This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA has eight games on tap for Friday night, several of which shape up to be fantasy friendly. More importantly, it feels like the league just hit the gas on transitioning to the end-of-the-season push. Several prominent veterans who should be in action Friday were declared out for the season (Dwyane Wade, Eric Bledsoe), rested (Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan) or just injured enough for their team to take precautions (Isaiah Thomas next two games), which should open up plenty of value.
GUARDS
Tyler Ulis, PHO vs ORL ($11): This was a very close matchup between Ulis and Rajon Rondo, who has taken on starter's responsibilities and had a major teammate declared out for the season, and both have a high likelihood to vastly outperform their near-minimum prices. Ulis had 13 points, 13 assists and two steals against the Kings on Wednesday, and he has a great Friday matchup against a Magic team that has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to point guards this season and is on the second half of a back-to-back that .
Marcus Smart, BOS at BKN ($18):Isaiah Thomas has been ruled out for the next two games, which means Smart is in line for an uptick in minutes and usage. The timing is great, as he will be facing a Nets team that has allowed the most fantasy points per game to point guards this season and is on the second night of a back-to-back.
Guard to Avoid
Jrue Holiday, NO vs HOU ($32): Holiday's price is that of a definite impact player, but he has only one game over 30 fantasy points in his last five outings, with three games under 20. He has explosive upside, such as the 45.8 fantasy points he turned in against Charlotte six days ago, but for his price he needs to be more of a sure thing.
FORWARDS
T.J. Warren, PHO vs ORL ($21): Warren has been very consistent since the All-Star break, scoring between 22 and 32 fantasy points in nine of 11 games. Where he has broken the pattern, of late, has been in the positive direction, scoring 41.1 and 41.3 fantasy points in two of his last four games. And with Eric Bledsoe done, Warren could be in line for more offensive responsibility.
Dario Saric, PHI vs DAL ($32): Saric is coming off back-to-back games with 47.4 fantasy points, and with only a couple of exceptions, he has met his expected value of upper 30s/lower 40s fantasy points routinely since even before the All-Star break. The Mavericks are a formidable defense, but Saric's production has been pretty matchup resistant over the last month.
Forward to Avoid
Andrew Wiggins, MIN at MIA ($36): Wiggins has the fourth-highest price among forwards Friday, but he has only averaged about 25 fantasy points per game over his last seven, scoring more than 30 once in that span. He had his stretch of mega-scoring last month, and he still has the ability, but with the way he's played lately he's not a high probability play against a tough Heat wing defense.
CENTERS
Hassan Whiteside, MIA vs MIN ($37): Whiteside faced two dominant former University of Kentucky one-and-done big men on Wednesday in DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis, and he responded with 20 points, 17 boards and two blocks. He enters Friday's game against another Kentucky one-and-done (Karl-Anthony Towns) with 14 consecutive games with double-digit rebounds, a span over which he is averaging 15.8 points and 15.6 rebounds per game.
Alan Williams, PHO vs ORL ($18): Williams continues to be affordable despite notching double-doubles in seven of his last eight games, and in his last outing he had 14 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. On Friday, he faces a Magic defense that has allowed the 13th-most fantasy points to centers this season and is on the second half of a back-to-back.
Center to Avoid
Karl-Anthony Tows, MIN at MIA ($50): There are no obvious centers to avoid Friday, and certainly not Towns in general. He has been one of the elite fantasy producers for quite awhile, but his price has risen to an almost prohibitive level. Towns could reach it, but he's also facing Hassan Whiteside and a Heat defense that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to centers over the last 10 games.
