Aaron

Holiday

Holiday will be back in Houston next season, and he will provide some defense when needed. However, with Reed Sheppard in the mix now, they won’t have enough minutes for Holiday to provide much fantasy value whatsoever.

VanVleet is out after scoring a season-high 42 points and playing 40 minutes in Thursday’s loss to the Jazz. Aaron Holiday’s minutes will increase as he’s the player likely to move into the starting lineup. VanVleet’s absence also impacts Amen Thompson and Jalen Green, who will have more opportunities to serve as primary playmakers.

Tuesday’s game will be the first VanVleet has missed since Houston’s January 21 loss to the Celtics. Rookie Amen Thompson replaced him in the starting lineup that day and could do so again on Tuesday. Aaron Holiday is another possibility, but Thompson offers a far higher fantasy upside.

VanVleet will sit out the second game of Houston’s back-to-back after logging 34 minutes in Saturday’s win over the Jazz. While Aaron Holiday could be the next man up in the starting five, rookie Amen Thompson’s fantasy value will also experience a boost with VanVleet sidelined.

Uncle Jeff’s minutes have recently increased with Dillon Brooks (oblique) and Tari Eason (leg) sidelined. His performance against Milwaukee ranks among his best of the season, with the 16 points being the most Green has scored in a game since December 17 against the Bucks (16). The point total was also a season-high for the veteran forward, one of three Rockets reserves to hit double figures on Saturday. Cam Whitmore (12/3/0/1 with one 3-pointer) and Aaron Holiday (11 points, one rebound, and three 3-pointers) were the others, but they offer limited fantasy value. As for Green, his fantasy value hinges upon the availability of Brooks and Eason.

Efficiency remains an issue for Green, but the points production represents a step in the right direction. After scoring 14 points on 4-of-15 shooting in games against the Pelicans and Pacers, the 23 points are the most he’s tallied in a game since December 8 (25 vs. Denver). Green has shot above 40% from the field in only three of the last 13 games he’s appeared in, shooting 36.4% over the past month and ranking outside the top 250 in 9-cat formats during that stretch. Aaron Holiday (13/2/2 with three 3-pointers) played 24 minutes off the bench, and the near-even split in playing time between him and Green is a concern for the latter.

Green’s had a rough go of it this season, as he’s ranked well outside the top 200 in 9-cat per-game value. And his minutes have taken a hit, decreasing from 27 to 22 to 20 over Houston’s last three games. Aaron Holiday (15/3/1/1 with three 3-pointers) has gained Ime Udoka’s trust, even playing alongside Fred VanVleet at times, and he logged 25 minutes on Monday. Green is still rostered in 87% of Yahoo leagues, primarily because he is a starter. But if he isn’t getting starters’ minutes, managers in shallow leagues will have a difficult decision to make shortly.

Both players missed Friday’s game because of an illness, but only Tate will be back on Sunday. Jeff Green may lose out on a few minutes with Tate back, while Aaron Holiday should continue to see the backup point guard mintues in place of Amen.

Thompson missed their last game, and there is a chance that he misses another on Friday. If that happens, Aaron Holiday will be the backup point guard once again. He is able to produce steals and assists, but the role will be too small for him to contribute standard league value.

Holiday has carved out a consistent role off the bench for the Rockets, but he is generally only relied on for his defense and playmaking. He exploded in this game to score a season-high 22 points. It had been over 2.5 years since he last scored 20 points in a game, and that came when he was with the Pacers. Holiday is another veteran defender that has helped the Rockets turn things around this season. While this was a big time performance for him, he isn’t a player to target in fantasy hoops.