This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
On the heels of an unusual 10-game Tuesday slate, we're treated to another nine game Wednesday that boasts several marquee matchups and one highly anticipated team debut in that of Kevin Durant.
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
James Harden, PHI at MIA ($40): Harden touched up the Heat for 47.2 Yahoo points during Monday's first game of the home-and-home set, a figure that also mirrors his season average. The Beard hasn't scored less than 44.8 Yahoo points since Feb. 3, giving him a very appealing floor for what could be considered a reasonable salary for a player of his upside. Miami continues to be without Kyle Lowry (knee) as well and has allowed the fifth-most rebounds (7.0) and assists (9.5) per game to point guards in the last seven contests, all which Lowry has missed.
Desmond Bane, MEM at HOU ($29): Bane scored 34.2 Yahoo points across 33 minutes in his one prior meeting with the Rockets this season, and he's carrying an appealing salary for that matchup Wednesday. Houston is surrendering the ninth-highest offensive efficiency to shooting guards (24.1), along with an NBA-high 48.3 Yahoo points per game to the position in the last 15 contests. That latter figure is reflection of significant weakness in multiple categories in the part of Houston versus twos, as the Rockets are conceding the third-most points (27.5), fifth-most assists (5.7), most made threes (4.5) and fifth-most steals (2.0) per contest to the position in that span.
ALSO CONSIDER: Ja Morant, MEM at HOU ($43)
Guard to Avoid
Victor Oladipo, MIA vs. PHI ($12): Oladipo's salary is so low it's a non-issue, but that still doesn't mean he necessarily makes for the most efficient value play Wednesday. The veteran has scuffled since returning from an extended absence due to an ankle injury, scoring -0.5 and 9.3 Yahoo points in two of his first three games back while shooting 27.8 percent. The 76ers are also a solid defensive team overall, making Oladipo a player that could be steered clear of in favor of other more appealing cost-effective options.
Forwards
Kevin Durant, PHO at CHA ($41): Durant is poised to make his Suns debut on Wednesday as already mentioned, and given he's been scrimmaging with the team for some time, he should be ready to jump into a solid allotment of playing time. While there's always a bit of risk rolling with a high-salary player that's not only coming off a multi-week absence but also playing in a new system for the first time, Durant is naturally a caliber of talent that can overcome such challenges. The Hornets have also been generous to small forwards this season, surrendering the 10th-highest offensive efficiency rating to the position (23.2) and an Eastern Conference-high 44.7 Yahoo points per game to threes in the last 15 contests.
Cameron Johnson, BKN at NYK ($18): One of the players moved to the Nets in exchange for Durant has gotten his post-All-Star-break play off to a great start, as Johnson has scored 41.1 and 36.9 Yahoo points in his last two games. The talented wing impressively has six steals during that span as well, and he now faces a Knicks squad that's allowed the fifth-highest offensive efficiency rating to small forwards (23.8) and sixth-most Yahoo points per contest to the position in the last 30 games (42.3).
ALSO CONSIDER: Jabari Smith, HOU vs. MEM ($20)
Forward to Avoid
Dorian Finney-Smith, BKN at NYK ($13): Finney-Smith is another player sporting a bargain salary that can nevertheless be passed over Wednesday. The defensive-minded forward has been solid thus far with the Nets in a real-world basketball sense, but he's scored under 20 Yahoo points in five of his first seven contests. That includes a tally of just 14 Yahoo points versus this same Knicks squad over 29 minutes on Feb. 13, and New York also checks in allowing the fifth-lowest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (23.6).
Centers
Nikola Vucevic, CHI at DET ($36): Vucevic has seen some fluctuation in his production of late with multiple sub-40-Yahoo-point tallies, but he still carries an abundance of upside and draws a very favorable matchup against the Pistons. Detroit is still missing Jalen Duren down low to an ankle injury, meaning Vucevic should see plenty of James Wiseman and Marvin Bagley. Vucevic already posted 44 Yahoo points against the Pistons with Duren available back on Jan. 19, and Detroit checks in allowing the most Yahoo points per game to centers in the last seven contests (44.6).
Alperen Sengun, HOU vs. MEM ($29): Sengun has also been a bit quieter than usual lately after consistently eclipsing 30 Yahoo points at minimum for an extended stretch. However, his salary has also gone down in conjunction with that, and he now faces a Grizzlies team he racked up 44.4 Yahoo points against over 27 minutes in his one prior encounter with this season. Memphis is still missing Steven Adams (knee) as well, and the Grizz are surrendering a Western Conference-high 63.4 Yahoo points per contest to centers in the last seven games, all which Adams has missed.
ALSO CONSIDER: Anthony Davis, LAL at OKC ($44)
Center to Avoid
Nic Claxton, BKN at NYK ($26): Claxton is another member of the Nets whose outlook is dampened by the matchup versus the Knicks, which has been one of the toughest for centers all season. New York is allowing the second-lowest offensive efficiency rating to fives on the season (27.7), as well as the second-fewest Yahoo points per game to the position in the last 30 contests. Claxton has already underperformed relative to his current salary versus the Knicks this season in two of three prior games as well, posting 21.7 and 22.2 Yahoo points in those outings.
