This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA is taking a backseat to NCAA here. Both Final Four games are happening Saturday, and it's leaving us with just two NBA games to talk about. That's bizarre at this time of the year, but it will allow us to zone in on these four teams. This is the most difficult time to play, and having fewer teams makes things much easier for us. With that said, let's get started with one of the best guards in the NBA!
Guards
Luka Doncic, DAL at MIA ($57)
When discussing a two-game slate, it's impossible to fade a guy like this. What makes Luka so valuable is his floor, scoring at least 40 Yahoo points in 58 of 61 games this year. He's also leading the NBA with nearly 60 Y! points per game and could be asked to do even more since Dallas is fighting for their playoff lives. You might be worried about him facing a menacing Miami defense, but Doncic dropped 60 fantasy points in their one matchup back in January.
Bones Hyland, LAC at NOP ($12)
Bones was picking up DNPs at a rapid pace when LA acquired him, but it's a different story right now. He's actually been tasked as the secondary playmaker off the bench since Paul George got injured, scoring at least 27 Yahoo points in four straight games. He's also generating a 35-point average in that span and is due for a price bump with his increase in usage. New Orleans is not a scary matchup either, allowing nearly 115 points per game over the last two months.
Guard to Avoid
Josh Green, DAL at MIA ($14)
Green was unbelievable when this roster was shorthanded, but he's a role player now that Doncic and Kyrie Irving are both healthy. That's relegated Green back to bench duties, failing to crack 12 Yahoo points in each of his last four outings. He's actually averaging just 8.1 Y! points per game in that span, and this is not a value play you want to lean towards. The matchup makes it even more difficult because Miami ranks second in points allowed.
Forwards
Jimmy Butler, MIA vs. DAL ($38)
Dallas used to have a daunting defense, but they've been a joke in the second half. In fact, the Mavericks have the worst defensive rating in the NBA since acquiring Irving. That's hard to fathom, but it makes Butler one of the best plays on the board. Of course, Jimmy Buckets would be good in any matchup, scoring at least 41 Yahoo points in 10 of his last 13 games. He's also got at least 45 Y! points in nine of those and has flashed a 62-point ceiling.
Nicolas Batum, LAC at NOP ($10)
It will be tricky to figure out what LA is doing with their wings, but it looks like Batum will be the starting SF for the remainder of the season. He took that job from Marcus Morris, scoring 42 Yahoo points across 32 minutes in his first game in this newfound role. His most recent outing was disappointing, but that sort of upside is hard to overlook from a guy that was once an All-Star caliber player. In the 10 games Batum has played at least 30 minutes, he's averaging nearly 30 fantasy points per game! If you get that from a $10 player, you've stumbled into the best value play on the slate.
Forward to Avoid
Herbert Jones, NOP vs. LAC ($15)
Jones plays plenty of minutes to make him a good value play, but let's spend our salary elsewhere. The defensive stud has cracked 23 Yahoo points just once over his last eight outings, despite playing 30 minutes a night. Those are some of the worst rates you'll see, especially since he's averaging just 18 fantasy points per game in that span. CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Trey Murphy and Jonas Valanciunas do everything for this offense, leaving Jones with one of the lowest usage rates in the NBA. It won't get any easier to produce against a team like LA, with the Clippers allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing forwards.
Center
Jonas Valanciunas, NOP vs. LAC ($25)
It's hard to understand why JV's minutes were limited in the middle of the season, but that's not happening right now. The big man has at least 34 Yahoo points in seven of his last eight games. More importantly, he's playing 30 minutes a night in that span while averaging 40 Yahoo points per game. That role makes JV an elite fantasy option, averaging 41 Y! points per game in the 27 outings he's played at least 28 minutes. The Clippers aren't as concerning for opposing big men, surrendering the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing centers this year. When they played a week ago, Valanciunas tallied 17 points, 13 rebounds and four assists e route to 41 Y! points.
Center to Avoid
Christian Wood, DAL at MIA ($22)
It's hard to understand why Wood has such a minuscule role for a team struggling so badly. This has been one of the best per-minute producers over the last five years, but he's not getting enough playing time to provide any value. The big man has played 41 total minutes over his last three outings, averaging 15 Yahoo points per game. That directly correlates with the returns of Kyrie and Doncic, and it's clear that Jason Kidd doesn't want to play these three together at all. A matchup with Bam Adebayo won't be easy for C-Wood in his limited minutes, with Miami surrendering the fewest fantasy points to opposing centers.
