This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There are five games on the NBA schedule Wednesday and only one of them consists of two teams with winning records. It might not be the prettiest of slates, but it does present another opportunity to win some cash on Yahoo. Here are some players to target and avoid while creating your lineup.
GUARDS
Damian Lillard, POR at CHI ($47): Things are getting ugly in Portland. With C.J. McCollum (knee) still on the shelf, they've now lost Jusuf Nurkic (lower leg) for the season. Lillard has already been playing out of his mind with McCollum out, averaging 30.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 12 assists and 1.5 steals across four games. He'll have the weight of the team on his shoulders again Wednesday, so expect him to have plenty of opportunities to provide value.
Tyler Dorsey, MEM vs. GS ($14): The key here is to monitor the status of Mike Conley (thigh), who is listed as questionable. He sat out Monday's game against the Thunder and has missed two of the Grizzlies' last three games, overall. They have nothing left to play for at this point, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he sits this one out. If he does, Dorsey is an excellent option at this price considering he scored 47.1 and 38.1 Yahoo points, respectively, in the two games that Conley previously missed.
Guard to Avoid
Wesley Matthews, IND at OKC ($13): The majority of Matthews' contributions coming in the scoring column, which puts a cap on his upside. He hasn't even played that well offensively of late, which has resulted in him scoring 22.4 Yahoo points or fewer in eight of his last 10 games. If you are looking to save money at guard, Dorsey, Shaquille Harrison ($11) and Seth Curry ($10) would all be better options.
FORWARDS
Paul George, OKC vs. IND ($47): After losing six of their last 10 games, the Thunder have fallen to the seventh seed in the Western Conference. Despite their struggles as a team, George scored at least 48.6 Yahoo points seven times during that stretch, including scoring 51.7 points against these same Pacers. Expect him to be one of the safest top-tier options again in their rematch.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, LAL at UTA ($15): Caldwell-Pope lit up the Wizards for 41.5 Yahoo points in 36 minutes Tuesday. He's heating up for the Lakers down the stretch, averaging 18.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals across his last eight games. Expect him to receive heavy minutes again Wednesday based on their limited depth chart, especially if they decide to rest LeBron James for the second leg of their back-to-back set.
Forward to Avoid
Kevin Durant, GS at MEM ($41): Durant isn't exactly struggling offensively since he is shooting 51.1 percent from the field across his last six games. However, he attempted almost four fewer shots per game during that stretch compared to his season average, leaving him to score 37.5 Yahoo points or fewer in each contest. The Warriors expect to have their full complement of weapons available for this matchup against the Grizzlies, which could get out of hand early, especially if Conley doesn't play. It's hard to envision Durant laying a complete egg in this game, but his upside also might not warrant his price tag.
CENTERS
Enes Kanter, POR at CHI ($15): Signing Kanter after he was bought out by the Knicks turns out to be a huge move with Nurkic now out for the season. He should step in as the starting center for the Blazers, a role in which he averaged 14.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and two assists in with the Knicks. The Bulls have allowed the second-most Yahoo points per game (45.5) to opposing centers, so don't hesitate to take advantage of Kanter at this cheap price.
Thomas Bryant, WAS at PHO ($14): Bryant shined in his first two games since being reinserted into the starting five, but he scored just 11.7 Yahoo points against the Lakers on Wednesday. He only played 28 minutes after logging at least 35 minutes in both of his previous two contests. Expect him to start again Wednesday in what is a favorable matchup against a Suns team that allows the sixth-most Yahoo points per game (41.8) to opposing centers. Don't let Tuesday's performance scare you off, he could still provide significant value.
Center to Avoid
Robin Lopez, CHI vs. POR ($17): Lopez has had stretches since the trade deadline where he has provided tremendous value. However, with injuries mounting across the team, Lopez has also slowed down by scoring 17.3 Yahoo points in three straight games. His decline in production also coincides with Cristiano Felicio's return to the rotation. With Lopez set to be a free agent and the Bulls tanking, expect Felicio to continue to see added minutes Wednesday. Both Kanter and Bryant have significantly higher upsides at cheaper prices, making it hard to justify rolling with Lopez.
