This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There is only one game in the NBA Thursday as the Celtics will look to close out their series against the Bucks. However, the contests on Yahoo will stretch into Friday as well, giving you four games to select from for your entry. Here are some players to target and avoid as you compile your lineup.
GUARDS
Donovan Mitchell, UTA vs. OKC ($34): The Thunder managed to pull out a victory in Game 5, forcing Game 6 in Utah on Friday. Mitchell has been key for the Jazz as they now have an opportunity to move on with a win at home, scoring at least 42.2 Yahoo points in four of five games so far. He's clearly the best offensive player on the team, so expect him to have a high usage rate again Friday.
Kyle Korver, CLE at IND ($11): LeBron James is trying to carry the Cavaliers into the second round without much help from his supporting cast. Korver is one of the few other players on the Cavaliers who is playing well, scoring at least 20.1 Yahoo points in three of the last four games. He logged 33 minutes Wednesday and should continue to see plenty of playing time in Game 6. At this cheap price, he might be worth the risk in tournament play.
[Join the free NBA Yahoo Cup. $25K in total prizes with weekly winners]
Guard to Avoid
Darren Collison, IND vs. CLE ($19): Collison has had an inconsistent series. Although he has scored at least 33 Yahoo points twice, he has also scored 12.7 Yahoo points of fewer twice. He has struggled offensively, scoring six points or fewer in three of the five games. With his limited upside, he might not be worth the risk.
FORWARDS
LeBron James, CLE at IND ($58): James is doing it all right now for the Cavaliers. He has scored at least 44 points twice in this series and has four double-doubles to go along with one triple-double. He's logged at least 40 minutes in all five contests and will have tremendous upside again Friday.
Jabari Parker, MIL vs. BOS ($21): What a turnaround it's been for Parker in this series. He played 15 minutes or fewer in both of the first two games, scoring 8.7 Yahoo points combined. He's played at least 25 minutes in all three games since, scoring at least 30.6 Yahoo points in each contest. The Bucks won two of those three games, so expect Parker to get plenty of minutes again in Game 6 as they look to send the series back to Boston for Game 7.
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Basketball contest or league today]
Forward to Avoid
Otto Porter Jr., WAS vs. TOR ($23): Playing time is not a problem for Porter, who is averaging 32 minutes per game in the first round. The issue is that with John Wall and the rest of the team healthy, Porter is not nearly as involved offensively. He's scored 28.7 Yahoo points or fewer in all five games, so it might make more sense to take a chance on Parker for two dollars fewer.
CENTERS
Rudy Gobert, UTA vs. OKC ($30): Of all the centers available, Gobert is the safest option. He has a high minutes floor as the anchor of the Jazz's defense, resulting in him scoring at least 30.5 Yahoo points in four straight games. The Thunder don't have great size outside of Steven Adams, so Gobert should be productive again Friday.
Marcin Gortat, WAS vs. TOR ($11): Gortat had one of the worst regular seasons of his career, but he's quietly playing well in the first round. Outside of Game 2 where he played just 12 minutes, Gortat has logged at least 26 minutes in each of the other four games. He's scored 22.5 Yahoo points in three straight, so he might be worth the risk if you want to go with a cheap center in tournament play.
Center to Avoid
Steven Adams, OKC at UTA ($21): Adams is a very good player who can give a lot of teams trouble, but he drew a tough assignment with Gobert in this series. He's been plagued by foul trouble at times as well, resulting in him scoring 24.9 Yahoo points or fewer in each game. There just isn't enough upside to warrant spending this much on Adams.
