This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We have our usual robust Wednesday night slate on tap, as 11 games are on the docket. There are several advantageous positional matchups to exploit, as well as a good trio of candidates that may be best to steer clear of due to a combination of circumstances/salary.
Guards
Jaylen Brown, BOS vs. IND ($40): Brown went off for 53.8 Yahoo points in Monday's loss to the Magic without Jayson Tatum on the floor. Although his star teammate is expected back Wednesday, Brown remains a very viable option against a Pacers team allowing the third-most Yahoo points per game to two-guards (44.2). Indiana is also surrendering 37.2 percent three-point shooting on the road, making them an even more attractive matchup in which Brown, who's exceeded 40 Yahoo points in seven of his last nine games alone, could deliver a robust return.
Markelle Fultz, ORL at HOU ($18): Fultz could end up as one of the best fantasy-point-per-dollar plays of the night while facing a Rockets squad that's allowing the third-highest offensive efficiency rating to point guards (29.6), along with an NBA-high 56.3 Yahoo points per game to ones. Fultz has scored 51.9 and 45.7 Yahoo points in two of his last four games alone, displaying a massive ceiling for his salary. He's demonstrated significantly improved shooting from long distance as well thus far (46.7 percent), while Houston is surrendering 39.3 percent three-point shooting in the last three games.
ALSO CONSIDER: De'Aaron Fox, SAC vs. LAL ($32)
Guard to Avoid
Killian Hayes, DET at PHI ($20): Hayes has flashed plenty of improvement this season, but he'll enter Wednesday's unfavorable positional matchup with a pair of sub-20-Yahoo-point tallies in the last three. Hayes is in a significant shooting slump that's seen him drain just 35.9 percent of his shots over the last six games, and he now faces a 76ers squad that's allowing the lowest offensive efficiency rating to point guards (20.7), along with just 40.1 percent shooting to the position.
Forwards
LeBron James, LAL at SAC ($45): James is expected to return to the floor Wednesday after sitting out Monday's loss to the Suns to rest his ankle. The future Hall of Famer sports a 33.9 percent usage rate and is averaging 53 Yahoo points per 36 minutes without Anthony Davis (foot) on the floor, and Wednesday, he'll face a Kings squad allowing the 12th-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (26.6), along with the third-highest three-point shooting percentage of any team on its home floor (38.3). Despite the elevated salary, James is worth the investment after posting 50.5 to 62.3 Yahoo points in his last four games.
Marcus Morris, LAC vs. CHA ($16): Morris is averaging a solid 24.5 Yahoo points per game for the season and has flashed a nice ceiling with tallies of 26.4 and 32.2 in two of his last five contests. The veteran big man now draws a matchup against one of the most porous frontcourts in the league in that of the Hornets, which are allowing the fifth-highest offensive efficiency rating to forwards and centers (83.5), as well as 36.6 percent three-point shooting to power forwards specifically. Charlotte is allowing a 40.0 percent success rate from distance overall in the last three games, and the Hornets are also surrendering the second-most rebounds per game (55.2). Morris could also take the floor without Paul George (knee) and Reggie Jackson (Achilles) again Wednesday, a scenario in which Morris is averaging 26.5 Yahoo points per 36 minutes.
Forward to Avoid
Kevin Durant, BKN vs. GSW ($48): It's the NBA, and crazy outcomes are a near-nightly occurrence, but it feels fairly safe to say the Nets' star players could take an early seat Wednesday. Not only will Brooklyn be facing a Stephen Curry-less Warriors team, but Klay Thompson (knee injury maintenance) and Andrew Wiggins (groin) will also sit, while Donte DiVincenzo (illness) may also be sidelined. KD's ceiling is naturally above question, but he may simply not see enough floor time Wednesday to justify his very elevated salary.
Centers
Christian Wood, DAL at MIN ($24): Wood has scored over 50 Yahoo points in two of his last three games and 36.1 in the other game during that sample, excellent returns on his current salary. The latter total came in 34 minutes Monday night against the same T-Wolves squad he'll face Wednesday, and he could be right back on the first unit with Dwight Powell (thigh) listed as questionable and both Dorian Finney-Smith (hip) and Maxi Kleber (hamstring) ruled out. Wood has rattled off three straight double-doubles, and with enough minutes Wednesday, he could certainly overdeliver against a Minnesota team allowing the fourth-most rebounds per home game (54.8).
Alperen Sengun, HOU vs. ORL ($22): Sengun sports an appealing salary for a player who's scored 27.6 to 37.3 Yahoo points in three of his last four and who's averaging 30.8 Yahoo points per contest for the season. The emerging big gets a crack at a Magic frontcourt that's yielded the 10th-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (33.1), along with 52.8 Yahoo points per game to the position. Orlando is also surrendering a robust 50.5 points in the paint per road game, an area of the floor where Sengun is scoring just over 75 percent of his points.
Center to Avoid
Myles Turner, IND at BOS ($26): Turner has scored under 26.2 Yahoo points or fewer in four of the last six games, and he'll now tangle with a tough Celtics team that's ranked in the top half of the league in multiple categories against centers. Boston, which now has Robert Williams back in the fold down low, is also notably allowing the fewest blocks per game to fives (1.05), a category that often is what helps put Turner over the top in terms of justifying his salaries.
