This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There are eight games on Sunday's NBA slate, with each one having a unique start time, which means it's imperative to focus on injury designations and stray away from any question marks. Luckily, there aren't many big injuries out there. There's one game that should likely be avoided is the Utah-Memphis matchup, which features two defenses that rank top-three in defensive efficiency and points allowed, in addition to being two of the three slowest-paced teams in the league.
GUARDS
D'Angelo Russell, LAL vs. ORL ($24): Russell got off to a dreadful start the season, but he appears to be turning it around. He has scored at least 30 fantasy points in five straight games, and a lot of his production comes from non-point stats. Given his recent floor, $24 is a heck of a bargain.
T.J. McConnell, PHI at BRK ($14): McConnell has taken over starting point guards duties in the absence of Sergio Rodriguez, and he's playing the best ball of his career. Recording at least eight assists in three straight games is impressive in itself, but a 17-assist gem in his most recent game shows just how good he can be. The price and matchup are equally as encouraging, as he faces a Nets defense that ranks last in fantasy points allowed to point guards. At just $14, McConnell is easily the value of the day with his upside and spectacular matchup.
Guard to Avoid
Rodney Hood, UTA at MEM ($16): Hood has been downright bad this season, and he's impossible to use against an elite Grizzlies defense. He has failed to surpass 24 fantasy points in 10 straight games and is barely averaging double-digit fantasy points in that span. What's killed him is the emergence of other players, as Gordon Hayward, George Hill and Rudy Gobert have all taken on bigger offensive roles this season. The matchup may be the biggest reason to fade him, as he is likely looking at the Tony Allen treatment.
FORWARDS
Joel Embiid, PHI at BRK ($35): Embiid's minutes are always a worry, but what should make that a moot point is that he faces a Nets defense that ranks as the worst in the NBA. The last time Embiid faced Brooklyn, he dropped 54 fantasy points in the best game of his career. What's even crazier about that is the fact that he did that damage in just 27 minutes. While he is worrisome with the minutes restriction, Embiid is still a great bet to exceed value with his sky-high usage rate in such a promising matchup.
Aaron Gordon, ORL at LAL ($15): Gordon is in the best stretch of his career, as he's finally living up to lofty expectations. He is averaging 17.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game over his last four, which is an average of over 32 fantasy points per outing, amazing value for $15. If that's not enough incentive, the Lakers have allowed the third-most fantasy points to small forwards this season and rank as one of the worst defenses in the league.
Forward to Avoid
Gordon Hayward, UTA at MEM ($37): Hayward is in a bit of a slump and that seems likely to continue against a scary Memphis defense. With fewer than 75 fantasy points over his last three games, Hayward has not been living up to his lofty price. The form doesn't scare me as much as the matchup, as the Grizzlies are allowing the fewest fantasy points to small forwards this season.
CENTERS
Tyson Chandler, PHX vs. CLE ($15): Chandler hasn't been dominant this season, but he's provided value night after night. What makes him so good is his ability to rebound, as he has 38 boards over his last two games. While Chandler's unlikely to go off here, he's a near guarantee to reach value at just $15. The matchup is solid, as he should have no problem grabbing boards against an undersized Tristan Thompson. To further that point, the Cavaliers are allowing centers to grab over 15 boards per game, which is tied for the sixth-most in the league.
Zaza Pachulia, GS at SAC ($10): This is a dart throw, but there's reason to believe Pachulia will be used more than usual. The Warriors have no one else who can match up with DeMarcus Cousins, which means Pachulia should be looking at 25 minutes and he'll easily provide value if he plays that much. The last five games that Pachulia has played at least 21 minutes were against the Grizzlies, Clippers, Timberwolves, Nets and Utah Jazz, and those teams all have one thing in common: a dominant big man like the Kings.
Center to Avoid
Marc Gasol, MEM vs. UTA ($33) and Rudy Gobert, UTA at MEM ($29): This game is worth avoiding on all fronts and I just can't use these two guys against one another. While I love both of these players, this seems like a circumstance where they'll just shut one another down. Memphis ranks first in fantasy points allowed to centers, while Utah ranks fourth. In addition, both teams rank bottom-three in pace and top-three in total defense.
