This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We had our first elimination of the playoffs Sunday when the Celtics completed their sweep of the Pacers. Two more teams could be eliminated Monday with the Bucks and Rockets looking to close out their respective series and begin prepping for what should be much more competitive second-round matchups.
Although there are only two games on the schedule, we have another opportunity to win some cash on Yahoo. Here are some players to target and avoid for your lineup.
GUARDS
James Harden, HOU at UTA ($60): The good news is that Harden scored 22 points in Game 3. The bad news is that he was just 3-for-20 from the field. He was still able to make a living at the free-throw line and his contributions in other areas managed to propel him to 58.8 Yahoo points. A performance like that only shows his tremendously high floor, so don't hesitate to pay up for his services as the Rockets look to book their ticket into the second round.
Reggie Jackson, DET vs. MIL ($19): As ugly as this series has been for the Pistons, Jackson has been productive with averages of 15 points, 3.3 rebounds and seven assists. He's attempted at least 14 shots in all three contests and should continue to be one of the focal points of their offense as they look to stave off elimination. While not overly cheap, he still could provide plenty of value.
Guard to Avoid
Chris Paul, HOU at UTA ($31): Paul has played well in this series, but with Harden by far the focal point of the offense, Paul just doesn't receive an overwhelming amount of opportunities to score. His assists are even down with Harden handling the ball so much. Even though it's unlikely that Paul is a total flop Monday, he hasn't scored more than 35.8 points in any of the three games in this series. If you decide to pay up for Harden or Giannis Antetokounmpo ($55), it might be best to avoid Paul at this price based on the number he would do to your budget.
FORWARDS
Blake Griffin, DET vs. MIL ($34): Giannis is going to be a popular target, but the blowout factor here has to be considered. He hasn't logged more than 30 minutes in either of the first three games and scored only 29.5 Yahoo points across 28 minutes in Game 3. Griffin (knee) could be a viable pivot play after scoring 48.4 Yahoo points in that contest. The key is he played 31 minutes after missing the first two games and he's listed as probable for Game 4. If the Pistons are going to have any chance of keeping this close, it will be riding on the shoulders of Griffin.
P.J. Tucker, HOU at UTA ($13): Tucker continues to provide steady production for the Rockets, scoring at least 25.8 Yahoo points in all three games of this series. His scoring opportunities are few and far between playing with Harden, Paul and Clint Capela, but he logs a ton of minutes and is a key contributor from behind the arc. Add in his work on the boards and plugging him into your entry at this cheap price could prove to be crucial.
Forward to Avoid
Joe Ingles, UTA vs. HOU ($21): Ingles has had a rough series. He's managed to average 4.3 rebounds, four assists and 2.3 steals, but he's shooting an atrocious 33.3 percent from the field. Considering he hasn't attempted more than nine shots in any of the games, he can afford to be that inefficient. Don't allocate this much of your budget for a player with such limited upside.
CENTERS
Rudy Gobert, UTA vs. HOU ($37): Although the Rockets limited Gobert to eight rebounds in Game 3, he made up for it by recording a whopping seven blocks. He had recorded 12 straight double-doubles dating back to the regular season, so look for him to get back on track in that regards Monday. While he's not cheap by any means, he also carries a high floor.
Brook Lopez, MIL at DET ($23): Lopez had his best performance of the series in Game 3 with 44.4 Yahoo points. He was an efficient 8-for-13 from the field, including 3-for-7 from behind the arc. He also recorded five blocks, giving him a total of nine for the series. He's a bit risky since he's so reliant on points and blocks to provide value, but he's certainly appealing at this price based on his ceiling.
Center to Avoid
Andre Drummond, DET vs. MIL ($47): Avoiding Drummond is more about his price than anything else. After a quiet Game 1 in which he scored 29.4 Yahoo points, he's scored 44.2 and 46.5 Yahoo points, respectively, over the last two games. The problem is that he is going to eat up a huge portion of your budget, making it hard to also roll with Harden or Giannis without adding a few dart throws that could flop. Adding Lopez would leave you with significantly more money to play with while having the potential for a similar stat line as Drummond if he hits his ceiling like he did in Game 3.
