This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA starts off the week with seven games on the schedule Monday. There are a couple of exciting matchups on the slate, including the Heat hosting the Bulls. However, both teams won't be at full strength. Not only are the Bulls missing several key players, but Kyle Lowry (personal) has been ruled out for the Heat.
Another exciting matchup pits the Hornets against the Bucks. The Hornets will be looking to bounce back after suffering a disappointing loss at the hands of the Pistons on Sunday.
Let's dive in and highlight some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC vs. SAC ($38): Gilgeous-Alexander is already one of the leaders of the Thunder's scoring attack, averaging 23.2 points and 18.5 shot attempts per game. However, they need him even more now with Josh Giddey (hip) and Luguentz Dort (shoulder) out. With Dort out the last two games, and Giddey missing their last game, Gilgeous-Alexander has provided back-to-back performances with at least 32 points and 22 shot attempts. Add in the Kings having the second-worst defensive rating in the league and Gilgeous-Alexander should be a popular option for this slate, and rightfully so.
Brandon Goodwin, CLE vs. MIN ($13): Goodwin is basically the last man standing at point guard for the Cavaliers with Darius Garland (back), Caris LeVert (foot) and Rajon Rondo (toe) all out. Additional playing time has helped him score at least 23.0 Yahoo points in back-to-back games. At this cheap salary, that makes him at least worth considering.
Guard to Avoid
Coby White, CHI at MIA ($20): With all of their injuries, the Bulls have relied heavily on White. However, they do have Zach LaVine back in the fold, which pushed White to the second unit in both of the last two games. The result was him scoring 12.0 and 27.3 Yahoo points, respectively. He should remain in a reserve role for this tough matchup against a Heat team that has the sixth-best defensive rating, so it might be difficult for him to provide value.
FORWARDS
Jimmy Butler, MIA vs. CHI ($38): The absence of Lowry will put even more responsibilities on the shoulders of Butler. Across an eight-game stretch that Lowry missed recently, Butler provided 19.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Expect him to have one of the highest floors at the forward position for this slate.
Oshae Brissett, IND at ORL ($16): The rebuilding Pacers have to be excited about what Brissett has provided down the stretch. By scoring at least 34.2 Yahoo points in five of his last six games, he's likely locked into significant playing time moving forward. That could lead to another juicy stat line against a Magic team that ranks inside the bottom-10 in the league in defensive rating.
Forward to Avoid
Jarred Vanderbilt, MIN at CLE ($16): When Vanderbilt gets extended playing time, he's generally been productive. The problem is, he's logged 25 minutes or fewer in four of his last six games. He scored fewer than 20 Yahoo points in all four of those games. With Brissett having a larger role for the Pacers, and checking in at the same salary, it's difficult to make an argument for rolling with Vanderbilt.
CENTERS
Domantas Sabonis, SAC at OKC ($40): This could be a dream matchup for Sabonis. The Thunder don't have a ton of talent up front, which has contributed to them allowing the most rebounds per game in the league. When he faced them earlier in the season as a member of the Pacers, he dominated with 24 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and two blocks.
Montrezl Harrell, CHA at MIL ($18): There aren't many overly appealing centers with cheap salaries, so this might be a good night to allocate a significant portion of your budget to the position and roll with someone like Sabonis. However, if you do want to spend down at the position, Harrell is a viable option. He's immediately taken on prominent role for the Hornets, which has helped him score at least 30.4 Yahoo points in four of the last five games.
Center to Avoid
Nikola Vucevic, CHI at MIA ($39): Vucevic (ankle) is on the injury report, but he's probable, so his status probably isn't in doubt. The problem is, he has a very difficult matchup against Bam Adebayo. The last time these two big men faced off, Vucevic was held to seven points on 3-for-9 shooting from the field.
