This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
As the first-round eliminations mount, our NBA options get thinner and thinner. Monday's two-game slate presents many of the usual challenges that made lineup construction a bit of a headache in the regular season. Cash lineups are definitely your friend on days like these, as you're almost sure to find some ties in your large GPP matchups, which leaves you with less money for your effort. With that in mind I tend to gravitate towards single-entry games and will fill up my list with double-ups and 50/50's. But, as we all well know, all it takes is one lineup to get you to glory. Let's take a look at what's what Monday.
I think it's entirely possible to field a winning lineup Monday without the services of our two $50-plus players, but you still have to consider the age-old quandary of Russell Westbrook ($56) versus James Harden ($50) if you choose to go high. Both of these All-Stars have had their share of challenges in the first round, with Westbrook having one of his worst games of the season in Game 3. He shot an abysmal 29 percent from the field and while you can't count him out due to one bad showing, you'll really need to find value guys with high floors to justify that salary. The same goes for James Harden, who's clearly struggling to put up monster numbers against Minnesota. I think a reasonable way to go is to field two separate lineups and headline Westbrook in one and Harden in the other, filling out the rest of your roster with similar plays.
Beyond these two obvious targets, there's still a lot of value to be had. I'll now feature two players at each position along with a small list of additional players that also warrant serious consideration. I'll also select one player to fade at each position. One of the players at each spot will be a favorable lower-cost option.
GUARD
Ricky Rubio, UTA vs. OKC ($34): The Thunder have been yapping about containing Rubio but so far, their efforts have fallen woefully short, as he continues to lead the Jazz night after night with his sharpshooting heroics. If the Jazz continue on you'll inevitably see Mitchell grab more of the headlines, but without Rubio they would have likely been beyond help.
Jeff Teague, MIN vs. HOU ($24): There are guys like Gerald Green and Corey Brewer below Teague that can offer you value, but they won't give you the kind of explosive potential Teague possesses. People moved off him after his poor showing in Game 2, but his turnaround in Game 3 is evidence that he's still an integral part of the T-Wolves attack. With Jimmy Butler combating a wrist injury, we should see even more of Teague on Monday.
Other guards to consider: Donovan Mitchell, UTA vs. OKC ($34)
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GUARD TO AVOID
Jimmy Butler, MIN vs. HOU ($35): Despite his excellent Game 3 he's been the most volatile high-dollar player so far in this series, and his wrist seems be an issue entering Monday's contest. While he'll no doubt play through the pain and come through with a decent line, I don't think it will be enough to warrant his current price tag. Proceed with caution.
FORWARD
Paul George, OKC at UTA ($34): George has been the most consistent player for the Thunder in this series so it's no wonder that he tops the list at the forward position, where I still think he's a tad underpriced. If I can slide George in with a Harden roster I'd feel fortunate, but he could just as easily be one of your anchors along with a Rubio/Mitchell/Teague combo. He will most likely be a fixture in many of the top lineups Monday.
Ryan Anderson, HOU at MIN ($10): One of the guys down at this price point is going to deliver huge benefits. Anderson is a good bet to be that player after he stepped in and played the five in lieu of Nene on the second unit in the last game. Anderson's been shooting the ball well and though I'd like to see more than 20 minutes from him, he's a decent roster filler if you've run out of cash.
Other forwards to consider: Andrew Wiggins, MIN vs. HOU ($23); Carmelo Anthony, OKC at UTA ($20)
FORWARD TO AVOID
Joe Ingles, UTA vs. OKC ($21): Ingles came out to redeem himself with a decent Game 3 but I think his best role for Utah is to simply keep OKC honest on defense. The Thunder now know that they can't isolate Rubio and Mitchell and leave Ingles alone out on the perimeter as well, so I think Ingles' great Game 3 is actually better news for the other guys. I'd feel better about an Ingles play at say, $16, but he's priced a bit too high for me.
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CENTER
Rudy Gobert, UTA vs. OKC ($30): Lots of people will spend up for Karl-Anthony Towns here, but for $12 less I think you're getting a better value with a more dependable floor, at least in this series. I think Gobert will show up with a total somewhere in the 35-40 YFP range, which will definitely help the cause.
Clint Capela, HOU at MIN ($29): Sorry, couldn't find a way to go lower here. Sure, there are tournament fliers below these two, but those options are also lineup killers as well. On a night where I'm probably loading up a larger percentage of cash games I have to favor players with a stronger floor. Capela gets my full-throated endorsement as one of the most dependable guys on the slate.
CENTER TO AVOID
Steven Adams, OKC at UTA ($22): Simply put, Adams can't seem to stay out of foul trouble. He needs to get back to basics and give owners a performance like Game 1 where he only incurred one foul, but he's had 10 of them over the past two games. I think it's a mistake to dip below $29 at this spot Monday, and Adams' unreliability is a big reason why.
