NBA Start/Sit: Breaking Down a Busy Week 14 in Fantasy Basketball

Week 14 sets up very interestingly from a schedule perspective, as we have almost the entire league on four-game weeks and a trio of teams on the other end of the spectrum with just two games on their schedules. The latter makes identifying some Sit candidates a fairly straightforward process, while the abundance of clubs with busy schedules gives us a strong crop of streaming candidates to choose from.

TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards.

TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns 

TEAMS WITH TWO GAMES: Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings

Without further ado, let's examine some of the tougher start/sit decisions for Week 14:

Guards           

Start: Jalen Suggs, Magic

22% start rate in CBS leagues

Suggs has returned from an extended absence due to a thumb injury in fine form, averaging 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting a stellar 63.2 percent over his first two games back. The fifth overall pick was enjoying a solid rookie campaign before his injury, and given he was already up to 24 minutes in his most recent contest, he should have a chance to return to a normal allotment of playing time this week. The Magic are squarely focused on developing young players at the moment, so opportunity and usage should be plentiful for Suggs on a schedule that includes favorable matchups against the Blazers and Lakers. 

Start: Malik Monk, Lakers 

44% start rate in CBS leagues

Even when factoring in a couple of recent hiccups, Monk has been a bright spot in what's become an increasingly difficult season for the Lakers. The fifth-year guard is averaging 18.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 blocks across his current nine-game starting stint, shooting a blistering 50.9 percent, including 50.0 percent from three-point range. Monk's well-balanced production could certainly offer a boost during Los Angeles' four-game week, especially considering the Lakers' tendency to get into high-scoring affairs due to their shoddy defense. 

ALSO CONSIDER: Grayson Allen, Bucks (11% start rate in CBS leagues); Amir Coffey, Clippers (11% start rate in CBS leagues)

Sit: Josh Hart, Pelicans

51% start rate in CBS leagues

Hart has undoubtedly been a valued contributor in multiple categories throughout most of the season, but a two-game week notably dampens his prospects in Week 14. Hart's scoring has also been down over the last two games – he's posted 12 and 14 points in those contests – and his potential production during the upcoming scoring period could be comfortably eclipsed by a four-game option. 

Forwards        

Start: Justin Holiday, Pacers

7% start rate in CBS leagues

Holiday comes into Week 14 on an extended stretch of solid production, averaging 12.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 30 minutes per contest over what is a 13-game sample of starts. The veteran is shooting a solid 36.9 percent from behind the arc during that span, and he enters the new scoring period coming off one of his best efforts of the season – a 25-point, four-assist, two-rebound, three-block, two-steal effort against the Suns on Friday night. With Indiana still dealing with numerous injuries to its starting five, Holiday should remain heavily involved for the time being. 

Start: Robert Covington, Trail Blazers

45% start rate in CBS leagues

Covington has taken full advantage of Larry Nance's absence due to a knee injury, looking rejuvenated in his return to the starting five with averages of 14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 3.0 steals and 1.8 steals over his current five-game run with the first unit. The big man is capable of boosting every category on your squad as those numbers indicate, and Nance is already ruled out for at least Monday's very favorable matchup versus the Magic. Given his recent performances and Nance's extended layoff, Covington should be a virtual lock for a solid allotment of playing time even if his teammate does jump back into action at some point in Week 14.

ALSO CONSIDER: Max Strus, Heat (14% start rate in CBS leagues); Otto Porter, Warriors (15% start rate in CBS leagues)

Sit: Harrison Barnes, Kings

45% start rate in CBS leagues

Barnes has had some fluctuations in his production this season and has just a two-game ledger on tap, making him a consideration for a seat on your bench. The veteran wing has also been on a bit of a slump coming into Week 14, putting up between eight and 16 points in six of the last seven. Barnes has still been efficient over that span, but his averages of 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in the sample makes him expendable with such few opportunities to take the floor.

Centers       

Start: Mitchell Robinson, Knicks

40% start rate in CBS leagues

Robinson is in the midst of one of his best stretches of the season, averaging 11.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.0 block across his last nine games. The young big is averaging a solid 27.3 minutes per contest during that span, a figure partly made possible by the fact he's been able to largely avoid foul trouble (1.9 fouls per contest). Robinson will have four more games to build on his numbers in Week 14, and with Nerlens Noel currently dealing with a knee injury, the minutes should continue to be more than enough for the former to offer strong production.

Start: Chris Boucher, Raptors 

24% start rate in CBS leagues

Boucher has been generating some serviceable numbers despite a second-unit role in the last nine games, averaging 9.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals across 24.9 minutes per contest. Boucher also has some floor-spacing ability, even though he's scuffled from three-point range this season. However, with a locked-in workload and some particularly favorable matchups versus the Mavericks, Wizards and Trail Blazers, he's firmly in play Week 14.  

ALSO CONSIDER: Kevon Looney, Warriors (6% start rate in CBS leagues); Onyeka Okongwu (6% start rate in CBS leagues)

Sit: Christian Wood, Rockets

65% start rate in CBS leagues 

Wood has been generating impressive numbers heading into Week 14, so benching the big man isn't the easiest call. However, Wood also has a two-game schedule over the next seven days, and he has a pair of particularly tough matchups in those contests against the Jazz and Warriors. If you have a decent four-game option, consider keeping Wood on the bench for this week.