This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Buckle in for a wild ride with 11 games on the NBA schedule Wednesday. The Warriors will once again be in action, traveling to Dallas to face Luka Doncic and the Mavericks. The Mavericks will likely be shorthanded, though, with Kristaps Porzingis landing in the health and safety protocols Monday.
Wednesday should also mark the season debut of Kyrie Irving, who is expected to take the floor when the Nets travel to Indiana to face the Pacers. Later in the evening, we'll also have a marquee center battle when Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets host Rudy Gobert and the Jazz.
Let's get to it and highlight some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Bradley Beal, WAS vs. HOU ($43): Beal has continued to dominate with Spencer Dinwiddie (COVID-19) out, scoring at least 52.2 Yahoo points in each of the last three games. Not only have his scoring numbers increased, but he's averaged 11.7 assists during that stretch. Look for him to keep rolling against a Rockets team that has the second-worst defensive rating in the league.
Keifer Sykes, IND vs. BKN ($10): Things are ugly for the Pacers right now at the guard spot. Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert, Chris Duarte and Jeremy Lamb were all in the health and safety protocols Tuesday, which resulted in Sykes scoring 37.8 Yahoo points across 38 minutes. Brogdon and/or Lamb could return for this game, but with how well Sykes played Tuesday, he could still see an expanded role with the team not yet completely healthy.
Guard to Avoid
Dennis Schroder, BOS vs. SA ($18): Reinforcements are coming for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum is expected to return from his bout with COVID-19 after missing four straight, putting them at close to full strength. That could lead to a decline in shot attempts for Schroder, who has scored 20.1 Yahoo points or fewer in four of his last five games.
FORWARDS
Kyle Kuzma, WAS vs. HOU ($29): Not only has Dinwiddie been sidelined lately, but so has Montrezl Harrell (COVID-19). Those are two of the top scorers on the team, so Kuzma has been tasked with picking up some of the slack. He hasn't disappointed, averaging 23.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists over the last six games. With how poorly the Rockets have played on defense, another juicy stat line could be coming.
Max Strus, MIA at POR ($16): Jimmy Butler suffered a scary ankle injury Monday, but it looks like he may have avoided a serious issue. Still, he won't play in this game, joining Duncan Robinson (COVID-19) and Gabe Vincent (COVID-19) on the sidelines. That could open up added minutes for Strus, who has been activated from the protocols. Before being sidelined, he had averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 three-pointers over his previous five games.
Forward to Avoid
Aaron Gordon, DEN vs. UTA ($20): Even with injuries and COVID-19 hitting the Nuggets recently, Gordon has scored 24.5 Yahoo points or fewer in four of his last six games. His problem has been a lack of scoring upside based on his 18.7 percent usage rate. That doesn't exactly bode well for his prospects against a Jazz team that has the fifth-best defensive rating in the league, either.
CENTERS
Daniel Gafford, WAS vs. HOU ($23): When Gafford has been given extended minutes, he's usually been productive. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that he has scored at least 33.7 Yahoo points in each of the last four games with Harrell out. As long as Harrell remains sidelined, Gafford should be busy.
Trey Lyles, DET at CHA ($14): Lyles made his return from the protocols Monday against the Bucks, scoring 26.9 Yahoo points across 34 minutes. While the Pistons have activated several players from the protocols of late, Isaiah Stewart remains out for this game while he works on his conditioning. That means Lyles could once again start. This is a favorable matchup, too, given that the Hornets have allowed the most rebounds per game in the league.
Center to Avoid
Andre Drummond, PHI at ORL ($27): When Joel Embiid is healthy, it's difficult to justify this high of a salary for Drummond. Drummond hasn't scored at least 30 Yahoo points in a game in over a month. There's no need to add him to your lineup, especially when Gafford is available at a cheaper salary.
