This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We're right back at it with a two-game slate for Tuesday and Wednesday, with both series really starting to heat up. Some unexpected results have made both conference finals particularly interesting, leaving us with some compelling choices to make when putting our lineups together.
Without further ado, here's our look at Tuesday-Wednesday Yahoo Daily Fantasy Basketball:
GUARD
Stephen Curry, GS at OKC ($54) - Kyrie Irving ($36) continues to be a terrific option at point guard if you need to save a few dollars, but Curry gets the call Tuesday, largely based on Sunday night's outcome. We can very likely count on the Warriors coming out seeing red in Game 4, and that should mean a barrage of shots from Curry in particular. As Golden State's offensive leader, there's little double Curry sees the Game 3 rout as an affront that he'll need to avenge, rendering him an even more appealing option than he typically is.
DeMar DeRozan, TOR at CLE ($35) - It seems logical to continue firing up DeRozan, as he brings just as much upside as the more expensive Klay Thompson ($41). He scored 32 points in both games in Toronto, and the Cavs will undoubtedly give the Raptors everything they can handle at Quicken Loans Arena, meaning that DeRozan should be firing away for all four quarters in Game 5.
Guard to Avoid:
J.R. Smith, CLE vs. TOR ($17) - Smith is by nature a very streaky performer, and that's been exemplified by his postseason production. He'd scored just 10.9 to 17.1 fantasy points in the four games prior to Game 3 on Saturday, when he broke out with 33 fantasy points. However, he was right back to his meager production in Monday's Game 4, scoring nine points on 3-of-12 shooting. The bottom line is that Smith's subpar performances seem to considerably outnumber his strong ones, especially when Kyrie Irving is thriving offensively next to him.
FORWARD
Kevin Durant, OKC vs. GS ($51) - If we're expecting the Warriors' Game 4 performance to bear no resemblance to what we saw Sunday night, that means we'll also see Durant heavily involved for all four quarters. We certainly know what he's capable of providing when locked in a competitive, back-and-forth affair, as Tuesday's contest is very likely to be. He's already posted fantasy point totals of 46.0 and 51.1 in this series, and could be in line for a very similar output—or even a superior one—should things stay as competitive as expected.
Patrick Patterson, TOR at CLE ($14) -Serge Ibaka ($23) is certainly a potential cost-savings option in this spot, but as we mentioned yesterday, those that can't necessarily afford Draymond Green ($47) or Kevin Love ($34) at power forward and really need to save every dollar can look to Patterson as a value play capable of providing a nice return. While he's admittedly much more of a tournament play, he continues receiving plenty of minutes, as Luis Scola is a starter at the four in name only. Thus, you're getting a high-usage reserve that's posted fantasy point totals of 21.7 and 29.2 in the postseason at a nominal price, making him a particularly valuable commodity on a slate that has a plethora of high-priced superstars.
Forward to Avoid:
DeMarre Carroll, TOR at CLE ($16) - We'll stick with Carroll again in this spot, particularly on the road. He's banged up, and a distant third option on offense the majority of the time. He scored 9.7 to 17.0 fantasy points in the first three games of the series, and even in Monday's bounce-back effort he tallied only 11 points, three boards, two assists and a steal. He also figures to expend plenty of energy on defense against LeBron James, particularly in what should be a raucous atmosphere at Quicken Loans Arena.
CENTER
Steven Adams, OKC vs. GS ($20) - There doesn't seem to be anyone who can stop Adams from hauling in double-digit rebounds these days, as before falling victim to a controversial kick from Draymond Green on Sunday, he'd accomplished the feat in every contest since Game 5 of the quarterfinal round versus the Mavs. He'd scored fewer than 21 fantasy points only once over that span, and had eclipsed 30 on four different occasions. That includes a 33.4 fantasy point-output in Game 1 against the Warriors, further rendering him an appealing value option.
Bismack Biyombo, TOR at CLE ($19)- We'll continue keeping Biyombo in mind, with the caveat that Jonas Valanciunas was active for Game 4. Still, there's not a lot of risk associated with Biyombo's modest price, and he does figure to still draw the start at the Raptors look to ease Valanciunas back into action.
Center to Avoid:
Timofey Mozgov, CLE vs. TOR ($10) - Mozgov continues to be an avoid candidate based on his considerable lack of usage. He's been on the court for fewer than 11 minutes total over the first four games of the series, as Tristan Thompson has manned the starter's minutes at the five.
