(FREE) 22/23 Week 22 Schedule Analysis and Streaming Guide

The NBA schedule makers have blessed us with a nasty schedule for what will be the semi-finals or finals in most leagues. Remember that annoying setup that we had to deal with for the first half of the season? Well, it’s back this week. We have three very busy days where we have to be on the lookout for overload. The busy days will also decrease the amount of useful back-to-back sets. The majority of this week’s back-to-back sets come late in the week and are tied to either Friday or Saturday. The unfortunate schedule ups the value of players who play on the quieter days. Players with back-to-back sets and stretches of three games in four nights are still ideal targets, but we should also place extra value on players who play on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. There are also some gaps in the schedule that we will want to take advantage of. There are quite a few teams that play only one game over the first four days of the week. If you have an extra move or two left over on Sunday of Week 21, swapping out your low-end players on those teams for teams with busy early-week schedules is a great way to pick up extra games.

Schedule Analysis

  • Before getting into the schedule analysis, let’s talk about what to do with the players on the two-game teams. We’ll start with the Nuggets. If this is the finals for you, then everyone but Nikola Jokic is droppable on Sunday night of Week 21. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. are not must-drops, but both players are unlikely to be more than top-150 options in Week 22. Aaron Gordon is a drop in standard leagues. He’ll give you about 30 points, 12 rebounds, and not much else this week. In a 12-team league, there will be plenty of four-game streamers who can give you more than that. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown are clear drops in both 12- and 14-team leagues. If next week is the semis, then try to hold Murray and MPJ. If you get into trouble, then do what you have to do to move on, but with Denver having four games in Week 23, both would be painful drops. There are no painful drops on the Pistons. Every player on Detroit should hit the wire on either Sunday of Week 21 or after their Tuesday game in Atlanta in both 12- and 14-team leagues. Dropping them on Sunday would be ideal since it will save you a Week 22 move. The only members of the Heat that are must-holds during their two-game week are Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Tyler Herro is a borderline drop. Unless he goes off, he’s only going to be a top-175 player this week. He’s droppable in 12-team leagues even if next week is your semis. Miami only has three games in Week 23, so Herro doesn’t have a real shot at being a difference-maker during your finals.
  • Fifteen teams play four times this week. That’s a slightly above-average number this season. What to do with your low-end players on the three-game teams comes down to the timing of their games. Players on three-game teams that play two of their games early in the week are fine to hold. Players on teams that play one game early in the week and two games late in the week are candidates to be replaced at the end of Week 21 or at the beginning of Week 22.
  •  There are a lot of teams with only one game over the first four days of the week. All of the two-game teams play only one game over that stretch, and the same goes for the Bucks, Raptors, Blazers, Suns, Celtics, and Lakers. If you don’t have any two-game players (or players on three- or four-game teams that will be two-game players due to overload), then your most droppable players will likely come from that group of teams.
  • The Kings are the only team that plays on both Monday and Tuesday. If you have a bye this week or have your Week 21 matchup locked up early, consider grabbing Trey Lyles and/or Malik Monk with a Week 21 move. The Hawks, Wizards, and Spurs are the three teams that start a back-to-back set on Tuesday. Stay away from the Spurs unless you have no other option. The last time they had a back-to-back set, nearly everyone in the rotation got a day off. The Knicks are the only team that starts a back-to-back set on Wednesday. They are also the only team that plays three games in four nights to start the week. If Josh Hart, Immanuel Quickley, or Mitchell Robinson was dropped this week due to the two-game schedule, add them. R.J. Barrett is also an option, but he’s a very matchup-dependent play since he doesn’t offer a ton outside of points and comes with some significant drags. The Thunder and the Hornets are the two teams that start a back-to-back set on Thursday. On Friday, we have quite a few back-to-back sets starting. The Bucks, Jazz, Pacers, Kings, Sixers, and Suns play on both Friday and Saturday. The Hawks and the Nets are the two teams that play two games next weekend. The Mavericks, Wolves, Bulls, Blazers, and Rockets play on both Sunday of Week 22 and Monday of Week 23.
  • As mentioned, the Knicks are the only team that starts Week 22 with a stretch of three games in four nights. From Tuesday to Friday, three teams play three games. Those three teams are the Wizards, Thunder, and Spurs. Target members of the Wizards and Thunder before considering Spurs. It’s unlikely that the Spurs’ regulars play in all three games. The Bucks, Jazz, Suns, Sixers, and Pacers start a stretch of three games in four nights on Wednesday. The Thunder, Nets, and Hornets do the same on Thursday.
  • If your Wednesday, Friday, and/or Sunday schedule is already full, then you will want to target players on the Nets, Clippers, and Pelicans. Those three teams are the only teams that have three games on the four quieter days.
  • Members of the Knicks are also great streaming targets because once New York plays their third game of the week on Thursday, they are done for the week. If you pick up a Knick before Week 22 starts, you’ll be able to get six games out of that roster spot using only two Week 22 moves. The Pistons are the other team that ends their week early. Detroit does not play on either Saturday or Sunday next week.
  • The Bucks, Nuggets, Lakers, Suns, Blazers, Raptors, and Heat do not play on either Monday or Tuesday of Week 22. Swapping out their low-end options for players on the Kings on Sunday of Week 21 will net you two games without having to use a Week 22 move.
  • The Hornets do not play on Tuesday or Wednesday. Dropping their role players for Hawks or Wizards will allow you to pick up two games using one move. The Celtics, Pistons, and Kings do not play on Wednesday or Thursday. In fact, the Kings are off until Friday after their early-week back-to-back set ends. The Heat, Wolves, Nuggets, and Hawks do not play on either Thursday or Friday. The Knicks, Magic, Cavaliers, and Wolves get both Friday and Saturday off. Use this week’s streaming guide to figure out which players you should add to take advantage of those breaks in the schedule.

Streaming Guide

Monday/Tuesday Back-To-Back Streamers

Trey Lyles (PTS, 3PM, REB), Malik Monk (FT%, PTS, 3PM, AST), Harrison Barnes (FT%, PTS, 3PM), Keegan Murray (PTS, 3PM, REB)

Tuesday/Wednesday Back-To-Back Streamers

Bogdan Bogdanovic (PTS, 3PM), Saddiq Bey (PTS, 3PM), Onyeka Okongwu (FG%, REB, BLK), De’Andre Hunter (PTS, 3PM), John Collins (PTS, REB), Corey Kispert (PTS, 3PM), Daniel Gafford (FG%, REB, BLK), Deni Avdija (REB, STL), Monte Morris (AST), Delon Wright (AST, STL)

*The Spurs also start a back-to-back set on Tuesday. However, it is hard to recommend any of their players as streamers since almost the entire rotation got at least one night off during their more recent back-to-back set.

Wednesday/Thursday Back-To-Back Streamers

Isaiah Hartenstein (REB), Quentin Grimes (3PM), R.J. Barrett (PTS , 3PM, REB)

Thursday/Friday Back-To-Back Streamers

Isaiah Joe (PTS, 3PM), Jaylin Williams (3PM, ERB), Lindy Waters (3PM), Lu Dort (PTS, 3PM, STL), Nick Richards (FG%, REB, BLK), Dennis Smith Jr. (AST, STL), Kai Jones (BLK)

Friday/Saturday Back-To-Back Streamers

Bobby Portis (FG%, REB), Joe Ingles (3PM, AST), Pat Connaughton (3PM, REB), Jevon Carter (3PM), Jordan Clarkson (PTS, 3PM, AST), Kris Dunn (AST, STL), Talen Horton-Tucker (PTS, 3PM, AST, BLK), Ochai Agbaji (3PM), T.J. McConnell (FG%, PTS, AST, STL), Aaron Nesmith (PTS, 3PM), Jordan Nwora (PTS, 3PM, STL), Jalen Smith (REB, BLK), Andrew Nembhard (PTS, 3PM, AST), Isaiah Jackson (BLK), Trey Lyles (PTS, 3PM, REB), Malik Monk (FT%, PTS, 3PM, AST), Harrison Barnes (FT%, PTS, 3PM), Keegan Murray (PTS, 3PM, REB), De’Anthony Melton (3PM, STL), Georges Niang (3PM), Josh Okogie (3PM, STL), Cam Payne (AST), Terrence Ross (3PM)

Saturday/Sunday Back-To-Back Streamers

Bogdan Bogdanovic (PTS, 3PM), Saddiq Bey (PTS, 3PM), Onyeka Okongwu (FG%, REB, BLK), De’Andre Hunter (PTS, 3PM), John Collins (PTS, REB), Dorian Finney-Smith (3PM, STL), Royce O’Neale (3PM, REB, STL), Seth Curry (3PM)

Sunday/Monday of Week 23 Back-To-Back Streamers

Tim Hardaway Jr. (PTS, 3PM), Reggie Bullock (3PM), Maxi Kleber (BLK), Christian Wood (PTS, REB), Dwight Powell (FG%), Josh Green (3PM, STL), Naz Reid (PTS, 3PM, REB, BLK), Alex Caruso (AST, STL), Coby White (3PM), Andre Drummond (REB), Patrick Williams (PTS, 3PM, STL), Matisse Thybulle (3PM, STL, BLK), Cam Reddish (PTS, 3PM, STL), Drew Eubanks (BLK), Tari Eason (REB, STL), Jae’Sean Tate (PTS, REB)

Monday to Thursday Three Games in Four Nights

Isaiah Hartenstein (REB), Quentin Grimes (3PM), R.J. Barrett (PTS , 3PM, REB)

Tuesday to Friday Three Games in Four Nights

Corey Kispert (PTS, 3PM), Daniel Gafford (FG%, REB, BLK), Deni Avdija (REB, STL), Monte Morris (AST), Delon Wright (AST, STL), Isaiah Joe (PTS, 3PM), Jaylin Williams (3PM, ERB), Lindy Waters (3PM), Lu Dort (PTS, 3PM, STL)

*The Spurs also start a stretch of three games in four nights on Tuesday. However, it is hard to recommend any of their players as streamers since almost the entire rotation got at least one night off during their more recent back-to-back set.

Wednesday to Saturday Three Games in Four Nights

Bobby Portis (FG%, REB), Joe Ingles (3PM, AST), Pat Connaughton (3PM, REB), Jevon Carter (3PM), Jordan Clarkson (PTS, 3PM, AST), Kris Dunn (AST, STL), Talen Horton-Tucker (PTS, 3PM, AST, BLK), Ochai Agbaji (3PM), T.J. McConnell (FG%, PTS, AST, STL), Aaron Nesmith (PTS, 3PM), Jordan Nwora (PTS, 3PM, STL), Jalen Smith (REB, BLK), Andrew Nembhard (PTS, 3PM, AST), Isaiah Jackson (BLK), De’Anthony Melton (3PM, STL), Georges Niang (3PM), Josh Okogie (3PM, STL), Cam Payne (AST), Terrence Ross (3PM)

Thursday to Sunday Three Games in Four Nights

Dorian Finney-Smith (3PM, STL), Royce O’Neale (3PM, REB, STL), Seth Curry (3PM), Isaiah Joe (PTS, 3PM), Jaylin Williams (3PM, ERB), Lindy Waters (3PM), Lu Dort (PTS, 3PM, STL), Nick Richards (FG%, REB, BLK), Dennis Smith Jr. (AST, STL), Kai Jones (BLK)