This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Wednesday should be a wild night in the NBA with 10 games on the schedule. As a result, there are a ton of options to wade through in DFS. Let's jump right in and highlight some players to target and avoid as you create your Yahoo entry.
GUARDS
DeMar DeRozan, SA at LAL ($35): The Spurs have lost by at least 31 points in three of their last four games, so there hasn't been a reason to keep DeRozan on the floor late in those contests. As a result, he scored 29.9 Yahoo points or fewer in each of those games. Playing time is certainly the key considering the one game during that stretch that they won, he scored 56.6 Yahoo points across 38 minutes. He's feasted against the Lakers in two previous meeting this season, scoring at least 61.4 Yahoo points in both contests.
Kevin Huerter, ATL vs. WAS ($10): The Hawks don't have much talent, to begin with, but things are even worse now with Taurean Prince (ankle) out for at least three weeks. He has a 22.6 percent usage rate, leaving a significant hole in their offense. Huerter could see a few more shot attempts with Prince on the sidelines, especially since the Hawks have already moved him into the starting five. His production hasn't been off the charts, but he has scored at least 21.2 Yahoo points in three straight games.
Guard to Avoid
Evan Fournier, ORL vs. DEN ($17): Fournier has gone cold from the field, shooting 33.8 percent across his last six games. He doesn't provide a ton of value outside of scoring, so his struggles have resulted in him scoring 20.7 Yahoo points or fewer in five of those six contests. The Nuggets allow the second-fewest points per game (102.7) in the league, so this wouldn't seem to be a favorable spot for him to break out of his slump.
FORWARDS
John Collins, ATL vs. WAS ($26): As bad as things look for the Hawks with Prince out, the good news is that Collins looks to be completely healthy after missing the start of the season due to injury. He has posted a double-double in three of his last five games and has scored at least 35.7 Yahoo points in back-to-back contests. Both of these teams are in the top-six in the league in pace of play, which should lead to plenty of opportunities for Collins to be productive.
Markieff Morris, WAS at ATL ($21): With Dwight Howard (lower body) on the shelf, Morris has started to thrive up front for the Wizards. He's scored at least 28.9 Yahoo points in six of his last seven games and looks locked in for significant playing time moving forward. The Hawks do have a lot of size up front with Collins, Dewayne Dedmon and Alex Len, so the Wizards might have to rely on Morris even more in this contest.
Forward to Avoid
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, BKN vs. OKC ($17): It's been a frustrating season for Hollis-Jefferson, who started out the season hurt and then had a hard time taking his starting job back from Jared Dudley. While he has started each of the last five games, his production hasn't improved much, leaving him to score 22.7 Yahoo points or fewer in four of those contests. Considering the Thunder allow the fourth-fewest points per game (103.6), it seems like an unnecessary risk to add Hollis-Jefferson to your lineup on a night filled with quality options.
CENTERS
Marc Gasol, MEM vs. LAC ($35): Gasol has battled a couple of nagging injuries of late, but it hasn't forced him to miss any time. He's even logged at least 37 minutes in each of his last five games. He destroyed the Clippers when these two teams met earlier this season, scoring 55.1 Yahoo points across 37 minutes. The Clippers allow the fifth-most Yahoo points per game (53.5) to opposing centers, setting up Gasol with excellent upside for their rematch.
Kevon Looney, GS at CLE ($11): The Warriors will receive some reinforcements up front Wednesday with Alfonzo McKinnie (foot) expected to return. They'll still be without Draymond Green (toe) and Damian Jones (pectoral), though, which should leave some added playing time for Looney. Don't expect him to match the 37.3 Yahoo points that he scored Monday against the Hawks, but he's still a viable option in tournament play.
Center to Avoid
Jarrett Allen, BKN vs. OKC ($18): The Nets have high hopes for Allen and have given him a significant boost in playing time for his second season in the league. His averages are up across the board, but he's scored 20.7 Yahoo points or fewer in four of his last seven games. This is a tough matchup against Steven Adams and the Thunder, who have allowed the third-fewest Yahoo points per game (40.1) to opposing centers, making Allen a risky option at best.
