This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Thursday's Spurs-Thunder matchup combines with Friday's Raptors-Heat game to form Yahoo's next two-game daily NBA slate. While Toronto and Oklahoma City players have been slightly superior in earning their respective teams' 3-2 series leads, both series have been so tightly contested that it anyone can still be the hero. These are the players most likely to step up at this stage and provide maximum value.
GUARD
Dwyane Wade, MIA vs. TOR ($34) - Even at his advanced age, Wade is still undoubtedly the face of the Heat. That means he'll get the ball when it matters most in an elimination game, just as he did in a 45.2 fantasy point performance in Game 6 of the first round. The crafty shooting guard is averaging 39.2 fantasy points per game in this series, so he doesn't even require an increased workload to outplay his price based on his level. He has come up big in situations like this countless times, and there's little reason to believe the three-time NBA champion won't do so again.
Danny Green, SA at OKC ($11) - Green has been the definition of a 3-and-D wing player in this series, racking up 2.2 steals per game in a high-usage defensive role mostly against Kevin Durant, knocking down 3.2 3-pointers per game on the other end. He has topped 20.0 fantasy points four times, while exceeding 30.0 twice, and is only heating up after knocking down 6 of 8 from long range in Game 5. While Green tends to get overlooked due to all the talent on the Spurs, his combination of important role and low price make him an excellent DFS investment.
Guard to Avoid:
Goran Dragic, MIA vs. TOR ($28) - Dragic has slowed after a fast start to this series offensively, averaging a mere 20.1 fantasy points per game over the last three. Toronto's third-ranked regular-season defense has carried its stinginess to the postseason, and there simply hasn't been enough scoring for the former Sun to create much with Dwyane Wade carrying the mail for the backcourt. Miami is likely to feature its franchise icon much more than a point guard they traded for at last year's deadline with the season on the line, so don't be surprised if Dragic once again fails to score enough to justify his price.
Others to Avoid: DeMar DeRozan ($35)
FORWARD
LaMarcus Aldridge, SA at OKC ($34) - Aldridge missed 15 of his 21 field-goal attempts in Game 5, yet still finished with 39.3 fantasy points. He is averaging 28.6 PPG in this series, and will once again serve as San Antonio's offensive focal point with the season on the line. Considering his usage rate is still sky-high and he is unlikely to be so inaccurate two games in a row, the former Trail Blazers star is likely to exceed last game's impressive fantasy-point total as he looks to keep his new team from suffering the same fate as his old one.
Joe Johnson, MIA vs. TOR ($20) - Despite missing his first 14 3-pointers of the series, Johnson has still outplayed his price with 26.6 fantasy points per game. Luol Deng's wrist injury has assured that Johnson will see plenty of minutes in Game 6, and his combination of floor-stretching and rebounding will be key if the Heat are to stretch this series to a deciding Game 7. The veteran didn't latch on with Miami late in the season just to go home after the second round, so expect a massive performance as he looks to extend the season.
Forward to Avoid:
Kevin Durant, OKC vs. SA ($50) - A combination of San Antonio's elite defense and teammate Russell Westbrook's do-it-himself mentality has held Durant to less than 40.0 fantasy points in four of five games this series. Considering Westbrook carried the Thunder to victory in Game 5, he'll likely be inspired to continue carrying a huge offensive load at his fellow superstar's expense. Durant is still capable of breaking out at any time, but his play suggests he's a longshot to live up to his hefty $50 price.
Others to Avoid: Serge Ibaka($23), Justise Winslow ($15)
CENTER
Steven Adams, OKC vs. SA ($17) - Adams has been the key to Oklahoma City's dominance on the glass in this series, pulling down double-digit boards in every game. His superb rebounding coupled with decent offensive production has led to a robust 26.4 fantasy point per game average for the New Zealander, and he'll likely once again be leaned upon for heavy playing time after topping 35 minutes in each of the last four games. At this price, you have little to lose and much to gain by playing Adams.
Center to Avoid:
Bismack Biyombo, TOR at MIA ($17) - Biyombo's utter lack of offensive ability makes him hard to trust on game to game. He has been single-digit fantasy points three times in this series and lacks the consistency to be trusted, especially with Steven Adams available for the same price.
Others to Avoid: Tim Duncan ($14)
