This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We're set for our biggest slate yet since the calendar flipped to 2023, as there are 12 games on tap. 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 at MIN ($40): Lillard enters Wednesday's game having scored 51.1 or more Yahoo points in three of his last four games, a stretch during which he's averaging a well-rounded 26.0 points, 8.0 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steal. Lillard already has tallies of 52.1 and 46.4 Yahoo points against the T-Wolves this season as well – games in which he's shot 51.2 percent, including 50.0 percent from three-point range -- and Minnesota checks into Wednesday allowing 49 Yahoo points per game to point guards, along with the eighth-highest offensive efficiency rating on the season to the position (28.0).
Klay Thompson, GSW vs. DET ($29): Thompson's 54-point performance, which netted 68.1 Yahoo points, in an overtime win against the Hawks on Monday was overshadowed by Donovan Mitchell's 71-point outburst on the same night, but the stellar effort was a reminder of the massive upside Thompson still wields. The veteran sharpshooter had already been trending in the right direction prior to Monday with 38.8 to 41 Yahoo points in his previous three games as well, and he now faces a Pistons squad allowing the most Yahoo points per game to two-guards on the season (45.2), including 49.5 over the last seven games.
ALSO CONSIDER: Donovan Mitchell, CLE vs. PHX ($40)
Guard to Avoid
Chris Paul, PHO at CLE ($30): Paul naturally isn't a bad play if we factor out salary, but the combination of a fairly elevated investment required to roster him and his matchup make him a potential stay-away candidate Wednesday. The Cavs are allowing the second-fewest Yahoo points per game to point guards (42) on the season, along with the third-lowest offensive efficiency rating (23.0) and an NBA-low 22 assists per contest overall. Additionally, Paul has a trio of sub-25-Yahoo-point efforts in the last six games, including one tally of 15.9.
Forwards
Julius Randle, NYK vs. SAS ($43): Randle checks into Wednesday's favorable matchup against the Spurs already in the midst of a tear that's seen him average 32.4 points, 12.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists while shooting 51.0 percent, including 40.8 percent from distance, in his last seven games. The big man has scored under 50 Yahoo points just once (49.6) in that span, putting up 54.6 to 63.7 in the other six contests. The Spurs check in allowing an NBA-high 29.8 offensive efficiency rating to power forwards as well while also allowing the second-most Yahoo points per game to the position (47.7).
Naji Marshall, NOP vs. HOU ($14): Zion Williamson begins what is expected to be a multi-week absence Wednesday night, and Marshall could well be one of the primary beneficiaries, especially with Larry Nance also sidelined with a neck injury. Marshall has already delivered with expanded opportunity on multiple occasions this season, scoring over 30 Yahoo points in four of nine starts and between 20 and 26 in three others. The Rockets have also allowed the ninth-most Yahoo points per game to power forwards (27.4), as well as more than 45 Yahoo points per game to fours in the last seven games. Houston has also been vulnerable to three-point shooting on the road (37% shooting allowed in that split), which gives Marshall another path to fantasy production at his very modest salary.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jimmy Butler, MIA at LAL ($37)
Forward to Avoid
Jaden McDaniels, MIN vs. POR ($17): McDaniels is enjoying a career-best season, but his matchup Wednesday is far from appealing. The Trail Blazers have made life hard on small forwards all season, allowing an NBA-low 19.6 offensive efficiency rating to the position. Portland has already stymied McDaniels twice this season as well, limiting him to 15.0 and 8.7 Yahoo points, along with 40.0 percent shooting, across an average of 28.5 minutes per contest.
Centers
Domantas Sabonis, SAC vs. ATL ($43): The Hawks will remain without Clint Capela (calf) for Wednesday's contest, meaning the matchup should be even more favorable than it already would be for the red-hot Sabonis. The versatile big man is working around his injured thumb very effectively and is averaging 22.6 points, 15.7 rebounds and 7.6 assists on 65.6 percent shooting, including 50.0 percent from three-point range, in his last nine games overall. Sabonis has scored over 50 Yahoo points in six of those contests, and Atlanta comes in allowing the second-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (35.4), along with 54.4 Yahoo points per game to centers, including 58.8 in the last seven games, four which Capela has sat for.
Wendell Carter, ORL vs. OKC ($21): Carter is likely to be very low-rostered on such a large slate and with him having last taken the floor a week ago due to his suspension for his role in an altercation with the Pistons. That will make the big man extremely well-rested coming into Wednesday's favorable matchup against a Thunder team allowing the third-most Yahoo points per game to centers (57.3), including 59.6 in the last seven contests. Carter had already built back up to 24 minutes in that game against Detroit after a long absence due to a foot injury, and he therefore could be in prime position to overdeliver on his very modest salary.
Center to Avoid
Deandre Ayton, PHO at CLE ($29): The Suns are implied for only 106 total points in Wednesday's clash with the Cavs, so the inclusion of two Phoenix players as Avoid candidates isn't altogether surprising. Like Paul, Ayton certainly carries plenty of upside as a fantasy producer, but he may have a difficult time delivering a strong enough return on investment against a Cleveland squad ranked in the top 10 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to centers (29.9) and giving up the fourth-fewest Yahoo points per game to the position as well. Ayton checks in mired in a bit of a slump to boot, having scored only 14.9 and 20 Yahoo points in his last two contests.
