By Anthony Oliva III
For many owners it’s safe to say that superstars like LeBron James or Chris Paul carried their teams to the fantasy playoffs. Once they’re in the playoffs, just like in the NBA postseason, unsung heroes emerge and make the difference between a championship and an early exit. Here are a dozen such players that are either heating up or getting more opportunities at just the right time to help you push towards a fantasy championship.
SF Jeff Green, Seattle Supersonics – The Georgetown rookie is starting to show why he was a top five pick in last year’s draft. He certainly hasn’t hit the rookie wall, and is averaging 16.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.0 steal 81.1 percent (30-for-37) free throw shooting in his last nine contests.
PG Rodney Stuckey, Detroit Pistons – Detroit is locked into the No. 2 seed in the East, and the Pistons have been giving their starters fewer minutes. Enter Stuckey. In his last four games he has averaged 29 minutes, and turned the extra time into 18 points, 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals a game, while making 25 of his 29 free throw attempts in that span.
PG/SG Jason Terry, Dallas Mavericks – Every game is important in Dallas as the Mavs are battling for a spot in the playoffs, and Terry has been a key. In his last seven games, he is averaging 19.9 points and 4.4 assists. With four crucial games left, expect similar clutch production.
PF Elton Brand, Los Angeles Clippers – Some owners will be very happy picking up Brand for a playoff run. He sat out the whole season and has played in only the last four games, but he doesn’t seem to have skipped a beat. He has scored in double figures in all four games, averaging 17.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in meaningless action for Los Angeles.
PF Leon Powe, Boston Celtics – Has benefited greatly because Boston has gradually been resting its starters as the season winds down. His averages are way up, and he has posted 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds in his last six games. On April 5, Boston rested its Big Three, and Powe came through with 22 points and nine rebounds. Expect Powe to be the biggest beneficiary of the Celtics’ late-season lineup changes.
PF Wilson Chandler, New York Knicks – With the Knicks already looking ahead to next season, this athletic first-round pick is getting a chance to showcase his game. He has scored in double figures in eight of his last 12, and has averaged 5.3 boards over that span. The Knicks have four games left of a season they’d like to forget, so look for Chandler to keep getting 30-plus minutes a night.
PG Chris Quinn, Miami Heat – Miami is riddled with injuries, and Quinn’s minutes and production have drastically improved as a result. The games don’t mean anything for the Heat, but he has averaged 15.1 points, 5.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals, while shooting 49-for-56 (87.5%) from the free throw line in his last 13 contests.
PF Kenyon Martin, Denver Nuggets – The Nuggets are fighting for a playoff spot, and Martin is peaking at the right time. The veteran power forward has averaged 17.3 points and 7.2 rebounds, while shooting 60 percent from the field in his last 12 games. Martin is in his most explosive form since having microfracture surgery on his right knee in 2006. Expect him to play substantial minutes the rest of the way and put up similar numbers as Denver vies for a spot in the playoffs.
C Andris Biedrins, Golden State Warriors – Biedrins is finally receiving some consistent playing time, and his numbers tell the story. Golden State is in a tight playoff race and every game and every possession count. His main contributions normally come on the defensive end as he is averaging 13.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks over his last seven games. But he has also added 14.7 points on 35-for-58 shooting (66%) over that same span.
C Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee Bucks – Has been a consistent producer all season, but is playing his best basketball of the year right now. He has nine double-doubles in his last 10 games, including five straight, and is averaging 18.9 points and 13.6 rebounds over that span. If you’re lucky enough to have him, ride his hot streak as long as you can in the fantasy postseason.
PF Nick Collison, Seattle Supersonics – Sure, the games don’t mean anything in Seattle anymore, but Collison is taking advantage of a starting job following the injury to Chris Wilcox. In his last 11 games, Collison has averaged 11.0 points and 11.9 rebounds and has recorded seven double-doubles. A player trying to prove his worth, like Collison is, is always useful during the home stretch of a fantasy season.
SF Ryan Gomes, Minnesota Timberwolves – Gomes is another young player still making valuable contributions late in the season. He has played some of his best ball in the last month and a half, first averaging 15.9 points a game in March, then nearly matching that pace again in April. He has also added 5.9 rebounds a game and shot 54-for-64 (84%) from the free throw line in that span.
