This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
It's going to be a busy Saturday night in the NBA with eight games on the schedule. There are plenty of great matchups, too, including the Celtics facing the Pacers and the Pelicans taking on the Spurs. Let's get right down to business and examine some players to target and avoid on your way to hopefully creating a winning Yahoo entry.
GUARDS
Damian Lillard, POR vs. LAL ($41): Lillard continues to shoulder the bulk of the scoring load for the Blazers with his 30.7 percent usage rate marking his fourth straight season with a usage rate of at least 30 percent. His 29.1 points per game would be the highest mark of his career and is propped up by his excellent 49.7 percent shooting from the field. It's unlikely he'll be able to shoot that well throughout the season, but he's a great option Saturday against a Lakers team that is allowing the third-most points per game (121.3) in the league.
Jordan Clarkson, CLE at CHA ($11): With Kevin Love (foot) out for at least the next six weeks, things are pretty ugly in Cleveland. They are only averaging 107.6 points per game, which is in the bottom-10 in the league. Clarkson isn't starting, but he's been their main scoring weapon off the bench with a 28.6 percent usage rate. It's hard to count on him for many rebounds or assists, but Clarkson's offensive efforts have still resulted in him scoring at least 20.5 Yahoo points in six of his last seven games.
Guard to Avoid
Rajon Rondo, LAL at POR ($25): The Lakers point guard situation hasn't been very DFS friendly. With Rondo and Lonzo Ball splitting minutes at the position, it's made both of them inconsistent options. Rondo has scored 28.2 Yahoo points or fewer in three straight games, bottoming out at 13.5 Yahoo points Wednesday against the Mavericks. He's not overly cheap, making him a risky proposition for your entry.
FORWARDS
Nikola Mirotic, NO at SA ($34): Mirotic had stretches when he excelled with the Bulls, but was often faced with inconsistent playing time. The move to the Pelicans has provided a major boost to his value, especially with him a member of the starting five this year. The Pelicans play at the third-fastest pace (106.5 possessions per game) in the league and Mirotic has a 25.7 percent usage rate, helping him score at least 32.6 Yahoo points in all but one game so far. Look for him to have a high floor again in this contest.
Evan Turner, POR vs. LAL ($12): Turner doesn't stand out in any one area, but that doesn't mean you should ignore him. He's been able to contribute across the board, averaging 9.9 points, five rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting a career-high 50.7 percent from the field. With the Lakers playing at the fourth-fastest pace (106.4), Turner makes for a great option at near the minimum price. When these two teams met earlier this season, Turner scored 28.6 Yahoo points.
Forward to Avoid
Thaddeus Young, IND vs. BOS ($20): Young had a monster performance against the Knicks on Wednesday when he scored 50.5 Yahoo points, but he's recorded 26.8 Yahoo points or fewer in each of his other eight games. His 15.7 percent usage rate is the lowest mark of his career and he's facing a tough Celtics defense that has allowed only 99.5 points per game, so he's not very appealing at this price.
CENTERS
Hassan Whiteside, MIA at ATL ($30): Whiteside had a frustrating season last year. Not only did injuries limit him to 54 games, but he also averaged just 25 minutes a game. With that being said, he still averaged 14 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. His playing time has jumped back up to 29 minutes a night this year, helping him score at least 34 Yahoo points in six of his seven games. The Hawks don't have a lot of talent at center, setting up Whiteside for a potentially dominating performance.
Wendell Carter Jr., CHI vs. HOU ($19): Carter got off to a slow start, but it didn't help his cause any that the first three games of his career came against Joel Embiid, Andre Drummond and DeAndre Jordan. After getting through that rough stretch, he's started to thrive with at least 31.5 Yahoo points in four straight games. Facing Clint Capela isn't exactly a walk in the park, but Carter is worth considering if you want to save some money at center.
Center to Avoid
Dewayne Dedmon, ATL vs. MIA ($16): Dedmon just isn't playing enough right now to be worth considering in DFS. He has logged 16 minutes or fewer in three of his five games and has scored 20 Yahoo points or fewer in all but one contest so far. With Alex Len continuing to eat into his minutes, it makes more sense to take a chance on Carter for only three dollars more rather than rolling with Dedmon in your lineup.
