This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA follows up a busy Monday with eight more games on the schedule Tuesday. Highlighted by a matchup between the Sixers and Raptors, the evening has the potential for plenty of excitement. Let's try to add to the fun with a winning entry on Yahoo. Here are some players to target and avoid as you work your way through the options.
GUARDS
De'Aaron Fox, SAC at ORL ($25): Limited to 28 minutes per game last year, Fox is getting more playing time to start this season. It has done wonders for his value, helping him average 18 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 1.4 steals across 33 minutes per contest. His 65.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line has been a drag, but he's been efficient from the field at 48.4 percent. The Kings are playing at the second-fastest pace (107.6 possessions per game) in the league, which should lead for plenty of opportunities for Fox to stuff the stat sheet again Tuesday.
Kent Bazemore, ATL at CLE ($20): The Hawks are a rebuilding team that has a long way to go before being relevant again. They have a few key veterans on the roster that are trying to help usher their young players into the league, Bazemore being one of them. However, he's much more than just a veteran presence, averaging 30 minutes per game. The added playing time, along with the Hawks playing at the fastest pace (108.8), has helped Bazemore score at least 33.1 Yahoo points in three of his last four games. One of those was when he scored 39 Yahoo points against these same Cavaliers, who are among the worst defensive teams in the league.
Guard to Avoid
Dennis Schroder, OKC vs. LAC ($29): With the Thunder badly needing to address their lack of depth this summer, the addition of Schroder was key for their roster. He showed his upside in the first game of the season when Russell Westbrook was out, scoring 46.8 Yahoo points in 34 minutes. The problem for Schroder's production now is that Westbrook is healthy. That's led to Schroder playing 27 minutes or fewer and scoring 25.3 Yahoo points or fewer in both of his last two games.
FORWARDS
Aaron Gordon, ORL vs. SAC ($29): Not only do the Kings play at a fast pace, but they allow the fourth-most points per game (119.3). This could be a high-scoring affair that provides plenty of juicy stat lines. Gordon has cooled off a bit lately, scoring 25.8 Yahoo points in each of his last three games. It should be noted, though, that those came against three much better defensive teams in the Celtics, Blazers and Bucks. Before that, he had scored at least 44.2 Yahoo points in two of his first three games. Look for him to bounce back in a big way Tuesday.
Nemanja Bjelica, SAC at ORL ($15): The Kings are off to a surprising 4-3 start, and while Fox has been a big reason for their improved play, so has the addition of Bjelica. His playing time has been a bit up and down, which is probably the only reason why he's priced this low. In the four games in which he has played at least 30 minutes, he's scored at least 35 Yahoo points in each contest. At this cheap price, he might be worth the risk in tournament play.
Forward to Avoid
Gordon Hayward, BOS vs. DET ($19): When the playoffs come around, the Celtics are hoping Hayward will be healthy and a big part of their run towards a championship. They are taking a very cautious approach with him right now, though, limiting him to 25 minutes or fewer in each of his first five games. Until his minutes restriction is lifted, his upside is too limited to make him a viable option for your entry, especially when Bjelica is four dollars cheaper.
CENTERS
Nikola Vucevic, ORL vs. SAC ($33): The Magic have had their issues scoring this season and have averaged the fewest points per game (100.8). Vucevic has been one of their offensive bright spots, averaging 19.2 points per game and shooting 58.5 percent from the field. His 24.8 percent usage rate is second-highest on the team, so he could be one of the main beneficiaries of the fast pace at which this game will likely be played.
Larry Nance Jr., CLE vs. ATL ($16): The Cavaliers were quickly dealt a crushing blow when it was learned that Kevin Love (foot) could be out for up to a month. They didn't have much talent, to begin with, so it's going to be ugly until he returns. If you're looking for a positive side to Love's injury, it's that Nance now has a clear path to significant playing time. With Love out the last two games, Nance scored at least 34.7 Yahoo points in both contests. He could be one of the better bargain plays at any position Tuesday.
Center to Avoid
Andre Drummond, DET at BOS ($43): This is more about the overall landscape at center Tuesday than it is Drummond's production. If you want to pay up at center, Joel Embiid doesn't cost much more than Drummond at $46. There are also a lot of cheaper options with high upsides, including Nance, Willie Cauley-Stein ($24) and Montrezl Harrell ($16). The Celtics just limited Drummond to 32.1 Yahoo points Saturday, so while there will be plenty of nights that you want to pay up to get him into your lineup, this might not be one of them.
