This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The small slate of games Monday offers plenty of appealing options for both cash game and tournaments in Yahoo DFS. Rookie Jahlil Okafor and the winless 76ers take on the Mavericks at home, as James Harden and the struggling Rockets face a young Celtics squad in Houston. Elite guard options are plentiful, as Russell Westbrook and Damian Lillard will take the court, along with names like Jimmy Butler, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas. In Yahoo Daily Fantasy Basketball, targeting high-priced guards usually leads to success, so squeeze some of the names above into your budget Monday.
GUARD
Isaiah Thomas, BOS at HOU ($32) - The Rockets have really struggled on the defensive end and Thomas is on a bit of a hot streak. He posted his strongest fantasy game of the season Friday, putting up 48 points against the Hawks, and normally when guards are trending up that's the time to employ them in daily fantasy. Thomas isn't going to give you a headache in the salary department and has the upside of an elite guard.
D'Angelo Russell, LAL at PHX ($20) - When the Lakers drafted Russell, they figured he would eventual blossom into a superstar similar to Kobe Bryant. So far things haven't gone exactly as planned, but Russell has still managed to produced enough to make him fantasy relevant. He's consistently filling up the stat sheet with rebounds, assists and steals, key categories in Yahoo DFS. The Lakers are one of the worst teams in the NBA, so they're going to give their young players a chance to prove themselves. Eventually Russell is going to have a breakout game and Monday against Phoenix may be it.
Guard to Avoid
Derrick Rose, CHI vs. IND ($27) - For some reason, Yahoo DFS continues to price Rose way higher than he's worth. We all know the injury history of Rose and that he'll never be the same player, so why pay up to try to bank on him having a throwback performance? Apparently, Rose is dealing with double vision, which has clearly affected his ability to shoot the basketball. The Bulls haven't played great to begin with, so you should avoid Rose as long as he's impaired.
FORWARD
Joakim Noah, CHI vs. IND ($15) - It's hard to find an all-star center priced as conveniently as Noah. He had some injury problem early in the season, but appears to be hitting his stride off the bench for Chicago. He's gone back-to-back games with at least 10 rebounds, posting a season-high 18 boards Friday against the Hornets. His offensive numbers are going to make you cringe, but that doesn't matter if he's putting up double-digit rebounds with five-plus assists per game.
Jeff Green, MEM vs. OKC ($13) - Over the last two games, Green has seen his role increased, replacing Courtney Lee in the starting lineup Sunday against the T-Wolves. He's played 30-plus minutes his last two games, scoring a combined 35 points in that span. Green has proven he can produce when given an ample amount of playing time, and a plus matchup against his former team should allow him to achieve plenty of value at his low price tag.
Forward to Avoid
Evan Turner, BOS at HOU ($27) - Turner returned to his role on the Celtics bench Friday against the Hawks and posted another disappointing line against the Thunder on Sunday. He will always have the potential to post a nice stat line, but that's usually dependant on him getting enough playing time, which he isn't now. Turner's price tag is way too high to invest in with the odds that he'll only get time off the bench.
CENTER
Pau Gasol, CHI vs. IND ($32) - The Bulls run their offense through Gasol and Jimmy Butler, with Gasol being the main beneficiary in fantasy lineups. He's posted a double-double in three of his last four games and gets a nice matchup if the Pacers decide to go small ball and play Paul George at the four with Ian Mahinmi at center. If you're going to play a lot of cash games on Monday, Gasol should be featured in most of your lineups.
Center to Avoid
Zaza Pachulia, DAL at PHI ($20) - The Mavs veteran center is playing some of the best basketball of his career, but that doesn't mean you should buy into him long term. Pachulia isn't going to consistently post double-double stat lines and while the 76ers offer a strong matchup, Pachulia should struggle against Philly's young front court and its athleticism. There are enough cheaper options at center for you to consider outside of Pachulia.
