This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Thursday brings only two games in the NBA, but plenty of elite players will be taking the court as the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets are all in action. Let's take a look at the players you want to consider for your lineup to hopefully end your night a winner.
GUARDS
James Harden, HOU at PHO ($57): Harden may have the highest floor of anyone in terms of DFS this season. He's only scored fewer than 43.5 Yahoo points twice this season and has never scored fewer than 36.0 Yahoo points. His production may start to decrease with Chris Paul (knee) expected to return Thursday, but Paul won't be logging big minutes if he does play. Take advantage of Harden and his league-high 36.1% usage rate.
Jaylen Brown, BOS vs. GS ($19): Brown doesn't have huge upside as he hasn't scored more than 35.2 Yahoo points in a game this season. However, he's usually a safe option at a reasonable price because he is on the floor a lot, averaging 32 minutes per game. With how fast the Warriors play, Brown could be in for his best game of the season based on how much he plays.
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Guard to Avoid
Chris Paul, HOU at PHO ($41): Paul (knee) is expected to appear in his second game of the season, but he's only expected to play about 20 minutes. There will be plenty of days down the road where you will want to pay up to get him in your lineup, but Thursday is not the day.
FORWARDS
T.J. Warren, PHO vs. HOU ($29): When Warren gets extended playing time, he usually produces. He has played at least 35 minutes in five games this season and has scored at least 39.1 Yahoo points in all five of those games. He actually has the highest usage rate (26.4%) on the team. The Rockets are averaging the third-most points scored per game (111.2) in the NBA, so the Suns are going to need Warren to fire away if they are to keep pace in this game.
Marquese Chriss, PHO vs. HOU ($12): Chriss has played at least 25 minutes in three of the last four games, scoring at least 20.4 Yahoo points in all three contests. The Rockets use a lot of small lineups, which could lead to increased playing time again Thursday. With so few quality cheap options to choose from, Chriss presents some value.
Forward to Avoid
Draymond Green, GS at BOS ($36): Green is averaging 33.8 Yahoo points per game, but he hasn't been very consistent as he has scored 26.4 Yahoo points or fewer on five occasions this season. The Celtics are an excellent defensive team, so don't be surprised if Warren has a better game at a cheaper price. As a result, it might be wise to stay away from Green.
CENTERS
Clint Capela, HOU at PHO ($31): Capela has played well of late as he has scored at least 31.7 Yahoo points in five straight games. He played at least 29 minutes in four of those games, posting a double-double three times. The Suns are allowing the most points in the league (115.1), so look for Capela to keep things rolling.
Tarik Black, HOU at PHO ($10):Nene Hilario (foot) is doubtful for this game, leaving Black the opportunity for increased playing time. Nene did not play Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors, which resulted in 25.4 Yahoo points in 18 minutes for Black. If you want to go cheap at center, Black has upside.
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Center to Avoid
Tyson Chandler, PHO vs. HOU ($10): Chandler is battling an illness and is questionable for this game. You might be thinking he could be a nice value play as he has scored at least 27.0 Yahoo points in three of his last five games. However, based on his illness and the small lineups the Rockets use, it's best to just avoid him altogether
