This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There are plenty of games today, but Yahoo's slate only consists of four evening matchups. What's interesting about this slate is the fact there are so many question marks. Not only is half of the Boston roster dealing with COVID protocols, we also have almost every big name entering this matchup with a questionable tag. That doesn't even take into consideration the Spurs, Timberwolves and Heat are all playing the second half of a back-to-back, which adds even more uncertainty to the ledger. That means a lot is going to change between the time this is published and opening tip-off, so you need to keep an eye on injury reports until the final minute before lock!
Guards
Kyle Lowry, TOR at GS ($31)
Many will use Fred VanVleet and rightfully so, but Lowry is a good way to pivot and save money. We're still talking about someone who's scored at least 31 Yahoo points in every game this season en route to a 37-point average. Those numbers alone make Lowry a solid value at $31, especially when you consider most people will be using FVV. The best part about using Lowry today might be the matchup, as Golden State sits 25th in total defense. That was certainly the case when he dropped 50 Yahoo points on them in their one meeting last year.
Marcus Smart, BOS vs. MIA ($22)
While Smart isn't necessarily the greatest fantasy asset out there, this spot is absolutely amazing. It sounds like the Celtics could be without Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, Jeff Teague, Jaylen Brown and Javonte Green because of COVID protocols. That means Smart is one of the only guards left on the roster and he'll surely be handling the ball a ton. It wouldn't be surprising to see him play 40 minutes and post a 30 percent usage rate if all of these guys are out. That's a crazy workload from someone who usually provides value through sheer hustle. Smart has even performed well with everyone in the lineup by averaging 30 Yahoo points per game.
Guards to Avoid
D'Angelo Russell, MIN vs. SAN ($30)
Russell has been very inconsistent this season and it makes him hard to trust at $30. What's really frustrating is the fact he's only surpassed 40 Yahoo points once all season, which should be a regular occurrence from a $30 player. That has led to a 33-point average, which includes shooting 7-of-22 from the field against these Spurs on Saturday. The worst part about Russell's situation is the fact Karl-Anthony Towns is back and fully healthy. That takes a ton of shots and usage away and makes him impossible to use at this salary.
Forwards
Jimmy Butler, MIA at BOS ($31)
We had Butler in our article on Saturday and we're going right back to the well. He proved he's fully healthy by finishing that contest with 26 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and two steals. We said Butler had scored at least 48 Yahoo points in every game he played at least 30 minutes in yesterday's article and Saturday's performance marks another addition to the tally. That makes him a heck of a value at only $31 and we love he gets to face Boston with half of their team missing. It's not like the Celtics were playing defense with all their players anyway, as they're ranked 19th in defensive efficiency so far this campaign.
Daniel Theis, BOS vs. MIA ($13)
We mentioned almost all of the Boston guards will be out, but we haven't even discussed their frontcourt. Along with Tatum, Robert Williams, Tristan Thompson and Grant Williams could all be potentially sitting tonight too. That leaves Theis as one of the few remaining frontcourt reps and that alone makes him a fantastic pick at $13. He could easily be looking at 30 minutes and double-digit shots, which is all you can ask for from someone who's already averaging 18 fantasy points in 22 minutes per game. That's solid production in a diminished role and we expect Theis to be a fantasy point-per-minute player in this sort of role. That means 30 minutes could translate to 30 Yahoo points, which is excellent for a value play.
We also like LeBron James and Anthony Davis against the Rockets, but we don't know if either of these guys will play. If one sits, get the other into your lineup!
Forward to Avoid
Draymond Green, GS vs. TOR ($19)
Something doesn't look right with Green. The former All-Star has yet to surpass 23 Yahoo points in any game this season and is only averaging 19 overall. That's a terrible number and it's scary he's barely attempting any shots and playing fewer than 30 minutes a night. What's even more worrisome is the fact Eric Paschall is outplaying Green right now and could take minutes away from him if this trend continues. Facing a stingy Toronto defense is no easy task either.
Center
Chris Boucher, TOR at GS ($18)
Boucher is a $7,200 player on FanDuel right now and that shows how much of a deal he is on Yahoo. While the big man has been incredibly volatile, his upside is ridiculous. In fact, Boucher has notched at least 40 Yahoo points three times this season, averaging 30 fantasy points per game. Those are incredible numbers from a player south of $20 and one would have to believe he'll usurp Alex Len as the starting center sooner rather than later. The icing on the cake is this matchup against a horrible Warriors' defense that plays at the NBA's fastest pace. Pace is a perfect recipe for Boucher and he should be able to provide value even if he only plays short minutes.
Center to Avoid
James Wiseman, GS vs. TOR ($19)
Wiseman is obviously one of the most impressive rookies in the NBA, but his role is clearly diminishing. He's actually played 21 or fewer minutes in seven straight games, including 15 in the most recent outing. It's definitely killed Wiseman's production since he's scored 21 or fewer Yahoo points in six of his last seven. All of that makes him impossible to trust at $19 with so much decent value out there, particularly with Toronto surrendering the ninth-fewest fantasy points to opposing centers this year.
