This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
It's rare that a Monday slate features such a polarizing matchup, but this week we are fortunate to get a potential Western Conference Finals preview as the Spurs take on the Warriors. It's the unstoppable force against the immovable object in a game between the NBA's most efficient offense and most efficient defense.
There is plenty of firepower in this game with three players among the top 10 in terms of salary in Yahoo DFS (Stephen Curry, $56; Draymond Green, $48; Kawhi Leonard, $45) and just because the Warriors are facing the Spurs doesn't mean you should be afraid of those elite guys like Curry and Green. Tim Duncan has already been ruled out Monday, so chances are the Spurs will lean heavily on LaMarcus Aldridge, David West and potentially the popular Boban Marjanovic.
GUARD
Dennis Schroder, ATL at DEN ($13) - Jeff Teague's struggles this season are well documented. The Hawks' starting point guard can't find his shot and isn't doing a great job distributing the ball, either. Schroder, on the other hand, has been up and down this season but has shown that he can be consistent with more playing time. He's coming off 19 points in 24 minutes Saturday against the Suns and is guaranteed to see more than 20 minutes per contest. If Schroder can keep playing this way, he may supplant Teague and become an extreme value play as the starting PG on one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
Avery Bradley, BOS at WAS ($24) - Celtics-Wizards is projected as one of the higher scoring games Monday, so targeting a guard who can hit from distance should be a plus. Bradley has scored at least 19 points in three straight games and has also hit seven three-pointers during that stretch. He's firmly planted in the Celtics' starting rotation, so you don't have to worry about his minutes. Washington allows the third-highest shooting percentage to opponents at 46.8 and is last in terms of three-point shooting percentage allowed at 38.2.
Guard to Avoid:
Ricky Rubio, MIN at CLE ($29) - Despite the coaching change in Cleveland, the Cavaliers are still going to play extremely tough defense on most nights. The last time Rubio went up against LeBron and Co., he scored just eight points with six assists and finished with 26.8 fantasy points. The Cavaliers are also coming off a pretty bad loss to the Bulls on Saturday, so expect them to come out with some fire. Instead, look to the other side of the court where Kyrie Irving ($30) will look to bounce back against Rubio.
FORWARD
P.J. Hairston, CHA at SAC ($10) - If you're looking for a little momentum, Hairston is coming off a 20-point, 10-rebound performance against the Knicks and comes at basement pricing. It will be hard for him to duplicate that kind of game, but it's not out of the question with the Hornets heading to Sacramento where one of the league's worst defensive teams plays. If Nicolas Batum and Jeremy Lamb miss another game, Hairston should see upward of 35 minutes, which is a ton for a guy so cheap. Hairson likely will be a popular pick if the Hornets aren't completely healthy.
LaMarcus Aldridge, SA at GS ($32) - Tim Duncan is out Monday, but Aldridge is expected to be fine despite dealing with back spasms. With Duncan sidelined and the Spurs having to play all four quarters for a change, Aldridge should see plenty minutes and touches. The matchup against Draymond Green may scare people away, so expect Aldridge's ownership percentage to be low enough to make him a viable tournament option.
Forward to Avoid:
Jae Crowder, BOS at WAS ($30) - Crowder (illness) played Sunday against the 76ers, so that was at least encouraging if you're a fan of his work this fantasy season. But Crowder didn't look like the same player Friday against the Bulls and now is being asked to play back-to-back games because of postponements. It's unclear how Crowder will fair, and since he's one of the higher priced small forwards, it's a bit of a risky play. Paying up for a guy like Gordon Hayward ($36) or down for a guy like Shabazz Muhammad ($13) are better routes.
Center
Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. ATL ($11) - Usually you're forced to pay up for a center considering the lack of cheap options. With Jokic, you get a guy who is cheap and should see plenty of minutes if Kenneth Faried remains out. Jokic flashed some range with 17 points and filled up the stat sheet nicely in Saturday's win over the Pistons, so he's starting to trend upward. The Hawks haven't done a great job on the glass this season and are normally on the losing end of the rebound battle. They recently allowed Tyson Chandler to rip down 27 boards (13 offensive). Let that sink in for a second.
Center to Avoid:
Andre Drummond, DET at UTA ($44) - Drummond is coming off his worst performance of the season, so don't expect to see him lay an egg like that again. But that doesn't mean he won't struggle against Rudy Gobert and the Jazz, who does a nice job of locking down opposing centers in terms of fantasy production. Drummond will most likely get hacked a lot and have to earn his points from the charity stripe, and unless he pulls down 20 boards it will be difficult for him to provide value with a salary that high.
Get a FREE RotoWire 10-day trial (no credit card required) at RotoWire.com
