This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We have another three-game NBA Playoffs slate Wednesday, and there are a couple of potential absences of the highest order looming over the night that could change the dynamic of the player pool. We'll explore both further in our selections below.
As customary, we'll highlight multiple advantageous positional matchups to exploit at each position for your Yahoo Fantasy lineups, as well as a good trio of candidates that may be best to steer clear of due to a combination of circumstances/salary.
Guards
Jrue Holiday, MIL vs. MIA ($31): Holiday is set for what could be a massive workload Wednesday, with Giannis Antetokounmpo (back) questionable. The veteran point guard struggled through a 6-for-18 shooting performance in Game 1 but still scored 50.4 Yahoo points after putting up 49.8 and 51.1 Yahoo points in his last two regular-season games. Holiday boasts a 30.9 percent usage rate that represents a team-high +5.7 percent bump when Giannis is off the floor, making his case airtight at his very reasonable salary that he's already blown past on multiple occasions even when his star teammate has been available.
Jamal Murray, DEN vs. MIN ($29): Murray tore right through the Timberwolves in Game 1, recording 47.6 Yahoo points across 33 minutes while scoring a team-high 24 points. The star point guard showed no ill effects from the thumb injury that had plagued him toward the end of the regular season, and his Yahoo-point total was his second over 40 since the start of the regular season. Minnesota now allows the eighth-highest offensive efficiency rating to point guards (27.6), furthering Murray's already strong case at his salary.
ALSO CONSIDER: Austin Reaves, LAL at MEM ($22)
Guard to Avoid
Malik Beasley, LAL at MEM ($10): Beasley doesn't appear a significant part of the Lakers' plans to open the postseason, as he's played just 14 and 10 minutes in the first two postseason contests and scored 5.2 and 0.2 Yahoo points in the process. The veteran is capable of much better production, but there's no evidence to suggest he'll have much time on the floor to work with again in Game 2.
Forwards
Jimmy Butler, MIA at MIL ($40): Butler put together a stellar Game 1 performance, racking up a team-high 35 points and 11 assists on his way to a tally of 63.5 Yahoo points across 43 minutes. As mentioned in Holiday's entry, the Bucks may be without Antetokounmpo again Wednesday, which would make life easier on players like Butler, who could frequently be forced to expend energy trying to defend him. Butler also had a tally of 49.1 Yahoo points in one regular-season contest against the Bucks, and Milwaukee finished the regular season allowing over 45 Yahoo points per game to power forwards in the final seven contests.
Jaren Jackson, MEM vs. LAL ($37): Jackson is always a threat for 50-plus Yahoo points if he can avoid foul trouble, considering his ability to supplement fantasy production with his blocks. The big man could be in an even better spot than usual to overdeliver on his salary Wednesday, considering Ja Morant (hand) is questionable to suit up. If the star guard indeed sits, it's worth noting Jackson boasts a 29.8 percent usage rate and averages 51.8 Yahoo points per 36 minutes with Morant off the floor. Jackson already scored 51 Yahoo points against the Lakers in Game 1 with Morant available for most of the contest. He also posted 67.3 and 52.8 Yahoo points in the final two games of the regular season, and Los Angeles wrapped up the campaign surrendering the fifth-most Yahoo points per contest to power forwards (52.2) over the final seven games. L.A. is also conceding the ninth-most blocks per game since the start of the regular season (5.1), including 5.7 over the last three.
ALSO CONSIDER: Khris Middleton, MIL vs. MIA ($27)
Forward to Avoid
Jarred Vanderbilt, LAL at MEM ($13): Vanderbilt has scored 17.7 Yahoo points or less in seven consecutive games dating back to the regular season, and he logged a modest 22 and 23 minutes in Los Angeles' first two postseason contests. The big man should continue in the starting five Wednesday, but with players with appreciably more upside, like Max Strus and Rui Hachimura, checking in at the same salary and Dillon Brooks requiring an investment of just $3 additional dollars, Vanderbilt can be avoided.
Centers
Anthony Davis, LAL at MEM ($49): Davis accumulated 67.9 Yahoo points across 37 minutes in Game 1 despite missing some time with a stinger, a figure that was partly fueled by a massive seven-block output. The big man also scored over 50 Yahoo points in his last two regular-season games and the Play-In victory against the Timberwolves, and he had tallies of 59.9 and 60.8 Yahoo points in two regular-season meetings versus the Grizzlies. Memphis has been appreciably more vulnerable to centers since Steven Adams (knee) went down, and Davis is clearly capable of exploiting the matchup.
Bobby Portis, MIL vs. MIA ($20): Portis will be in for an elevated role as well if Antetokounmpo sits out, and the big man already comes in with a 23.7 percent usage rate and average of 43.4 Yahoo points per 36 minutes when his teammate is off the floor. That figure is partly constituted by the 30.6 Yahoo points in 27 minutes Portis scored in Game 1 with Antetokounmpo out most of the game, and it's also worth noting he also produced tallies of 31.9, 32.7 and 33.4 Yahoo points in three regular-season meetings against the Heat.
ALSO CONSIDER: Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. MIN ($56)
Center to Avoid
Xavier Tillman, MEM vs. LAL ($16): Tillman isn't an absolute stay-away candidate, yet he's likely the most unappealing option in the small center player pool. The third-year big certainly had his moments down the stretch while filling in for Adams and Brandon Clarke (Achilles), but he only posted 13.1 Yahoo points across 22 minutes in Game 1 in the tough matchup down low against the Lakers' frontcourt. Tillman's frontcourt mate Santi Aldama ($10) may offer nearly as much production at minimum salary, for example, making a case for Tillman to be avoided.
