This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We're right in the middle of the postseason, so at this point we pretty much know what to expect from each player against each opponent. What will define Monday's contests are injuries. The Raptors have already ruled center Jonas Valanciunas out for the remainder of their series against the Heat due to a sprained right ankle. His absence will create a big void for Toronto, one that will need to be filled by a collective of Patrick Patterson, Bismack Biyombo and Luis Scola.
The other big injury is to Miami center Hassan Whiteside, who sprained his MCL early in Game 3 and is considered day-to-day. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra sounded optimistic about Whiteside, but the normal recovery time for an MCL sprain suggests the big man probably won't be playing any time soon. With Whiteside out, expect veterans Udonis Haslem, Amar'e Stoudemire and Josh McRoberts to become slightly relevant again.
Obviously the final injury of note is to the reigning MVP, Steph Curry. It appears he's doubtful for Monday, but could return soon. Which means the days of Shaun Livingston being a viable DFS option are almost numbered.
GUARD
Kyle Lowry, TOR at MIA ($38) - Lowry finally broke out of his slump with 33 points and five three-pointers in the Raptors' 95-91 win in Game 3 on Saturday. He had hit just four treys over his past six playoff games before scoring more than a third of Toronto's points en route to a 2-1 lead in the series. It's only one game, but Lowry appears to have turned a corner. With DeMar DeRozan struggling to shoot the ball and Valanciunas done for the series, the Raptors will need Lowry to have another strong performance and I think he's more than capable of putting on a show.
Shaun Livingston, GS at POR ($22) - Livingston is no longer an "under-the-radar" play, but with Curry doubtful to play Monday in Game 4, he remains one of the best values at the guard position. Since replacing Curry in the starting lineup, Livingston is averaging 26.05 fantasy points per game. It appears Curry won't remain sidelined much longer, so this could be the final group of contests in which Livingston provides such value. You've got to get him while he's hot and don't be afraid to employ Livingston in both cash games and tournaments.
Guard to Avoid:
Goran Dragic, MIA vs. TOR ($28) - Dragic is coming off perhaps his worst game of this postseason, having scored just 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting with five turnovers for a lousy 12.1 fantasy points. The Raptors did a good job keeping the Heat in check in Game 3, and now it appears Miami could be without the aforementioned Whiteside. That would leave Dragic without his pick-and-roll partner, which could negatively impact his numbers. Livingston is a much safer bet and costs six fewer dollars, while someone like C.J. McCollum ($32) is also more consistent if you're willing to pay up a bit.
FORWARD
Patrick Patterson, TOR at MIA ($10) - Patterson is already getting big minutes after being inserted into the starting lineup in place of Norman Powell, so with Valanciunas out he should see a nice spike in production. He wasn't terrible in Game 3, scoring nine points and hitting a pair of shots from downtown while posting a respectable 17.1 fantasy points. The increase in touches should translate to more points while the absence of the Lithuanian center should help Patterson clean the glass more often.
Udonis Haslem, MIA vs. TOR ($12) - In keeping with the injury replacement theme, Haslem is a prime option for all Monday contests. He got a big boost in playing time after Whiteside left Game 3, logging 22 minutes while scoring eight points with seven rebounds for 19.4 fantasy points. Haslem is no stranger to stepping up in the playoffs, and I'm not afraid of guys like Amar'e Stoudemire or Josh McRoberts cutting into his value.
Forward to Avoid:
Luol Deng, MIA vs. TOR ($26) - To me, Deng is incredibly overpriced. It's not just because of his dud in Game 3; he scored just four points with two rebounds and two steals for 12.4 fantasy points. Deng isn't the player he was in Chicago and has scored more than 20 points in two of 10 games this postseason. While the absence of Whiteside will provide Deng with a few more touches, it also hurts the Heat offense overall with a relatively old and weak frontcourt. I'm not willing to pay that much for Deng and would rather take my chances on, say, Al-Farouq Aminu ($20) or DeMarre Carroll ($16).
CENTER
Ed Davis, POR vs. GS ($10) - Davis has scored more than 20 fantasy points in two of his past three games and looked really good in the Trail Blazers' big win in Game 3. He played nearly 30 minutes in Saturday's victory and outplayed starting center Mason Plumlee in terms of fantasy production. Considering Plumlee costs 13 dollars more, Davis is an ideal candidate for Monday contests at basement pricing with a relatively high ceiling. There is obviously some risk involved here, but selecting a center right now is like playing Russian Roulette anyway.
Center to Avoid:
Bismack Biyombo, TOR at MIA ($10) - You're probably thinking, "Hey, this guy is nuts for suggesting I should fade Biyombo..." Well, this may be true, but I also could be onto something here. With no Valanciunas, Biyombo becomes the only natural center on the Raptors' roster. This should mean he gets more playing time and a nice little jump to his stat line. That could be true, but Biyombo hasn't done anything to earn playing time this postseason and chances are a lot of lineups will be on him. If his ownership percentage is really high, it makes sense to fade him and take a chance on Davis or Andrew Bogut ($11).
