This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Of the four games in the NBA on Tuesday, only one of them consists of two teams with winning records. It might not be an overly exciting slate, but there is still the opportunity to bring home some cash on Yahoo. Here are some players to target and avoid to hopefully create a winning entry.
GUARDS
Kent Bazemore, ATL vs. WAS ($20): Bazemore had lost his starting job towards the end of November, but an injury to Taurean Prince (ankle) allowed him to re-enter the starting five. He certainly hasn't let his second chance go to waste, scoring at least 30.1 Yahoo points in all five contests. One of those games came against these same Wizards when he exploded for 46.4 Yahoo points. Since both of these teams are in the top-seven in the league in pace of play, Bazemore could again be in line for a productive game with his added playing time.
Monte Morris, DEN vs. DAL ($10): The Nuggets have been decimated by injuries and won't be getting any reinforcements Tuesday. In fact, Juancho Hernangomez (abdomen) is dealing with a new injury and is listed as questionable. Morris has been one of the players to step up due to their depleted depth chart, scoring at least 28.8 Yahoo points in each of his last four games. At the minimum price, he makes for an excellent option in tournament play.
Guard to Avoid
Collin Sexton, CLE at IND ($16): Sexton's play has dropped off of late, resulting in him scoring 22.8 Yahoo points or fewer in eight of his last 10 games. He doesn't provide many rebounds, assists or defensive stats, so his value is mostly derived from his ability to score. That's not good for his potential production Tuesday facing a Pacers team that allows the fewest points per game (101.2) in the league.
FORWARDS
John Collins, ATL vs. WAS ($28): The Hawks don't have a ton of players to get excited about, but Collins stands out as one of the anchors of their rebuild. He's averaging five more minutes a game this year compared to his rookie season, which has helped him average 18.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists. His blocks are surprisingly down, but he's still managed to score at least 34.7 Yahoo points in six of his last seven contests. The last time these two teams faced each other, Collins scored 40.8 Yahoo points across 32 minutes.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, BKN vs. LAL ($15): It took a while, but Hollis-Jefferson has finally regained his spot in the starting five. He's averaging seven more minutes per game as a starter than when he was a reserve, which provides a significant boost to his value. After scoring at least 31.3 Yahoo points in three of his last four games, this could be a good opportunity to deploy him in your lineup against a Lakers team that plays at the third-fastest pace (103.8 possessions per game).
Forward to Avoid
Bojan Bogdanovic, IND vs. CLE ($16): When Victor Oladipo was on the shelf with a knee injury, Bogdanovic stepped up offensively to try and help offset his loss. However, in the three games since Oladipo has returned, Bogdanovic scored 26 Yahoo points or fewer each time. His price has come down a couple of dollars, but his limited upside might still make him someone to keep out of your entry.
CENTERS
Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. DAL ($44): Between Jokic's ability to contribute in multiple areas and the Nuggets lack of healthy players, he has one of the highest floors in DFS right now. He's scored at least 43.1 Yahoo points in seven straight games and also topped 50 Yahoo points four times during that stretch. Even as one of the most expensive options at any position Tuesday, Jokic could still provide excellent value.
Dewayne Dedmon, ATL vs. WAS ($11): The Hawks gave Alex Len an opportunity to start at the beginning of the season, but he was unable to hang onto the roll. Not only is he coming off of the bench now, but he's logged 17 minutes or fewer in six straight games. Dedmon has seen plenty of playing time in his place, helping him score at least 33.8 Yahoo points in four of those six contests. Considering the pace at which both of these teams play, he's an intriguing option at just a dollar more than the minimum price.
Center to Avoid
Larry Nance Jr., CLE at IND ($22): Nance can't find his way into the starting lineup even with Kevin Love (toe) and Tristan Thompson (foot) injured. The Cavaliers clearly feel he's better suited to come off of the bench because they have been starting Channing Frye or Ante Zizic since Thompson went down. Nance has still seen a dramatic increase in playing time, which has helped him score at least 33.4 Yahoo points in four of his last five games. However, his price has increased significantly and he'll be facing a Pacers squad that allows sixth-fewest Yahoo points per game (42) to opposing centers, so this might not be one of his finer performances.
