With the first week of the NBA season in the rearview mirror, Week 2 will offer the standard routine for the association. Only one team (Philadelphia) plays two games, while 15 will play four times during Week 2. The 76ers remain in a holding pattern regarding two of their stars, but the schedule may work in their favor. On the other end of the spectrum, Denver, Portland, and Sacramento will have to play two back-to-backs over seven days. Let’s look at the Week 2 schedule for the NBA and some key storylines.
Week 2 Games Played
4 Games: ATL, BOS, BKN, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, MEM, NOR, ORL, POR, SAC, SAS, TOR, UTA
3 Games: CHA, CHI, GSW, HOU, IND, LAC, LAL, MIA, MIL, MIN, NYK, OKC, PHO, WAS
2 Games: PHI
Week 2 Storylines
– Is this the week we see Joel Embiid and Paul George in action?
The 76ers haven’t gotten off to the start many anticipated, with the absences of Embiid and George having a lot to do with that. However, the Week 2 schedule shapes up well for a potential return, even if it lowers the fantasy values of the team’s supplementary pieces. Philadelphia is the only team scheduled to play two games in Week 2, the first being a home matchup with the Pistons on Wednesday. With the week’s final game scheduled for next Saturday against the Grizzlies before the 76ers head west for a road trip, the schedule sets up well to keep Embiid and George fresh if they were to play. Andre Drummond, Caleb Martin, and Kelly Oubre Jr. are more valuable when Embiid and George sit. Still, they all may be surplus to requirements regardless of what the 76ers medical staff decides.
– Denver, Portland, and Sacramento have to navigate two back-to-backs
The NBA schedule-makers don’t waste time getting to the business of back-to-backs, with numerous teams ending their Week 1 slate with such a setup. For Week 2, three teams will have to deal with two back-to-backs. Portland’s first back-to-back begins with a home matchup against New Orleans on Sunday in the last game of Week 1, followed by a road game in Sacramento the following night. As for the Kings, both of their back-to-backs are during Week 2.
Mike Brown’s team begins its road trip in Utah the night after hosting Portland, and they’ll end their Week 2 slate with a Friday/Saturday road back-to-back against the Hawks and Raptors. The third team with two back-to-backs is Denver, which, like Sacramento, will play three of four on the road. The Nuggets begin the week with a Monday/Tuesday B2B in Toronto and Brooklyn and finish with a Friday/Saturday against the Timberwolves (road) and Jazz (home). The good news is that none of these teams are currently dealing with significant injuries to key players, but that doesn’t prohibit their respective training staffs from giving someone the night off if they see fit.
– Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday are set up to be good streaming days
Those are the lighter days on the schedule, with the NBA playing four games on Tuesday and Thursday and three on Sunday. As part of a four-game week, the Nets play on Tuesday and Sunday, making them a team for managers looking for added value to focus on. Maybe Dennis Schroder (35% rostered, Yahoo) jumps into the mix due to his place within the rotation, but his percentages (42.9% FG, 66.7% FT) weren’t the most impressive in the Nets’ first two games. Also, playing on two of those light game days are Dallas (Thursday and Sunday) and New Orleans (Tuesday and Sunday).
Given the injuries to Trey Murphy and Dejounte Murray, Jordan Hawkins (13% rostered) may be worth a look in deep leagues, especially ahead of the Pelicans’ game against the Hawks to end Week 2. Rookie Yves Missi (15%), who tallied two steals and five blocks in the first two games of the season, should also be considered. He’s played four more minutes per game (22.5 to 18.5) than Daniel Theis, despite the veteran receiving the starting nod in wins over the Bulls and Trail Blazers.
– Raptors may welcome back key contributors soon
Toronto played its first two games without RJ Barrett (shoulder), and Immanuel Quickley (pelvis) went down during the team’s season-opening loss to the Cavaliers. The former could return as soon as Saturday’s game against the Timberwolves, putting him on track to be available to begin a four-game Week 2 slate on Monday. As for Quickley, he did not travel with the team to Minneapolis. The good news for Toronto is they’ll play three of their four Week 2 games at home. The bad is that the slate includes a Friday/Saturday home back-to-back against the Lakers and Kings.
We’ll see how much Barrett and Quickley can play and how the Raptors will handle those two regarding the back-to-back. Gradey Dick is a player worth holding onto regardless of RJ and Quickley’s statuses, while Ochai Agbaji is not (he probably shouldn’t even be streamed). Another name for fantasy managers to be mindful of, especially in deep leagues, is rookie Jonathan Mogbo. He has a fantasy-friendly game, especially for those needing defensive stats.
– Miami, Washington, and Clippers schedules
The Heat, Wizards, and Clippers all play three games during Week 2, but their schedules will impact how those teams are evaluated regarding fantasy value. Miami and Washington play all three games on the busier days of the week (Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday), while the Clippers play three games in four days, beginning with Portland on Wednesday. In the case of the first two teams, their less-heralded players who receive streaming attention on lighter days may not be worth a look. As for the Clippers, players other than James Harden and Ivica Zubac may be left on the waiver wire, especially in leagues that require lineups to be set before the start of games on Monday.
Light Game Days
Tuesday (4 Games)
DEN vs. BKN
DAL vs. MIN
SAC vs. UTA
NOR vs. GSW
Thursday (4 Games)
MIL vs. MEM
HOU vs. DAL
SAS vs. UTA
PHO vs. LAC
Sunday (3 Games)
DET vs. BKN
ATL vs. NOR
ORL vs. DAL
Back-to-backs
Sunday (Week 1)-Monday: ATL, IND, MIL, POR
Monday-Tuesday: DAL, DEN, SAC, UTA
Tuesday-Wednesday: BKN, GSW, NOR
Wednesday-Thursday: LAC, MEM, SAS
Thursday-Friday: None
Friday-Saturday: BOS, CHA, CLE, DEN, MIN, OKC, POR, SAC, TOR
Saturday-Sunday: None
Sunday-Monday (Week 3): ATL, DET, NOR
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