Yahoo DFS Basketball: Friday Picks

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Updated on March 4, 2016 4:35AM EST

The NBA has 10 games on tap Friday night, a typical slate 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 on Friday.

GUARD

D'Angelo Russell, LAL vs ATL ($21) - Russell is the last man standing in L.A. Lou Williams is out with a hamstring injury, Jordan Clarkson is questionable with a strained left knee tendon that he suffered Wednesday and Kobe Bryant is questionable with his shoulder injury after also having to leave Wednesday's game early. If they all sit, Russell would have to take on an even larger role. As is, he is averaging 26.8 points, 5.0 assists and 3.5 boards over his last four games.

Monta Ellis, IND at CHA ($27) - Ellis has averaged almost 33 fantasy points per game this week and has a good matchup Friday against a Hornets defense that is 26th in the NBA vs. shooting guards.

Guards to Avoid:

Ish Smith, PHI at MIA ($30) - Smith has played well lately, but he has a tough matchup on against a Heat defense that is No. 1 in the NBA against point guards.

C.J. McCollum, POR at TOR ($34) - McCollum has been in a bit of a rut lately, topping 30 fantasy points once in his last five games. On Friday he has another tough matchup against a Raptors defense that ranks sixth in the NBA vs. shooting guards.

FORWARD

Mario Hezonja, ORL vs PHO ($10) - Hezonja has moved into the starting lineup for the Magic with Evan Fournier out. Fournier has missed the last three games with an injured wrist and is questionable to play Friday. Hezonja has scored at least 21.9 fantasy points in three of the last four games and is coming off of a 35.5 fantasy points effort against the Bulls.

Jabari Parker, MIL vs MIN ($24) - Parker has become an impact player the last couple weeks since Bucks coach Jason Kidd shook up the starting lineup. Over his last eight games, Parker is averaging 21.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and a steal per game.

Forwards to Avoid:

Otto Porter, WAS at CLE ($22) - Porter has totaled more than 22 fantasy points twice in his last eight games and is coming off of an 8.4 fantasy points effort against the Timberwolves in his last outing. On Friday he faces LeBron James and the Cavaliers, who are fourth in the NBA against small forwards.

Kevin Love, CLE vs WAS ($33) - Love has been up-and-down this week, with two games of less than 18 fantasy points in his last four outings. On Friday he faces a Wizards defense that is fifth in the NBA against power forwards.

Center

Al Horford, ATL at LAL ($31) - Horford has scored at least 30 fantasy points in six straight games and in his last five outings he has four games of at least 39 fantasy points. On Friday he faces a Lakers defense that is 29th in the NBA at limiting production to opposing centers.

Center to Avoid:

Nikola Vucevic, ORL vs PHO ($36) - Vucevic is a productive center, but he has the second highest price among centers on Friday night while he faces the No. 1 defense in the NBA against centers.

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.