This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA doesn't bring a lot of treats on Halloween with there being only three games on the schedule Thursday. That doesn't leave us with a lot of options on Yahoo, but there are still matchups to take advantage of while compiling your lineup. Let's discuss some of them, as well as some players to stay away from.
GUARDS
Brandon Ingram, NO vs. DEN ($36): Ingram has certainly been busy during his first four games with the Pelicans. He's averaged a whopping 21 shot attempts per contest, leaving him with a 29.1 percent usage rate. He's also been very active on the glass, hauling in at least eight rebounds three times. With Zion Williamson (knee) still out and Derek Favors (knee) listed as doubtful, the Pelicans will continue to rely heavily on Ingram in that department. This matchup against the Nuggets isn't great, but Ingram is still worth considering based on his role.
DeAndre' Bembry, ATL vs. MIA ($11): It appears the Hawks may have dodged a bullet with Trae Young's ankle injury. While it looked bad, there have been reports that he could be back as early as next week. However, he'll be out for this contest, leaving the Hawks with a gaping hole at point guard. Bembry started the second half when Young went down and finished with nine points, five assists and a steal. Expect him to be counted on to help facilitate the offense again in this contest, making him an appealing option at nearly the minimum price.
Guard to Avoid
Lonzo Ball, NO vs. DEN ($28): Ingram isn't the only former Laker making a great first impression with his new team. Ball has scored at least 34.3 Yahoo points in each of the last three games and stepped up to run their offense with Jrue Holiday (knee) out the last two contests. Holiday is listed as probable for this matchup and the Nuggets are one of the best defensive teams in the league, so I'm hesitant to pull the trigger on Ball at this price.
FORWARDS
Jimmy Butler, MIA at ATL ($35): Butler was his usual aggressive self in his Heat debut Tuesday, getting to the line 15 times and taking 11 shots from the field. He finished with 21 points and was only needed to play 31 minutes with the Heat building a sizable lead. There is some blowout potential for this game with Young out for the Hawks, but Butler is still one of the safer options on the slate, especially at this reasonable price.
Will Barton, DEN at NO ($17): The Pelicans have played at the fifth-fastest pace in the league so far, which should come as no surprise considering they played at the second-fastest pace last season. The Nuggets should be one of the more popular teams to pursue, as a result, with Barton checking in as one of the more budget-friendly options. He's never been one to shy away from shot attempts and is averaging 14 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals through four games.
Forward to Avoid
Jerami Grant, DEN at NO ($17): With the Nuggets being one of the deepest teams in the league, a lot of their players have limited upsides. One of them is Grant, who has logged 24 minutes or fewer in three of their four games. He's only reached double-digit points one time and was even held scoreless in their last game versus the Mavericks. Since he's not overly cheap, it's difficult to justify taking a chance on him.
CENTERS
Nikola Jokic, DEN at NO ($45): This is the cheapest that Jokic has been priced so far this season. While he did have a monster performance that resulted in 61.8 Yahoo points in their second game of the season against the Suns, he's scored 42 Yahoo points or fewer in each of their other three games. Still, his ability to contribute across the board leaves him with a very high floor, making him one of the top options at any position for this slate.
Bam Adebayo, MIA at ATL ($24): The Hawks had no answer for Adebayo when these two teams met Tuesday, leaving him to finish with 17 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks. He's now scored at least 43.3 Yahoo points in each of his last three games and is locked into heavy playing time with Hassan Whiteside no longer in the picture. If you want to fade Jokic in order to spend up elsewhere, Adebayo might be your man at the five.
Center to Avoid
Jaxson Hayes, NO vs. DEN ($26): Hayes made his NBA debut against the Warriors on Monday and immediately made an impact by scoring 19 points across 24 minutes. However, he did have only three rebounds and the Warriors don't have much size to speak of outside of Draymond Green. While he's likely in line to play again with Favors expected to sit, I'd much rather roll with a more sure-thing in Adebayo and save two dollars along the way.
