Yahoo DFS Basketball: Saturday Picks

Yahoo DFS Basketball: Saturday Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.

Saturdays tend to be larger slates, but we have just five games making up this night card. That's a small amount for a Saturday card, but there's still a ton to talk about. What's lovely about this slate is that we have a ton of top teams facing off. All 10 teams on this card are expected to be in the postseason, and it should lead to an exciting night.

Guards

Tyler Herro, MIA vs. UTA ($23)

Herro has been a volatile player throughout his career, but he's finally coming into his own. What's made him so good is his role, taking on the Sixth Man job for Miami. That's skyrocketed his usage numbers, averaging 17.3 shots and a 33 percent usage rate. That's on par with some of the superstars in our league, and it makes it shocking that he's only $23. It's not like it's empty usage either, with Herro averaging 32.4 Yahoo points per game. Facing Utah is no easy task, but with Kyle Lowry possibly missing this game, Herro should be in for a big night. 

Shake Milton, PHI at CHI ($12)

The Sixers have been trying to figure things out without Ben Simmons, and it looks like they're going to lean on Shake from here on out. The talented SMU product made his first start on Thursday, dropping 35 Y! points across a season-high 34 minutes. That minute total is the most important thing here, with Milton maintaining an 18-point average in fewer than 19 minutes a game for the season. That's the per-minute numbers were looking for, and if Shake gets another start, he should be a lock in DFS lineups with this $12 price tag. We also don't mind that Philly could be without Furkan Korkmaz and Tobias Harris too. 

Guard to Avoid

Damian Lillard, POR vs. LAL ($41)

Something is off with Dame right now. The superstar point guard dealt with an ab injury throughout the offseason, and it's altering his jumper right now. Lillard is shooting 35 percent from the field and 23 percent from three-point range. That has kept him below 46 Yahoo points in all nine games played, which is pretty much the minimum you'd need from a player north of $40. Los Angeles isn't an easy matchup either, with the Lakers likely matching him up with Avery Bradley for 30-plus minutes. That's led to the Lakers surrendering the fewest fantasy points to opposing PGs this season which is scary since Lillard had four points on 2-of-11 shooting on Friday. 

Forwards

Anthony Davis, LAL at POR ($49)

It's unclear if Davis will suit up with a thumb issue, but he's the play of the day if he does. We say that because LeBron James is expected to miss this game, leaving AD to feast. With LeBron off the floor last season, AD led the team with a 36 percent usage rate while averaging 1.4 Y! points per minute. That rate played out on Thursday, with Davis dropping 64 Yahoo points. That sort of line is commonplace for this guy, and it's shocking that he sits below $50 in such a profitable spot. The matchup is pristine, too, with Portland ranked 29th in total defense last year and 21st this year. 

De'Andre Hunter, ATL at PHX ($10)

There's always a few minimum-priced players that shouldn't be such, and Hunter is one of those guys. This youngster averaged nearly 30 Yahoo points per game before getting injured last year, and we have to believe that's sustainable since he's only a sophomore. He's shown flashes of that recently, registering 71 fantasy points across his last three games. That equates to a 24-point average, and you really can't ask for anything more from a $10 player. Kevin Huerter picking up DNPs only adds to Hunter's intrigue, giving him even more opportunities.  

Forward to Avoid

Norman Powell, POR vs. LAL ($21)

Powell just had one of the best games of his career on Wednesday, but that's the outlier game of the year. While he did drop 46 Yahoo points, Powell had 21 or fewer fantasy points in four of his first five games. He never scored above 28 fantasy points in any of those either, equating to a 19-point average. That obviously won't get it done from a $21 player, and now's a good time to hop off the train after a price bump and outlier performance. It's not like we expect him to reach that total again versus a Top-5 Lakers defense from last year, either. 

Centers

Rudy Gobert, UTA at MIA ($36)

Gobert is always one of the top candidates for Defensive Player of the Year, and he's actually in the midst of his best season. Rudy has scored at least 35 Y! points in all seven games, providing a 44-point average. Those are ridiculous numbers from a $36 player, and it's sustainable with how much value he provides through rebounding and blocks. Grabbing 17.3 rebounds a night will give you that sort of floor, and we're going to keep using him until he gets to $40. Facing Miami is a tough matchup, but them ranking 26th in pace should allow Gobert to feast in the paint even more. 

Robert Williams, BOS at DAL ($23)

The Time Lord has finally gotten the starting job fantasy managers have been waiting for! He has absurd per-minute averages, providing nearly 1.4 Y! points per minute for his career. We haven't seen that upside yet this season, but 30 Yahoo points across 30 minutes a night is nothing to scoff at. That tells us that he's playing at his floor right now, which is crazy since he's only $23 on Yahoo. Dallas has been one of the best matchups for centers over recent years, too, sending out one of the worst center rotations in the NBA. That's evident when you see that they surrender the second-most fantasy points to opposing centers this season.  

Center to Avoid

Andre Drummond, PHI at CHI ($22)

Drummond has been in the fade and recommendation section at different times this season, and it's easy to figure out when he'll be in each. When Joel Embiid plays, he'll be a fade, but when Embiid is out, Drummond will be a recommendation! It's elementary to understand why, with Drummond playing just 15.7 minutes a night in a reserve role. He is one of the best per-minute producers we've ever seen, but you simply can't use a $22 player who won't play more than 12-18 minutes. He's never reached the 20-minute mark in any game that Embiid has started, making Drummond off-limits in every format. Chicago is not an easy matchup anyway, with the Bulls ranked fifth in defensive efficiency ratings. 

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. Joel Bartilotta plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: DraftKings: Joelbartilotta Yahoo: Joelbartilotta.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joel Bartilotta
Joel has 20 years of Fantasy experience, and can recall riding a young Daunte Culpepper to a championship in the 2003-04 season in his inaugural fantasy year. He covers NBA, NFL, daily fantasy, EPL, and MLB for RotoWire.
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