Playoff time

This week should be the start of the fantasy basketball playoffs for many of you. Some of you may have round one byes, some of you may be playing first-round games this week or some of you may be entering the stretch where it's just the top two seeds and the playoffs are a one-round, three-week affair.

So you have three weeks to go to secure your league's championship. Each of us may get there in a different way. Assuming most of the talent, even the fringe talent, has been picked up off waivers in your league, you need to find another edge.

Each week there are always those teams that play one or two extra games than another.

This week there are 18 teams that play a league-high four games.

Those teams playing four games include: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Golden State, Houston, Indiana, the Clippers, Miami, Milwaukee, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento and Washington.

Next week there are 15 teams playing four games.

Those playing 12 games include: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Golden State, Indiana, Memphis, New Jersey, New York, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, Toronto, Utah and Washington.

If you are in a three-week, one-round format, there are six teams playing a league-high 12 games over that time.

Those playing 12 games include: Boston, Indiana, New Jersey, Phoenix, Sacramento and Washington.

So if you are in search of the remaining talent on the waiver wire, give the aforementioned teams the first look to try and at least get that one extra-game advantage.

Top waiver-wire pickups for the six teams playing 12 games over the next three weeks include:
Boston — Glen Davis, PF/C
Indiana — Tyler Hansbrough, PF; Paul George G/F
New Jersey — none
Phoenix —Hakim Warrick, SF/PF
Sacramento — Jason Thompson, PF; Francisco Garcia, SG/SF
Washington — Josh Howard, SG/SF

These players are available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues.

— Corby A. Yarbrough @AthlonCorby on Twitter