Tom Thibedeau and the Knicks' front office no choice but to re-activate Kemba Walker, who hadn’t seen any action since November (coach’s decision). Although the Knicks lost again against the Celtics on Dec. 18, Walker erupted for 29 points (8-20 FG), six rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes. No one ever questioned his ability to score. Rather, the Knicks benched him because Thibedeau believed that Walker wasn’t fitting in well with the Knicks rotation. Now that approximately half of New York’s players have been place on health and safety protocols, Walker has returned as a starter for the Knicks and will likely see big minutes at least in Week 10. New York is scheduled to play the Pistons, Hawks, and Timberwolves this week. This gives Knicks guards a neutral schedule this week, as these teams combined are mediocre on defense against opposing guards. Nonetheless, Walker’s increased role for the time being combined with his personal goals of proving Thibedeau wrong are likely to be on showcase this week in the NBA.
PG Jalen Brunson, Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic has been sidelined due to an ankle injury he sustained last week. Whenever Doncic is inactive, Jalen Brunson is hyperactive. Over the last four games the Mavericks have played, Brunson has scored at least 13 points and recorded a minimum of eight assists. He’s scored in double-figures in every game so far this month. Now that Luka is out, Brunson’s increased role on the Mavs makes it likely that Brunson reproduces the stellar numbers that have carried him through the month of December. In addition, guard Reggie Bullock (COVID-19) and Frank Nitlikina (illness) have been out of the rotation, further suggesting that Brunson will see bigger minutes (30+ MPG) in Week 10.
Week 10 Guard To Sit
PG Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic is currently listed as DTD with a bad left ankle. Although he could return this week, he likely will not play all three of Dallas’ games. If he does return, he is not guaranteed to play a full game. Therefore, Doncic is too risky to start this week in fantasy. Once he is at full strength, it is safe to fire him up again. However, leave him on the bench in Week 10.
Week 10 Wings To Start
SF/PF Luguentz Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder
Luguentz Dort is a player who’s proven many times before that he is capable of scoring 30+ points on any given night. His consistency has remained to be a question nonetheless. This season, he is averaging 17.4 PPG and shooting 43.4% from the field. His field goal percentage has increased by 4.3% since last season and he is starting to heat up. In the month of December, Dort has scored in double figures in all the games that he has played. In five of his last 10 games, Dort has scored a minimum of 19 points and converted at least 47.5% of his shots through those five games. Dort is therefore a player worth starting in Week 10, especially because the Thunder are playing four games and are largely unaffected by COVID-19.
SF Jordan Nwora, Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a team that is also getting hit hard with COVID-19 but haven’t had any of their Week 10 scheduled games be postponed. Wesley Matthews, Donte DiVincenzo, Rodney Hood, and Bobby Portis Jr. are out this week as a result of testing positive for the virus. Jordan Nwora has seen an increased role in this time and has delivered efficient basketball in return. In the last three games, Nwora has scored at least 14 points and played a minimum of 27 minutes. He’s recorded double-doubles over the last two games and played 42 minutes in each contest. Due to his increased role and the lack of healthy players on the Bucks' roster, Nwora should be activated in Week 10.
Week 10 Wing To Sit
SF RJ Barrett, New York Knicks
Barrett along with Obi Toppin were the first two Knicks to enter the league’s Health and Safety Protocols ahead of the Knicks' Dec. 12 matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. Although Barrett could return to the Knicks lineup this week, he has not played consistently this season. RJ started off hot, at one point averaging close to 26 points per game in the first two weeks of the regular season. In the month before he tested positive for the virus, Barrett was in a slump. Considering he is not guaranteed to suit up for all of New York's games this week and the fact that he has been very inconsistent throughout the season, fantasy owners should keep Barrett on the bench in Week 10.
Week 10 Big to Start
PF/C, DeMarcus Cousins, Milwaukee Bucks
DeMarcus Cousins is worthy of starting this week because of the current health status of the Bucks' roster. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis Jr. both out on COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols this week, Boogie Cousins is one of the only remaining bigs worthy of getting head coach Mike Boudenholzer’s nod in Week 10. In his last game, Cousins recorded a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double in 27 minutes, showing just how effective and dominant he can be on the floor. Now that the Bucks' roster is hanging on a thread, Cousins alongside Jordan Nwora should be activated this week in fantasy basketball.
Week 10 Big to Sit
C Nicolas Claxton, Brooklyn Nets
Although Claxton has played well and is currently unaffected by COVID-19, he is a GTD for the few games the Brooklyn Nets might get to play this week. LaMarcus Aldridge, Paul Millsap, James Johnson, and Day’Ron Sharpe are four bigs all out for the Nets. Brooklyn will play its first game this week at the earliest on Thursday night. If that is the case, Claxton should be ready. Nonetheless, he could only play a maximum of two games this week. As Brooklyn continues to suffer from the raging virus that has been plowing through New York City so far this winter, Claxton should be benched in Week 10 despite being one of the only remaining bigs healthy for Brooklyn in Week 10. The Nets are too much of a liability this week for him to be activated.
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