Why Betting on the Miami Heat in Fantasy Basketball Week 14 Could Be Your Secret Weapon

As we roll into Week 14, the NBA schedule unfolds with a rhythm that’s more balanced than ever—each day boasting between seven and nine contests. Monday steals the spotlight, packed with nine games in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, while the rest of the week holds steady with busy seven-game lineups on days like Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Traders and tacticians alike are sharpening their pencils, with the February 5 trade deadline lurking just around the corner. Teams are already plotting moves—not necessarily to boost their standings but to better their draft lottery odds. This week’s slate isn’t just about games; it’s a chess match of strategic maneuvers, injury challenges, and fantasy implications. Stick with me as I break down the schedule and spotlight the storylines you absolutely can’t miss. LEARN MORE

The Week 14 schedule has games more evenly distributed than in Week 14, with every day featuring between seven and nine games. Monday, which is when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday will be observed, is the busiest day with nine games, while Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday all have seven-game slates. Week 14 means we’re one week closer to the February 5 trade deadline, and some teams have already begun making moves to improve their draft lottery odds rather than their win-loss records. Let’s look at the Week 14 schedule breakdown and some notable storylines.

Week 14 Games Played

5 Games: MIA

4 Games: BKN, BOS, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, GSW, LAC, MIL, OKC, PHI, PHX, SAC, SAS, TOR, UTA

3 Games: ATL, CHA, CHI, HOU, IND, LAL, MEM, MIN, NOR, NYK, WAS

2 Games: ORL, POR

Week 14 Back-to-backs

Sunday (Week 13)-Monday: BKN

Monday-Tuesday: GSW, LAC, MIA, PHI, PHX, SAS, UTA

Tuesday-Wednesday: SAC, TOR

Wednesday-Thursday: CHA

Thursday-Friday: DEN, HOU, POR

Friday-Saturday: BOS, CLE

Saturday-Sunday: DAL, MIA

Sunday-Monday (Week 15): MEM

Week 14 Storylines of Note

– The Heat have the lone five-game week of Week 14.

In Week 13, it was the Lakers who had the loaded game schedule. In Week 14, Miami will play five games, including two back-to-backs that will both occur during the week. And given how crowded the Heat injury reports have been recently, that could make for some interesting lineup decisions for fantasy managers. Tyler Herro and Davion Mitchell did not play in Saturday’s win over the Thunder due to injury, resulting in Pelle Larsson and Kasparas Jakučionis moving into the starting lineup.

With Jaime Jaquez Jr. also out, Simone Fontecchio and Myron Gardner played rotation minutes. Kel’el Ware has been in Erik Spoelstra’s dog house recently, so who knows how much he’ll benefit from a five-game week. The Heat’s crowded schedule should lead to some streaming options emerging, especially if Herro and Mitchell aren’t available for Monday’s game against the Warriors.

– Orlando and Portland won’t come into play until Thursday.

The Magic played both of their Week 13 games in Europe, but they’ll have an additional day to get back on schedule than the Grizzlies. Orlando doesn’t play its first game of Week 14 until Thursday, while Memphis will play its first on Wednesday as part of a three-game week. Orlando and Portland have two-game weeks, and both are off until Thursday. Will the time off be enough to get Jalen Suggs back on the court for Orlando? The good news for them is that they don’t have a back-to-back to deal with.

That isn’t the case for Portland, which plays its games on Thursday and Friday. With Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant recently returning from injury, and Deni Avdija out with a back injury, could they be limited to one-game weeks instead of two? That makes those players challenging to rely on in leagues where lineups are set at the beginning of the week. In fact, it may be best to leave the Trail Blazers alone in Week 14.

– Fringe Hawks, Rockets and Pacers will likely be fine to move on from after Friday’s games.

In addition to Portland, Atlanta, Houston and Indiana will wrap up their Week 14 schedules on Friday. No fantasy managers will look to move on from a player who’s providing consistent fantasy value. But those streamers? They’ll likely be back on the waiver wire Saturday morning, and with good reason. Most of the league has one game over the final two days of Week 14, while a few will play on Saturday and Sunday. Looking ahead to Week 15, Atlanta, Houston and Indiana will all play on that Monday. However, while the Hawks and Rockets play four games in Week 14, the Pacers play three. That’s something to be mindful of as Week 14 draws to a close.

– The Mavericks and Nuggets have busy schedules to end Week 14.

In addition to the Heat, Dallas and Denver will play three games over the final four days of Week 14. And given the recent injury issues that both teams have dealt with, that could be an issue for fantasy managers. Dallas will have a Saturday/Sunday back-to-back to end Week 14, and how impactful that is on their rotation depends on Cooper Flagg’s ankle. He’s missed the last two games after spraining it in a loss to the Nuggets, with Caleb Martin moving into the starting lineup. Also missing the Mavericks’ most recent game, a win over the Jazz on Saturday, were P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, so Dwight Powell found himself in the starting lineup. If they linger, those injuries could put a player like Brandon Williams or Ryan Nembhard back on the fantasy radar after underwhelming recently.

As for the Nuggets, who are still awaiting Nikola Jokić’s return, they’re also juggling injuries to other players. Christian Braun’s ankle injury has put him back on the bench, while Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon have either missed time or been subject to a minutes restriction recently. Denver’s back-to-back during Week 14 is on Thursday and Friday, which could push a Jalen Pickett into streaming relevance, depending on Murray’s availability.

– Will Week 14 be a three-game week for Joel Embiid?

The 76ers’ center has only missed one of Philadelphia’s last ten games, a January 11 loss to the Raptors that was part of a back-to-back. Playing back-to-backs is the final hurdle for Embiid to clear, but it makes little sense for him or the 76ers to push it. With Philadelphia opening Week 14 with a back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday, this will likely be a three-game week for Embiid. Monday’s game against the Pacers could be particularly interesting, as the 76ers host a far more formidable Suns squad the following night. The Week 14 schedule also affects Paul George, who also has not played both games of a back-to-back this season.

– How many games will fantasy managers get out of Luka Dončić and Jalen Green?

Dončić was held out of Saturday’s loss to the Trail Blazers with a sore groin. The good news is that he’s been cleared as day-to-day after undergoing an MRI on Saturday. The Lakers’ three-game Week 14 does not include a back-to-back, and it begins with a game in Denver on Tuesday. When Dončić sits, LeBron James has to shoulder a heavier workload, especially with Austin Reaves currently out as well. Hopefully, there will be a clearer idea of Dončić’s status for Week 14 after the team’s final Week 13 games on Sunday against the Raptors.

As for Green, he appears to be closing in on a return to action after being out for more than two months with another hamstring injury. Since beginning his ramp-up process two weeks ago, he’s had three five-on-five sessions, with the most recent on Saturday, ahead of the Suns’ win over the Knicks. The Suns begin their four-game Week 14 slate with a back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday against the Nets and 76ers, then don’t play again until Friday in Atlanta. Could Green return to the rotation during Week 14? And when would it happen? His availability affects multiple players, most notably Collin Gillespie, who’s been a fixture in the starting lineup since late November.

Highlights

Week 14 Games Played

Week 14 Back-to-backs

Week 14 Storylines of Note

CHECK OUT THE HOTTEST DEALS ON AMAZON!

Related Posts

Post Comment Cancel reply

Hot Takes