This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We have a fairly quiet night ahead of us Wednesday in the NBA with only six games on the schedule. Still, there are some great options to pursue for your Yahoo entries. Let's highlight some of the players to target at varies salary points, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Damian Lillard, POR vs. NO ($50): Lillard put forth a performance for the ages when these two teams met Tuesday, recording 50 points and 10 assists on his way to 68.2 Yahoo points. That came on the heels of him scoring 73.8 Yahoo points when these two teams met a month ago. The Pelicans have the third-worst defensive rating in the league, which makes Lillard an appealing option, despite his hefty salary.
Lonzo Ball, NO at POR ($25): This should be a high-scoring affair on both sides with the Blazers sporting the second-worst defensive rating. Ball has taken advantage in their two previous matchups, scoring 30.9 and 44.1 Yahoo points, respectively. While he doesn't carry the insane upside that Lillard does, Ball could also provide value, and at a much more budget-friendly salary.
Guard to Avoid
CJ McCollum, POR vs. NO ($27): McCollum started in his return from injury Tuesday, but scored only 10 points on 3-for-11 shooting from the field. He logged 26 minutes, which was down significantly from his season average of 33 minutes per game. With the potential that he also sees limited time on the floor Thursday, adding him to your entry would come with a degree of risk.
FORWARDS
Zion Williamson, NO at POR ($39): Williamson took advantage of the Blazers lack of size up front Tuesday, recording 28 points, five rebounds and eight assists. He's been very reliable this season and has scored at least 30 Yahoo points in 33 straight games. He's averaged 41.2 Yahoo points for the season, overall, so expect him to once again have a high floor for this favorable matchup.
Bojan Bogdanovic, UTA at WAS ($15): Again, we're trying to attack bad defenses. The Wizards have the fourth-worst defensive rating and they have allowed the fourth-highest three-point shooting percentage in the league. That last stat is important for Bogdanovic, who is averaging 6.7 three-point attempts per game. Another favorable aspect of this game is that Mike Conley Jr. (hamstring) will be out, so the Jazz might look to Bogdanovic for added scoring.
Forward to Avoid
Miles Bridges, CHA at LAL ($15): Bridges has had his moments this season, but the majority of his better performances have come when the Hornets have dealt with injuries. That's not the case right now as the Hornets are not missing a single key member of their rotation. As a result of their improved depth, Bridges has scored 17.1 Yahoo points or fewer in each of the last four games.
CENTERS
Rudy Gobert, UTA at WAS ($36): Few centers are as reliable as Gobert, who is averaging 14.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks. He's been even more prolific in the blocks department lately, recording at least four of them in four of the last five games. Expect him to provide plenty of problems for the Wizards, who have allowed the fourth-most Yahoo points per game to opposing centers.
Montrezl Harrell, LAL vs. CHA ($24): The Lakers will remain shorthanded up front with Anthony Davis (calf) and Marc Gasol (COVID-19) still out. Harrell has taken advantage of their absences by scoring at least 37.7 Yahoo points in each of the last four games. Like Gobert, Harrell is also looking at a favorable matchup given that the Hornets have allowed the sixth-most Yahoo points per game to opposing centers.
Center to Avoid
Al Horford, OKC at ATL ($25): The Thunder are playing for nothing but draft positioning, so they have rested Horford for three of their last five games. He's expected to play versus the Hawks, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's someone to have on your radar given that he's scored 24 Yahoo points or fewer in five of his last eight games. Add in the fact that Harrell's salary is a dollar cheaper and it's difficult to make a case for rolling with Horford.
