This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Monday should be a wild night in the NBA with 11 games on the schedule. Among the teams in action will be the Rockets, Warriors and Sixers, so there will certainly be no shortage of star power. We also have another opportunity to win some cash on Yahoo, so here are some players to target, as well as a few to avoid, while creating your lineup.
GUARD
Brandon Ingram, NO vs. GS ($32): With Zion Williamson (knee) on the sidelines, the Pelicans have relied on Ingram for added production. He hasn't disappointed, scoring at least 42.5 Yahoo points in each of their first three games. Both of these teams are inside the top 10 in the league in pace of play in the early going and the Warriors have been a mess defensively, allowing an average of 130.5 points over their first two games. Look for Ingram to have another strong showing here.
Josh Hart, NO vs. GS ($14): Another player who has benefited from the absence of Williamson is Hart, who has logged at least 26 minutes in each of the Pelicans' three games. He hasn't let the opportunity go to waste, scoring at least 30.5 Yahoo points in each contest. Even if Jrue Holiday (knee) returns for this game, Hart still has a significant enough role on the team to warrant consideration at such a cheap price.
Guard to Avoid
Terrence Ross, ORL at TOR ($16): The Magic need Ross to provide a scoring punch off the bench, but he's having a rough go of it out of the gate. After shooting 4-for-13 in their opener against the Cavaliers, he went 1-for-8 against the Hawks in their second game. He is prone to hold and cold streaks, so don't be surprised if it takes him another game or two to turn things around. Facing a tough defensive team in the Raptors isn't the time to take a chance on him breaking out, even if he might have extra motivation facing his old club.
FORWARD
Tobias Harris, PHI at ATL ($30): This should be a fun matchup between a team with championship aspirations in the Sixers and a young, up and coming team in the Hawks. Harris is now in his first full season with the Sixers and should be in line for a more prominent role now that Jimmy Butler is no longer with the team. He's started off with games of 41 and 41.9 Yahoo points, leaving him as an appealing mid-tier option to target.
Frank Kaminsky, PHO vs. UTA ($16): This is not an ideal matchup against the Jazz, but that doesn't mean Kaminsky can't provide value. In the two games since Deandre Ayton was suspended, Kaminsky has logged 33 and 29 minutes. He also faced two strong defensive teams in the Nuggets and Clippers, but that didn't stop him from scoring at least 31.7 Yahoo points in both contests.
Forward to Avoid
Jabari Parker, ATL vs. PHI ($21): Parker's price continues to fall, but it's still too high for my liking. He didn't play more than 23 minutes in either of the Hawks' first two games, scoring 19.2 and 16.3 Yahoo points. Kaminsky has a much more significant role with his team and is five dollars cheaper, so no need to overthink this one.
CENTER
Nikola Jokic, DEN at SAC ($48): Of all the high-priced options on this slate, Jokic stands out as one of the most appealing. His ability to stuff the stat sheet in multiple categories leaves him with a tremendously high floor. He came through with a triple-double in his last game against the Suns, finishing with 61.8 Yahoo points. The Kings have allowed an average of 119.7 points through their first three games and are dealing with injuries up front, so look for Jokic to take advantage.
Cody Zeller, CHA at LAC ($18): The Hornets have depth problems throughout their roster, but especially at center. Zeller's locked into a starting role after averaging 10.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists across 25 minutes a game last season. He's already logged double-doubles in both games that he's played in this season and even chipped in three steals and three blocks versus the Lakers on Sunday. If you're looking to fade Jokic, Zeller is awfully appealing at this price.
Center to Avoid
Marc Gasol, TOR vs. ORL ($19): Gasol's production took a nosedive after he was traded to the Raptors last season and still hasn't recovered. The problem is playing time, since he averaged only 25 minutes across 26 games with them last season and has averaged 27 minutes a night this season through three games. As long as Pascal Siakam and Serge Ibaka are healthy, don't expect Gasol to see an uptick in minutes anytime soon.
