This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The Eastern Conference Finals were set Friday with the Celtics advancing past the Raptors. Both series in the Western Conference continue this weekend with the Lakers trying to eliminate the Rockets on Saturday and the Clippers trying to advance past the Nuggets on Sunday. Yahoo has stretched their DFS contest across these two games, so let's discuss some players to target for your entry, as well as a few to avoid.
GUARDS
LeBron James, LAL vs. HOU ($54): James had a rough shooting performance in Game 4, shooting 0-for-5 from behind the arc and 7-for-17 from the field, overall. Still, he just missed a triple-double with 16 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists and two steals. No need to overthink this one. With his ability to contribute in so many areas, James is one of the safer options available for this slate.
Rajon Rondo, LAL vs. HOU ($17): Playoff Rondo was in full effect in Game 4, posting 11 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and two steals across 29 minutes. He's taken on a more prominent role the last three games, scoring at least 36.9 Yahoo points in each contest. His salary is on the rise, but it's still low enough to leave him with the potential to provide significant value.
Guard to Avoid
Lou Williams, LAC at DEN ($18): Williams has been in a shooting funk during this series, shooting just 35.1 percent from the field. He normally doesn't provide many defensive stats and his rebounding contributions have been limited, so if he's not scoring, he's not doing much for your lineup. He's scored 24.5 Yahoo points or fewer in four of the last five games, so it doesn't make much sense to spend a dollar more on his salary when you could roll with Rondo instead.
FORWARDS
Kawhi Leonard, LAC at DEN ($51): It looked like the Clippers were going to roll the Nuggets in Game 5, but a second-half collapse prevented them from moving on to the next round. Leonard was still productive in the defeat, scoring 36 points to go along with nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. With at least 50 Yahoo points in nine of 11 playoff games, Leonard is one of the top players to target at any position.
Paul Millsap, DEN vs. LAC ($12): The budget-friendly options at forward leave a lot to be desired, so if you are going to add one to your lineup, you might as well go really cheap. Enter Millsap, who helped the Nuggets stave off elimination with 17 points, six rebounds and a steal in Game 5. His upside isn't great, but he's scored at least 20.7 Yahoo points in three of the five games.
Forward to Avoid
Marcus Morris, LAC at DEN ($16): Morris is very much in the same boat as Millsap with regards to limited upside. He's scored 23.4 Yahoo points or fewer in each of the last four games in a complementary role. However, you'd have to spend four dollars more to add his salary to your lineup, which lessens his appeal.
CENTERS
Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. LAC ($43): The Clippers have had no answer for Jokic. After a quiet performance in Game 1 in which he was limited to 30 minutes because of the lopsided score, Jokic has gone on to average 26.5 points, 13.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.5 blocks across the last four games. With the Nuggets fighting to stay alive, expect him to be busy once again.
Jeff Green, HOU at LAL ($12): The Rockets don't have much depth now that Danuel House Jr. has left the team for violating bubble guidelines. Green logged at least 26 minutes with House out for the last two games, scoring 21.9 and 20.9 Yahoo points, respectively. He's one of the key backups who can play center behind P.J. Tucker, as well, so he should play enough to at least threaten to provide value.
Center to Avoid
Montrezl Harrell, LAC vs. DEN ($16): Harrell's playing time in the playoffs remains perplexing. After averaging 28 minutes a game during the regular season, he's averaged 19 minutes a night in the first two rounds. The result has been him scoring 19.6 Yahoo points or fewer in five of the last six games. Until he starts to play more, he's someone that might be best left out of your lineup.
