This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
GUARD
Chris Paul, LAC at POR ($46) - Paul has been one of the most reliable point guards in the league this season and he's stepping up in this matchup against Damian Lillard. In fact, Paul is averaging 26.3 points, 8.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals against the Trail Blazers. In addition, it's no secret that Lillard's weakness is on the defensive end and it's clear Paul wants to abuse that fact. There's no better bet on this slate to score 40-plus fantasy points and it makes Paul a must-use in such a small slate.
Raymond Felton, DAL vs. OKC ($20) - Felton is a beast when the Mavericks are shorthanded and they're expected to be just that in Game 4. With Deron Williams (hernia) already ruled out and J.J Barea struggling with a groin injury, Felton should be leaned on as the primary point guard. Felton has scored at least 32 fantasy points in all three playoff games thus far and regularly matches his minutes with his fantasy points. That becomes relevant here, as Felton should play well over 30 minutes, this giving us at least 1.5X on his price.
Guard to Avoid:
Damian Lillard, POR vs. LAC ($43) - This looks crazy on the surface considering Lillard dropped 32 in the last game, but he's really struggled with this matchup all season. The Chris Paul matchup is difficult enough as it is, but the Clippers have chosen to double team and trap Lillard to get the ball out of his hands. That has led to him shooting 32 percent from the field in his six previous meetings against Los Angeles, underwhelming his fantasy owners. Prior to his 32-point outburst, Lillard had only scored more than 21 points once in his six meetings against the Clippers and committed at least three turnovers in five of those games. There's no doubt that Lillard can drop 50 fantasy points on any given night, but his upside is too limited when he doesn't have the ball in his hands as much as fantasy owners need him to.
FORWARD
Luol Deng, MIA at CHA ($24) - Deng continues to be undervalued as one of the best power forward options in fantasy. Since taking over for Chris Bosh in mid-February, Deng is averaging 15.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game. His numbers are even better in this series, as he's averaging 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists. His role is what's being most undervalued, as he is the primary playmaker for the second-unit. At just $24, look for Deng to continue providing elite value against a team that ranks bottom-10 in fantasy points allowed to power forwards.
Serge Ibaka, OKC at DAL ($23) - Ibaka really struggled this season, but he's playing great in these playoffs. The power forward is averaging nearly 30 fantasy points per game and shooting lights out from the field. Across his last four games against Dallas, Ibaka is shooting over 70 percent. He has also lacked rebounds and blocks in that span, so he has even more upside than he's been showing. The price is what's most attractive here, as Ibaka is a $30 player when he's at his best, like he is now.
Forward to Avoid:
Joe Johnson, MIA at CHA ($18) - Johnson has really struggled in these playoffs and there's simply not enough to go around for him. The veteran has yet to surpass 22 fantasy points in any game this postseason, averaging just 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists while failing to record a block or a steal. In addition, Johnson is averaging just eight shot attempts per game and less than one free threw. It's obvious that the offense is run through Dwyane Wade, Goran Dragic, Luol Deng and Hassan Whiteside, which leaves almost nothing for Johnson to feast on.
CENTER
Mason Plumlee, POR vs. LAC ($15) - Plumlee is easily the value of the day and it's a wonder why he's still so cheap. The Portland center has scored 45 fantasy points in back-to-back games and it's clear he's a major part of this Portland offense. With Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum trapped in double teams, Plumlee has taken on a bigger role by distributing from the post and the top of the key. In fact, Plumlee has 16 assists across his last two games, while also grabbing 31 boards. His upside nearly matches that of Hassan Whiteside and DeAndre Jordan, with Plumlee costing well under half their price.
Center to Avoid:
Everyone but Hassan Whiteside, DeAndre Jordan, Al Jefferson and Mason Plumlee - Some of you may try to get cute and use one of the cheap options as a punt play, but it's silly in a short slate like this. These guys are the four clear elite options and using anyone else is a bad idea. These four players are averaging between 27 and 40 fantasy points a game, with no other center option averaging more than 20 fantasy points in these playoffs. The only other guy worth keeping an eye on is Zaza Pachulia, and he only becomes relevant if Salah Mejri is forced out due to his hip injury. Quite simply, just play it safe and use one of these four elite options.
