With Christmas behind us, the next significant holiday on the basketball calendar is New Year’s Day. Fantasy basketball managers will be pleased to know that the best-of-five series games won’t start before 6 p.m. ET, giving them ample time to finalize their rosters even if they celebrated too hard the night before. However, the nine-game slate does include an early Eastern time game on New Year’s Eve at 1 p.m., featuring the Warriors visiting the Hornets—likely the only scheduling oddity for Week 11. Let’s dive into the schedule and key storylines.
Week 11 Games Breakdown:
- Teams playing 4 games include ATL, BKN, CHA, CLE, GSW, IND, MIL, NOR, NYK, ORL, POR, SAC, WAS.
- Teams playing 3 games include BOS, DAL, DET, DEN, LAL, MEM, YOU, TOR, UTA.
Back-to-Back Games in Week 11:
- Sunday to Monday: GSW, OKC, POR, TOR, WAS
- No back-to-backs Monday to Thursday.
- Thursday to Friday: BKN, SAC
- Friday to Saturday: ATL, CHA, GSW, NYK, POR
- Saturday to Sunday: MIA, MIN, SAS
- Sunday to Monday (Week 12): THE, OKC, PHX
Key Stories from Week 11:
- Tuesdays and Thursdays have fewer games: 4 on Tuesday and 5 on Thursday. Teams like Celtics, Pistons, Clippers, 76ers, and Kings play on both days, but only the Kings face back-to-back games Thursday and Friday.
- Brooklyn also has back-to-back games on Thursday and Friday, which may affect how those matches are managed. Cam Thomas returned recently from a hamstring injury for the 76ers, while Joel Embiid’s availability isn’t just tied to back-to-backs.
- The Heat and Timberwolves will finish Week 11 with back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday. Miami deals with injuries to Bam Adebayo and recently added Tyler Herro to the injury report, relying on players like Pere Larson who performed well in recent wins. Minnesota’s Mike Conley might be the only rotation player affected by consecutive games.
- Golden State, Oklahoma City, and Portland have two sets of consecutive games, though only Portland plays back-to-back within the same week. Steph Curry missed recent back-to-backs for the Warriors, while OKC’s Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein have also missed games due to tight scheduling.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo is back after a calf strain and could have a big week since Milwaukee has no back-to-back games. They face teams with some of the lowest defensive ratings, increasing fantasy potential for players like Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma.
- Suns’ Mark Williams played back-to-back for the first time this season but was ejected in one game and might miss further time due to suspension. Phoenix has a packed schedule with back-to-back games to end the week.
- Lakers will be without Austin Reaves for at least four weeks due to a calf injury. Marcus Smart might see more minutes, but his fantasy value is uncertain. Defensive issues also mean players like Jake LaRavia and Jared Vanderbilt could see increased roles.
Fan Take: This update is crucial for basketball fans as it highlights how injury management and scheduling quirks can shake up team strategies and fantasy leagues alike. Keeping an eye on key players’ health and back-to-back games can offer a strategic edge and influence the dynamics on the court and in fantasy basketball lineups.
