This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Thursday's lone contest combines with Friday's pair to form a three-game NBA DFS slate. Spurs-Thunder likely will generate the most buzz, as it is the only tied series and features the best combined record. While the competitive aspect should make their Game 3 an intriguing watch, the potentially more lopsided nature of the other two games could actually prove more profitable from a fantasy perspective. Regardless of their respective teams' outlooks, all of the players below should provide strong value at their prices.
GUARD
Dennis Schroder, ATL vs. CLE ($15) - Schroder's lack of playing time and resulting poor showing in Game 2 can be attributed to the contest's blowout, but the Cavaliers are unlikely to set a an NBA record for made 3-pointers again with the series shifting back to Atlanta. Schroder scored a playoff career-high 27 points in a hotly contested Game 1 and should once again be productive in a Game 3 that likely will resemble the series opener in terms of competitiveness. At just $15, the German guard offers high upside with minimal risk.
J.R. Smith, CLE at ATL ($19) - Smith has proven to be the sharpshooter to own in this series, as he has outscored Hawks counterpart Kyle Korver 35-10, while knocking down 11 3-pointers to Korver's one. The streaky veteran has 26 makes from behind the arc in his last five appearances dating to the first round against the Pistons, and he'll continue to get plenty of good looks with defenses naturally gravitating toward LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. His fantasy profile isn't diverse, but Smith plays his role well enough to more than justify a $19 investment.
Guard to Avoid:
Jeff Teague, ATL vs. CLE ($28) - Teague has been a major disappointment in this series, ceding crunch-time minutes to Dennis Schroder in Game 1 before playing an unimpressive Game 2 along with the rest of the Hawks. There isn't much stopping coach Mike Budenholzer from benching Teague in favor of Schroder for long stretches given how poorly the starting point guard has performed thus far, making him unlikely to live up to his $28 price.
Others to Avoid: Russell Westbrook ($54), Kyle Lowry ($40), Tony Parker ($18)
FORWARD
LaMarcus Aldridge, SA at OKC ($39) - Aldridge has been nothing short of sensational in this series, totaling 79 points on 33-of-44 shooting through two games. With Kawhi Leonard expending most of his energy guarding Kevin Durant on the other end, San Antonio's marquee offseason acquisition should continue serving as the team's offensive focal point. He has justified his price in points alone and will be as valuable as they come in Game 3 if the first two games are any indication.
DeMar DeRozan, TOR vs. MIA ($37) - DeRozan is averaging 42.1 fantasy points per game in his last three home appearances and will be eager to make amends after failing to generate a shot down by three on the final possession of overtime in Game 1. Toronto's leading scorer could be asked to carry an even greater offensive load in Game 2 if Kyle Lowry struggles again, but it's fair to expect north of 20 field-goal attempts with some contributions on the glass and distributing regardless. If this series is to play out in a similar fashion to Round 1 following a Raptors Game 1 loss, DeRozan likely will have to serve as the catalyst offensively.
Forward to Avoid:
Kawhi Leonard, SA at OKC ($40) - Leonard hasn't been bad in this series, he just hasn't been $40 good. He's yet to reach the 40.0 fantasy point threshold, and has been held to just one made 3-pointer in two games after averaging 1.8 per game in the regular season. The Spurs hold a 31-point scoring margin despite this, and would be more than happy to continue feeding the red-hot LaMarcus Aldridge rather than Leonard on offense if it means leaving the back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year fresh to defend former MVP Kevin Durant on the other end. Until there's a change in the status quo, Leonard isn't the man to own in San Antonio's frontcourt.
Others to Avoid: Kevin Love ($34), Luol Deng ($26), Serge Ibaka ($23)
CENTER
Steven Adams, OKC vs. SA ($13) - The Thunder are at their best when Adams is crashing the boards and affecting shots on defense, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that they won Game 2 in San Antonio considering he swatted a block for the third straight game and pulled down 17 boards to boot. Adams' inside presence will continue to be needed if the Thunder are to maintain their newfound home court advantage, but he seems up to the task after averaging 12.0 PPG and 12.3 RPG in the last three games. That rebounding production alone makes him worth $13.
Center to Avoid:
Al Horford, ATL vs. CLE ($31) - Horford's a solid player, but he just doesn't possess the bounce to pull down an inordinate amount of rebounds or the skill to take over a game offensively. As a result, it's been five games since the center scored enough fantasy points to justify a $31 investment. With lower-priced options putting up better numbers across the board, it's better to leave Horford on the bench.
Others to Avoid: Tim Duncan ($14), Bismack Biyombo ($12)
