This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA has only eight games on tap Friday night, a relatively light schedule for a Friday. There are plenty of solid matchups, and not a whole lot of terrible ones, so there is a good potential for high scores.
GUARD
Mike Conley, MEM at LAL ($29) - Conley has taken on a more active role for the Grizzlies since Marc Gasol went down, with more than 30 fantasy points in five of his last six and more than 40 fantasy points in two of those games. His last gem, a 44.2 fantasy points explosion, came against the porous point-guard defense of the Lakers, who he plays again Friday.
Jamal Crawford, LAC at SAC ($20) - Crawford threw up an epic clunkder on Monday against the Suns, notching only one fantasy point in 17 minutes. Outside of that, though, he has scored 24.9 to 38.6 fantasy points in his other nine most recent games. He bounced back with a solid 28 fantasy points effort Wednesday and should be poised for a solid game against a Kings defense that is last in the NBA at defending shooting guards.
Guards to Avoid:
Derrick Rose, CHI at ATL ($29) - Rose was on a great streak until Wednesday, when he was held out without warning due to tendonitis in his right hamstring. He is questionable to play Friday, but even if he does he would face a Hawks defense that is fourth in the NBA against point guards. With the injury hanging over his head, Rose is one to avoid.
DeMar DeRozan, TOR vs CLE ($39) - There aren't any obvious shooting guards to avoid Friday. DeRozan and Victor Oladipo are the highest priced SGs on the board, and both play against defenses that are strong against shooting guards. But Oladipo is $9 less expensive than DeRozan, and has been playing him to a standstill as far as averages over their last five games. Thus, DeRozan is in this space for a high price and tough matchup, more so than any indication that he is in for a terrible game.
FORWARD
Evan Fournier, ORL at NY ($22) - Fournier played well as the starter with Tobias Harris out, and now that Harris has been moved to Detroit, Fournier is the short-term incumbent for the position. Ersan Ilyasova's presence could eventually push into his minutes, but for now Fournier is still starting. Fournier has averaged more than 32 fantasy points per game in his last six.
Aaron Gordon, ORL at NY ($23) - Gordon, like Evan Fournier, had a hot stretch going into the break with Tobias Harris out of town. Gordon has scored at least 30 fantasy points in seven straight games, and didn't even slow down in a difficult matchup with Draymond Green and the Warriors on Wednesday.
Forwards to Avoid:
Danilo Gallinari, DEN at DAL ($34) - Gallinari is the fourth-most expensive small forward, but he also has the toughest matchup among the impact guys, facing a Mavs defense that is sixth in the NBA against small forwards. His direct assignment, Chandler Parsons, has the length and quickness to defend Gallinari all over the court, negating the size and/or perimeter advantage that Gallinari has against most forwards.
DeMarcus Cousins, SAC vs LAC ($58) - This is the riskiest pick here, as Cousins always has the potential to lift the roof with a 60-point game on a given night. However, he is the highest-priced player on the board on Friday, BY FAR the highest-priced power forward ($18 more than second-place Paul Millsap and $25 more than third-place Kevin Love), and he has a difficult matchup against a Clippers defense that is sixth in the NBA against power forwards.
CENTER
Al Horford, ATL vs CHI ($29) - Horford is coming off of a 66.7 fantasy points detonation against the Warriors on Monday, but he is a strong play most nights at a relatively reasonable price. On Friday, he faces a Bulls team that is last in the NBA at defending centers.
Al Jefferson, CHA at IND ($21) - Jefferson is only playing 23 minutes per game since his return from injury, and is only averaging a bit more than 19 fantasy points per game. If a player's price is higher than his scoring average and similar to his minutes played, he's not a good bet for a given night, especially against a tough Pacers defense that is seventh in the NBA against centers.
