This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA playoffs bring three more games Thursday. The Kings and 76ers will try to take commanding 3-0 leads in their respective series, while the Suns and Clippers will battle to see who gains a 2-1 advantage in theirs. Let's discuss some players to consider targeting on Yahoo, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
Guards
Klay Thompson, GS vs. SAC ($25): The Warriors will try to get back into their series against the Kings without Draymond Green (suspension) on the floor. The good news for them is that they will be playing at home, where they thrived this season. That includes Thompson, who averaged 24.4 points and shot 44.7 percent from the field at home during the regular season, compared to 19.2 points on 42.3 percent shooting on the road.
Malik Monk, SAC at GS ($18): Monk is a big reason why the Kings are up 2-0 in this series. He has provided a scoring punch off the bench, leaving him to score 36.6 and 31.7 Yahoo points, respectively. One key aspect that helped his cause was that he logged at least 29 minutes in both of the first two games. Although he won't have the energy of the home crowd behind him here, Monk still has enough scoring upside to be able to provide value at this salary.
Guard to Avoid
Spencer Dinwiddie, BKN vs. PHI ($29): Dinwiddie isn't an efficient scorer, shooting 43.8 percent from the field during the regular season. He's been cold in this series, shooting a combined 10-for-26. It might be difficult for him to come out of his slump considering that the 76ers had the eighth-best defensive rating in the league during the regular season.
Forwards
Kawhi Leonard, LAC vs. PHO ($41): Injuries have taken a toll on Leonard in recent seasons, but he looks to be at the top of his game right now. He has dominated on both ends of the floor for the Clippers, which helped them steal a game on the road. After scoring at least 54.5 Yahoo points in both of the first two games, the sky's the limit for Leonard with the Clippers returning home.
Torrey Craig, PHO at LAC ($13): With Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton all on the floor with him, Craig doesn't always receive much attention from the opposing defense. He has taken advantage of his quality looks in this series, shooting 15-for-21 from the field, including 7-for-12 from behind the arc. At near the minimum salary, he's an excellent option to help balance out your budget.
Forward to Avoid
Norman Powell, LAC vs. PHO ($19): If Powell is going to be worth rostering in DFS, he has to score in bunches. During the regular season, he averaged just 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He has taken a modest 21 shots over the first two games of this series, leaving him to score 20.0 and 28.8 Yahoo points, respectively. If you're hunting for a forward in this salary range, a better option is Cameron Johnson ($22). Johnson has a much larger role with the Nets, which helped him score 42.3 Yahoo points in his last game.
Centers
Joel Embiid, PHI at BKN ($56): Embiid only attempted 11 shots from the field in Game 2. Still, he scored 20 points. He also dominated in other areas, recording 19 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and one steal. He has scored 43.5 and 57.3 Yahoo points, respectively in this series and the 76ers won both games by at least 12 points. In what could be a closer battle in Brooklyn, look for Embiid to shine once again.
Kevon Looney, GS vs. SAC ($17): The suspension of Draymond Green means that Looney is likely looking at additional playing time. He logged 32 minutes in Game 1, scoring 27.8 Yahoo points. He played just 23 minutes in Game 2, scoring 17.9 Yahoo points. The last six games that he played without Green, Looney scored at least 37.4 Yahoo points four times. He's an excellent option for those looking to fade Embiid.
Center to Avoid
Nic Claxton, BKN vs. PHI ($24): This is set up to be a difficult series for Claxton against Embiid. He scored a respectable 27.5 Yahoo points in Game 1, but he scored only 9.2 Yahoo points in Game 2. He only logged 21 minutes as the Nets went with more small lineups. Between the potential for getting into foul trouble while guarding Embiid and the possibility that the Nets go small more again, there's not a lot to like about Claxton for DFS.
