This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
After taking Thursday off for Thanksgiving, the NBA is back in a big way Friday with 13 games on the schedule. There is also the potential for several blowouts, which could make things even more complicated in DFS. With that in mind, here are some players to target, as well as a few to avoid, on Yahoo.
GUARDS
Luka Doncic, DAL at PHO ($49): The one thing that immediately stands out for this slate is that player prices have been reduced. Doncic was priced at $54 against the Clippers on Tuesday and has been at least $50 for six straight games. This slight reduction could be huge when building your lineup, especially since he is averaging a whopping 56.5 Yahoo points per game.
Jordan McRae, WAS at LAL ($10): This game is up towards the top of the list as far as potential blowouts go. The Lakers are have won nine straight games while the Wizards check in at 6-10 for the season. McRae has already started to receive additional playing time, which has enabled him to score at least 22.6 Yahoo points in three of his last four games. With the Wizards playing at the fourth-fastest pace in the league, any added playing time for McRae is huge. At the minimum price, he's worth considering in tournament play.
Guard to Avoid
Ky Bowman, GS at MIA ($16): Bowman re-entered the starting five when Draymond Green was injured recently and scored at least 43.7 Yahoo points in two of those three games. However, with Green back in the fold Wednesday, Bowman scored only 11.1 Yahoo points across 28 minutes off the bench. Throw in a bad matchup against a good defensive team in the Heat and this is not the night to roster Bowman.
FORWARDS
Anthony Davis, LAL vs. WAS ($46): Despite this game carrying significant blowout risk, Davis is awfully appealing. Not only do the Wizards play at a fast pace, but they've also allowed the most points per game. Tasked with trying to slow him down will likely be the underwhelming defensive duo of Rui Hachimura and Davis Bertans. Having scored at least 52.3 Yahoo points in five straight games, Davis also carries a tremendously high floor into this matchup.
Carmelo Anthony, POR vs. CHI ($14): The Bulls are an absolute mess, most recently losing by 14 points to the Warriors. These two teams just faced each other Monday in Chicago, which was a game the Blazers won by 23 points. The Bulls had no answer for Anthony, who scored 25 points on his way to 38.6 Yahoo points. With how poorly the Bulls have played, taking a chance on Anthony at such a cheap price could prove to be worthwhile.
Forward to Avoid
Rui Hachimura, WAS at LAL ($17): Hachimura already enters this game cold having scored 25.4 Yahoo points or fewer in seven straight games. In fact, he scored less than 20 Yahoo points four times during that stretch. Add in the potential for foul trouble while guarding Davis and there isn't much to like here.
CENTERS
Rudy Gobert, UTA at MEM ($32): After sitting out two games with an ankle injury, Gobert returned to log 30 minutes against the Pacers on Wednesday. He finished with yet another double-double and should be safe to deploy as usual going forward. This is a stellar matchup for Gobert against a Grizzlies team that has allowed the second-most Yahoo points per game to opposing centers. When these two teams met earlier this season, he cashed in with 56.9 Yahoo points.
Hassan Whiteside, POR vs. CHI ($27): The Bulls are right up there with the Grizzlies since they have allowed the third-most Yahoo points per game to opposing centers. When these two teams previously met, Whiteside thrived with 13 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks across only 23 minutes. There is some blowout potential here as well, but this favorable matchup still makes Whiteside worth targeting.
Center to Avoid
Mitchell Robinson, NY vs. PHI ($17): At this point, it might take a coaching change for Robinson to start receiving an increased role. He's now come off the bench in seven straight games, averaging only 22 minutes a night during that stretch. He's also had problems avoiding fouls, so facing Joel Embiid likely isn't going to help him in that regard. With so many other viable options for a busy night, taking a chance on Robinson to provide one of his better performances seems unnecessary.
