This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There are only two weeks left in the NBA regular season! It's been a grind to get to this point, but we're looking at a sprint for these final 16 days of the regular season. This is the time for some teams to battle for a playoff spot and other clubs to jockey for playoff positioning. That should detour some dreaded rest days, but there's still plenty of chaos on the injury front and numerous teams playing for draft positioning. That'll be featured heavily in this article, and one of our guards is definitely a beneficiary of just that.
Guards
Kevin Porter Jr, HOU at POR ($20)
Using Houston players can be challenging because they're usually getting blown out, but this is the rare occurrence where we expect a close game. They enter this game as a 4.5-point road favorite, which should cater to a close matchup between two bad teams. That's big news for all of these Portland-Houston players, with the Trail Blazers ranked 27th in points allowed and 29th in defensive efficiency. We love all of that for Houston's primary ball-handler, with KPJ scoring at least 25 Yahoo points in 22 of his last 26 games. He's also averaging over 30 fantasy points per game in that span, scoring at least 29 Yahoo points in both of his meetings with Portland this season.
Davion Mitchell, SAC at ORL ($17)
The Kings have finally embraced tank mode, and it looks like Mitchell is the primary inheritor. They've chosen to rest De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis for the foreseeable future, giving Mitchell the keys to the car. In the first two games without those studs, Davion averaged 40.5 Yahoo points per game. That's obviously outstanding from such a cheap player, and we're certainly not worried about the Orlando matchup. The Magic rank 19th in defensive efficiency while surrendering the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing PGs.
Guard to Avoid
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC at DEN ($43)
SGA is quite simply one of the best players in fantasy, but this is silly season. When the silly season is in full effect, it's time to avoid Gilgeous-Alexander. He's already been on the injury report regularly and could get shut down any day now. That alone makes SGA is a tough sell, but this matchup with Denver is dreadful, too. OKC enters this game as a double-digit underdog, and it's very possible Gilgeous-Alexander won't even step on the floor in the fourth quarter, if he suits up at all. We also don't like that he's shooting 36 percent in his three matchups with the Nugs this season.
Forwards
Lauri Markkanen, CLE vs. CHI ($21)
Cleveland has been sliding since Jarrett Allen went down, but it certainly hasn't hampered Markkanen's fantasy value. The big man has scored at least 25 Yahoo points in seven of eight games since that injury, generating a 33-point average in that span. That's all you can ask for from such an affordable player, especially since he faces a Chicago team that ranks 24th in defensive efficiency since the break. It's also a revenge game for him, with Markkanen amassing 28 points and seven rebounds in their last matchup back in January.
Chimezie Metu, SAC at ORL ($11)
We already discussed how Sacramento is finally embracing the tank, and it should force Metu into a monster role. Losing Fox and Sabonis is one thing, but they're also missing Terence Davis and Richaun Holmes as well. That means Metu should play 25-30 minutes at ease, dropping 32 Yahoo points across 26 minutes in the Kings' most recent game. Looking at the nine games he has played at least 26 minutes, he's averaging 33 fantasy points per game! Not to mention, Orlando owns a 24th OPRK against opposing PFs this season.
Forward to Avoid
Darius Bazley, OKC at DEN ($21)
Bazley was a recommendation for us last weekend, but we're on the fade train here. It's a simple recipe for him because we don't want to use him when Isaiah Roby gets significant minutes at center. That's been the case the last few games, with Bazley scoring 21 or fewer fantasy points in three of his previous four games. He's averaging just two rebounds a game in those three duds, losing opportunities to Roby, Aleksej Pokusevski, Lindy Waters and Olivier Sarr. The blowout potential is the final nail in the coffin, though.
Centers
Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. OKC ($56)
Recommending Jokic is like advising you to drink water. This guy is far and away the best play on every fantasy slate, scoring at least 40 Yahoo points in all but one game this season. That makes it easy to understand why he leads the league with 57 fantasy points per game, which should be an easy total to reach here. The Joker faces the worst frontcourt in the NBA, with Jokic averaging 22 points, 17 rebounds and 5.0 assists in their last two meetings. Just take the guaranteed 50-60 fantasy points and figure things out from there.
Goga Bitadze, IND at TOR ($16)
The Pacers are another team in tank mode, and Bitadze has been their primary beneficiary. It all started when they traded Sabonis, but it's continued with Myles Turner, Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson all sidelined. That has given Bitadze the starting center job, scoring at least 28 Yahoo points in six of his last seven games. He's also averaging 34 fantasy points per game in that span and has consistently produced when given the opportunity. In the seven games Bitadze has played at least 25 minutes, he's averaging nearly 35 fantasy points per game!
Center to Avoid
Alperen Sengun, HOU at POR ($18)
We love the talent of this guy, and the pricing backs the upside, but it doesn't take into consideration his downside and limited workload. Sengun is stuck behind Christian Wood in the rotation, playing 25 or fewer minutes in eight straight games. That won't get it done from an $18 player, especially since he's scored in the teens in three of those. He had one of those nightmarish performances in this matchup on Friday night, committing six turnovers across 21 foul-riddled minutes.
