Ah, the fantasy basketball playoffs. It's the most wonderful (and stressful) time of the year for hoops managers. The stakes are sky-high, every matchup feels like life or death, and then bam! An injury throws everything into chaos. But don't worry — I've got you covered.
Here’s how to keep your playoff run alive while dodging the injury curveballs NBA players love to throw our way.
1. Stay on Top of Injury Reports
First things first: you need INTEL, and you need it fast. Injuries can come out of nowhere, so make it part of your daily routine to check the NBA injury report that's updated every hour or follow accounts like Underdog NBA. These sources are gold for nightly updates on who's in, who's out, and who's a game-time decision.
[Yahoo Fantasy Bracket Mayhem is back: Enter for a shot to win up to $50K]
Example? Just look at the Nuggets on Monday. Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and Christian Braun were all late scratches, leaving fantasy managers scrambling. If you’re not keeping tabs on injury updates, you’re already playing from behind.
2. Don’t Panic-Pickup After an Injury
It happens to the best of us. You see a player’s injury notification pop up on the Yahoo Fantasy app, slam the waiver wire and grab the "next man up."
But hold up. Sometimes an injury doesn’t mean immediate production for the backup. Sit tight, evaluate the situation, and wait for the dust to settle.
Take the Grizzlies for example. Ja Morant (hamstring) was ruled out ahead of Monday night's contest with a hamstring injury while his valuable backup, Scotty Pippen Jr., was listed as questionable all day. He was eventually ruled out, which opened up more minutes and opportunity for Luke Kennard. Had you picked up Pippen and he not played, you would have wasted a transaction. By waiting, you give yourself a chance to evaluate and weigh other options that could be more viable for replacement-level players.
3. Stream on Light Days
If there are players on your bench playing on heavy slates, consider dropping them to stream on the slates with fewer games. In Week 20, that's Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Why? Because the more games you can squeeze into your lineup during the week, the better your chance of keeping pace with your opponent. Small moves like this can help maximize your transactions.
Pro-tip: Check what teams have back-to-backs or three-game stretches, particularly at the end of the week. Attacking schedules is an easy way to gain an advantage.
4. Monitor the Waiver Wire
Keep an eye out for high-valued players who might have been dropped in angst. I had to drop Josh Giddey last week to keep my playoff hopes alive and I'm sure there are plenty of other examples where productive players may be sitting on waivers. Be strategic and ready to act if you see an opportunity that can help your team. If you have a bye week, you should scour the wire for favorable matchups and players ahead of Week 21.
And look for players with eligibility for multiple positions. Flexibility is huge during the playoffs.
5. Stay Flexible
Nice segue. Adaptability is the key to surviving in the fantasy playoffs. If a bench player isn’t contributing, don’t hesitate to cut them for someone who can fill a current need. Your playoff roster doesn’t have to look pretty — it just has to produce.
Also, be open to changing strategies from week to week. Maybe one week, you’re focusing on efficiency to counter having fewer games than your opponent, while the next, you’re loading up on stock guys against a team deficient in those categories.
Every matchup is different, so stay on your toes.
You’ve Got This!
Fantasy playoffs are as much about surviving as thriving. Injuries will happen, but how you react makes all the difference. Stay informed, plan ahead, and don’t be afraid to make bold moves. Good luck!
