This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Wednesday's nine-game slate features a wide range of spreads, but several likely competitive matchups should help keep the minutes of star players high. Additionally, five of the nine contests have projected totals of over 230 points, always a welcome sight for DFS purposes.
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
Damian Lillard, POR vs. GSW ($46): Lillard has scored over 50 Yahoo points in three of his last five games alone, and he's averaging a stellar 46.9 per contest for the season overall. The star guard put up 51.1 Yahoo points in his one prior meeting with the Warriors as well, and he could be even more effective than usual Wednesday since he won't have to worry about guarding Stephen Curry (lower leg). Golden State also checks in, allowing the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to point guards (28.6) and the fifth-most Yahoo points per game to the position (50.5).
Tyler Herro, MIA vs. IND ($27): Herro has fared well against the Pacers in three prior meetings this season, averaging 21.7 points, 4.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals across 37 minutes per contest. The talented sharpshooter checks into Wednesday with a hot hand, posting a 42.4 percent success rate from distance in his last four games while scoring 34.5 to 46.0 Yahoo points in three of those contests. The Pacers also come in allowing the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to two-guards (25.4) -- along with 38.3 percent three-point shooting to the position – and have surrendered the third-most Yahoo points per game (44.3) to the position as well.
ALSO CONSIDER: Fred VanVleet, TOR vs SAS ($36)
Guard to Avoid
T.J. McConnell, IND at MIA ($21): McConnell's usage has unsurprisingly dived the return of Tyrese Haliburton, with the veteran scoring under 20 Yahoo points in four straight while logging 22 minutes or fewer in those contests. McConnell should continue in a modest second-unit role Wednesday and is, therefore, likely to have a hard time justifying a salary that's still a bit elevated relative to the change in his circumstances.
Forwards
Kawhi Leonard, LAC vs. DAL ($41): Leonard has finally made it back to his previous MVP-level of play after struggling extensively with injuries, with the talented wing averaging 28.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals while shooting 51.6 percent, including 45.1 percent from three-point range, over his last 14 games. Leonard has scored 45 Yahoo points or more in 10 of those contests as well, certainly justifying his current salary. Then, consider the Mavericks have allowed the second-highest offensive efficiency rating to small forwards (24.7), while Leonard has accrued tallies of 62.8 and 48.3 Yahoo points in two prior meetings with Dallas.
Scottie Barnes, TOR vs. SAS ($31): Barnes is averaging 35.3 Yahoo points per game on the season and comes into Wednesday's highly favorable matchup, exceeding that figure in five of his last six games alone. The second-year forward should be in good position to continue producing handsomely Wednesday, considering the Spurs are allowing the seventh-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (27.9), along with 52.8 percent shooting, including 40.9 percent from three-point range, to the position. What's more, San Antonio has given up the third-most Yahoo points per game to fours (47.2).
ALSO CONSIDER: Kristaps Porzingis, WAS vs. CHA ($38)
Forward to Avoid
Bojan Bogdanovic, DET at CLE ($24): Bogdanovic naturally has no shortage of upside, but he's previously had a difficult time with the stiff challenge the Cavaliers typically present to small forwards. Cleveland is allowing an NBA-low 18.9 offensive efficiency rating to threes and a stingy 31.4 percent success rate from three-point range to the position. Bogdanovic also went an abysmal 2-for-9 from the field against Cleveland in his one previous meeting, casting additional doubt as to whether he'd be able to truly deliver a strong enough return on his salary.
Centers
Domantas Sabonis, SAC at HOU ($43): Sabonis has put up 44.4 to 71 Yahoo points in three previous meetings against the Rockets this season, certainly a ringing endorsement for him Wednesday night at his salary. The versatile big man checks in running hot as well, averaging an impressively balanced 18.3 points, 11.9 rebounds and 7.7 assists over his last 15 games. The Rockets are giving up over 56 Yahoo points per game to centers in that same time span, furthering Sabonis' case.
Jarrett Allen, CLE vs. DET ($25): Allen has scored 30.1 to 46.2 Yahoo points in the last five games, eclipsing 40 Yahoo points twice during that span. The big man also has a trio of double-doubles in the sample and produced 33.4 Yahoo points in 32 minutes during his one prior encounter with the Pistons this season. Detroit is struggling to contain centers as well, allowing the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to the position (35.4), along with the third-most Yahoo points per game to fives in the last 15 (60.2). It's also worth noting no team gives up more points in the paint per road game than the Pistons' 56.2, while Allen is generating a career-high 80.1 percent of his scoring from that part of the floor.
ALSO CONSIDER: Joel Embiid, PHI vs. BOS ($54)
Center to Avoid
Ivica Zubac, LAC vs. DAL ($21): Zubac has had trouble against the Mavericks in all three previous meetings, posting just 5.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists across 23.4 minutes per contest. That's led to underwhelming tallies of 16.3, 21.4 and 22.4 Yahoo points, the type of numbers that could well be surpassed by other players right around Zubac's salary range Wednesday. Additionally, the matchup versus Dallas has been tough for centers all season. The Mavs are giving up the fifth-lowest offensive efficiency rating to the position (30.1).
