This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Saturday brings seven games in the NBA, six of which will make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. Injuries will once again be a common theme with several teams missing important starters. Here are some players to consider targeting at each position, as well as a few to potentially avoid based on their matchups.
GUARDS
Zach LaVine, CHI at DET ($34): The Bulls might be a mess, but that doesn't mean LaVine isn't providing a ton of production. He scored 43 points in their loss Friday against the Pacers, which is even more impressive when you consider that the entire team finished with just 105 points. He's scored at least 40.3 Yahoo points in five straight games and should once again carry a high floor into this contest.
Darius Garland, CLE at DEN ($13): The Cavaliers has depth issues at guard right now with Kevin Porter Jr. (knee) and Dante Exum (illness) both out. As a result, Garland has logged at least 34 minutes in six straight games. He's made the most of his added playing time, scoring at least 27.3 Yahoo points four times during that stretch. Neither Porter nor Exum will return here, so expect Garland to be busy once again.
Guard to Avoid
Collin Sexton, CLE at DEN ($22): Make no mistake about it, Sexton can score. Over his last nine games, he's averaged 21.7 points per contest. The problem is, he's only averaged 3.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals during that stretch. If you're hunting for someone in this price range, it might be better to go with someone like Josh Richardson ($22), who has shown an ability to contribute more in multiple areas and should see added scoring opportunities with Joel Embiid (finger) out.
FORWARDS
Al Horford, PHI at DAL ($22): Speaking of Embiid being out, Horford is another player who should benefit from his absence. He shifted over to center for their last game against the Celtics and played extremely well, scoring 42.6 Yahoo points in the process. Add increased scoring opportunities with his ability to provide rebounds, assists and defensive stats and Horford is extremely appealing at this mid-tier price.
Kyle Kuzma, LAL at OKC ($11): The key to this game will be the status of Anthony Davis (back), who was unable to play Friday after taking a hard fall against the Knicks on Tuesday. When he first went down, the Lakers said he was going to sit out both Friday and Saturday. However, after further examination, the injury wasn't believed to be as serious as initially thought. As a result, he hasn't officially been ruled out yet for this game. If he does sit, this is a great spot to deploy Kuzma, who started in his place Friday and scored 36.2 Yahoo points.
Forward to Avoid
Carmelo Anthony, POR vs. MIL ($20): This game has blowout written all over it. The Blazers have lost seven of their last nine games, including an embarrassing 14-point loss to the Timberwolves on Thursday that was even more lopsided than the final score indicated. Facing one of the best teams in the league isn't exactly a recipe to turn things around. If this game does get out of hand early, Anthony could see added time on the bench, making him a risky option to consider.
CENTERS
Andre Drummond, DET vs. CHI ($48): When Wendell Carter Jr. (ankle) went down for the Bulls, an already bad team lost their defensive anchor in the middle. The Pacers absolutely destroyed them down low Friday, scoring 70 points on 76 percent shooting in the paint. Enter Drummond, who is one of the most dominant big men in the league and is carrying the Pistons through injuries. No need to overthink this one.
Jaxson Hayes, NO at BOS ($12): In what has been a trying season for Derrick Favors, it looks like he's going to be sidelined yet again after suffering a hamstring injury Friday. Hayes stepped up to play 29 minutes in that game, scoring 39.5 Yahoo points. Zion Williamson (knee) is still not ready to return, so expect Hayes to see added playing time again in this contest, making him one of the more appealing cheap centers on the slate.
Center to Avoid
Brook Lopez, MIL at POR ($18): With the Bucks routing the Kings on Friday, Lopez only scored 13.7 Yahoo points across 19 minutes. Therein lies the problem with Lopez. If the Bucks race out to another big lead against the struggling Blazers, we very well could see him log limited minutes once again. There are plenty of other viable center options for the evening, so avoiding the risk that comes with Lopez might be wise.
