This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We have an eight-game slate Wednesday that should clarify the postseason picture further; fortunately, plenty of teams still have something to play for. That gives us much-needed clarity on investing in certain players and avoiding others.
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
Tyus Jones, MEM at NOP ($19): Ja Morant is doubtful for Wednesday's matchup, as is Luke Kennard. That should thrust Jones into the starting five, where he's consistently stepped up when needed. In 21 starts this season, Jones is averaging 36.8 Yahoo points through 16.6 points, 8.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 32.6 minutes.
Dejounte Murray, ATL vs. WAS ($29): Murray will face a likely disinterested and very short-handed Wizards team Wednesday and checks in having scored 36.1 to 47.3 Yahoo points in the last four games. The star wing produced tallies of 38.8 and 36.9 Yahoo points in two prior meetings with the Wizards in early March, and Washington also checks in allowing 42.8 Yahoo points per contest to two-guards in the last 15 games.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jaden Ivey, DET vs. BKN ($23)
Guard to Avoid
Jaylen Brown, BOS vs. TOR ($36): Lower back pain cost Brown a chance to play Tuesday against the 76ers, and the loss Boston sustained essentially closes the door on their hopes of recapturing the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics still need to hold off Philadelphia for the No. 2 spot, but head coach Joe Mazzulla could well opt to rest his second-most important player so close to the postseason. Even if he does take the floor, Brown's shooting could naturally be compromised by his injury, making him pretty risky at his salary.
Forwards
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL vs. CHI ($56): The Bucks still need one more win to secure the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, so we'll bank on Giannis being out there for a reasonably normal workload Wednesday. The Bulls have allowed a tally of 79.9 Yahoo points to Antetokounmpo in one prior instance this season, and the big man checks in having scored 55.8 to 74.4 Yahoo points in four of the last five games.
Saddiq Bey, ATL vs. WAS ($10): Bey's minimum salary makes him one of the best potential fantasy-point-per-dollar plays of the night. The talented wing figures to draw another start for De'Andre Hunter (knee) on Wednesday and faces a Wizards team allowing the second-most Yahoo points per game to small forwards in the last seven (50.7). Bey has 28.7 and 23.2 Yahoo points in the previous two games while filling in for Hunter, and he could deliver over double his salary again, given the matchup.
ALSO CONSIDER: Kawhi Leonard, LAC vs. LAL ($40)
Forward to Avoid
LeBron James, LAL at LAC ($48): James was forced to play 38 minutes in the Lakers' OT victory over the Jazz on Tuesday, one the King himself sealed with a game-winning bucket. Nevertheless, James admitted after the game the extra minutes weren't helpful to his perpetually sore foot, and he now has to suit up in a tough defensive matchup against Kawhi Leonard just 24 hours later. While LeBron's upside is above question, he could have a tough time fully justifying his elevated salary Wednesday, given the circumstances.
Centers
Jakob Poeltl, TOR at BOS ($28): Poeltl makes for a high-upside pivot off considerably pricier options, and he checks in having 24.3 to 45.3 Yahoo points in his last three games. The elite rim protector faces a Celtics team that may well be turning its attention to the postseason with just one more Bucks win sealing the top seed for Milwaukee, and that's allowing 55.6 Yahoo points per game to centers in the last seven contests.
Jalen Duren, DET vs. BKN ($19): Duren stepped in for Marvin Bagley (concussion) on Tuesday and delivered handsomely, scoring 42.3 Yahoo points against the Heat. The young big could be right back in the starting five again Wednesday with little incentive to push Bagley back onto the floor, and Duren, who's exceeded 30 Yahoo points on 17 occasions this season, could offer a great return on investment yet again.
ALSO CONSIDER: Daniel Gafford, WAS at ATL ($15)
Center to Avoid
James Wiseman, DET vs. BKN ($19): Wiseman may be starting to hit a physical wall as the season winds down, as he's now played a career-high 42 games after missing all of last season. The big man has typically been providing tallies in the low 20s in terms of Yahoo points of late. Although that's tolerable given his salary, the Nets are a generally tough matchup for centers and are still playing to win, given their need to protect the No. 6 seed they currently hold.
