This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Friday should bring another exciting night of playoff action with three games on the schedule. The Celtics and Clippers will be trying to avoid 0-3 holes in their respective series while the Knicks and Hawks will battle it out to gain an edge. We also have another opportunity to play Yahoo DFS, so let's highlight some players to consider for your entries, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Luka Doncic, DAL vs. LAC ($52): The Clippers have had no answers for Doncic so far in this series. After posting a triple-double while scoring 65.5 Yahoo points in Game 1, he followed that up with 56.9. Doncic has logged at least 38 minutes in both contests and should continue to see all the minutes he can handle during the playoffs. Add in the hyped crowd in Dallas and Doncic could be primed for another stellar stat line.
Reggie Bullock, NY at ATL ($11): Bullock averaged 30 minutes a game during the regular season, so it was a bit odd he only played 19 minutes in Game 1. The Knicks didn't waste any time getting him back to his usual allotment in Game 2 and he cashed in with 23.3 Yahoo points across 31 minutes. They need Bullock's three-point shooting, so he could provide value at near the minimum salary if he again plays around 30 minutes.
Guard to Avoid
Kemba Walker, BOS vs. BKN ($29): Walker is officially listed as questionable for Game 3 with a bruised knee, but it would be a shocker if he didn't play with the Celtics down 0-2. He needs to step up after two quiet games where he combined for 32 points and nine assists. Walker can certainly go off on any given night, but it's risky to add him to your entry since he doesn't come at much of a discount. If the Nets blow out the Celtics again, he could spend added time on the bench in the fourth quarter.
FORWARDS
Kawhi Leonard, LAC vs. DAL ($40): The Clippers are down 0-2 despite getting two great performances from Leonard, which is alarming for their prospects of getting back into this series. In Game 1, he finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four steals. Leonard's Game 2 performance was even better with 41 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. His floor is arguably as high as anyone's on this slate.
Kevin Huerter, ATL vs. NY ($16): The Hawks are the healthiest they've been in a while, which means they haven't relied as heavily on Huerter for playing time. He's logged 27 and 26 minutes in the first two games of this series, which does limit his upside. Huerter still scored 30.0 Yahoo points in Game 2, so he's at least someone to have on your radar at his reduced salary.
Forward to Avoid
Evan Fournier, BOS vs. BKN ($23): A positive that came out of Game 2 for the Celtics was that Fournier scored 16 points on nine shot attempts. The problem from a DFS perspective was him only grabbing one rebound and not managing a single assist. Fournier hasn't topped 26.2 Yahoo points in either contest and will likely continue to at least provide muted contributions in terms of rebounds and assists in Game 3.
CENTERS
Tristan Thompson, BOS vs. BKN ($14): The Nets can't be loaded at every position. Their weakness is at center, especially after LaMarcus Aldridge retired. That's allowed Thompson to feast on the glass by grabbing 21 rebounds across the first two games. After coming away with a double-double in Game 2, he's someone to consider if you want to load up at the guard and forward spots.
Taj Gibson, NY at ATL ($10): It's no secret Tom Thibodeau has an affinity for his former players when he coached the Bulls. It's one of the main reasons why Gibson and Derrick Rose are on the Knicks right now. Gibson logged 30 minutes in the Knicks' comeback win in Game 2 and has scored at least 24.8 Yahoo points in both contests this series. If you want to roll with the big names at guard and forward, deploying Gibson at the center spot goes a long way to help balance your budget while also providing the potential for valuable production. He's not a punt play, by any means.
Center to Avoid
Kristaps Porzingis, DAL vs. LAC ($30): It's difficult to justify allocating a significant portion of your budget to a center when players like Doncic, Leonard, Kevin Durant ($46) and Trae Young ($41) are options at other positions. Porzingis doesn't have nearly the upside those players do and he's been basically a non-factor on the glass by only hauling in eight total rebounds over the first two games.
