This article is part of our NBA Start/Sit series.
We are now well and truly at the pointy end of the regular season, with numerous teams having already shown their hand when it comes to end-of-season rotations. Those teams still battling for playoff positioning are typically running out stable lineups, providing fantasy managers with at least some assuredness when it comes to availability. Week 23 brings with it a bevy of four-game slates, with 22 teams taking to the floor on four occasions. The remaining eight teams will suit up three times over the next seven days. Sitting players who only go three times has its advantages, but fantasy managers still have to make smart decisions when figuring out whom to play, regardless of game count. Being aware of back-to-back sets is also a key factor, especially with so many teams now sitting players during the home stretch.
Four Games: ATL, BOS, CHA, CHI, DAL, DEN, GSW, HOU, IND, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIL, NYK, OKC, POR, SAC, SAS, TOR, UTA, WAS
Three Games: BKN, CLE, DET, MIN, NOP, ORL, PHI, PHO
Here are four potential starts and four potential sits entering the 23rd week of the NBA season. Just keep in mind that this is based on games played for the week. If you play in a rotisserie league, the number of games played each week may not matter in your format.
Guards
Consider starting: KJ Simpson, CHA 
Opponents: UTA, @IND, SAC, CHI
Trust is not something we usually associate with the Hornets, but somehow, we are
We are now well and truly at the pointy end of the regular season, with numerous teams having already shown their hand when it comes to end-of-season rotations. Those teams still battling for playoff positioning are typically running out stable lineups, providing fantasy managers with at least some assuredness when it comes to availability. Week 23 brings with it a bevy of four-game slates, with 22 teams taking to the floor on four occasions. The remaining eight teams will suit up three times over the next seven days. Sitting players who only go three times has its advantages, but fantasy managers still have to make smart decisions when figuring out whom to play, regardless of game count. Being aware of back-to-back sets is also a key factor, especially with so many teams now sitting players during the home stretch.
Four Games: ATL, BOS, CHA, CHI, DAL, DEN, GSW, HOU, IND, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIL, NYK, OKC, POR, SAC, SAS, TOR, UTA, WAS
Three Games: BKN, CLE, DET, MIN, NOP, ORL, PHI, PHO
Here are four potential starts and four potential sits entering the 23rd week of the NBA season. Just keep in mind that this is based on games played for the week. If you play in a rotisserie league, the number of games played each week may not matter in your format.
Guards
Consider starting: KJ Simpson, CHA
Opponents: UTA, @IND, SAC, CHI
Trust is not something we usually associate with the Hornets, but somehow, we are at a point where they could be one of the more predictable teams going around. LaMelo Ball was recently ruled out for the season, opening up a spot at the point guard position. Of all the options, Simpson is perhaps the most intriguing. He has started in each of the past two games, averaging 11.5 points, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.0 three-pointers in 30 minutes per game. Taken with the 42nd overall pick in the 2024 draft, it makes sense for the Hornets to see what they have in the investment. Although it is unlikely he will blow us away with his numbers, he should theoretically start in all four games this week, providing typical guard numbers with some upside on the defensive end.
Consider starting: Isaiah Collier, UTA 
Opponents: @CHA, @HOU, @IND, @ATL
It's fair to say the Jazz gave up on this season a long time ago, allowing Collier to step into a larger role than even he expected. Although his numbers have fallen by the wayside over the past month, playing time is once again the number fantasy managers want to keep an eye on. In three games over the past week, he has averaged 13.3 points to go with 5.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.7 three-pointers in 30.0 minutes per game. He is locked in as a starter and has missed only one game all season. Given his teammates are frequent visitors to the injury report, Collier makes sense as a safe, yet somewhat unproven starter.
Consider sitting: Cade Cunningham, DET 
Opponents: @OKC, @TOR, MEM
Leaving Cunningham on your bench is a move that will not come easy given the season he is putting together. Through 66 games, he is averaging 25.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.1 three-pointers. It's easy to see why he is the favorite for the Most Improved Player award, even if it does seem somewhat unfounded given his pedigree. However, narrowing our focus to the past week, we see that Cunningham has missed four straight games due to a calf injury. The Pistons have won three of those four games as they push to get a home playoff series for the first time in what feels like forever. Not only do the Pistons have three games this week, but they also have a back-to-back set to contend with. Even if Cunningham returns for their first game, there is a decent chance he sits one of the two final games, making him a tough but realistic bench candidate.
Forwards
Consider starting: DaQuan Jeffries, CHA
Opponents: UTA, @IND, SAC, CHI
Another beneficiary of Charlotte's continued struggles has been Jeffries, who has now started in 11 consecutive games. In seven games over the past two weeks, he has averaged 11.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 1.7 three-pointers in 27.0 minutes per game. Much like Simpson, Jeffries is unlikely to produce at an elite level. However, managers should be looking for quantity over quality, at least to some degree, given the unpredictable nature we are currently dealing with.
Consider sitting: Cameron Johnson, BKN 
Opponents: @DAL, MIN, TOR
The Nets are also nearing the end of another disappointing season, resulting in random missed games for players like Johnson. Absences aside, it's been a positive season for Johnson, averaging 18.8 points to go with 4.3 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 2.8 three-pointers. However, not only is he at risk of missing games due to rest purposes, he is now dealing with a hip issue, which could see him miss the majority of the upcoming week. With a chance he plays just one or two games, shifting him to the bench makes a lot of sense.
Consider sitting: Kevin Durant, PHO 
Opponents: @MIL, @BOS, @NYK
The Suns are another team with only three games this week, typically enough to warrant starting someone like Durant. However, in what is probably the easiest decision of anyone on this list, there is a very real chance Durant will miss all three games as a result of an ankle injury suffered in Sunday's loss to the Rockets. The team has already said he will not travel to Milwaukee, a worrying sign for anyone hoping for his elite production this week. Unless we hear some news to the contrary, he is unfortunately someone who may need to be left out of a lot of starting lineups.
Centers
Consider starting: Kyle Filipowski, UTA
Opponents: @CHA, @HOU, @IND, @ATL
As expected, Filipowski has seen his role increase of late, having started in five of the past six games. He has scored double-digits in all five games he has started, playing as the fill-in center as well as alongside usual starter Walker Kessler. In three games over the past week, the rookie is averaging 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.3 three-pointers in 30.6 minutes per contest. Kessler has already been ruled out for Monday, a trend that we have seen all too often over the past two months. Whether Kessler plays or not, we have seen enough over the past few games to ensure Filipowski should be playing a sizable role for the remainder of the season.
Consider sitting: Nick Richards, PHO
Opponents: @MIL, @BOS, @NYK
Not only do the Suns have three games this week, managers have to account for the fact that Richards just isn't putting up numbers worthy of a starter in most fantasy leagues. Over the past six games, he is averaging just 9.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 21.6 minutes per game. Phoenix is doing anything they can to win basketball games. Sadly for Richards, that seems to involve experimenting with him off the floor. Unless you are desperate for rebounds, Richards shifting to the bench seems like a pretty straight forward decision.
