This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Saturday brings plenty of action in the NBA with nine games on the schedule, eight of which will make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. That's leaves us with a lot of options to wade through, so let's get right down to business and examine some players to target and avoid while creating what will hopefully be a winning entry.
GUARDS
Kemba Walker, CHA at ATL ($40): Walker has taken advantage of some favorable matchups lately by scoring at least 54.2 Yahoo points in three straight games. The Hornets failed to make any moves at the trade deadline, so look for Walker to continue to be the focal point of their offense down the stretch. It doesn't get much better than this matchup Saturday against a Hawks team that plays at the fastest pace (104.8 possessions per game) in the league.
Dennis Smith Jr., NY vs. TOR ($19): The Knicks didn't have much talent to begin with, but now their roster is really thin after their trade with the Mavericks and the buyout of Enes Kanter. Smith has taken the reigns of their offense, which has helped him to score at least 36 Yahoo points in back-to-back games. This isn't exactly a stellar matchup against the Raptors, but Smith's involvement in the offense and high minute's floor still makes him an appealing option.
Guard to Avoid
Kyle Lowry, TOR at NY ($30): This game has blowout written all over it. As bad as the Knicks have played this season, they actually have a worse record at home (4-21) than they do on the road (6-23). In the likely event that the Raptors race out to an early lead, Lowry could spend plenty of time on the bench in the second half. With so many other quality options for the night, putting Lowry into your entry seems like an unnecessary risk to take.
FORWARDS
Paul George, OKC at HOU ($50): There are few players with as high of a floor as George. His usage rate is up significantly at 29.7 percent and he's averaging career-highs in rebounds (7.9) and steals (2.3). That's helped him score at least 47 Yahoo points in 11 of his last 12 games. He scored 52.8 Yahoo points the last time these two teams met in December, so don't expect the Rockets to be able to slow him down in their rematch.
Jabari Parker, WAS at CHI ($14): Talk about making a great first impression with your new team. After being basically removed from the rotation with the Bulls, Parker exploded for 45.7 Yahoo points in his debut with the Wizards on Friday. His defensive deficiencies are well documented, but he can still score in bunches when given the opportunity and provided excellent rebounding contributions. This move to the Wizards should provide him with more consistent playing time, which is huge considering they play at the eighth-fastest pace (102.3). Going with the revenge angle can be tricky, but taking a chance on Parker at this price might be worth it in tournament play.
Forward to Avoid
Danilo Gallinari, LAC at BOS ($25): After having missed 10 straight games, Gallinari returned to action Thursday against the Pacers. He only played 20 with some of that possibly being attributed to the fact that they were being blown out. However, don't expect the Clippers to push him hard considering his injury history. This is not a good matchup on the road against a Celtics team that allows the fifth-fewest points per game (106.2) in the league.
CENTERS
Ivan Rabb, MEM vs. NO ($18): The good news for Rabb is that Marc Gasol was traded to the Raptors. The bad news is that the Grizzlies received Jonas Valanciunas back in the deal. Had they not brought back another big man, Rabb would have had a clear path to extended minutes. He still should see an increase in playing time and Valanciunas might not see much action Saturday, especially since he hasn't taken the floor since the middle of December. After scoring at least 34.4 Yahoo points in back-to-back games, Rabb should once again be a viable option.
Mitchell Robinson, NY vs. TOR ($11): The addition of DeAndre Jordan hasn't slowed down Robinson, who has now scored at least 22.8 Yahoo points in eight of his last nine games. With the Knicks playing for a high pick in the draft, expect him to still receive regular playing time with their second unit. He can rack up blocks in a hurry, so don't overlook him at this cheap price.
Center to Avoid
Marc Gasol, TOR at NY ($29): Gasol could end up being a very important addition for the Raptors. However, bringing him in does create a big of a logjam up front. Serge Ibaka has been playing well at center while Pascal Siakam has shined at power forward. The likely scenario is that Gasol replaces Ibaka in the starting lineup, but it's going to take some time for this rotation to shake out. It's hard to justify paying this much for him in his first game with the Raptors.
