This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There are 11 games Wednesday night, including some interesting matchups. The Bucks and Cavs will play on the second night of a back-to-back against each other after going to overtime Tuesday, with big numbers all around. The Rockets, fresh off a close loss to the Spurs, will try to start a new streak against a weak Suns offense in what should be a fast-paced game. Finally, Russell Westbrook and the Thunder go in to see Anthony Davis and the Pelicans in a matchup of players who routinely put up video game numbers. It should be a fun night.
GUARDS
Deron Williams, DAL at POR ($21): Williams has been showing flashes of his old self recently, averaging 17.8 points, 7.0 assists, 1.6 boards, 1.4 treys and 1.2 steals per game over his last five. On Wednesday he faces a Trail Blazers defense on the second night of a back-to-back that tends to get into all-offense/no-defense shoot-outs.
Bradley Beal, WAS at CHI ($30): Beal has scored at least 20 points in seven straight games, a stretch in which he is averaging 26.1 points, 4.4 assists, 3.0 treys, 2.1 boards and 0.7 steals per game.
Guard to Avoid
Damian Lillard, POR vs DAL ($45): Lillard is an explosive player who can pop at any time. But on Wednesday he is on the second night of a road/home back-to-back and facing a Mavericks defense that has allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to point guards over the last 10 games.
FORWARDS
Gordon Hayward, UTA vs SAC ($40): Hayward just got shut down by the Warriors, ending his night early because the game was such a blowout. He should be motivated to bounce back in a big way Wednesday against a Kings defense that has allowed the 10th-most fantasy points per game to small forwards over the last 10 games and is coming off a much harder opening game of a back-to-back.
Markieff Morris, WAS at CHI ($18): Morris is a risky pick because he is up-and-down. Over the last two weeks he has two games of fewer than 20 fantasy points, balanced by two games over 37. He struggled a bit in his last outing, but in the four before that he averaged 14.8 points, 6.5 boards, 3.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.
Forward to Avoid
DeMarcus Cousins, Sac at UTA ($53): Cousins scored 55 points Tuesday but he's an avoid candidate because over the 10 games prior to Tuesday, the Jazz defense was downright dominant. They ranked no. 1 by a solid margin against centers and no. 2 against power forwards. Cousins, like the Jazz, is on the second night of a back-to-back and will be facing the best big-man defense in the NBA. He's a monster, but odds say this won't be his best game.
CENTERS
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN at ATL ($39): Towns is averaging 27.5 points, 15.0 boards, 3.0 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 treys per game over his last four. On Wednesday, he faces a Hawks defense that is only 19th in the NBA against centers over the last 10 games.
Mason Plumlee, POR vs DAL ($21): Plumlee is consistent value who somehow stays at a low price. He averaged 18.3 points, 7.0 bards and 4.0 assists in three games leading up to a blowout loss to the Warriors when no Trail Blazer produced. But he bounced back in a big way Tuesday with 27 points, 13 boards, five assists, two blocks back and a steal in 36 minutes.
Center to Avoid
Dwight Howard, ATL vs MIN ($29): Howard is questionable to play Wednesday with a back injury. If he does play, he'll have to face a Karl-Anthony Towns and Gorgui Dieng frontline that is fifth in the NBA against centers over the last 10 games. Howard's price is too high for that level of uncertainty.
