This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA will be rocking Saturday with 10 games on the schedule. Teams have played at a blistering pace this season, leading to some extremely high scoring games. Let's examine the slate and see what players to target and avoid to hopefully cash in on the crazy scoring numbers with a winning DFS entry.
GUARDS
Jimmy Butler, MIN at DAL ($35): Butler requested a trade out of Minnesota before the season began, but the Timberwolves have held firm and kept him on the roster, for now. Even though he sat out the preseason, Butler certainly hasn't shown any rust, scoring at least 49.9 Yahoo points in both of his first two games. He was even 10-for-12 from the field in Friday's contest against the Cavaliers. He seems hell-bent on proving to the Timberwolves that he's the best player on the team, so don't expect the Mavericks to be able to slow him down.
Danny Green, TOR at WAS ($10):Kawhi Leonard was the big return in the trade that sent DeMar DeRozan to the Spurs, but they also nabbed Green in that deal. Not only is Green starting for his new squad, but he's logged at least 32 minutes in both of their first two games. He's averaging one block and 0.8 steals in only 25 minutes per game for his career, so the added playing time could make him a force in terms of defensive stats. He'll also chip in enough points and rebounds to make him a great option at the minimum price.
Guard to Avoid
Josh Jackson, PHO at DEN ($30): Jackson played 28 minutes off the bench for the Suns in their season opener, finishing with 18 points, two rebounds, three assists and a block. It was encouraging to see him shoot 3-for-4 from behind the arc, especially considering he shot 26.3 percent on three-pointers last year. That being said, he only averaged 13.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 25 minutes per game last year. Even if he sees a slight uptick in playing time, he might not be able to contribute enough across the board Saturday to be worth this price.
FORWARDS
Josh Richardson, MIA vs. CHA ($25): With the Heat dealing with several injuries, they've leaned heavily on Richardson to provide offense. He's only shot 38.1 percent from the field in their first two games, but has averaged 21 shot attempts and 24.5 points. Scoring hasn't been his only contribution, either, also averaging 4.5 rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. Justise Winslow (hamstring), James Johnson (abdomen), Wayne Ellington (ankle) and Dion Waiters (ankle) are all either listed as out again Saturday, leaving Richardson with a high minutes floor.
P.J. Tucker, HOU at LAL ($15): Tucker is one of the more underrated players in the league. He might not be one of the biggest names on the Rockets, but he's crucial to their success. His ability to defend multiple positions allows him to stay on the floor a lot, evident by the fact that he played 34 minutes in their season opener. He was able to cash in those minutes for 28.9 Yahoo points. His ceiling isn't off the charts, but this game should be played at a fast pace, leaving him with added opportunities to provide value.
Forward to Avoid
Michael Beasley, LAL vs. HOU ($20): The Lakers brought in a lot of different players over the summer, Beasley being one of them. He only played two minutes in their opener and might not be a part of their main rotations to start the year. Since the majority of his contributions come from points and rebounds, he's not going to provide much value if he's not getting enough minutes.
CENTERS
Andre Drummond, DET at CHI ($47): Drummond destroyed the Nets in his first game, scoring 24 points and grabbing 20 rebounds to go along with a block. His second game of the year comes against a Bulls team that was lit up for 30 points and 12 rebounds by Joel Embiid in their only game so far. The Bulls are going to be one of the worst defensive teams in the league, so expect Drummond to feast Saturday.
JaVale McGee, LAL vs. HOU ($11): Even though the Lakers made several additions to their roster, they are extremely thin at center. McGee will hold down the starting job for now and performed well against the Rockets, scoring 13 points to go along with eight rebounds, one steal and three blocks across 22 minutes. He likely won't see traditional starter minutes, but with his ability to block shots and with LeBron James, Rajon Rondo and Lonzo Ball getting him easy looks, he's a great option at this dirt cheap price.
Center to Avoid
Jonas Valanciunas, TOR at WAS ($21): The Raptors brought Valanciunas off the bench against the Celtics on Friday, resulting in him scoring four points and grabbing five rebounds in only 14 minutes. The Raptors have already said that he will be in and out of the starting five based on matchups, which isn't good news for his value moving forward. The Wizards might be forced to play small if Dwight Howard (back) misses his second consecutive game, so stay away from Valanciunas.
