This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
With most eyes fixated on the Super Bowl, NBA fans get stuck with a short three-game slate. One thing to keep in mind is just how early these games are being played, as they start at 12:00 p.m. EST, with the last game starting at 3 p.m., which means it's crucial to get your lineups in early and check injury reports.
GUARDS
Russell Westbrook, OKC vs. POR ($62): Westbrook is easily the premier option on this slate and he's impossible to avoid. Not only is he averaging a triple-double for the season, he gets to face Portland team that ranks 25th in defensive efficiency. Just get the guaranteed 50-plus fantasy points into your lineup and build from there.
Norman Powell, TOR at BRK ($15): When DeMar DeRozan sits, Powell performs. Not only has Powell played at least 31 minutes in his last six starts, he's averaging 27 fantasy points per game in those games. That's incredible production for a $15 player and he should do work against a Brooklyn team that ranks last in total defense and allows the second-most fantasy points per game to shooting guards this season.
Guard to Avoid
Avery Bradley, BOS vs. LAC ($24)/DeMar DeRozan, TOR at BRK ($42): Both of these guys are questionable coming into their respective matchups and it simply makes them too hard to trust. Both players tried to come back from their ailments early, but they played one ineffective game and went back on the shelf. That worries me even more, because if they do end up playing, they could suffer a setback. While both of these players have huge upside, just scratch them off your list and avoid the risk.
FORWARDS
Blake Griffin, LAC at BOS ($39): Griffin is the only elite forward on the slate, and he comes at an affordable price. What I like most about Griffin right now is his usage, as he's essentially used as a point-forward with Chris Paul out of the lineup. That means he's one of the only players on the slate who can lead his team in points, rebounds and assists, aside from Westbrook. This is a matchup he can exploit too, with Boston allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game to power forwards this season.
Joffrey Lauvergne, OKC vs. POR ($10): Lauvergne is coming off his best game of the season Friday, and it appears he's taken over for Enes Kanter. In that win over Memphis on Friday, Lauvergne had 27 fantasy points in 29 minutes against one of the best defenses in the league. He gets a far better matchup Sunday, as he faces a Portland defense who allows the third-most fantasy points per game to power forwards this season.
Forward to Avoid
Trevor Booker, BRK vs. TOR ($18): Booker has been relegated to bench duties recently, and he's really starting to see a major hit to his minutes. Over his last six games, Booker hasn't surpassed 25 minutes in any of those and is barely cracking 20 minutes. What makes him even more unattractive is the fact that he's the third-highest-priced forward on the slate and it would be hard to imagine him being the third-highest-scoring forward to match that price.
CENTERS
Al Horford, BOS vs. LAC ($25): There are three centers at $25 who most people will be using and Horford is the best option of the three. What makes him more intriguing than Brook Lopez and Mason Plumlee is his consistency and production. Not only is he averaging the most fantasy points per game of the three, he has the highest floor. Both Plumlee and Lopez are up-and-down in terms of consistency, while Horford regularly stays in the 30-fantasy-point range. Having that sort of reliability on a short slate is crucial.
Jonas Valanciunas, TOR at BRK ($18): With at least 26 fantasy points in four of his last five games, Valanciunas makes for a nice, cheap pivot at center. What's especially enticing is the matchup, as he faces a Brooklyn team that allows the third-most fantasy points per game to centers this season.
Center to Avoid
Brook Lopez, BRK vs TOR ($25): Lopez has failed to surpass 30 fantasy points in three straight games. His role is also concerning, as he hasn't played more than 31 minutes in four straight. The form of Brooklyn is worrisome as well, as this sort of game could be a blowout. While Lopez probably has the highest upside of any center on the slate, there's too much going against him to use him.
