This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Wednesday brings a busy night in the NBA consisting of nine games. The Eastern Conference will take center stage with a few exciting matchups, including the Celtics hosting the Sixers.
The Heat and Cavaliers will also face off, with the Cavaliers sporting an 11-10 record despite losing Collin Sexton (knee) for the season. The Bucks will put their seven-game winning streak on the line in a matchup against the Hornets, who are coming off of a loss to the Bulls in which they allowed 133 points.
Let's get down to business and highlight some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups, as well as a few to potentially avoid.
GUARDS
Luka Doncic, DAL at NO ($49): The Mavericks lost by 18 points to the Cavaliers on Monday, but Doncic still finished with a triple-double. He's dished out at least 10 assists in five of his last six games, while also averaging 26.5 points and 8.5 rebounds during that stretch. This is prime matchup for him to excel again with the Pelican posting the sixth-worst defensive rating in the league.
Kevin Porter Jr., HOU at OKC ($26): These two teams just played each other Monday, which was a decisive win for the Rockets. Porter only shot 4-for-17 from the field, but his contributions elsewhere helped him score 44.5 Yahoo points. He scored 49.6 Yahoo points the game before that against the Hornets, with the common denominator being that Jalen Green (hamstring) didn't play in either contest. With Green still out, Porter should again take on an expanded role.
Guard to Avoid
Dennis Schroder, BOS vs. PHI ($22): For the first time in a while, the Celtics are expected to have their full roster at their disposal for this game. While he did a great job filling in for Jaylen Brown previously, Schroder doesn't have the same upside when Brown is healthy. Over the last three games with Brown back, Schroder has averaged just 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
FORWARDS
Khris Middleton, MIL vs. CHA ($27): The Hornets are usually a good team to target players against in DFS. They have played at the third-fastest pace and they have the fifth-worst defensive rating in the league. This could be just the matchup that Middleton needs to get back on track, given that he's only averaged 14.1 points across seven games since returning from a bout with COVID-19. The good news is, he still averaged 5.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.1 steals during that stretch.
Maxi Kleber, DAL at NO ($14): Kristaps Porzingis suffered an ankle injury that forced him out of Monday's game against the Cavaliers. Despite a tough matchup, Porzingis being out may have helped Kleber score 20.3 Yahoo points. Porzingis is questionable for this game, so if he sits out, Kleber could provide value against an inferior defensive foe.
Forward to Avoid
Caris LeVert, IND vs. ATL ($21): The Pacers finally played in a close game Monday, which left LeVert to log 34 minutes. The problem was, he only shot 3-for-14 from the field on his way to 18.3 Yahoo points. He's scored fewer than 30 Yahoo points in eight straight games, so with plenty of other viable options for a busy slate, it's difficult to make a case for deploying LeVert in DFS.
CENTERS
Christian Wood, HOU at OKC ($34): Wood torched the Thunder on Monday, posting 24 points and 21 rebounds. He presents a significant matchup problem for them given that they have allowed the sixth-most rebounds per game in the league. These two teams have already met three times this season, with Wood averaging 21.7 points and 16.3 rebounds along the way.
Richaun Holmes, SAC at LAC ($21): There weren't many bright spots in the Kings lopsided loss to the Lakers on Tuesday. If there was one thing to be excited about, it's that Holmes returned from a three-game absence. He wasn't limited, either, scoring 44.8 Yahoo points across 33 minutes. The Clippers don't exactly have a ton of size up front, so if you want to fade Wood, Holmes could be an option at a cheaper salary.
Center to Avoid
Andre Drummond, PHI at BOS ($27): Joel Embiid has been on the floor for the Sixers' last two games, which means Drummond has returned to his limited role off the bench. He didn't log more than 18 minutes in either contest, scoring 8.1 and 25.9 Yahoo points, respectively. He's a great option whenever Embiid is out, but when Embiid is healthy, his role doesn't justify this salary.
