This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There is only one game in the NBA on Wednesday, but Yahoo stretches its contests into Thursday, leaving you with three games to pick from for your entry. Here are some players to either target or avoid to hopefully end your night a winner.
GUARDS
Terry Rozier, BOS vs. PHI ($31): Rozier couldn't have played much better in Game 1, scoring 54.6 Yahoo points in a double-digit Celtics win. Not only did he score 29 points, but he also provided eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block. He has logged at least 35 minutes in six of eight games in the playoffs so far and will continue to get plenty of playing time with Kyrie Irving (knee) sidelined. At this reasonable price, Rozier is hard to pass up.
Marcus Smart, BOS vs. PHI ($17): Smart stepped into the starting lineup in Game 1 for Jaylen Brown (hamstring), scoring 28.1 Yahoo points in 32 minutes. He didn't provide much scoring, but he chipped in nine assists and one steal. Brown could return Thursday, but Smart is still going to play a key role for the depleted Celtics, whether it's as a starter or off the bench. His upside isn't sky-high, but Smart can provide value if you need to save money at guard.
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Guard to Avoid
Eric Gordon, HOU vs. UTA ($17): With James Harden and Chris Paul running the show for the Rockets, Gordon's role is limited even as one of the best scorers off their bench. He scored 18.6 Yahoo points in Game 1 and has topped 20 Yahoo points only twice so far in the playoffs this year. He doesn't provide much outside of scoring, so it might be best to stay away from him Wednesday.
FORWARDS
LeBron James, CLE at TOR ($58): James willed the Cavaliers to a big win in Game 1, recording a triple-double on his way to 66.7 Yahoo points. In eight playoff games so far, James has two triple-doubles and four double-doubles. He's playing a ton of minutes with a high usage rate, making him someone to target, even with his lofty price tag.
Royce O'Neale, UTA at HOU ($10): O'Neale started Game 1 in place of Ricky Rubio (hamstring) and played 28 minutes. That's a good sign for him moving forward, especially with Dante Exum and Alec Burks playing a total of 32 minutes in that game. O'Neale only scored four points, but his contributions on the defensive end helped him finish with 23.6 Yahoo points. At the minimum price, O'Neale might be worth the risk in tournament play.
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Forward to Avoid
Derrick Favors, UTA at HOU ($18): The Rockets use a lot of small lineups and play at a fast pace, which is not a good matchup for Favors. He only played 26 minutes in Game 1, scoring 18.4 Yahoo points. Expected limited production from him overall in this series, making him someone to avoid Wednesday.
CENTERS
Joel Embiid, PHI at BOS ($40): Embiid played well despite the loss in Game 1, finishing with 54.1 Yahoo points. He scored 31 points in the game, often overmatching Aron Baynes in the process. The Celtics are undersized up front, which helped Embiid grab 13 rebounds. He's going to be a threat for a double-double with plenty of points again Thursday, so don't be afraid to pay up to get him into your lineup.
Jonas Valanciunas, TOR vs. CLE ($21): Valanciunas destroyed the Cavaliers in Game 1, scoring 21 points to go along with 21 rebounds. Although the game did go into overtime, it's important to note that Valanciunas played 34 minutes. He has now logged at least 31 minutes in each of the last games, scoring at least 36.4 Yahoo points in all three contests. If he's going to get that much playing time moving forward, he'll have an excellent opportunity to out produce this price point.
Center to Avoid
Kevin Love, CLE at TOR ($23): Love is really struggling in the playoffs, scoring 26.7 Yahoo points or fewer in seven of eight games. He's been ice cold from the field, shooting just 31.9%. He doesn't provide much in the way of assists or defensive stats, so his value takes a big hit if he's not scoring. With Valanciunas priced two dollars cheaper, he makes a lot more sense than taking a chance on Love coming out of his slump in Game 2.
