This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA begins the month of March with a nine-game slate on Friday. Among the more exciting matchups will feature the Celtics hosting the Mavs. Let's try to have even more fun by winning some cash on Yahoo. Here are some of the top players to target at each position, as well as a few to potentially avoid.
GUARDS
Brandon Ingram, NO vs. IND ($31): Ingram posted 30 points on his way to scoring 42.2 Yahoo points against these same Pacers Wednesday. Indiana has played at the league's second-fastest pace while carrying the fifth-worst defensive rating, so it was a case of Ingram making the most of a favorable matchup. Expect him to have a high floor on Friday.
Trey Murphy III, NO vs. IND ($14): Murphy also stood out against the Pacers with 29.3 Yahoo points over 31 minutes. Over his last six games, he's scored at least 30.0 Y! five times. Given Murphy's low salary, he may be to good to pass up.
Guard to Avoid
Dante Exum, DAL at BOS ($19): After being sidelined for a month with a knee injury, Exum made his return Wednesday against the Raptors. He logged 17 minutes off the bench and produced four points, three rebounds and five assists. The Mavs beefed up their depth chart at the trade deadline, so Exum might be locked into a limited role moving forward.
FORWARDS
Vince Williams Jr., MEM vs. POR ($28): This is the first game of a back-to-back for the Grizzlies. Jaren Jackson Jr. (quadriceps) and Derrick Rose (back) have already been ruled out while John Konchar (thumb) and Luke Kennard (illness) are listed as doubtful. Even GG Jackson II (quadriceps) is listed as questionable. With so many players set to be sidelined, Williams should play a lot and get all of the shot attempts he can handle.
Ziaire Williams, MEM vs. POR ($10): Like the last entry, Williams is in line for an expanded role. He's already showed significant upside of late with at least 30.2 Yahoo points from five of his last eight games. At the minimum salary, Williams could provide tremendous value against a Trail Blazers team with the ninth-worst defensive rating.
Forward to Avoid
Al Horford, BOS vs. DAL ($19): The Celtics enter Friday with a clean injury report. They haven't dealt with many recent ones, which has contributed to Horford logging 26 minutes or less in three straight. During that span, he's only averaged 6.0 points and 5.7 rebounds. There's not much upside that comes with adding Horford to your lineup.
CENTERS
Jalen Duren, DET vs. CLE ($29): Duren continues to play many minutes as he's averaged 31 across 14 appearances, where he's posted 14.0 points, 13.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 0.9 blocks a night. He should continue the same workload against a Cavs team with a lot of size up front, making him an ideal DFS mid-tier center option.
Marvin Bagley III, WAS at LAC ($16): Bagley continues to shine as the Wizards' starting center since they traded Daniel Gafford. Over his last seven games in this role, he's averaged 14.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. The last time Bagley faced the Clippers, he posted 10 points and eight rebounds over 18 minutes off the bench. With the expectation he could approach 30 minutes on Friday, he offers the potential to provide plenty of value.
Center to Avoid
Daniel Gafford, DAL at BOS ($21): Gafford's playing time has been up-and-down since leaving Washington. In four of seven games with his new club, he's logged no more than 19 minutes. And in the last four, Gafford has averaged 7.3 points and 4.8 rebounds over just 17 minutes a night. The potential for limited minutes against a Celtics team with the second-best defensive rating doesn't seem like a recipe for success.
