This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We have a fairly limited slate Saturday with just six games on the schedule, five of which make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. However, with the Celtics, Bucks, Lakers and Blazers all in action, there is plenty of top-tier talent to choose from. Here are some options at various price points to target and avoid while creating your entry.
GUARDS
Bradley Beal, Was at MIN ($47): Beal had a rare off night from the field Friday, shooting just 4-for-21 from the field on his way to 15 points. However, he still managed excellent contributions across the board, which propelled him to score 45.3 Yahoo points. He's shooting 47.4 percent from the field this season, so don't read too much into one bad outing. This is an excellent bounce-back opportunity for him against a Timberwolves team that he just scored 53.4 Yahoo points against last weekend.
Spencer Dinwiddie, BKN at ATL ($22): It didn't take Dinwiddie long to get his groove back after returning from injury. He's scored at least 15 points in three of four games and destroyed the Cavaliers for 45.3 Yahoo points Wednesday. That was a great matchup against a bad defensive team which he will follow up with a game against the Hawks, who allow the most points per game (118.8) in the league. While not overly cheap, he has the potential to provide significant value.
Guard to Avoid
Derrick Rose, MIN vs. WAS ($18): It's been an injury plagued season for the Timberwolves. The good news is that they are mostly healthy right now, especially in their backcourt. The bad news is that with Rose, Jeff Teague and Tyus Jones all available, each has limited upside. Rose logged 24 minutes or fewer and scored 25.8 Yahoo points or fewer in four straight games, making him someone to avoid despite this favorable matchup.
FORWARDS
John Collins, ATL vs. BKN ($27): After missing three games with an illness, Collins roared back to score 18 points and grab 10 rebounds against the Spurs on Wednesday. He only logged 25 minutes, but expect him to return to his normal allotment of playing time Saturday with the added rest under his belt. Even though his lack of defensive contributions are disappointing, this is a stellar matchup against a porous Nets' frontcourt.
Maurice Harkless, POR vs. PHO ($16): Harkless posted a rare dud of a performance against the Thunder on Thursday, scoring two points and grabbing three rebounds across 21 minutes. Heading into that matchup, he had averaged 12.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.9 steals across his previous eight contests. There is the potential that Rodney Hood cuts into his minutes on any given night, but this is still a favorable spot for him to rebound against the Suns, who allow the third-most points per game (115.8) and play at the 11th-fastest pace (101.1 possessions per game) in the league.
Forward to Avoid
LeBron James, LAL vs. BOS ($50): Believe it or not, it looks like the Lakers are already out of the playoff hunt with a month left to go in the season. Injuries have been a big problem for them this year, which didn't make things any easier on an already oddly constructed roster. With the team six games back in the loss column from the eighth seed in the Western Conference, reports have surfaced that James will be on a minutes limit down the stretch. This is already a tough matchup against a strong Celtics' defense, so paying a premium to get James into your entry might not be a wise move.
CENTERS
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. WAS ($50): Towns will be looking to redeem himself after Andre Drummond and the Pistons held him to 31.8 Yahoo points on Wednesday. He had scored at least 64.4 Yahoo points in four of five games leading into that contest. His 28.1 percent usage rate ranks inside the top-25 in the league, leaving him with an extremely high floor when you add in his averages of 12.2 points, 3.3 assists and 1.7 blocks a game. The Wizards play at the eighth-fastest pace (102.6), so look for Towns to have plenty of opportunities to stuff the stat sheet.
Bobby Portis, WAS at MIN ($21): After initially being a part of the Wizards' second unit, Portis has started each of their last six games. He's settled into the role nicely, averaging 15.6 points and 10.4 rebounds across his last five contests. The Timberwolves couldn't slow him down last weekend in a performance that resulted in Portis scoring 39.4 Yahoo points. In what should be another high-scoring affair between two bad defensive teams, look for Portis to thrive.
Center to Avoid
Cody Zeller, CHA at MIL ($18): Zeller played extremely well after returning from injury, which resulted in many nights where he out produced his price tag. However, he's not much of a bargain anymore and has scored 26.3 Yahoo points or fewer in five straight games. The Bucks allow the third-fewest Yahoo points per game (35.2) to opposing centers, so pay the extra three dollars for Portis instead of taking a chance on Zeller.
