In-Season Strategy: Yahoo H2H Playoff Cheat Sheet

Traditional head-to-head fantasy playoffs conclude a week and a half before the regular season ends, consuming weeks 21 (March 16-22), 22 (March 23-29), and 23 (March 30-April 5) of the NBA calendar. The NBA's schedule maker generated a fairly balanced schedule this season, with 22 teams playing either 12 or 11 games over the course of the three-week playoff stretch.

To try and gain an advantage, head-to-head managers often scour the playoff schedule to look for advantages in games played, but drafting based on playoff schedule is a risky proposition. Injuries, rest, trades, suspensions, or any other unforeseen circumstance may derail what seemed like an otherwise flawless plan.

The season's final stretch always has key players resting, tanking teams fabricating injuries to significant contributors, and unsung heroes ascending into fantasy superstardom, a la Bobby Sura circa 2004. The two types of teams that typically rest critical cogs are those locked into a playoff seed and those near the bottom of the standings trying to improve their lottery odds.

Last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks, and Detroit Pistons all played an additional game in April that was not originally scheduled until the teams had games postponed and needed to make them up. LaMarcus Aldridge suffered a lower back bruise on March 13, forcing him to miss the first six games of standard head-to-head playoffs, including three games of the enticing Week 22 five-game semifinal. Dwight Howard missed eight of the Rockets' 10 head-to-head playoff games and 12 of the final 16 games with a left ankle issue. Brook Lopez and Dwyane Wade were non-factors in fantasy come playoff time, but the Nets and Heat were the only two teams that had four games scheduled in each of the final four weeks of competition.

For those of you trying to game the system and increase your odds of hoisting your league's fantasy basketball trophy, look no further.

Categorized below are all 30 NBA teams, based on their head-to-head playoff schedule (weeks 21-23). The rankings were constructed using a variety of factors, including but not limited to: total games (12 max; 9 min), quality games (7 max; 1 min), home/road splits, back-to-backs (5 max; 1 min), 50-plus loss opponents based on last season's record (5 max; 1 min), and 2015 first-round pick status.

Quality games, for the uninformed, are exploitable games in the schedule where, for the purposes of this exercise, fewer than half the NBA teams play on a single day. Scarcity, in this case fewer daily games played, generates a more valuable commodity. A normal Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday slate generally pits more than 20 teams against each other, forcing managers to decide on which players to bench. In a standard 12-team fantasy league, 156 players are owned (5.2 players per NBA team) with only 10 active roster spots and three bench slots. On nights with less than half the league playing, fewer than 80 active players are already owned, yielding as much as three streaming slots per fantasy team. It permits those in leagues with daily roster moves to maximize their games played, while minimizing wasted games and add/drops, which are typically limited.

Disclaimers

Each team is equipped with a visual representation of its three-week schedule. Home games are identified with a white background, while away games are flanked with a solid color.

Some teams will appear to have one more back-to-back set than shown on the calendar. An asterisk (*) denotes a back-to-back set tied to the Sunday prior to the start of the fantasy basketball playoffs. While that Sunday game doesn't count in the fantasy playoffs, the Monday game is still considered the second game of a back-to-back (SEGABABA).

The Monday following Week 23 is the NCAA Championship game. The NBA will not play any games on that night.

Cheat Sheets

Tier One: Teams with 12 Games in the Fantasy Playoffs

1. Golden State Warriors

Home/Road: 6/6
Quality Games: 7
Back-to-Backs: 4
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

The Warriors are an obvious contender for a top-six seed in the West, even with a new coach at the helm in Steve Kerr, a Gregg Popovich disciple. Kerr may reduce the Warriors' older players' minutes down the stretch, especially the injury-prone Andrew Bogut. Klay Thompson has only missed one game in his three-year career, stepping away from the team after the passing of his grandfather last season, and Stephen Curry has played 78 games each of the last two seasons.

Curry obliterated the Trail Blazers last season, to the tune of 36.0 points, 7.3 assists, and 5.0 three-pointers on 47 percent from deep over four games. Conversely, the Washington Wizards contained Curry to 18.5 points, 7.0 assists, and 1.5 three-pointers on 25 percent from beyond the arc in two games. Thompson followed suit, averaging 24.8 points, 3.3 three-pointers while shooting 50 percent from the field in four games against the Trail Blazers.

2. Utah Jazz

Home/Road: 6/6
Quality Games: 6
Back-to-Backs: 3
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

The Jazz saddle up for another season with a core of neophytes, both on the court and roaming the sideline. They ended last season losing 21 of their final 25 games. Marvin Williams and Richard Jefferson are no longer in the mix, taking with them 148 combined starts.

Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors feasted on the Denver Nuggets last season. Hayward averaged 25.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.3 steals on 50 percent shooting, abusing Randy Foye with his height advantage and meeting little resistance in the form of help defense. On the flip side, the Nuggets' best defender, Arron Afflalo only played one game against Hayward last year, limiting him to eight field goal attempts in 40 minutes and only four second-half points. Favors averaged 18.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks on 60 percent shooting, abusing the triumvirate of Timofey Mozgov, J.J. Hickson, and Kenneth Faried.

3. Indiana Pacers

Home/Road: 6/6
Quality Games: 5
Back-to-Backs: 3
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

Larry Bird has no interest in tanking this season, proclaiming, "I think we'll compete hard and do our best to make the playoffs." A fine sentiment indeed, but their fate remains dubious. While the Pacers' early-season schedule provides little resistance, management may opt to rebuild if Paul George's replacements are unable to tread water. On a positive note, Roy Hibbert has only missed seven games over the past five seasons, and David West has only missed 11 games during his three-year run with the Pacers.

4. Charlotte Hornets

Home/Road: 5/7
Quality Games: 4
Back-to-Backs: 4
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

Week 21 coincides with the first weekend of the NCAA tournament, which will be played at Time Warner Cable Arena, forcing the Hornets to endure a season-high five-game road trip in the thick of the fantasy playoffs. Softening that blow is that their fantasy playoff schedule includes five games against teams who lost more than 50 games last season.

They're expected to make a noticeable ascension in the Eastern Conference, so resting players down the stretch appears unlikely. Al Jefferson only missed 18 games over the past four seasons; Kemba Walker missed nine games last season with ankle and groin issues but didn't miss a game his first two years; and Lance Stephenson missed an average of four games over the past two seasons.

5. Miami Heat

Home/Road: 5/7
Quality Games: 4
Back-to-Backs: 2
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owed to Philadelphia. It's top-10 protected each of the next two drafts. This pick originally came to Cleveland in the LeBron James sign-and-trade and was then flipped to the Sixers in the Thaddeus Young, Kevin Love, Andrew Wiggins three-team deal.

The Heat only have two back-to-back sets in their 12-game playoff schedule, which feels like a godsend for potential Dwyane Wade owners. While he dominated both the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers last season in a combined three games, former coach Stan Van Gundy (now with the Pistons) and former teammate LeBron James (now with the Cavaliers) possess plenty of intel on the 32-year-old guard to limit his production.

6. Portland Trail Blazers

Home/Road: 5/7
Quality Games: 4
Back-to-Backs: 5*
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

Their Week-21 road trip overlaps the first weekend of the NCAA tournament, which will be played at the Moda Center. The trip consists of five games in seven days. They'll also play a fantasy-playoff-high five back-to-backs.

The Trail Blazers used only two starting lineups last season, forced to switch things up only when LaMarcus Aldridge missed 13 games. Upon clinching the fifth seed, Aldridge was the only starter to sit the regular season finale, and coach Terry Stotts has publicly mentioned the badge of honor that comes with playing in all 82 games in a season, which is music to fantasy-players' ears. The more games, the better. Where a lack of rest can bite a player in the butt is near the end of the season, and the Trail Blazers hit a bit of a lull over the final 20 games. That dip was partially due to Aldridge's absence, but being among the leaders in distance traveled provides additional fatigue. A seasoned, deeper bench this time around should help alleviate any late season swoon.

7. Brooklyn Nets

Home/Road: 6/6
Quality Games: 3
Back-to-Backs: 3
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Atlanta has the right to swap first-round picks with the Nets, via the Joe Johnson trade, in where Brooklyn gave up Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow, DeShawn Stevenson, Jordan Williams, Johan Petro, Houston's 2013 first-round pick (which turned into Shane Larkin, who was traded to Dallas for, amongst other players, Lucas Nogueira, who currently plays in Toronto after being traded with Lou Williams for John Salmons and a 2015 second-round pick). [Editor's note: That was well-said but confusing.]

New coach Lionel Hollins inherits an older roster compared to his rosters with the Grizzlies. He rarely sat players down the stretch, mostly because his teams didn't lock in their playoff seeding until the final day of the season, but Hollins did reduce Marc Gasol's minutes in 2012 and Zach Randolph's minutes in 2013 over the final 20 games when both were working their way back from ankle injuries.

General manager Billy King believes the team won't restrict Brook Lopez this upcoming season, but that won't prohibit Brook Lopez's feet from restricting Brook Lopez, likely forcing him to sit back-to-backs on the reg. Deron Williams only missed two of the final 44 games last season after receiving ankle treatment in the form of cortisone and PRP injections. With offseason ankle surgery a success for both of his malleoluses, look for the Glass Bros at an arena near you.

For the nostalgic crowd, Kevin Garnett will likely play his final game in Minnesota at the beginning of Week 21, likely followed by a game against Garnett's franchise successor, Kevin Love.

8. Philadelphia 76ers

Home/Road: 4/8
Quality Games: 3
Back-to-Backs: 3
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owed to the Celtics (lottery protected). If the pick isn't conveyed to the Celtics in 2015, the Sixers will instead owe their 2015 and 2016 second round picks to the Celtics.

The Sixers are a near lock for a top-five pick next season and play a league-high eight road games during the head-to-head fantasy playoffs. Statistically speaking, they were roughly two-percent worse in road games last season in almost every category. One positive of their schedule are the five games they have against sub-.400 teams based on last season's standings.

Michael Carter-Williams only missed one of the final 56 games, after dealing with knee issues early in his rookie campaign. The rest of the squad remain a mystery as Hollis Thompson and Tony Wroten are the only remaining Sixers who played more than 70 games last season.

9. Boston Celtics

Home/Road: 6/6
Quality Games: 2
Back-to-Backs: 3
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

The Celtics are questionable playoff contenders in the East considering Rajon Rondo may no longer be on the roster post-trade deadline. Injuries struck early and often in Boston last year, but over the past two seasons, Jeff Green and Brandon Bass haven't missed a game (the Knicks/Celtics games two seasons ago was postponed and never played). Coach Brad Stevens called upon 24 different starting lineups in his first year, as he played yo-yo with his roster's minutes and fantasy managers' tempers.

10. San Antonio Spurs

Home/Road: 6/6
Quality Games: 4
Back-to-Backs: 3
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

At this point, coach Gregg Popovich's penchant for resting players, occasionally on a whim, should be considered commonplace. The Spurs initially ranked fifth in these fantasy playoff rankings using quantifiable metrics, but truth be told, they probably should rank behind some teams with 11 game schedules. Once I included the Popovich Factor, they dropped faster than LeBron James suffering from cramps. The Spurs deployed 30 unique starting lineups last season, including eight during their 19-game winning streak.

While four games each week is enticing, three back-to-backs almost guarantees inevitable, unavoidable rest. Last season during the head-to-head playoffs (March 17-April 6), Kawhi Leonard, Marco Belinelli, Boris Diaw, and Patty Mills were the only Spurs to participate in all 11 games. Seven different players averaged double digits in scoring, led by Leonard's 15.6 points. Eight players averaged between 20-30 minutes per game, with Leonard being the lone 30-minute man. Somewhat unsurprisingly, the entire roster sported a positive plus/minus.

Tier Two: Teams with 11 Games in the Fantasy Playoffs

11. Houston Rockets

Home/Road: 5/6
Quality Games: 7
Back-to-Backs: 2
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owed to the Los Angeles Lakers (unprotected) from the Jeremy Lin trade.

James Harden's offensive responsibility is set to expand on a Rockets team devoid of Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons' ballhandling and playmaking ability. Harden routinely plays through injuries, surely exacerbated by his near 1,000 drawn fouls over the past two seasons. Trevor Ariza hasn't played more than 57 games in half of the seasons during his career. Dwight Howard faces minimal competition for center minutes but sat out 29 games over the past three seasons. Doom and gloom aside, seven quality games and only two back-to-backs is almost good enough to rank second among all fantasy playoff schedules.

12. New York Knicks

Home/Road: 7/4
Quality Games: 5
Back-to-Backs: 3
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

The Knicks have been dealt an inauspicious hand, forced to play seven games in 10 nights during the fantasy playoffs. Additionally, four of their five quality games take place in the first two weeks. However, they are one of two teams to play the Philadelphia 76ers twice over the three-week playoffs, a schedule that didn't pay enormous dividends for the Chicago Bulls and Mike Dunleavy last season. A new coach and quality roster moves adds a dash of optimism. The Knicks also own their first-round pick this season, so if their luck turns sour like last year, they may be inclined to mail it in.

13. Detroit Pistons

Home/Road: 5/6
Quality Games: 4
Back-to-Backs: 4
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

What we have here is the perfect marriage between durable players and a coach with an M.O. for playing most of his starters major minutes, even after clinching a playoff seed. Greg Monroe has only missed one game over the past three seasons; Josh Smith hasn't missed more than six games in any of past five seasons; and Brandon Jennings has only missed four games over the past three seasons combined. As recently as last August, coach Stan Van Gundy questioned the pampering of modern athletes, both minutes and innings pitched limitations. He rarely sat Dwight Howard in Orlando and only rested Dwyane Wade the final game of the 2004-05 season, even though the team had clinched top seed in the Eastern Conference seven games earlier. The one strange minutes proclivity with Van Gundy is that he's never played his starting point guard more than 32 minutes per game for a season, which could limit Jennings' ceiling.

All but one of their fantasy playoff games is against the Eastern Conference. Monroe recorded a double-double in half his games against the East last season but only one in eight games against the Bulls and Heat. Jennings shot better than 43 percent against only six teams last season, but Miami and Chicago were two of those teams. Smith shot an atrocious 32 percent from the field in seven games last season versus the Bulls and Heat.

14. Milwaukee Bucks

Home/Road: 7/4
Quality Games: 5
Back-to-Backs: 2
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

On the surface, they don't appear ready to challenge for a playoff spot. While coach Jason Kidd suppressed his starter's minutes in Brooklyn, their average age hovered near 32. The projected Bucks' starting five boasts an average age of 22 heading into the 2014-15 season. That said, the Bucks go either three or four deep at almost every position, sporting exceptional roster flexibility.

15. Los Angeles Lakers

Home/Road: 5/6
Quality Games: 4
Back-to-Backs: 3*
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owed to the Suns (top-five protected this season and top-three protected each of the following two seasons). Obtained in the Steve Nash sign-and-trade.

The Lakers have a season-high five-game road trip mid-playoffs as the NCAA Elite Eight takes place at the end of Week 22 in the Staples Center. Even though they'll play three games in Week 21, having two games against Utah and Philadelphia bumps up that total to about three and a half games. That also means their Week-23 schedule probably gets a boost as they play the Sixers for a second time. Of grave concern, however, is that Carlos Boozer shot worse than 35 percent against the Thunder, Timberwolves, and Raptors last season (all Week-22 opponents), and he now plays in a division against which he shot a season-low 42 percent.

16. Memphis Grizzlies

Home/Road: 7/4
Quality Games: 4
Back-to-Backs: 4
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owed to Cleveland (both top-five and 15-30 protected the next two drafts). The pick came to the Grizzlies while acquiring Jon Leuer for Marreese Speights, Wayne Ellington, and former 2012 summer league co-MVP Josh Selby, all who are no longer on the Cavaliers.

History tells us there's a high probability Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, and Zach Randolph all contribute heavily during the fantasy playoffs. Last year, the Grizzlies clinched the seventh seed on the final day of the regular season. Conley and Gasol played the final 30 games, with Randolph missing just one of those with flu-like symptoms. The previous season, under coach Lionel Hollins, the Grizzlies lost out on the fourth seed to their rival Clippers, who finished the season on a seven-game winning streak and had the tiebreaker over Memphis. Conley and Randolph played the final 21 games, with Gasol unavailable for two of those games with an abdominal tear. Also, even though Vince Carter averaged 25 minutes per game over the past two seasons, he's only missed two games over that span.

17. Los Angeles Clippers

Home/Road: 4/7
Quality Games: 3
Back-to-Backs: 3
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owed to the Celtics (unprotected). Came to them in the Doc Rivers trade.

The Clippers snagged a coup during Week 22, facing all Eastern Conference foes. While they'll play seven road games in total, six are against teams with losing records last season, and one of those is in their own building against their Staples Center cohabitants.

If you'd like a refresher on the reason behind the Clippers' extended road trip, check the Lakers' schedule notes. (Hint: NCAA occupation.)

18. Sacramento Kings

Home/Road: 7/4
Quality Games: 3
Back-to-Backs: 1
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owed to the Bulls (top-10 protected each of the next three drafts), which was originally sent to Cleveland in the J.J. Hickson, Omri Casspi trade and rerouted to Cleveland in the Luol Deng, Andrew Bynum deal

The Kings enter the fantasy basketball playoffs after a season-high seven game road trip, a schedule overlap at Sleep Train Arena with Marvel Universe LIVE!, a "mind-blowing live-action arena experience, featuring the greatest Marvel super heroes and villains."

Miraculously, the Kings engage in one back-to-back stint, play seven home games, and elude the Atlantic Time Zone during the fantasy playoffs. The 2014 Las Vegas Summer League champions are unlikely to compete for the NBA playoffs, instead opting to retain their first-round pick in the process.

DeMarcus Cousins has been an extremely durable player, USA basketball injuries notwithstanding. He's only missed 21 games in his four-year career, nine of which were the result of suspension or team ban. Cousins shot fewer than 40 percent against four teams last season, three of which he'll face during the fantasy playoffs (Memphis, Phoenix, and Washington).

19. Oklahoma City Thunder

Home/Road: 6/5
Quality Games: 3
Back-to-Backs: 3*
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

Kevin Durant has been a stable presence in the Thunder's starting lineup. Two seasons ago, he was held out of the final game after they clinched the top seed, and last year, he only missed a game in January, as the Clippers challenged the Thunder's hold on the two-seed up until the final day of the regular season. With Russell Westbrook's ironman streak no longer intact, the team sat him out one game of back-to-backs after his third knee surgery in nine months. Westbrook alleviated any injury concerns with his postseason performance, finishing as the only player to average at least 25.0 points, 8.0 assists, and 2.0 steals last season.

You better believe Reggie Jackson circled the San Antonio Spurs on his calendar. Last season, he carved them up to the tune of 21.3 points on 68 percent shooting from the field, 4.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 2.0 three-pointers on 73 percent from beyond the arc in 31 minutes over four games.

20. Minnesota Timberwolves

Home/Road: 6/5
Quality Games: 3
Back-to-Backs: 4*
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owed to Phoenix (top-12 protected each of the next two drafts). Came to the Timberwolves in a three-team deal that saw Andrei Kirilenko land in Minnesota.

To quote Abed Nadir impersonating Troy Barnes, "I like football, but also, I don't." The Timberwolves front office wants to win, but they traded Kevin Love for a slew of young talent not yet battle tested. President Flip Saunders acquired Thaddeus Young as Love's replacement, the medical equivalent of using a band-aid on a severed artery, in order to remain competitive. Young has been the model of durability, missing no more than six games in any of his previous four seasons. Last year, he missed three games due to a death in his family.

They possess a half decent playoff schedule, facing the Jazz twice and the Magic. Six of their 11 games are against teams with a below-.500 winning percentage from last season, including four against teams with at least 50 losses.

Five of Nikola Pekovic's seven lowest scoring averages last season came against the Magic, Rockets, Nets, Knicks, and Raptors. To no surprise, Ricky Rubio maintained a 50-percent shooting average against only two teams last season, the Lakers and Wizards.

21. Toronto Raptors

Home/Road: 6/5
Quality Games: 2
Back-to-Backs: 3*
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

With a majority of the core roster returning, the Atlantic Division champion Raptors will attempt to repeat last season's post-Rudy Gay trade success. They clinched the third seed on the final day of the regular season, but DeMar DeRozan rested the second to last game after playing all 82 the season prior. Two seasons ago, Kyle Lowry started every game after Jose Calderon was traded. Lowry was sidelined the first three games of April due to knee issues, but those were the only games he missed all season.

22. Washington Wizards

Home/Road: 6/5
Quality Games: 1
Back-to-Backs: 2
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

Washington expects to contend for the Southeast Division title. Last season, the Wizards clinched the fifth seed on the final day of the season, as John Wall and Bradley Beal each played the final 50 games, while Marcin Gortat missed just one of those with a minor setback during warm-ups.

Their four-game road trip coincides with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Legends event descending upon the Verizon Center. The final game of the road trip is their only quality game of the fantasy playoffs.

Tier Three: Teams with 10 Games in the Fantasy Playoffs

23. Atlanta Hawks

Home/Road: 4/6
Quality Games: 3
Back-to-Backs: 3*
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

Atlanta found themselves third in the Eastern Conference at the time of Al Horford's right pectoral injury last season. They appear to be a legitimate playoff contender and having four games during their fantasy playoffs schedule against teams who had more than 50 losses last season should aid their prognosis. Although the Hawks were struck by the injury bug much of last season, and coach Mike Budenholzer spent 19 seasons in the Spurs organization, their core four last season, Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver, and DeMarre Carroll, exceeded their minutes per game season averages down the stretch.

24. Dallas Mavericks

Home/Road: 6/4
Quality Games: 2
Back-to-Backs: 1
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

The Mavericks found themselves fighting for, and earning, the final Western Conference playoff spot last season, deploying the same starting five over the final 33 games. In the 2012-13 season, Dirk Nowitzki played the final 35 games of the season after missing the first 27 games following preseason arthroscopic knee surgery. Chandler Parsons missed two of their final three games last season due to rest, and Monta Ellis hasn't missed a game either of the last two seasons.

The Mavs play one back-to-back set, but the three-week schedule is littered with Western Conference heavyweights. They'll face the Thunder and Spurs twice, as well as the Grizzlies, Rockets, and Warriors.

Of note, Parsons shot 36 percent on 45 attempts inside of eight feet in eight combined games against the Spurs and Thunder, a 22-percent drop off from his regular season average, and he shot 39 percent from the field, nine percent below his regular season benchmark.

25. New Orleans Pelicans

Home/Road: 4/6
Quality Games: 2
Back-to-Backs: 2
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owed to the Rockets (both top-three and 20-30 protected each of the next four drafts). Sent via the Omer Asik sign-and-trade deal this offseason. It would be a blow for them to lose a second-straight lottery pick.

The Pelicans were without the services of Jrue Holiday and Ryan Anderson by mid-January. Their team is constructed with video-game talent, but both of their quality games come early in the fantasy playoffs, forcing the Pelicans to play their final fantasy playoff games on nights with load schedules. While having three games over the final two weeks semi-neutralizes their appeal, the Pelicans play four games against teams who had over 50 losses last season.

26. Denver Nuggets

Home/Road: 3/7
Quality Games: 2
Back-to-Backs: 4*
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

Seven road games effectively negates the Nuggets' altitude advantage. Five of their final six games occur on nights when at least 20 teams are in action. They enter week 21 in the midst of a season-high five-game road trip. The only saving grace is four contests against teams who had over 50 losses last season. Three of the four tier-three teams hold the same distinction.

Tier Four: Teams with 9 Games in the Fantasy Playoffs

27. Chicago Bulls

Home/Road: 5/4
Quality Games: 4
Back-to-Backs: 1
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

One of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, the Bulls may have a guaranteed top-two seed locked up prior to Week 21. This could result in their starters, specifically Pau Gasol, playing reduced minutes, which will be easier for the Bulls to do with a deeper bench this season. They only have one back-to-back series over the three-week period, and coach Tom Thibodeau has provided contradictory proof to the rest assertion.

Taj Gibson had the Pistons' number last season, averaging 20.8 points on 64-percent shooting over four games. Gasol's efficiency was curtailed by the Pistons and Raptors last season while Joakim Noah was stymied by the Pistons and Cavaliers.

28. Phoenix Suns

Home/Road: 6/3
Quality Games: 4
Back-to-Backs: 2
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

The Suns displayed a valiant effort in their attempt to secure the final Western Conference playoff spot last season. Six home games and four quality games is quite the boon, but three games each week is not ideal.

Eric Bledsoe had some of his best shooting performances last season against Dallas, New Orleans, Sacramento, Portland, and Houston, converting at least half of his shots with dimes galore. Whether or not he remains in Phoenix is another story.

29. Cleveland Cavaliers

Home/Road: 5/4
Quality Games: 2
Back-to-Backs: 1*
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: The Chicago Bulls have the right to swap first-round picks with the Cleveland Cavaliers (lottery protected). Probably meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

The schedule maker paved an easy, end-of-season path for the Cavaliers, providing them three days off prior to their Week 23 matchup against the Heat, followed by two days off before the Sunday matinee against the Bulls. That said, two games, both of the quality variety, during the fantasy finals is cause for concern. Resting seems an unlikely tool, but with new coach David Blatt in charge, we don't know enough to know anything.

The Cavaliers only have seven games left on the schedule heading into Week 23. A playoff seed could potentially be clinched by the time Thursday rolls around. While Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving are unfamiliar with resting games prior to the playoffs, as they've yet to earn a playoff bid, neither is the epitome of health.

30. Orlando Magic

Home/Road: 5/4
Quality Games: 1
Back-to-Backs: 2
2015 First-Round Draft Pick Status: Owned

A consensus non-factor in NBA playoff talks, the Magic are expected to cultivate their youth while dispersing unwarranted minutes to a plethora of 30-something veterans they acquired this offseason. Six of their nine games are against Western Conference foes, and their season-high five-game homestand spans an elongated 15 days. Their lone quality game is the first game of Week 21.