This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Tuesday brings a fairly limited slate of only five games. The most exciting matchup is arguably the Cavaliers playing host to the Grizzlies. This could be a tough spot for Memphis, which just played at Brooklyn on Monday. Also, the Cavaliers could get back Darius Garland, who has cleared health and safety protocols. The Raptors have made it through their COVID-19 outbreak and will look to build on consecutive victories when they take on Spurs, who are expected to be without Dejounte Murray (COVID-19). Let's dig into the matchups and highlight some players to consider for your lineups, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARD
Fred VanVleet, TOR vs. SA ($37): VanVleet certainly hasn't shown any rust after his bout with COVID-19, scoring 57.3 and 51.5 Yahoo points, respectively, since returning. Going back even further, he's scored at least 49.7 Yahoo points in five of his last six games. He could receive added opportunities to stuff the stat sheet in this game with the Spurs playing at the fifth-fastest pace in the league.
Malik Monk, LAL vs. SAC ($13): Monk has provided a scoring jolt for the Lakers, averaging 20.0 points and 2.8 three-pointers in the last five games. He averaged 34 minutes per game during that stretch, which is a significant increase from his season average of 25 minutes per game. Given his increased output, there is no reason to believe that he will return to a reduced role anytime soon.
Guard to Avoid
Tyrese Haliburton, SAC at LAL ($30): When the Kings were hit hard by COVID-19, Haliburton stepped up in a big way. In fact, he had a seven-game stretch in which he scored at least 43.2 Yahoo points each game. However, with the Kings getting healthy, he's scored 28.6 Yahoo points or fewer in two of the last three games. If you're looking for a guard in his salary range, Garland ($29) might be a better option given his expected return from COVID-19 and the fact that the Cavaliers have hardly any healthy guards.
FORWARD
LeBron James, LAL vs. SAC ($54): When James scored 26 points against the Timberwolves on Sunday, he broke a streak of seven consecutive games with at least 30 points. He's increased his scoring output with Anthony Davis (knee) out, averaging 34.8 points in the last eight games. Add his ability to rack up rebounds and assists in bunches and he could torch a Kings team that has the fifth-worst defensive rating in the league.
Obi Toppin, NY vs. IND ($15): It's been rough going for the Knicks without Julius Randle (COVID-19), who sat out both of the last two games. They lost both games by 15 points each, one of which was especially embarrassing against the Thunder. If there is a bright side, it's that Toppin scored 42.2 Yahoo points in 45 minutes Sunday against the Raptors. At this salary, he could be worth the risk in tournament play with Randle likely out again.
Forward to Avoid
Mikal Bridges, PHO at NO ($16): The Suns' frontcourt is a mess with Deandre Ayton, JaVale McGee and Jae Crowder in the health and safety protocols. Still, Bridges has scored fewer than 20 Yahoo points in three of the last six games. With his 13.5 percent usage rate, expect him to continue to provide limited upside.
CENTER
Jonas Valanciunas, NO vs. PHO ($32): Valanciunas made his return from COVID-19 on Monday, scoring 38.6 Yahoo points in a tough matchup against Rudy Gobert and the Jazz. This should be a much easier task for him given that Ayton and McGee aren't expected to play. That will leave him to battle with the likes of Jalen Smith, Emanuel Terry and Bismack Biyombo. Advantage, Valanciunas.
Jakob Poeltl, SA at TOR ($22): Poeltl may not be flashy, but he's been consistent. He's scored at least 30.9 Yahoo points in three consecutive games and averages 31.1 Yahoo points per game for the season. While he's shooting an ugly 35.8 percent from the charity stripe, he's shooting 59.8 percent from the field. He's never shot worse than 58.3 percent from the field during any season of his career, so that should be a trend that continues.
Center to Avoid
Chris Boucher, TOR vs. SA ($20): After scoring 59.8 Yahoo points against the Sixers last week, Boucher has scored 16.8 and 28.8 Yahoo points, respectively, the last two games. He was one of the last men standing during that matchup against the Sixers, but his return to limited production has coincided with the Raptors getting most of their key players back from the health and safety protocols. That means Boucher might struggle to justify this salary.
