22/23 Week 9 Schedule Analysis and Streaming Guide

Scheduling
December 10th, 2022

This week’s schedule follows a similar pattern to what we’ve seen up to this point. However, the busy days are a little less busy this week and you likely won’t have to deal with overload as much as you usually do. That makes focusing on the Tuesday and Thursday players less important than usual this week. Some of our top streaming options will still come from the Tuesday/Thursday teams, but unlike most weeks up to this point, the back-to-back sets tied to Wednesday and Friday will not be useless. This will be the case in the New Year as well. The post-Christmas schedule looks more like previous years’ schedules than what we’ve had up to this point. That will make streaming easier during the second half of the season and will increase the impact that skill has on each matchup.

Schedule Analysis

This is one of the quieter schedules that we will get this year. Only 11 teams play four times. Outside of the shortened Week 1, that is our lowest number yet. The lack of four-game teams makes players on three-game teams more viable than usual in weekly leagues. Low-end players on three-game teams won’t be high-upside options, but they’ll be startable. The lack of four-game weeks will also make the two-game Sixer schedule hurt a little less. James Harden and Joel Embiid teams will still be at a disadvantage this week, but it’s better to have your studs play a two-game week during a quiet week instead of during a week where 17 or so teams have four games. Teams built around the Sixers’ studs can also take solace in the fact that after this week, the Sixers will have the most remaining games in leagues. It’s been a bumpy ride for Harden and Embiid squads so far, but if the two stars can stay healthy, the second half of the season should be a lot of fun.
There are back-to-back sets starting everyday except Thursday. The Celtics are the only team that starts a set on Monday. If you have moves left over on Sunday night, scoop up Grant Williams or Derrick White if they are available. Also, make sure that your prepare for Robert Williams’ debut if you were smart enough to stash him. He’s not going to play in both games, but it sounds like he could come back against one of the LA teams. The Kings and Warriors are the two teams that play on both Tuesday and Wednesday. That’s not great news, as neither team has quality streamers. Waiting until later in the week to use your moves is likely going to be a better strategy than chasing those back-to-back sets. The Heat and Clippers both start a back-to-back set on Wednesday. On Friday, the Thunder, Blazers, Cavaliers, and Mavericks play the first of two games in two nights. The Wizards are the only team that has a back-to-back set starting on Saturday.
The Heat and Clippers play three games in four nights starting on Monday. From Tuesday to Friday, the Warriors and Kings play three times. From Wednesday to Saturday, the Heat, Clippers, Thunder, Blazers, Cavaliers, and Mavericks play three games in four nights. No team has three games between Thursday and Sunday.
Your Tuesday/Thursday teams this week are the Rockets, Bucks, Pelicans, Suns, and Jazz. All five teams play on Saturday as well. If you are unlucky enough to be overloaded on Wednesday and/or Friday, role players on those teams are your top streaming targets this week.
There are a lot of teams that do not start their week until Wednesday. We won’t see the Bulls, Hornets, Nuggets, Pistons, Raptors, Magic, and Knicks on either Monday or Tuesday. Drop their role players on Sunday night of Week 8 to pick up games in Week 9 without using a Week 9 move.
Dropping Sixers, Kings, and Hawks on Friday night is the best way to pick up extra games late in the week. Those three teams do not play on the weekend. Swapping their role players for Wizards will get you two extra games at the cost of only one move.
For the second week in a row, the Heat have the best schedule. It does not get any easier than the Pacers, Thunder, Rockets, and Spurs. In fact, the schedule is almost too easy. We are likely going to see Jimmy Butler rest during the mid-week back-to-back set. and it’s possible that other regulars get a night off as well. Max Strus is an excellent streamer this week. Caleb Martin is a must-grab if he is not already rostered. I wouldn’t bother with Victor Oladipo. Ignore Gabe Vincent as well, as it sounds like the combo guard could miss some time with a knee injury. The Blazers also have an easy schedule this week. They get three plus-matchups and the Mavericks. Those in deep leagues should keep an eye on Gary Payton. He should be back this week and could play enough to be a nice 14-team league piece. The Celtics have a great schedule as well which adds to the appeal of an early-week stream of Williams or White and makes Time Lord a viable start in weekly leagues if we get news before the lock that he’s returning on Monday or Tuesday.
Of the four-game teams, the Mavericks have the worst schedule due to their two games against the Cavaliers. Cleveland is the worst matchup in the league at the moment, as they are currently sporting the association’s best defense and slowest pace. Downgrade all of the Mavericks’ role players. Of the three-game teams, the Jazz have the worst schedule. The Pelicans are a very poor matchup and the Bucks have become a tough opponent for fantasy purposes after being a plus-matchup early in the season.

Streaming Guide

Monday/Tuesday Back-To-Back Streamers

Grant Williams (FG%, 3PM, REB), Derrick White (3PM, AST, STL, BLK), Sam Hauser (3PM)

Tuesday/Wednesday Back-To-Back Streamers

Donte DiVincenzo (STL), Jonathan Kuminga (PTS), Davion Mitchell (AST)

Wednesday/Thursday Back-To-Back Streamers

Thursday/Friday Back-To-Back Streamers

None

Friday/Saturday Back-To-Back Streamers

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (3PM, REB), Aleksej Pokusevski (PTS, 3PM, REB, BLK), Jalen Williams (PTS), Justise Winslow (REB, AST, STL), Drew Eubanks (FG%, REB, BLK), Caris LeVert (PTS, AST), Dorian Finney-Smith (3PM, REB, STL), Maxi Kleber (BLK), Josh Green (STL), Reggie Bullock (3PM)

Saturday/Sunday Back-To-Back Streamers

Deni Avdija (REB, STL), Daniel Gafford (FG%, REB, BLK), Jordan Goodwin (AST, STL), Cory Kispert (PTS, 3PM)

Sunday/Monday of Week 10 Back-To-Back Streamers

Dennis Smith Jr. (AST, STL), Nick Richards (FG%, REB, BLK), Mason Plumlee (FG%, REB, AST), Jalen McDaniels (PTS, 3PM, STL), Chris Boucher (PTS, REB, BLK), Christian Koloko (BLK), Jaylen Nowell (PTS, 3PM), Naz Reid (REB, BLK), Jordan McLaughlin (AST, STL), Jalen Suggs (PTS, AST, STL), Cole Anthony (PTS, 3PM, AST), Dennis Schroder (PTS, AST), Austin Reaves (PTS)

Monday to Thursday Three Games in Four Nights

Tuesday to Friday Three Games in Four Nights

Donte DiVincenzo (STL), Jonathan Kuminga (PTS), Davion Mitchell (AST)

Wednesday to Saturday Three Games in Four Nights

Max Strus (PTS, 3PM), Dewayne Dedmon (REB), Caleb Martin (PTS, 3PM, REB, STL), Norman Powell (PTS, 3PM), Reggie Jackson (PTS, 3PM, AST), Marcus Morris (PTS, 3PM), Nicolas Batum (3PM), Luke Kennard (3PM), Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (3PM, REB), Aleksej Pokusevski (PTS, 3PM, REB, BLK), Jalen Williams (PTS), Justise Winslow (REB, AST, STL), Drew Eubanks (FG%, REB, BLK), Caris LeVert (PTS, AST), Dorian Finney-Smith (3PM, REB, STL), Maxi Kleber (BLK), Josh Green (STL), Reggie Bullock (3PM)

Thursday to Sunday Three Games in Four Nights

None