This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We had a large slate yesterday with 18 teams in action, but we're looking at a much smaller one here. We only have four games in total, with three of them making up the main slate beginning at 7 p.m. EST. That doesn't leave us with too many options, but we still have plenty of players we love. With that in mind, let's get started with one of the hottest point guards in the NBA!
Guards
Donovan Mitchell, CLE at GSW ($42)
Mitchell has been climbing up the fantasy rankings for years, and he's truly developed into one of the best players in the NBA. The Cavs guard has scored at least 38 Yahoo points in all seven games this season, generating a 51-point average. It's hard to overlook a 38-point floor from anyone, and you know Mitchell will be motivated against a backcourt possessing Stephen Curry, Chris Paul and Klay Thompson. In his last matchup with the Warriors, Mitchell fell one assist shy of a triple-double, en route to 59 Yahoo points!
Kyle Lowry, MIA at ATL ($16)
This one scares me to death, but we're really encouraged by what we saw in Miami's most recent game. That was their first fixture without Tyler Herro, and it led to Lowry having his best game in two years. The former All-Star had 17 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists across 35 minutes. That equates to 44 Yahoo points, which is a truly absurd total from such a cheap player. We've seen Lowry perform like that in the past, and he's still the starting PG for a team missing their best guard! In addition, Lowry has at least 27 Y! points in four straight matchups with Atlanta, who rank 23rd in total defense.
Guard to Avoid
Chris Paul, GSW vs. CLE ($22)
There was inevitably going to be an adjustment period for CP3 in Golden State, but his lack of scoring has been terrifying. The Point God hasn't played more than 28 minutes in seven straight games since being moved to the bench, scoring 33 or fewer fantasy points in all of those. We used to see this guy average more than that, and it's clearly difficult for Paul to find fantasy value with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green swallowing up so many touches. That becomes even more problematic against Cleveland, who were a top-three defense in every metric last season.
Forwards
Jayson Tatum, BOS vs. TOR ($46)
It was tough to pick a forward on this slate, but Tatum is the most reliable option out there. The perennial All-Star has at least 41 Yahoo points in every game this season, falling just shy of a 50-point average. That's the stud we know and love, and it'll continue as long as he's playing 37 minutes a night and taking 20 shots a game. In his last full game against Toronto, JT tallied 52 fantasy points in another pristine performance.
Jalen Johnson, ATL vs. MIA ($22)
Atlanta lost John Collins in the offseason, but Johnson has been the perfect fill-in. He actually has a really similar game to JC, with Johnson averaging over 33 Yahoo points per game. He also comes into this matchup scoring at least 33 Y! points in three straight outings, dropping 40 or more Y! points in two of those. You can't ask for any more from such an affordable player, and we also don't mind that Miami is allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing PFs.
Forward to Avoid
Andrew Wiggins, GSW vs. CLE ($17)
We just talked about how it's been tough for Paul to adjust to this team, and it's been equally as difficult for Wiggins. Throwing CP3 into the blender has forced Wiggins into a diminished role, playing fewer than 30 minutes in every game this season. That drop-off is a concern, but it becomes horrifying when you see that Wig hasn't scored more than 24 Yahoo points in any game this season. He's actually had fewer than 16 Y! points in eight of nine games, making him impossible to trust against one of the best defenses in the NBA.
Center
Bam Adebayo, MIA at ATL ($35)
Big Bam is my favorite player in the NBA, and I love seeing him become the focal point of this offense. They have to do that with Herro sidelined, with Adebayo posting a team-high 31 percent usage rate with Herro off the floor. Bam is also averaging 1.3 Y! points per minute in those circumstances, which equates to 46 Yahoo points if he plays the 35 minutes we've become accustomed to. That's ironic because he has at least 46 fantasy points in three of his last four outings, dropping 49 and 64 Y! points in his two most recent games. In addition, Adebayo had a 47-point average in four matchups with Atlanta last season.
Center to Avoid
Clint Capela, ATL vs. MIA ($21)
Capela can be an elite fantasy option in a 30-minute role, but it looks like that won't happen much for this loaded frontcourt. Not only is Johnson stealing some unexpected minutes, but Onyeka Okongwu is playing about half the game right now. That's limited Cap to 23 or fewer minutes in four of his last six outings, scoring 33 or fewer fantasy points in every game this season. That's a limited ceiling from a player in this price range, and we don't expect him to surpass that against Miami. He had just 23 Y! points across 34 minutes in their most recent matchup, and Bam has been notorious for slowing other centers down throughout his career.
