Hey everyone, this is a pretty challenging week with barely any games because of the NBA Cup final stages. I don’t know about you, but the quarterfinals were honestly disappointing for me, every game ended in a 20-point blowout. The players are clearly trying harder and the arenas feel playoff-like, but the matchups themselves? Bad. Because it’s Cup Week, the fantasy schedule is super thin. A lot of teams have multiple days off and the final Cup games don’t count for fantasy, which means every waiver pickup counts double. So let’s make the most out of the moves you have left.
Maxime Raynaud, Kings
With Sabonis out, Raynaud has stepped in as the Kings’ starting center and has been a really nice surprise. In the past week he’s been around 13 points, 9 rebounds, and a block per game, shooting 58% from the field and even holding his own at the line at around 75%, very solid for a young big. As long as Sabonis is out, Raynaud is a must-add. He passes the eye test too: confident, active, and trusted by the coaching staff. If he’s somehow out there, don’t hesitate.
Precious Achiuwa, Kings
The other Kings big. Achiuwa hasn’t had a standout season so far, but with Sabonis injured he’s suddenly in a position to matter again. He’s had a couple nice games lately with rebounds, blocks, and some scoring sprinkled in. And dual eligibility at PF/C always helps with lineup flexibility. With two games left this week, I wouldn’t be shocked if he posts a near double-double in at least one of them, with a block or two. Definitely a strong short-term stream.
Egor Demin, Nets
Demin’s season has been up and down, pretty normal for a rookie, but the talent is obvious. He can give you assists and threes, and if FG% isn’t a category you’re protecting, he’s a fun upside swing. Long term, I really like him because once the Nets lean harder into the tank, he’s going to get more minutes whether they plan it or not. I’ll be shocked if he isn’t much more rostered in the second half of the fantasy season. Good stash, good streamer, both work.
Buddy Hield, Warriors
I like Buddy. He hasn’t shot the three well this year compared to his career norms, but he’s quietly putting together some useful fantasy lines. Over his last few games he’s averaged more than 7 rebounds, yes, rebounds!, and added some steals. And we all know his shooting can heat up out of nowhere. If you need threes this week, he’s a solid bet with two games remaining. Any time Buddy gets minutes, there’s always a chance he hits three or four triples.
Jericho Sims, Bucks
This is more of a situational pickup. Since Giannis went down, Sims has stepped into a starting role next to Myles Turner, and he’s flashed a bit of everything. The scoring is inconsistent, 15 points in the first game, then just 2 in the next pair, but the rebounding is legit. He’s around eight boards per game recently, and I expect the blocks to come. If you need to improve on some “center categories”, Sims is the type of high-variance gamble worth taking. Milwaukee loves him, the fans love him, and he should trend upward.
Final Thoughts
That’s it for this weird Cup Week. Like I said, using fantasypros’s schedule grid I focused only on players with two games left, since that’s the real advantage right now. Next week we’re back to a full schedule and normal rhythm. Make sure you check your categories and matchups before adding, and good luck. Hope you steal your matchup this week, talk to you soon. 🏀
Which one of these players will you add first? Drop a comment below
