This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA playoffs march forward Thursday with three games on the schedule. The Grizzlies and Timberwolves are tied at a game apiece with their series shifting to Minnesota. The Mavericks are tied with the Jazz and they will play Game 3 in Utah, but they don't know yet if they will have the services of Luka Doncic (calf), who is listed as questionable. Finally, the Warriors will look to take a commanding 3-0 series lead when they face the Nuggets in Denver. Let's discuss some players to target for your Yahoo lineups, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Jalen Brunson, DAL at UTA ($29): Simply put, Brunson is the reason why this series is tied. He had a monster performance while leading the Mavericks to a victory in Game 2, scoring a total of 64.1 Yahoo points. That came on the heels of him scoring 37.9 Yahoo points in Game 1. His ceiling would be considerably higher if Doncic were to sit out again, but even if Doncic plays, Brunson is still going to have a very significant role.
Will Barton, DEN vs. GS ($19): Barton had a big scoring performance in Game 1, chipping in 24 points on his way to 38.7 Yahoo points. Although he only scored 12 points in Game 2, he registered a double-double while scoring 27.0 Yahoo points. He's one of their top secondary scoring options behind Nikola Jokic, which should make him an appealing option in DFS for however long this series lasts.
Guard to Avoid
Tyus Jones, MEM at MIN ($18): Jones is arguably the best backup point guard in the league. When Ja Morant has missed time because of injuries, Jones has helped the Grizzlies continue their winning ways. However, with Morant healthy, Jones didn't score more than 21.3 Yahoo points in either of the first two games of this series. Barton's salary is only a dollar more, and he has a much larger role on the Nuggets, so it's difficult to justify adding Jones to your entry.
FORWARDS
Jaren Jackson, MEM at MIN ($26): Jackson can put up monster numbers on the defensive end, like when he blocked seven shots in Game 1. While his rebounding contributions can be underwhelming for a player of his size, he's scored at least 30.4 Yahoo points in four of his last five games. His propensity for getting into foul trouble makes him somewhat risky, but his salary is low enough to still consider taking a chance on adding him to your entry.
Bojan Bogdanovic, UTA vs. DAL ($19): Don't expect much from Bogdanovic in terms of assists and defensive stats. Even his rebounding production can be underwhelming given that he averaged 4.3 rebounds per game during the regular season. However, he's scored 26 and 25 points, respectively, in the first two games of this series, while logging at least 40 minutes in both contests. With that kind of playing time, his contributions in the scoring column alone can still help him provide value.
Forward to Avoid
Dillon Brooks, MEM at MIN ($23): Brooks has a scorer's mentality. He's never met a shot attempt he doesn't like, and that playing style helped him average a career-high 18.4 points per game this season. However, he usually provides very little production outside of the scoring column. That makes him too risky at this salary.
CENTERS
Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. GS ($58): The Nuggets suffered another lopsided loss in Game 2, but Jokic still scored 51.2 Yahoo points before being ejected. There's no need to overthink this one. Jokic has the highest floor of any player in this slate, regardless of position.
Brandon Clarke, MEM at MIN ($14): The Timberwolves like to push the pace and have big men who like to play around the perimeter, which is better suited for Clarke's skill-set than Steven Adams'. Clarke has surpassed his season average in minutes in both games of the series, scoring 35.4 and 25.6 Yahoo points, respectively. If you want to fade Jokic in tournament play, Clarke is worth considering.
Center to Avoid
Steven Adams, MEM at MIN ($16): The Timberwolves are a nightmare matchup for Adams, who is more of a traditional center who likes to stay in the paint. He scored just 7.1 Yahoo points in Game 1, then played only three minutes in Game 2. Given that the Grizzlies won the second game, Adams could continue to see limited minutes.
