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Fantasy Basketball Week 3 Schedule Breakdown – NBC Sports
Week 3 is usually the point when fantasy managers and analysts are better equipped to make definitive decisions regarding which players to buy low or sell high on and which to simply move on from, no questions asked. For this season, we’ve also got the curveball that is James Harden’s potential debut with the Clippers, which would double as his first action of the season due to the “soap opera” that led up to his exit from Philadelphia.
The Clippers are one of 17 teams that will play four games in Week 3, and they don’t have a back-to-back on the slate. Let’s take a look at the Week 3 schedule breakdown and some of the storylines that will impact how managers put together their lineups.
Week 3 Schedule Breakdown
4 Games: BOS, BKN, DAL, DET, GSW, HOU, IND, LAC, LAL, MIA, MIL, MIN, NOR, OKC, PHI, SAS, WAS
3 Games: ATL, CHA, CHI, DEN, MEM, NYK, ORL, PHO, SAC, UTA
2 Games: CLE, POR, TOR
Week 3 Storylines
– Will James Harden make his Clippers debut?
It’s highly unlikely that the league schedule makers knew Harden would be traded during Week 2, but the schedule broke very well for the Clippers. The team’s two-game slate, which culminated with a game against the Lakers on Wednesday, gave Tyronn Lue to run a modified training camp of sorts as he worked Harden and P.J. Tucker into the fold. With the former still needing to ramp things up from a conditioning standpoint, he could be well-positioned to debut on Monday against the Knicks in New York. If so, how will the guard rotation change, and, more specifically, what will Russell Westbrook’s role look like? Until those questions are answered, fantasy managers who have Westbrook rostered need to hold onto him.
– How will the Spurs account for Devin Vassell’s absence?
Devin Vassell suffered a mild groin strain during Thursday’s win over the Suns and was ruled out for their matchup with the Raptors on Sunday. That’s the first game of a back-to-back for San Antonio, which will play four games in Week 3. Depending on how much time Vassell misses, Malaki Branham (2% rostered) could be in play in deeper leagues. He replaced Vassell in the starting lineup for the second half of Thursday’s game, but Tre Jones is another name to be mindful of. He’s already rostered in 77% of Yahoo leagues, and that number should increase whether he starts or remains in a reserve role. Also, Keldon Johnson and Victor Wembanyama should receive boosts to their respective usage percentages, which is good news for those who have them rostered.
– How will Orlando account for the absences of Markelle Fultz and Wendell Carter Jr.?
Fultz was held out of Orlando’s final two games of Week 2 due to soreness in his left knee, while a broken finger on his left hand cost Carter the team’s matchup with the Lakers on Saturday. While the former doesn’t have a concrete timeline for return, the latter will be sidelined for at least three weeks after he undergoes surgery. Anthony Black and Goga Bitadze moved into the starting lineup, but neither is a lock to provide consistent streaming value while Fultz and Carter are sidelined. Add in Gary Harris being sidelined by a strained groin, and there are a lot of minutes that need to be filled. So managers who may have moved for a Cole Anthony or Moritz Wagner: don’t panic, as they’ll have their chances to contribute as well. Orlando plays three games in Week 3 and four in weeks 4 and 5.
– Navigating the Hawks’ forward situation during a three-game week.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder has remained flexible with those two starting spots, with matchups dictating his lineups. De’Andre Hunter, Jalen Johnson, and Saddiq Bey are in the mix, with Johnson receiving the starting nod on nights when the Hawks are up against a bigger power forward. Atlanta plays three games in Week 3, with Oklahoma City (Monday), Orlando (Thursday), and Miami (Saturday) being the opponents. Fantasy managers who have Hunter, Bey, or Johnson rostered may be frustrated by the situation, but there’s little point in angrily dropping one of them this early in the season. Also, Hunter has topped 60 games played in two of his first four seasons, so banking on an extended absence at some point wouldn’t be the worst strategy.
– Lakers to remain shorthanded in the backcourt
While starters D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves are healthy, the situation behind them isn’t great heading into Week 3. Backup Gabe Vincent (knee) will miss at least two more weeks, and rookie Jalen Hood-Schifino (three), with the absence of the latter not significantly impacting the rotation. Also, forwards Taurean Prince (knee) and Rui Hachimura (eye) have missed time, which has boosted the minutes of Cam Reddish and Christian Wood. The Lakers play four games in Week 3 without a back-to-back, which is good news for a team that has asked a lot of LeBron James thus far.
– How many games with the Suns get out of Devin Booker and Bradley Beal?
Booker (ankle) and Beal (back) have been limited by injuries, with the latter yet to have made his official Suns debut. That has resulted in increased playing time for Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen, with both being worthwhile streamers. But the Week 3 schedule could work in Phoenix’s favor, even though they only play three games. After Sunday’s matchup with the Pistons in Detroit, the Suns won’t play again until Wednesday night in Chicago as they close out their three-game road trip. In addition to the availability questions surrounding Booker and Beal, there’s the revolving door that’s the fifth spot in the starting lineup. Josh Okogie was the answer, but Keita Bates-Diop replaced him for Saturday’s game against the 76ers. Neither is worth rostering in standard leagues, but the former had some value in deeper formats when he was locked into the starting lineup. That’s no longer the case.
Light Game Days
Tuesday: No Games
Thursday: 2 Games
MIL vs. IND
ATL vs. ORL
Saturday: 4 Games
MIL vs. ORL
TOR vs. BOS
MIA vs. ATL
CLE vs. GSW
Week 3 Back-to-backs
Monday-Tuesday: None
Tuesday-Wednesday: None
Wednesday-Thursday: IND, MIL
Thursday-Friday: None
Friday-Saturday: BOS
Saturday-Sunday: GSW, MIA
Sunday-Monday (Week 4): CHI, NYK, WAS
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