This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Wednesday marks the beginning of another two-day Yahoo slate that encompasses both conference finals. Let's dive into the limited options and discuss some players to consider while building your entry, as well as a few to potentially avoid.
GUARDS
Goran Dragic, MIA vs. BOS ($24): It took a while, but Dragic finally had a bad game. He was only 2-for-10 from the field in Game 3, finishing with 11 points. He also had five turnovers to go along with his five assists. As bad as he was, don't overact to one bad game. In the first two games of the series, he averaged 27 points, five rebounds and 4.5 assists. He's also shooting 46.3 percent from the field for the playoffs, overall. Look for him to bounce back here.
Tyler Herro, MIA vs. BOS ($21): With Dragic struggling, Herro attempted 18 shots in Game 3, which were his most in any of the Heat's playoff games. Despite only shooting 4-for-12 from behind the arc, he scored 22 points across 36 minutes. His extensive playing time off the bench has enabled him to score at least 29.3 Yahoo points in four straight games, making him an appealing option moving forward.
Guard to Avoid
Kemba Walker, BOS at MIA ($25): Is Walker finally over his shooting slump? He might be after shooting a combined 17-for-35 from the field over the last two games. However, he only registered five total assists across those contests compared to nine turnovers. The return of Gordon Hayward has added another playmaker to the floor, so Walker's assists totals might continue to be underwhelming at times. Dragic has had a much more successful playoff run and is a dollar cheaper, so it might be wise to steer clear of Walker.
FORWARDS
Anthony Davis, LAL at DEN ($50): Talk about an odd stat line for Davis in Game 3. Scoring was not the problem for him since he finished with 27 points. However, after grabbing 19 rebounds across the first two games, he came away with a paltry two boards. Don't expect that to happen again in Game 4. He should once again provide plenty of scoring, as well, leaving him as one of the safer options on the slate.
Jerami Grant, DEN vs. LAL ($14): Grant was one of the big reasons why the Nuggets won their first game of the series Tuesday, scoring 26 points across 34 minutes. The rest of his stat line was underwhelming with three rebounds and one assist, but he did record two steals, as well. It's highly unlikely that he duplicates that type of offensive performance, but at such a reduced salary, he's still someone to at least consider since he should see extensive playing time.
Forward to Avoid
Michael Porter Jr., DEN vs. LAL ($18): Game 3 once again brought limited opportunities for Porter, who logged only 22 minutes. He's now played 22 minutes or fewer in four of the last six games, scoring 22.2 Yahoo points or fewer in each of those contests. His defensive shortcomings should continue to limit his playing time, making him a risky option.
CENTERS
Bam Adebayo, MIA vs. BOS ($34): The Celtics have no answer for Adebayo. He's had a dominant series, averaging 22 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, two steals and 1.7 blocks. The only appealing centers for this slate are Adebayo and Nikola Jokic ($46), but when you consider their difference in salaries, Adebayo is almost too good to pass up.
Dwight Howard, LAL at DEN ($10): If you decide not to pay up for Adebayo or Jokic, you might as well go with a player at the minimum salary. Howard showed some promise by scoring 26.6 Yahoo points in Game 1, but he followed that up with 18.6 Yahoo points across the last two games, combined. Again, not much to be excited about here other than the salary relief.
Center to Avoid
Daniel Theis, BOS at MIA ($15): The matchup with Adebayo is about as bad as it gets for Theis. He's been shut down in the series, scoring 19.1 Yahoo points or fewer in each contest. Playing time usually isn't a problem for him, but he did foul out of Game 1 and he had five fouls in Game 3, so he could have difficulty staying on the floor if he can't correct that issue.
