This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There are only three games in the NBA on Tuesday, but two of them should be exciting with the Celtics facing the Raptors and the Nuggets hosting the Thunder. That also means several of the league's best players will be in action. Let's dive into the matchups and highlight some players to target and avoid while creating your Yahoo entry.
GUARDS
Russell Westbrook, OKC at DEN ($55): After posting 11 straight triple-doubles, Westbrook has failed to achieve that feat in either of his last two games. However, he still scored 77 and 58 Yahoo points, respectively, in those two contests. With the Thunder playing at the third-fastest pace (104.1 possessions per game) in the league and Westbrook's ability to stuff the stat sheet in multiple areas, he has one of the highest floors of anyone in the league.
D.J. Augustin, ORL at NY ($12): While he might not be a big name, Isaiah Briscoe (concussion) has taken on a larger role within the Magic's second unit of late. In fact, he had logged at least 20 minutes in six straight games before having to sit out Sunday against the Raptors. The Magic are already thin at point guard, so expect them to lean heavily on Augustin for production.
Guard to Avoid
Terry Rozier, BOS at TOR ($25): On a night with so few games, Rozier checks in as the fifth-most expensive guard. He's scored 22.3 Yahoo points or fewer in three straight games and logged 20 minutes or fewer in back-to-back contests. With the rest of his backcourt mates healthy, it's hard to justify paying this much to get him into your entry.
FORWARDS
Jonathan Isaac, ORL at NY ($20): Isaac rebounded from a dud of a performance against the Bulls to score 28.2 Yahoo points Sunday against the Raptors. That means he's now scored at least that many Yahoo points in 11 of his last 12 contests. The Knicks don't have a lot of quality depth up front, especially if DeAndre Jordan (ankle) is unable to play, leaving Isaac with the potential to thrive.
Damyean Dotson, NY vs. ORL ($11): Dotson is starting to get hot offensively. He's averaged 19 points across his last four games and just torched the Spurs for 27 points Sunday. The key is that he logged at least 31 minutes in three of those four contests. The Knicks rotations are hard to predict, but with Frank Ntilikina (groin) still out, there are more minutes to go around. Taking a chance on Dotson to keep his hot streak going makes a lot of sense at this cheap price.
Forward to Avoid
Noah Vonleh, NY vs. ORL ($14): With Jordan out Sunday, Vonleh returned to the starting lineup. However, he still only played 18 minutes. He's now scored 18.2 Yahoo points or fewer in nine straight games and looks to be on the outside looking in with regards to a substantial role. Even though he's not expensive, he's not worth taking a chance on based on his lack of playing time.
CENTERS
Nikola Vucevic, ORL at NY ($43): The popular high-priced option at center Tuesday might be Nikola Jokic ($50), but don't forget about Vucevic. He's been just as hot, scoring at least 52.4 Yahoo points in three of his last four games. The Knicks have had plenty of problems defending centers, resulting in them allowing the ninth-most Yahoo points per game (41.4) to the position. At a significantly cheaper price, Vucevic has the potential to provide even more value than Jokic based on this matchup.
Mitchell Robinson, NY vs. ORL ($19): If Jordan doesn't play, Robinson will once again be in line for added playing time. He logged 30 minutes with Jordan out Sunday against the Spurs and finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks. He's certainly a shot blocking machine with at least three rejections in six of his last seven contests. His price is climbing, but he still provides plenty of upside.
Center to Avoid
Marc Gasol, TOR vs. BOS ($21): Gasol was given his first start as a member of the Raptors on Sunday against the Magic. However, he still only played 24 minutes, which resulted in him scoring 28.5 Yahoo points. It appears whether he starts or comes off of the bench, he's going to see a decline in playing time because of the presence of Serge Ibaka and Pascal Siakam. With Robinson priced two dollars cheaper, passing on Gasol might be a wise move.
