This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
These playoffs have been incredible up to this point, and it looks like we're in for another amazing series. After Phoenix took care of business with two home wins, Los Angeles grabbed a home victory in Game 3 to close the gap. It's actually the third straight series that the Clippers have gone down 0-2, and it's a good indicator of how resilient they can be. That makes this game all the more critical because teams that go up 3-1 win over 95 percent of their series in NBA history.
Guard
Paul George, LAC vs. PHX ($42)
People have said that PG13 can't perform in the postseason, but those skeptics have been really quiet recently. The perennial All-Star has now scored at least 34 Yahoo points in all 16 playoff games he's played this year, generating a 47-point average in total. Amazingly, he's been even better recently, scoring at least 54 fantasy points in four of his last five games. That directly correlates with the Kawhi Leonard injury, and it's becoming evident that he's the man as long as Kawhi remains out.
Chris Paul, PHX at LAC ($33)
Many people will use Devin Booker as their second-best player in their lineup, but we're going to go with Paul instead. Despite what some might think, CP3 has been the better player of the two recently. The consummate leader has scored at least 40 fantasy points in five straight fixtures, averaging 23.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 10.6 assists and 1.8 steals in that span. That's an extraordinary stretch from the superstar, and it's clear he's the better bet when we provide you with some Booker statistics later on, especially at a cheaper price tag.
Reggie Jackson, LAC vs. PHX ($20)
We only have one forward that we're willing to write up, so let's go with three guards! While George has taken on the most usage with Kawhi out, Jackson has become a fantasy stud. R-Jax has scored at least 32 Y! points in five straight games, posting a 38-point average in that span. That's one of the best stretches of his career, and it's clear just how much confidence he has by the way he's playing. That makes it hard to believe that he's sitting at $20, making him one of the best lineup fillers out there.
Guard to Avoid
Devin Booker, PHX at LAC ($35)
Booker will be mandatory in some lineups, but he's been struggling to provide value a lot recently. While he did have that magical 40-point triple-double in Game 1, Book has 35 or fewer fantasy points in seven of his last 12 games. You need at least 40 Yahoo points for Booker to reach value at this price, and he's only surpassed 40 Y! points four times in that stretch. That's extremely worrisome from such an expensive player, and it's clear that this Top-10 Clippers defense is throwing Book off of his game.
Forwards
Cameron Johnson, PHX at LAC ($10)
This series is all about the guards, so you might be able to save some salary at forward and use a guy like CJ. He actually earned minutes over Mikal Bridges in Game 3, and it's rare to see a guy this cheap play 30 minutes in a playoff game. He dropped 20 Yahoo points across 30 minutes in that Game 3 defeat, which is all you can ask for from a minimum-priced player. It's his third straight game playing at least 24 minutes as well, showing just how valuable he is to this team right now. In any case, it'll definitely save you some salary and make it a lot easier to get guys like PG13 and CP3 into your lineup.
Forward to Avoid
Jae Crowder, PHX at LAC ($17)
Sometimes you have to realize there's a difference between real basketball and fantasy. Crowder is an incredibly valuable player in real basketball, but his fantasy relevance isn't as prevalent. The main reason for that discrepancy is that he has to cede touches to Booker, Paul and Deandre Ayton. That leaves Crowder as a 3-and-D guy, which is a huge limitation to his fantasy production. In fact, Jae has failed to crack 28 Y! points in seven straight games and has just 30 combined fantasy points over the last two games. That's a scary total, and it'd be hard to imagine his usage increasing in such an important game.
Center
Deandre Ayton, PHX at LAC ($29)
Ayton has gotten a lot of crap for being selected ahead of Luka Doncic and Trae Young, but this dude is proving to be one of the best centers in basketball with his pristine postseason play. The big man has scored at least 31 Yahoo points in nine of his 13 playoff games, averaging 35 fantasy points per game in those nine outings. That's an amazing total from a sub-$30 player, and we have to believe DA will keep feasting against one of the weakest frontcourts in the NBA. That's evident by the fact that Ayton has at least 33 fantasy points in five of their six meetings this year while averaging just shy of 40 Yahoo points per game.
Ivica Zubac, LAC vs. PHX ($14)
The Clippers have been trying to figure out their center rotation with Serge Ibaka sidelined, and a start for Zubac in Game 3 is certainly a sign of things to come. We say that because he was the most valuable player in that game, tallying 15 points, 16 rebounds and two blocks across 32 minutes of play. He's shown that sort of double-double ability throughout his career, and it's just been a matter of minutes when talking about Ivica's fantasy value. All of that means he's likely going to start here and play at least 25-30 minutes which is awesome since Zoo averages 31.2 Yahoo points per game in the 27 outings he's played at least 25 minutes this year.
Center to Avoid
Every Other Center
I'd love to sit here and write up one of these starters in the fade section, but they're both in fantastic spots. That's why we're going to say to fade every other center because these are the only two centers that get minutes. DeMarcus Cousins was excised from the LA rotation while Dario Saric plays very little for Phoenix. These clubs also play mostly small-ball when those two starters are off the floor, making every other player at this position impossible to trust.
