This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Just five games on the NBA schedule for Sunday, but we'll find some great value plays to help push owners over the top.
GUARD
Brandon Knight, PHX at LAL ($37) - Knight has struggled the last four games, but his price drop makes him enticing. An injury to Eric Bledsoe has opened more offensive opportunities for Knight, but he's yet to capitalize. He could do it Sunday, though, against the defensively inept Lakers. He has had multiple outings of 60-plus fantasy points and faces a Lakers team that has been bad against point guards this season. The Lakers allow more than 50 fantasy points a game to point guards, last in the NBA. This should be a fast-paced, high-scoring game, and it would be hard to argue that Knight is not the most talented player on the floor in this matchup. Devin Booker is also an intriguing option at a minimum price with the same matchup.
Lou Williams, LAL vs. PHX ($18) - Williams has taken over as the starting point guard for the Lakers. He has scored at least 27 fantasy points in three consecutive games and at least 25 in 10 of his last 13. That's a fantastic return on investment for an $18 player. He faces a Suns defense that is easily one of the worst in the NBA, as Phoenix gave up 142 points to the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. This should be a high-scoring game with a lot of tempo, which benefits a player like Williams, as well.
Guard to Avoid:
John Wall, WSH vs. MIA ($51) - This is a risky fade, but all the factors point to avoiding Wall. He is a $51 player who barely averages 41 fantasy points a game. What makes it even worse is that he faces a Heat defense that ranks second in the NBA in points allowed and fantasy points allowed to point guards. Miami also plays at the second-lowest pace and will surely try to muck the game down to contain an up-tempo player like Wall. The ceiling for Wall here is 50 points, which is simply not enough value to do well in a GPP with his price.
FORWARD
Taj Gibson, CHI at TOR ($16) - Gibson has been a fantasy godsend recently, exceeding his value nearly every day. He has scored at least 22 fantasy points in six consecutive games, which destroys his $16 price tag. A rash of injuries in Chicago has solidified a starting role for Gibson, and he has played about 30 minutes a game in that span. What makes him so reliable is his rebounding, as he is averaging about 10 boards per game in that span, as well. If that's not enough, he has a matchup against Luis Scola, which is fantastic for any power forward considering the Raptors rank in the bottom 10 in fantasy points allowed to power forwards this season. A 22-point floor for a $16 player is a must-use in Yahoo's format.
T.J. Warren, PHX at LAL ($13) - Since the injury to Eric Bledsoe, Warren has been asked to step in to the starting lineup and carry the scoring load. He has done just that recently, playing extremely well. Over his last four games, Warren is averaging 20.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game. That's about 30 fantasy points a game, which is about as good a return on investment as you can get on Yahoo. He has also taken 61 shots in that four-game span, so it's clear they want him to be one of the go-to players in the offense. If that's not enough, he gets a matchup against the Lakers, arguably the worst defense in the NBA.
Forward to Avoid:
Kristaps Porzingis, NYK vs. ATL ($36) - Porzingis appears to be hitting the proverbial rookie wall, and his price is still sky high. He hasn't surpassed 26 fantasy points in six of his last eight games and has had five outings with 17 fantasy points or fewer in his last 14 games. Most worrisome, though, are his minutes, as he is averaging just 24 minutes per game over his last four games. If there's another player who costs $36 playing less than 25 minutes per game, let's hear it. The matchup against Atlanta is good, but Porzingis is simply too risky.
CENTER
Tyson Chandler, PHX at LAL ($10) - Chandler has had a terrible season in Phoenix, but he's recently regained the starting role and is playing well. Entering his last game, from which he was ejected, he had averaged 21 fantasy points per game in his previous four. That's twice the value for a minimum priced player, which is nearly impossible to find. This is a beautiful matchup as well, as the Lakers are one of the league leaders in missed shots, allowing a league-high 16.5 rebounds to centers. This is certainly a risky play with Chandler's role a bit up in the air, but if he starts, he's a great value play at a minimum price.
CENTER TO AVOID:
Bismack Biyombo, TOR vs. CHI ($18) - I was one of the conductor's of the Biyombo train when he was starting, but now that Jonas Valanciunas is back and healthy, we have to stay away from him. Since Valanciunas' return, Biyombo has yet to surpass 27 minutes or take more than seven shots in a game. He is averaging just 24 minutes a game and less than four field-goal attempts per game. He is priced as the seventh-highest center for Sunday, and it's clear the price drop is just slow to react. Some may look at his ridiculously good form in December and use him, but the role is simply no longer there for huge games.
