This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Thursday is set to bring a packed night in the NBA with 11 games on the schedule. That leaves us with a ton of options to wade through on Yahoo, so let's get right to it. Here are some players to consider for your entries, as well as a few to potentially avoid.
GUARDS
Kyle Lowry, TOR vs. ATL ($28): The Raptors had COVID-19 issues heading into the All-Star break and the added time off hasn't done anything to remedy that situation. Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby are all still in the league's health and safety protocols, meaning they will be without three of their five starters. That should lead to a busy night for Lowry, who has scored at least 38.2 Yahoo points in each of his last five games.
Shake Milton, PHI at CHI ($10): We've seen plenty of strange things in the NBA this season and what's going on with the Sixers right now is right up there with the craziest story lines. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid are both out for this game after getting haircuts from a barber who tested positive for COVID-19. The absence of Simmons should mean more minutes for Milton, who has generally played well when placed in an expanded role. Across 22 games in which he has logged at least 20 minutes, Milton has averaged 14.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
Guard to Avoid
Marcus Smart, BOS at BKN ($22): Finally, some good news among the contending teams in the Eastern Conference. Smart has been sidelined since the end of January with a calf injury, but he is expected to return for this contest. The Celtics have struggled in his absence, so his ability to defend and help facilitate their offense will be a welcomed addition. The problem for DFS is, Smart will probably be on a minutes limit Thursday, given how long he has been out.
FORWARDS
Tobias Harris PHI at CHI ($30): Embiid has the highest usage rate on the Sixers, so having to play this game without him leaves a huge hole in their offense. That should mean plenty of shot attempts are coming for Harris, who already has the third-highest usage rate (22.9 percent) on the team. That could mean a juicy stat line is on the horizon given that both of these teams rank inside the top-seven in the league in pace of play.
Norman Powell, TOR vs. ATL ($23): Imagine where the Raptors would be without Powell? After beginning the season as a member of their second unit, injuries and the team's current COVID situation have forced him to start each of his last 20 games. During that stretch, he averaged 23.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals. Expect him to jack up shots in bunches during this matchup.
Forward to Avoid
Lauri Markkanen, CHI vs. PHI ($21): It's been another injury-plagued season for Markkanen (shoulder), who has missed each of the Bulls last 13 games. The good news is that he is listed as probable for this contest. The bad news is that because he hasn't played in over a month, he could be on a minutes limit. At this salary, he might not be worth the risk on a night that is filled with other viable options.
CENTERS
Nikola Vucevic, ORL at MIA ($43): There are two big factors working in Vucevic's favor for this game. First, the Heat will be without Bam Adebayo (knee), who is one of the best defensive big men in the league. Second, the Magic will be playing without Evan Fournier (groin), who is one of the leaders of their offense. Those two things should lead to a busy night for Vucevic, who is averaging 47.3 Yahoo points per game.
Precious Achiuwa, MIA vs. ORL ($10): We haven't seen much of Achiuwa, who is only averaging 14 minutes per game in his rookie season. A lot of that is because Adebayo has only missed three games. Achiuwa started two of the games that Adebayo was sidelined, scoring 37.1 and 24.2 Yahoo points, respectively. At the minimum salary, he could be worth the risk in tournament play.
Center to Avoid
DeAndre Jordan, BKN vs. BOS ($18): Jordan has been an inconsistent option in DFS, with his last six games providing a perfect example of that. In three of those games, he scored at least 31.6 Yahoo points. However, he scored 24.5 Yahoo points or fewer in each of the other three contests. There are several other viable options at center in this salary range, including Chris Boucher ($19), who should benefit from Anunoby and Siakam being out. Also, there is Richaun Holmes ($20), who will be facing the undersized Rockets. That makes taking a chance on Jordan seem unnecessary.
