This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Thursday brings an odd schedule in the NBA. There are only three games, and all of them will be on the West Coast. The Trail Blazers will take on the struggling Nets, who gave up a staggering 153 points in a loss to the Kings on Tuesday. Those same Kings will also be in action, taking on the Spurs in Sacramento. The final game of the evening will feature the Clippers hosting the Pistons. Both teams will be shorthanded with Cade Cunningham (lower leg) and Kawhi Leonard (knee) having already been ruled out. Let's discuss some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Devin Vassell, SA at SAC ($24): Vassell bounced back from a disappointing six-point performance against the Warriors to score 21 points against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday. He's scored at least 20 points in eight of 11 games, shooting 45.7 percent from the field. With the Kings sporting the fifth-worst defensive rating in the league, Vassell is primed for another big scoring night.
Killian Hayes, DET at LAC ($11): The Pistons continue to play without Cunningham (lower leg), which has opened up added minutes for Hayes. Hayes has scored at least 23.6 Yahoo points in all three games with Cunningham sidelined, and he had two games with at least 29.7 Yahoo points. At near the minimum salary, he could be well worth the risk in tournament play.
Guard to Avoid
Alec Burks, DET at LAC ($18): While the Pistons are playing without Cunningham, at least they have Burks back. The veteran helps provide them with some depth at guard, although they look to be easing him back from injury. He sat out the second game of a back-to-back set over the weekend, and he only played 17 minutes against the Raptors on Monday. Unless he starts to play more, it's difficult to get too excited about rolling with him in DFS.
FORWARDS
Keldon Johnson, SA at SAC ($29): Johnson and Vassell have formed a productive one-two scoring punch for the Spurs. Johnson has a 27.7 percent usage rate, which is more than six percentage points higher than last season. His increased scoring and assist numbers have helped make up for a decline in rebounds, propelling him to average 34.3 Yahoo points per game.
Jerami Grant, POR vs. BKN ($26): Grant's usage rate and scoring numbers increased significantly when he joined the Pistons, but his efficiency took a hit. Playing a smaller role on a much more talented Trail Blazers team, he's been able to shoot 50.6 percent from the field. His 49.3 percent shooting from behind the arc won't hold up, but he shot at least 38.9 percent from deep in both seasons prior to joining the Pistons. He's playing a ton and averaging 33.4 Yahoo points per game, making him a great option against the struggling Nets.
Forward to Avoid
Saddiq Bey, DET at LAC ($19): The Pistons decided to start Marvin Bagley III against the Raptors on Monday, which pushed Bey to the bench. He did play 31 minutes, part of which can be attributed to Isaiah Stewart (toe) getting hurt. Stewart is going to miss at least a couple of weeks, so Bey could move back into the starting five. However, he's only shooting 41.6 percent from the field and will be facing a Clippers team that has the second-best defensive rating in the league.
CENTERS
Domantas Sabonis, SAC vs. SA ($38): Sabonis was only needed to play 28 minutes with the Kings blowing out the Nets on Tuesday. Still, he posted 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. He's scored at least 41.8 Yahoo points in six of his last seven games, and his ability to contribute in so many different areas makes him a great option in a matchup between two teams who rank inside the top-eight in the league in pace of play.
Charles Bassey, SA at SAC ($12): The Spurs don't have much at center behind Jakob Poeltl. Zach Collins (lower leg) is hurt again, which has opened up added minutes for Bassey. Over the last five games, Bassey has averaged 6.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 blocks. That's enough to make him at least worth considering for a slate with limited options.
Center to Avoid
Marvin Bagley III, DET at LAC ($19): The Pistons have options with Stewart out. They could shift Bagley over to center and move Bey back into the starting lineup. The other option is to start Jalen Duren and leave Bagley at power forward. Whichever route they take, Bagley is likely to hold onto his starting spot. However, he generally doesn't provide much in the way of assists or defensive stats. That limits his upside against a good defensive team in the Clippers.
