This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The Saturday slate went swimmingly, and we're ready to keep rolling here. We've been capitalizing on some of the slow valuation by Yahoo, and we certainly have plenty of value here. With that said, we only have five games making up this main card because the NBA knows better than to compete with the NFL. We're basketball fiends over at RotoWire, so let's dive into this Sunday slate.
Guards
Stephen Curry, GS vs. SAC ($42)
Curry amazed fans when he took down MVP honors in Golden State's Finals run last year, and he looks to be cooking once again. The perennial All-Star has at least 33 raw points in each of the first two games while averaging 53 Yahoo points. That's obviously one of the highest totals in the NBA, and that streak should continue in this sensational matchup. Sacramento sat 27th in defensive efficiency last season, with Curry averaging 49 Y! points in their last eight matchups.
Mike Conley, UTA at NOP ($20)
Conley is the forgotten man in Utah, but the veteran has led this team to a shocking 2-0 start. Many people had the Jazz pegged as the worst team in the NBA, but they forgot how good the former All-Star can be. Conley was a $30 player in the past, and it's surprising he remains so affordable since he's being asked to be the primary playmaker in this rebuilt offense. That's led to him posting a 34-point average through the first two games of the year. It's not like New Orleans is a scary matchup either as they were ranked 20th in total defense last year.
Guard to Avoid
Malik Monk, SAC at GS ($18)
This Monk salary is baffling. He definitely played at a $20 level during his time with the Lakers, but his role in Sacramento is killing his value. The sharpshooter played just 15 minutes in the opener, and followed it up wth 13 scoreless minutes on Saturday. Playing behind De'Aaron Fox, Terence Davis, Davion Mitchell, and Kevin Huerter leaves Monk with very little playing time and even fewer opportunities to produce. That limited role is terrifying against the Warriors, who ranked Top-5 in total defense in 2021-22.
Forwards
Caris LeVert, CLE vs. WAS ($22)
Many experts had LeVert pegged as a sixth-man for the Cavs, but then they gave this talented player the starting small forward job. He's averaged 40 fantasy points over month-long stretches in the past, and a 30-minute starting role should lead to more of those. The reason we love him here is the fact Cleveland is playing without Darius Garland's 35 percent usage rate. That's also 35 minutes of ball-handling out of the lineup, and it'll force LeVert into the playmaking role that made him a $30 player in the past. And on Saturday, he tallied 14 points, four rebounds and eight assists. Facing the Wizards is also wonderful as they ranked 25th in defensive efficiency last year.
Aleksej Pokusevski, OKC vs. MIN ($19)
We weren't so sure what Poku's role would look like this year, but OKC wants to give this top pick every chance to succeed. They allowed him to run the offense in the final month of last season and he averaged 31 Y! points across their final 17 games. His unicorn style of play makes him an elite stat-stuffer, and this weak roster needs him to play 25-30 minutes a night. A matchup with Minnesota is favorable as the club sat 24th in points allowed last season. This being a back-to-back could force some resting that should put even more usage on Poku's plate.
Forward to Avoid
Kawhi Leonard, LAC vs. PHX ($43)
I was skeptical about Kawhi coming into the season, but I'm thoroughly horrified at this point. He's still a beast, but his fantasy value is plummeting. Coming off the bench in the opener was a red flag, but logging 21 minutes makes me feel like he won't reach 30 until next month. No one in this salary range can perform with fewer than 30 minutes, especially since the Clippers are one of the NBA's deepest rosters. We expect Kawhi's usage to sink with everyone fully healthy, and it'll be hard for him to perform against a Phoenix team that ranked third in defensive ratings last year.
Centers
Rudy Gobert, MIN at OKC ($36)
Rudy was one of the biggest acquisitions in the offseason, and it looks like Minnesota is trying to maul their opponents with size. That has allowed him to feast in the first two games by gobbling up 32 points and 39 rebounds. Gobert is the best bet to lead the league in rebounding, and he should dominate one of the league's worst offenses. He's notched six straight double-doubles against this terrible Thunder frontcourt while averaging 14.9 points, 15.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocks.
Jonas Valanciunas, NOP vs. UTA ($33)
The Pelicans boast one of the NBA's most dangerous starting units, and JV is a primary reason why. He's one of the most underrated centers having averaged 49 Yahoo points through the opening two outings. There's a lot of space for Valanciunas to go off with Zion, Ingram, and McCollum occupying so much attention, and he should be a safe bet for a double-double on every slate. Utah's defensive metrics used to be scary, but this is one of the weakest frontcourts since trading away Rudy Gobert.
Center to Avoid
Kevon Looney, GS vs. SAC ($15)
This center rotation in Golden State puzzles me. It looked like Loon and James Wiseman would split all of the 48 minutes, but we forgot Golden State also wants to use Draymond Green there. That means it'll be tough for Looney to surpass 20 minutes, averaging 15 Y! points across 20 minutes through the first two games. That's not enough playing time for him to produce, and he could be limited even more with Sacramento playing small ball.
