This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We have another two-day slate on Yahoo encompassing Game 3 between the Heat and Celtics on Saturday and Game 2 between the Nuggets and Lakers on Sunday. Let's discuss some of the better options to target for your entry, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
LeBron James, LAL vs. DEN ($54): Despite not having a huge offensive performance in Game 1, James was still excellent overall, with 15 points, six rebounds and 12 assists across 31 minutes. That marked the fourth time he's dished out at least 10 assists in a game during the Lakers' playoff run and the seventh time that he's come away with at least a double-double. After feeling slighted because of his lack of first-place votes for league MVP, James might steamroll the Nuggets in this series.
Goran Dragic, MIA vs. BOS ($26): Dragic came through with another huge performance in Game 2, scoring 25 points on his way to 34.1 Yahoo points. He's scored at least 25 points in both of the first two games of this series and has become Jimmy Butler's main offensive running mate. Add in his ability to chip in with assists and he could be a bargain at this salary.
Guard to Avoid
Jaylen Brown, BOS at MIA ($29): Brown only scored 30.2 Yahoo points in Game 2 despite scoring 21 points. He's been productive on the offensive end in both games so far, but he only has four total assists and one steal, which limits his upside. Given that he doesn't come at much of a discount, he's a somewhat risky option.
FORWARDS
Jayson Tatum, BOS at MIA ($42): Tatum didn't exactly shine Thursday with 34 Yahoo points. He only attempted 12 shots from the field, although he did get to the charity stripe 11 times. The big difference in his stat line was his five rebounds, which broke his streak of five straight games with at least 10 boards. Despite that underwhelming performance, he's going to be needed to put up big numbers if the Celtics are going to avoid a 0-3 series deficit, so look for him to be extremely aggressive in this contest.
Jae Crowder, MIA vs. BOS ($19): It was a rough night from the field for Crowder in Game 2 considering he shot 4-for-12, which included him going 3-for-10 from behind the arc. The good news for the Heat is that he chipped in four rebounds, two assists and three steals on his way to 27.8 Yahoo points. He's now scored at least that many Yahoo points in six straight games, which makes him a very appealing option at this salary.
Forward to Avoid
Kyle Kuzma, LAL vs. DEN ($12): The good news is that Kuzma scored 11 points in Game 1. The bad news is that his lack of contributions elsewhere left him to score just 14.8 Yahoo points. That's been a similar trend for him that has resulted in him scoring fewer than 20 Yahoo points in four of his last seven games. Even though he comes at a reduced salary, his lack of upside doesn't make him very appealing.
CENTERS
Bam Adebayo, MIA vs. BOS ($32): This series is a matchup made in heaven for Adebayo. He came through with another dominant showing Thursday with 21 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. The Celtics don't really have anyone on the roster who can slow down Adebayo on the offensive end, so look for him to continue to be productive throughout the remainder of this series.
Enes Kanter, BOS at MIA ($10): Kanter played a total of seven minutes in the second round against the Raptors and didn't appear in Game 1 versus the Heat. The Celtics then turned to him to try and provide a spark Thursday and he made an immediate impact with nine points and six rebounds across 11 minutes. Don't expect him to play a lot here, but at the minimum salary, he's at least worth considering in tournament play.
Center to Avoid
Nikola Jokic, DEN at LAL ($45): Foul trouble limited Jokic to only playing 25 minutes and scoring 30.2 Yahoo points in Game 1. That marked just the third time during the Nuggets' playoff run that Jokic scored fewer than 40 Yahoo points in a game. While he'll likely bounce back to an extent if he can avoid foul trouble in Game 2, this is a tough matchup for him against Anthony Davis and company, so it might be best to spend up at other positions and roll with Adebayo at center.
