This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA churns along with seven more games on the schedule Thursday. The Warriors will be playing the second game of a back-to-back set when they take on the Nuggets, so don't be surprised if they rest some of their starters. The Grizzlies will also be playing for the second consecutive night, facing the Cavaliers on the road. Let's dig into the matchups and highlight some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Terry Rozier, CHA at CHI ($31): The last time these two teams met, the Hornets pulled off an upset victory. Rozier was one of the main reasons why they won, recording 28 points, five rebounds, two assists and four steals along the way. He certainly hasn't been negatively impacted by the return of LaMelo Ball, given that he has averaged 25.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.9 steals over the last seven games. If anything, having Ball on the floor with him helps take away some of the attention from the opposing defense.
Donte DiVincenzo, GS at DEN ($17): At a minimum, Klay Thompson should sit this game out. The last time the Warriors played the second game of a back-to-back set, Thompson, Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green all sat out. DiVincenzo logged 35 minutes as a starter in that game against the Cavaliers, scoring 38.2 Yahoo points. If they are all rested again, DiVincenzo might be too good to pass up.
Guard to Avoid
T.J. McConnell, IND vs. LAL ($29): McConnell has been on fire with Tyrese Haliburton (knee) out. While Haliburton is officially listed as questionable for this game, he is expected to play. McConnell averaged just 17 minutes over his first 38 games with Haliburton healthy, so expect him to return to a limited role.
FORWARDS
LeBron James, LAL at IND ($50): James continues his march on history, trying to get closer to the all-time points scored mark. He produced a triple-double while scoring 54.5 Yahoo points in his last game Tuesday against the Knicks. As he has approached the record, he has scored at least 51.8 Yahoo points in nine of his last 10 games.
Jonathan Kuminga, GS at DEN ($13): The Warriors drafted the trio of Kuminga, James Wiseman and Moses Moody with the hope that they would be the next wave of great Warriors. Wiseman and Moody have yet to contribute much, but Kuminga has become an important member of their rotation. If Green and/or Wiggins is ruled out, Kuminga would likely see added minutes and shot attempts.
Forward to Avoid
RJ Barrett, NY vs. MIA ($24): Barrett wasn't on the floor late in the fourth quarter or in overtime when the Knicks fell to the Lakers. It was a rare occurrence, given that he averaged 39 minutes over the previous seven games. While he should return to more playing time in this game, it's not a great matchup, given that the Heat have the fifth-best defensive rating in the league. Both the Knicks and Heat also rank inside the bottom-four in pace of play.
CENTERS
Bam Adebayo, MIA at NY ($35): The Knicks are thin at center right now with Mitchell Robinson (thumb) out. That will leave Isaiah Hartenstein and Jericho Sims to try and slow down Adebayo, who is averaging 21.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the season. Even if this is a low-scoring game, Adebayo's matchup is still very appealing.
Xavier Tillman, MEM at CLE ($10): The Grizzlies have been bouncing back and forth between Tillman and Brandon Clarke as their starting center with Steven Adams (knee) out. Tillman started Wednesday and played 28 minutes in a matchup against Jusuf Nurkic and Drew Eubanks, scoring 33.5 Yahoo points. With Jarrett Allen manning the middle for the Cavaliers, Tillman could receive another start.
Center to Avoid
Thomas Bryant, LAL at IND ($17): Anthony Davis (foot) is on the injury report again, but since he is listed as probable, he should be primed for his usual heavy workload. With him in the fold against the Knicks, Bryant scored only 10.2 Yahoo points over 16 minutes. Given that Tillman has a higher upside, and is available at the minimum salary, it's difficult to justify rolling with Bryant.
