NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo Plays and Strategy for Tuesday, December 5

NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo Plays and Strategy for Tuesday, December 5

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.

After a dramatic Monday night, the NBA brings two more In-Season Tournament games Tuesday. The downside is that it doesn't leave us with a ton of options to choose from on Yahoo. Still, here are some players to consider for your lineups, as well as a few to possibly avoid.

GUARDS

Devin Booker, PHO at LAL ($43): The Suns continue to play without Bradley Beal (back), who has appeared in just three games all season. His extended absence has contributed to Booker recording a 32.6 percent usage rate. Booker has scored at least 41.3 Yahoo points in all but one game that he has played this season, making Booker one of the safer guards for this slate.

Grayson Allen, PHO at LAL ($13): Allen has immediately taken on a significant role for the Suns. With all of their injuries, he has averaged a career-high 33 minutes per game. He has been stellar from deep, shooting 46.5 percent on his three-point attempts. That has helped him score at least 27.3 Yahoo points in three of his last six games. At near the minimum salary, he could be worth the risk in tournament play.

Guard to Avoid

Austin Reaves, LAL vs. PHO ($21): After beginning the season as a starter, Reaves has been moved to a bench role. He's still averaging 30 minutes per game for the season, but his new role has contributed to some inconsistent production. Over his last eight games, he scored a least 31.2 Yahoo points five times. However, he scored fewer than 19 Yahoo points in each of the other three games. That makes him a bit of a risky option at this salary.

FORWARDS

Kevin Durant, PHO at LAL ($45): Durant has missed just two games all season for the Suns. He has helped guide them through injuries, averaging 31.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. The last time he took on the Lakers, he scored 52.3 Yahoo points. Don't expect them to be able to slow him down in this rematch.

Josh Hart, NY at MIL ($16): The Knicks don't ask Hart to score much, which has left him with a paltry 12.4 percent usage rate. However, he is still averaging 29 minutes per game and is one of the best rebounders in the league for his size. That has helped him score at least 27.6 Yahoo points in three of his last five games.

Forward to Avoid

Khris Middleton, MIL vs. NY ($20): It will be interesting to see how the Bucks deploy Middleton in this game. He has played more than 25 minutes in a game just two times all season as the Bucks try to keep him healthy for what they hope will be a lengthy playoff run. Do they push him to play more for this tournament game, or keep his minutes restricted? That question makes him someone to avoid.

CENTERS

Anthony Davis, LAL vs. PHO ($50): Davis (groin/hip) finds himself on the injury report for this matchup, but since he is listed as probable, expect him to take the floor. His scoring numbers are down a bit this season, but it's difficult to complain about someone averaging 22.9 points and shooting 54.6 percent from the field. In addition to that, he has provided 12.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.8 blocks per game. His salary will do a number on your budget, but he is by far the best center option for this limited slate.

Jusuf Nurkic, PHO at LAL ($23): Injuries had put a damper on Nurkic's career the last few seasons, but he has appeared in all 20 games for the Suns this season. Not only that, he is averaging 28 minutes per game. Despite taking a backseat to Booker and Durant, he has put up 12.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. For those looking to fade Davis, Nurkic is an excellent option.

Center to Avoid

Mitchell Robinson, NY at MIL ($20): This isn't the easiest of matchups for Robinson. He'll have to chase Brook Lopez around the perimeter on defense, which is not exactly his forte. When he is protecting the paint, he could get into foul trouble trying to slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo. The last time he faced them, he scored just 19.5 Yahoo points. Nurkic has nearly the same salary and a larger role within his team's offense, so there's no need to take a chance on Robinson.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Mike Barner plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: mbarner, DraftKings: mbarner51.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike Barner
Mike started covering fantasy sports in 2007, joining RotoWire in 2010. In 2018, he was a finalist for the FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Mike also won the 2022-23 FSGA NBA Experts Champions league. In addition to RotoWire, Mike has written for Sportsline, Sports Illustrated, DK Live, RealTime Fantasy Sports, Lineup Lab and KFFL.com.
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