This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
This is one of the stranger slates of the season, as we have a Game 7 of a first-round series and a Game 1 of a second-round one. The thing to keep in mind is that the players in the Game 7 matchup will likely be playing more minutes than the ones in the game, which implies they have more upside, so stacking players from the Jazz-Clippers game could pay big dividends.
GUARD
George Hill, UTA at LAC ($23): Hill has been a tough player to price all season, as he's been in and out of the lineup while playing some of the best ball of his career. Now that he's fully healthy, Hill is quite the value at $23, as he averaged 29 fantasy points per game for the season and 28 per game in this series. That just adds to the fact that Hill should be playing monster minutes in a critical Game 7, as he's played at least 36 in five of the six games in the series.
Austin Rivers, LAC vs. UTA ($10): Rivers just returned from a lengthy injury, but he got a start in his most recent game and looked solid, scoring 22 fantasy points in 35 minutes with Blake Griffin out. That's when Rivers was at his best in the regular season too, averaging nearly 25 fantasy points per game when Griffin was sidelined. At a minimum price, Rivers provides a very high floor with the number of minutes he'll likely be playing.
Guard to Avoid
Gerald Green, BOS vs. WAS ($10): Finding a starter at a minimum price usually looks like a huge steal, but this is the sort of guy who could kill you. While Green does present good upside with at least 20 fantasy points in two of his last three games, he's shown some serious downside too. In fact, Green averaged 5.3 fantasy points per game in the other three games during the Chicago series. That was a matchup decision as well, so it's unclear how much Green will play in this new series against the Wizards.
FORWARD
Gordon Hayward, UTA at LAC ($36): Hayward has scored least 31 fantasy points in every game of the series other than one when he suffered from food poisoning. In addition, he has at least 47 fantasy points in his last three full games, as it's clear he's carrying the team on his back. It comes as no surprise with the matchup either, with the Clippers allowing the 10th-most fantasy points to small forwards this season.
Otto Porter, WAS at BOS ($21): Porter struggled early in the Atlanta series, but his final three games was more indicative of his regular season form. He averaged 27.4 fantasy points per game in the regular season and then 29.7 fantasy points over his last three. What's particularly enticing is the way Porter performed against Boston during the regular season, averaging 17.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocks on 67 percent shooting in four games.
Forward to Avoid
Joe Johnson, UTA at LAC ($19): Johnson deserves some credit for just how good he's been in this series, but it would be wise to fade him Sunday. What's particularly scary is his downside, as he has scored 18 or fewer fantasy points in three of his last five games. Most people look at his two-game stretch when he scored 73 combined fantasy points, but those three games in the teens are much more indicative of the Johnson we saw in the regular season.
CENTER
Al Horford, BOS vs. WAS ($29): Horford was the key to Boston's success in their series win over the Bulls, and he should continue his sparkling form against the Wizards. He had at least 30 fantasy points in all six games against the Bulls, including four games with at least 38. Horford had success against Washington during the regular season as well, averaging 18.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.7 blocks in three games against them. That damage was done in 34 minutes and just 12 shots per game, which could both increase in this critical series.
Marcin Gortat, WAS at BOS ($19): Gortat saw a major dip in his price at the end of the regular season, but he's back to being a $25 talent. Not only did he average over 26 fantasy points per game during the regular season, he's averaging the same in the playoffs. He did that damage with just rebounding too, as he had at least eight rebounds in all six games against Atlanta, while failing to crack double figures in scoring in nearly every game. The fantasy points shouldn't be too hard to come by in this series too, with Boston ranking 28th in rebounding differential.
Center to Avoid
Rudy Gobert, UTA at LAC ($38): Gobert is rightfully priced as the highest center on the slate, but he's too hard to trust with all his injury question marks. Not only did he miss Games 2 and 3 due to a knee injury, he departed Game 6 with an ankle issue. It's clear that Gobert isn't right and that makes it difficult to invest so much. In addition, he has to face off with DeAndre Jordan, who is one of three-best defensive centers in the league. While Gobert says he'll play in Game 7, just fade him and allow others to take that monster risk.
