The NBA season is entering the home stretch, but Jeff Andriesse is staying glued to the waiver wire in search of diamonds in the rough.

The NBA season is winding down, but at least the comedy is ramping up. Between the sudden return of the goofy Gilbert Arenas (PG, WAS) and the rumors of Isiah Thomas potentially working for the Clippers, I'm getting in some guffaws while trying desperately to make headway in my fantasy leagues.

Because of the time of year, the advice "grin and bear it" might be the best I can come up with. Dozens of stars are pulling up lame and are strong candidates to shut it down for the season at any moment. Baron Davis (PG, LAC), in a tidbit of news perhaps not unrelated to the Isiah Thomas story, has come down with a stomach ulcer. There's no word if he contracted it in a show of solidarity with his equally nauseous fantasy owners. In Golden State, Stephen Jackson (SG/SF, GSW) is having toe surgery that's supposed to end his season, but I keep expecting Don Nelson to increase his minutes. And it might be wise to avoid established stars on Toronto the rest of the way as well if possible, while Phoenix could drop out of the playoff picture shortly.

Fantasy strategies differ this time of year based on what you need. If you are in a good position in a rotisserie league, you might roll out a lineup of players who excel in only one or two categories. In head-to-head formats, we're down to the final scoring periods and games played trumps all.

On the waiver wire, players with four games (or five, like Utah this week) are the ones to target. Below is a listing of the best fantasy options with four or more games who might be available in many leagues (each player's Yahoo! ownership percentage follows their name).

Kelenna Azubuike has been a reliable Golden State Warrior lately, subverting a time-tested oxymoron.  Photo Credit: Icon SMI

TOP PICKUPS ON TEAMS WITH FOUR OR MORE GAMES IN WEEK 23

Kelenna Azubuike (SG/SF, GSW) - 57 percent
With Jackson done, and Jamal Crawford (PG/SG, GSW) basically right there with him, Azubuike is a fantastic option down the stretch. In recent weeks he has been very solid, averaging in double figures in eight straight games while sprinkling in enough boards, assists, steals and threes to make him worthwhile.

Jason Thompson (SF/PF/C, SAC) - 46 percent
How do the numbers 15.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and a 59.1 percent field goal percentage sound? That's Thompson in his last seven games, and it's time to make sure he isn't available in your league. Like, right now.

Courtney Lee (SG/SF, ORL) - 11 percent
It could be that the light is going on for Lee towards the end of his rookie season, but regardless of the why, the how is impressive. In his last six games he has averaged 15.7 points, 2.0 three-pointers and 1.7 steals. Lee occasionally loses time to Mickael Pietrus (SG/SF, ORL), but he is entrenched as a starter and meaningful contributor on an Orlando team battling for playoff positioning.

Kyle Korver (SG/SF, UTA) -22 percent
Please don't confuse this Ashton Kutcher look-alike with a consistent player, or with Ashton Kutcher for that matter. But Korver is this week's Kirk Hinrich (PG/SG, CHI), a tweener with a five-game week who you probably have to run out there. Korver connects on enough threes to make him worthwhile in five games, and he won't totally kill you everywhere else in that sample size. He also hasn't missed a free throw since Jan. 16 (incidentally, he missed three in five attempts in that game).

Trevor Ariza (SF, LAL) - 48 percent
I've been Ariza's personal PR man for several weeks now, but his ownership level has increased to just 48 percent in Yahoo! leagues. Perhaps because Ariza isn't a main scoring option on the Lakers, he is ignored by too many. But do so at your own peril: the guy is averaging 2.3 steals in March and shooting 51 percent from the field.

Jose Juan Barea (PG/SG, DAL) - 4 percent
Barea's value is limited but spikes if Jason Kidd (PG, DAL) misses more time or has his minutes reduced due to back pain. With a four-game week coming up against Minnesota, Miami, Memphis and Phoenix, you might get lightning in a bottle with Barea.

Julian Wright (SF/PF, NOR) - 1 percent
The continued absence of both Tyson Chandler (C, NOR) and Peja Stojakovic (SG/SF, NOR) makes Wright an intriguing play. Our hopefulness is buoyed by his 11-point, 14-rebound effort Friday night in 35 minutes as a starter. Wright is certainly one of New Orleans' top frontcourt options still healthy. He's a no-brainer pickup in deep leagues right now.

Anthony Morrow (PG/SG/SF, GSW) - 12 percent
I don't know about you, but I consider Morrow the ideal candidate for garbage stats in the last few weeks. He might not be Ramon Sessions circa April of '08, but with his teammates dropping like flies I can see Morrow throwing up a ton of points and threes.

Charlie Bell (SG/SF, MIL) - 6 percent
Bell was terrific in February, then all but disappeared in March until a two-game stretch last week where he averaged 19.5 points, 4.5 boards, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 3.0 threes while shooting 59.3 percent from the field. The Bucks are a mess right now, but it looks like Bell is coming out of the rubble looking pretty good.

Anderson Varejao (PF/C, CLE) - 36 percent
It seems like I'm always suggesting Varejao in this column, and he always teeters on the brink of being a trusted starter. But it has been only recently that Varejao has started to show the consistency fantasy owners pine for. Since permanently entering the starting lineup on Feb. 27, Varejao has grabbed seven or more rebounds in 13 of 16 games. His percentages remain solid for a big man and he gets the occasional block or steal. He might not win you your league, but if you need a big man who won't hurt you, look no further.

Delonte West (PG/SG, CLE) - 54 percent
West was dropped by lots of folks who couldn't afford to wait out his recent injury and subsequent slump. But he is showing signs of turning things around. 13.0 points, 7.0 boards, 4.5 assists, 1.5 threes is modest, especially in just a two-game sample, but it sure looks great next to some of West's clunkers earlier in the month. He could be revitalized just in time for fantasy owners needing a quality guard with four games.

Beno Udrih (PG, SAC) - 42 percent
Udrih is another once-reliable guard who fell on hard times. He's back in the starting lineup, though, and has averaged 10.7 points and 6.2 assists in his last six.

Ryan Anderson (PF/C, NJN) - 3 percent
Recommending a player who has only played six games in March alone is risky, but Anderson was just named the starter for the foreseeable future in New Jersey. Yi Jianlian (PF, NJN) has been buried on the bench and Anderson will be the beneficiary. He's a unique fantasy option who can provide help in rebounds and threes, and while he will definitely be inconsistent, in a four-game week you have to consider him in deep formats.

Chris Andersen (PF/C, DEN) - 41 percent
Psst. The Nuggets have four games again. Andersen's ownership hasn't increased that much in the last month like it should have, but that's not too alarming considering many players drop out of contention by now. I find it hard to believe there aren't a ton of owners out there who couldn't use his shot-blocking potential, however.

POTENTIAL PICKUPS - THREE-GAME WEEKS
Brandon Rush (PG/SG/SF, IND) has been promoted to the starting lineup in Indiana in what appears to be a permanent move. The rookie is playing with a lot of confidence right now and is capable of putting up strong fantasy numbers now that he has the playing time. Take a flier on him, as he could be an excellent April find for fantasy owners...Baron Davis' ulcer just solidifies Mike Taylor (PG, LAC) as the pickup du jour in the fantasy world this week. Taylor is owned in just three percent of Yahoo! leagues despite going off for 58 points in his last two games... Portland finishes the season with nine games in the last two and a half weeks, just when Rudy Fernandez (PG/SG, POR) and Steve Blake (PG, POR) are picking up their play. Rudy has 12 threes in his last three games, while Blake has 11. Both are owned in exactly half of Yahoo! leagues... There's no denying Rodney Carney (SG/SF, MIN) has been impactful in recent weeks, but I still wouldn't recommend him outside of the very deepest of leagues... Jeff Foster (PF/C, IND) has been starting for the injured Troy Murphy (PF/C, IND), who has a knee injury that could end his season. Foster immediately becomes viable for anyone needing rebounds...I’m not sure I need to even say it, but be careful with Gilbert Arenas. He might only play in home games. Hopefully his return doesn't derail Andray Blatche (PF/C, WAS), who has been solid lately, and Javaris Crittenton (PG/SG, WAS), who had been so close to taking over permanently in the Wizard backcourt... Ronald Murray (SG, ATL) continues to produce and only 15 percent of Yahoo! leagues have taken notice... Grabbing Roger Mason (PG/SG, SAS) is a good idea if you need long-range shooting. He has strung together some nice fantasy lines recently... I'm not saying to pick him up right away, but keep an eye on Roko Ukic (PG, TOR) in Toronto. Should a banged up Jose Calderon (PG, TOR) shut it down, Ukic is the point guard. 

Jeff Andriesse is a staff writer for RotoExperts.com and an unapologetic hoops fan. While the end of the fantasy season is a downer, at least the NBA playoffs are around the corner. Have thoughts on the Association, either fantasy or reality? Email Jeff at jeff@rotoexperts.com.

Note: All statistics referenced are through games of Friday, Mar. 27.

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