This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The most interesting games from a fantasy perspective on Friday's 10-game slate are the Suns at the Pacers and the Trail Blazers at the Pelicans. Both games feature productive offenses, poor defenses and potential value plays. It's also worth watching both backcourts in the Raptors vs. Nuggets game, as both defenses have stunk guarding those positions this season.
GUARDS
Kyle Lowry, TOR at DEN ($38): Lowry has really picked it up of late, scoring at least 41 fantasy points in five of his last six games. He exploded for his best game of the season Tuesday against the Cavs, finishing with 28 points, nine assists, five boards, four steals, four treys and only one turnover. Next up is a Nuggets defense that allows the ninth-most fantasy points per game to point guards.
Seth Curry, DAL vs. MIA ($11): Curry has a chance to start and play serious minutes with J.J. Barea out and Deron Williams questionable due to calf injuries. Curry had 23 points, four assists, four rebounds, four treys and three steals as well as 10 points, nine assists, five steals, two blocks, two treys and one board in back-to-back games last week, and he could give starter production for minimum price Friday.
Guard to Avoid
Tim Frazier, NO vs. POR ($28): Frazier has been solid all season for the Pelicans, but Friday is scheduled to be the season debut for Jrue Holiday. The minutes distribution hasn't been announced, and Holiday will be coming off a long layoff so he may have a minutes cap, but with that said it seems advisable to avoid that whole situation.
FORWARDS
LeBron James, CLE vs. DET ($54): James is still arguably the best player in the NBA on any given regular season night, and he was rested Wednesday night. He should be fresh for the home crowd against a Pistons team that really isn't equipped to stop him.
Terrence Jones, NO vs. POR ($12): This recommendation assumes that Anthony Davis does not play (he sat out their last game though was able to practice Thursday). Jones has shown that he can produce in spurts when Davis plays, but when Davis sat on Wednesday Jones exploded for 26 points, nine boards, two assists, two treys and a blocked shot in 38 minutes.
Forward to Avoid
LaMarcus Aldridge, SA at LAL ($32): Aldridge is still priced like an impact player, but he doesn't reach that threshold often enough. Of the top-17 forwards that are expected to play Friday, Aldridge's season average of 30 fantasy points per game ranks 15th, trailing several players with lower prices.
CENTER
Marc Gasol, MEM at DAL ($31): Gasol had 26 points, six boards, six assists, four treys, one steal and one mildly horrifying celebration dance Wednesday against the Clippers, and with Andre Drummond still recovering from his ankle injury, Gasol is the best elite center on the board.
Mason Plumlee, POR at NO ($21): Plumlee is so consistent it's ridiculous. His 4.2 assists per game give him a dimension that other centers don't have, and it gives him a very high floor for an affordable player. Plus, he'll be facing a Pelicans team that may be without Anthony Davis.
Center to Avoid
Jusuf Nurkic, DEN vs TOR ($22): Nurkic started off the season like a monster, but he has fallen out of the rotation in Denver. He has not scored more than 19.9 fantasy points in six straight games, and his price hasn't caught up with his plummeting production.
