Yahoo DFS Basketball: Friday Picks

Yahoo DFS Basketball: Friday Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.

We are set up for a busy Friday in the NBA with 11 games on the schedule. That leaves us with a bevy of players to choose from in DFS, so let's get right to it. Here are some intriguing options to consider for your entries, as well as a few to possibly avoid.

GUARDS

Victor Oladipo, HOU at DET ($33): Injuries continue to be a problem for the Rockets. Not only is John Wall (knee) still out, but now Christian Wood (ankle) will join him on the sidelines. Oladipo has already scored at least 47 Yahoo points in both games since joining the team, so look for him to keep things rolling against the Pistons who are tied for the eighth-most points allowed per game in the league.

Jalen Brunson, DAL at SA ($13): Speaking of sides who will be playing shorthanded, the Mavericks will once again have to take the floor without Josh Richardson (COVID-19) and Dorian Finney-Smith (COVID-19). Brunson also missed four games while in the health and safety protocols, but he's started in both since returning. He's made three total starts this season and scored at least 27.6 Yahoo points in two of those contests. At near the minimum salary, Brunson is worth considering in tournament play since he should start again.

Guard to Avoid

Kemba Walker, BOS at PHI ($22): Walker played 22 minutes against the Sixers on Wednesday and scored 27.4 Yahoo points in the process. He's expected to be eligible to play 25 to 28 minutes in this contest, but that's still limiting his upside. There are plenty of viable players to pick from during such a busy slate, so there's no need to take a chance on a player with a minutes restriction.

FORWARDS

Jerami Grant, DET vs. HOU ($36): If you're looking for a safe cash game play, few players are as appealing as Grant. After posting a dud in his season debut, he's gone on to score at least 30.8 Yahoo points in every game since. In fact, Grant has scored at least 40.8 Yahoo points in seven of his last eight. As one of the leaders of the Pistons' offense, he should continue to offer a high floor.

Eric Gordon, HOU at DET ($16): The Rockets are in desperate need of scoring options. They've relied heavily on Gordon the last two games, which has resulted in him attempting 17 and 20 shots, respectively. He scored at least 21 points in both contests, but also provided very little in the way of rebounds and defensive stats. That is likely a trend that will continue, but Gordon can score enough to provide value at this salary.

Forward to Avoid

Darius Bazley, OKC at LAC ($19): Bazley has struggled offensively by shooting only 38 percent from the field. That's contributed to him scoring fewer than 10 points in four of his last six games. Equally as concerning is that he's pulled down five or fewer rebounds in four of his last five contests. With how Bazley is performing right now, it might be best to look elsewhere.

CENTERS

Clint Capela, ATL at MIN ($34): Capela absolutely destroyed the Pistons on Wednesday by recording 27 points, 26 rebounds and five blocks across 39 minutes. The Hawks have turned to him for added usage because of a litany of injuries, which has helped him average 25 points, 18.7 rebounds and four blocks over the last three. One of those contests came against these same Timberwolves when he scored 55 Yahoo points. Add in the Timberwolves' lack of size up front and Capela could dominate yet again.

Isaiah Roby, OKC at LAC ($11): Al Horford (personal) remains out for the Thunder, which leaves Roby with a starting role. He's taken to the opportunity by scoring at least 23.3 Yahoo points in three straight starts. He's one of the most promising young big men on the team, so he should remain a starter until Horford is able to return.

Center to Avoid

Andre Drummond, CLE vs. BKN ($44): It only took one game of Drummond and Jarrett Allen playing together for there to be red flags. Drummond only played 26 minutes against the Nets on Wednesday while Allen logged 31 minutes and outplayed him. Allen could continue to eat into Drummond's minutes moving forward, making the latter an extremely risky option. There are plenty of other top-tier centers available Friday, so no need to risk it with Drummond.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Mike Barner plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: mbarner, DraftKings: mbarner51.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike Barner
Mike started covering fantasy sports in 2007, joining RotoWire in 2010. In 2018, he was a finalist for the FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Mike also won the 2022-23 FSGA NBA Experts Champions league. In addition to RotoWire, Mike has written for Sportsline, Sports Illustrated, DK Live, RealTime Fantasy Sports, Lineup Lab and KFFL.com.
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