This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Get ready for a busy night in the NBA as there are 12 games on the schedule Wednesday. That means plenty of options for your Yahoo entry, so let's get right down to business and examine which players you should both target and avoid for the evening.
GUARDS
Jimmy Butler, MIN at DEN ($40): The best part about Butler is that he gets a ton of playing time, logging at least 35 minutes in nine straight games. He has never played less than 30 minutes in a game this season as coach Tom Thibodeau continues to throw heavy minutes at his starters. Butler has a high floor as a result, scoring at least 39.6 Yahoo points in eight of his last nine games. Expect the trend to continue Wednesday.
Dejounte Murray, SA at POR ($10): Murray will likely start for the Spurs on Wednesday with Tony Parker (rest) already ruled out. He started the last three games that Parker missed, scoring at least 28.2 Yahoo points in each game. Considering he will only cost you the minimum, he should be well worth the risk based on the added minutes he should play.
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Guard to Avoid
Elfrid Payton, ORL at CHI ($27): Payton is really struggling right now, scoring 26.3 Yahoo points or fewer in seven straight games. His usage rate is only 19.6%, the lowest of all the Magic's starters. He'll have to face a good defender in Kris Dunn on Wednesday, so it might be best to avoid Payton considering he's not playing well anyways.
FORWARDS
Kyle Kuzma, LAL at HOU ($24): The Lakers have a bit of a log jam up front, but some minutes have been freed up now that Brook Lopez (ankle) will be out for the next three weeks. Kuzma should see an increase in playing time, which is encouraging considering he has played at least 30 minutes in four straight games anyways. He scored 40.4 Yahoo points in a game against the Rockets earlier this month, so look for him to have similar success in a game that should feature a lot of small lineups Wednesday.
Mario Hezonja, ORL at CHI ($14): The Magic have already ruled out Aaron Gordon (calf) for Wednesday, which should result in extended playing time for Hezonja. Gordon has missed three of the team's last four games, which resulted in Hezonja playing at least 31 minutes in all three contests. He showed he can be productive when given the opportunity, scoring at least 42.8 Yahoo points in two of those games. He won't cost you much, making him someone to consider for your entry.
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Forward to Avoid
Kenneth Faried, DEN vs. MIN ($16): Faried had a stretch when he was providing value due to Nikola Jokic being out with an injury. Not only is he seeing fewer minutes with Jokic now healthy, but it also appears he has been passed on the depth chart by Trey Lyles. Lyles has played more minutes than Faried in each of the last four games, and Faried sat out two of those games altogether. Stay away from him Wednesday, especially since you can use Hezonja for $2 less.
CENTERS
Nikola Vucevic, ORL at CHI ($42): Vucevic has been dominant lately, scoring at least 47.3 Yahoo points in six straight games. He should shoulder even more of the offensive workload with Gordon out again Wednesday, which is great news considering the Magic play at the seventh-fastest pace (102.2) in the league. The Bulls allow the eighth-most Yahoo points per game (50.8) to opposing centers, making Vucevic an excellent option to consider.
DeAndre Jordan, LAC vs. PHO ($33): The Suns might be a terrible team, but one thing they have is depth up front. The Clippers are lacking size right now, so Jordan is going to get plenty of playing time in this game. Jordan has stepped up while the Clippers have dealt with various injuries, scoring at least 30.3 Yahoo points in nine straight games. Expect him to continue to have a big role in Wednesday's game.
Center to Avoid
Jusuf Nurkic, POR vs. SA ($26): Nurkic has had a couple of rough performances lately, scoring 21 Yahoo points or less in two of his last five games. Wednesday brings a tough opponent in the Spurs as they allow the sixth-fewest Yahoo points per game (46.7) to opposing centers. With so many great options to choose from, Nurkic might not be worth the risk based on his matchup.
