Know the Schedule March 18-24: Portland plays five games this week

The Portland Trail Blazers play five games this week. That's the good news. The bad news: All five games are on the road. Still, if I'm in a head-to-head league, I'm happy to play the usual suspects -- Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard, Wesley Matthews and J.J. Hickson -- even if they play only four games. Eric Maynor and Meyers Leonard haven't been great, but they're worth consideration in deep, deep leagues given the long schedule.

Minnesota and New York still have the sweetest of the remaining schedules. The Wolves and Knicks play four-game slates in each of the next four weeks. Chris Copeland and Iman Shumpert should be considered since both are starting for the dinged-up Knicks. Wolves forward Mickael Gelabale has shown flashes of fantasy productivity.

The Lakers have the worst schedule of the week, only playing two games. So keep that in mind if you're picking up Pau Gasol from waivers. This is also the last four-game week for Denver, Oklahoma City, Phoenix and Sacramento.

Atlanta, Boston, Memphis, Utah and Washington play four-game slates the next three weeks.

Miami, Indiana and Philadelphia play four-game slates for the next two weeks. So keep that in mind when making waiver wire adds and drops.

Here's a look at the March 18-24 schedule.
 


Photo: Portland Trail Blazers' Facebook.