Welcome back to another week of NBA waiver wire recommendations, featuring only players with a maximum ownership of 50 per cent.

Sharp Fantasy owners should always pay close attention to the fallout after a coaching change. Does the starting lineup shift? Are there alterations in the rotation? After already seeing coaching switches for the Lakers and Nets this season, this week we had a third move with Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles resigning with the Bucks sitting at .500. Keep an eye on the Bucks over the next few games and be ready to pounce.

This week, Kevin Durant helped add to the Laker misery; Joakim Noah threw a block party as the road warrior Bulls asserted their dominance over the Knicks and helped spin New York into its longest losing streak of the season; and the divorce is off the table (for now) for Kobe and Vanessa Bryant, so y’all can sleep peacefully tonight.

Let’s get to this week’s recommendations…

GUARDS

Vince Carter, SG, Dallas Mavericks: Just over a month ago, we recommended Carter as a waiver wire pickup, and he didn’t disappoint, staying healthy and seeing an uptick of minutes in December and sinking more buckets so far this month. Vinsanity managed to shake off a DeMarcus Cousins forearm to the face Thursday to pour in 23 points, which included 13 made free throws out of a season-high 16 trips to the line. If VC stays aggressive like this, the points will come. No, he’s not sinking as many shots from beyond the arc of late, but that’s because he’s driving to the hoop. We like his chances of maintaining consistent scoring with the latter approach.

Carlos Delfino, SG/SF, Houston Rockets: Delfino is not exactly known for his consistency, but when he gets on a roll, you want him on your team. He’s the kind of dude that always seems to do something useful. Friday, for instance, Delfino’s shot went cold, yet he dropped four dimes. He’s been putting on a serious show from downtown lately and with Houston running an up-tempo offense, he could be a real producer in that department. We’d like to see him get a bit more PT, but it’s a great sign that Delfino is getting the rock more lately (with the majority of his shots coming from beyond the arc) and so far he’s been sinking more buckets in Houston than he did last season for the Bucks.

Others to Consider

MarShon Brooks, SG, Brooklyn Nets: Brooks has been playing an important role off the bench lately and he could get more run with Gerald Wallace possibly out for a game or two after that nasty spill Friday.

Alan Anderson, SG, Toronto Raptors: The Raptors are on a roll of late, and really spreading things around, allowing Anderson to rack up some nice numbers, including a career-high 27 points Sunday and another 16 Friday.

FORWARDS

Earl Clark, SF/PF, Los Angles Lakers: Acquired by the Lakers from the Magic this offseason, Clark has really been paying dividends lately with the LA’s frontcourt falling apart. Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol are both out and now Jordan Hill (hip) is done for the season, opening the door for Clark. After a huge game Wednesday (22 points, 13 boards, three assists and a three), Clark got the start Friday and responded with another double-double while adding three blocks and a steal. Having gone from an afterthought to a starter in less than a week, this dude is going to be one of the top waiver wire picks of the week, so jump quickly here.

Jared Sullinger, PF, Boston Celtics: At the end of December in our NBA Rookie Watch we mentioned that Sullinger was starting to get burn in Beantown and the way he’s playing lately, he’s certainly not looking like a rookie. He’s racked up back-to-back double-doubles, on Friday scoring all 14 of his points in the first half before fouling out. The consistent foul trouble will cap Sullinger’s minutes, but he seems to always be flirting with double-doubles and his board crashing exploits have helped breathe much-needed life in to the Celtics of late.

Others to Consider

Reggie Evans, PF, Brooklyn Nets: Need boards? Evans has ripped 50 balls off the glass in the last three games. No, that’s not a misprint.

Greg Smith, PF, Houston Rockets: The minutes are spotty, so Smith is only viable for very deep leagues, but twice in the past week he put up sweet numbers when given the PT. At the very least, put this youngster on your radar.

CENTRES

Robert Sacre, Los Angeles Lakers: Sacre is also benefiting from the wave of injuries to the Lakers’ big men, and he’s worth a look in deeper formats. On Friday, he scored six points with four boards and a block, limited in his PT because he fouled out. Sacre has been starting at centre, and while his rebounding numbers leave something to be desired, if you need help in blocks, he could be useful (six in the past three games). He’s a hard worker, and is getting a chance to stake a claim on a rotation spot, so pay close attention to what Sacre does over the next few games.

Festus Ezeli, Golden State Warriors: Ezeli has spent almost the entire season starting for the Warriors, yet the rookie has received virtually zero Fantasy attention. However, the PT is on the rise of late (22.5 MPG over the last two), so it’s time to at least get this kid on the radar. Ezeli had six points and three steals Wednesday, then pulled down seven boards Friday. Andrew Bogut (ankle) is making progress, but in the meantime, Ezeli is finally starting to get a bit of traction at a position that is hard to find waiver wire help from.

Others to Consider

Glen Davis, C/PF, Orlando Magic: Orlando has struggled without Big Baby, but he’s nearly ready to return from a shoulder woe and has been dropped in plenty of leagues. Stash him now.

Spencer Hawes, C/PF, Philadelphia 76ers: Philly has struggled offensively this season so when Hawes contributes like he did this week (18 PPG in the first two games), you should pay attention. He’s seeing enough PT to be a worthy pickup in all formats.

The Bengals’ defensive coordinator interviewed for head coaching gigs in Miami and Tampa Bay last year and he’s considered one of the top assistants on the market. more

Ibaka’s PT has risen as the season has progressed and if this keeps up, soon everyone will realize this dude is a superstar. We love the fact that he’s nearly matched his free throw attempts from all of last season and we’re only in early January – another sign of growth. more

Last season, Durant stayed healthy, became a bigger threat from beyond the arc, and enjoyed career bests in rebounds and assists. Okay, so his FT shooting has slipped the past couple of years, but he’s still among the best in the biz from the charity stripe. Oh, and he also upped his scoring last season. In the first half of this season, Durant has again been durable, and while he’s not taking as many shots – especially from downtown (although he’s been more accurate from ever there) – he’s sinking his freebies at his best rate ever and continues to be a beast on the boards. Durant’s scoring is up again, and he’s averaging a career best 1.5 steals per game. Yup, this All-Star is still improving at the age of 24, and yes, that’s a freaking scary proposition. more

To wit, he’s barely cracked the top 150 among two-guards so far this season, but we still love his prospects for the remainder of the campaign. Now that Boston has its full lineup together at last, we’re expecting Bradley to really roll. He made his season debut Wednesday, and looked predictably rusty in 20 minutes. Friday, he got a bit more PT, responding with six points, a board, an assist, a steal and a block. Bradley makes the Celtics a better team, so the PT will come, and when it does, the production will follow. Jump on him now while you can. more