This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We've got another two day contest for Yahoo consisting of Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Thursday and Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday. Here are some players to target and avoid as you create what will hopefully be a winning entry.
GUARDS
James Harden, HOU vs. GS ($52): In a game that was relatively low-scoring, especially considering the offenses involved, Harden came up big with 30 points on his way to 53.8 Yahoo points Tuesday. He provided excellent defensive numbers as well, recording three steals and two blocks. Harden will continue to be the focal point of the Rockets' offense when they return home for Game 5 and he has one of the highest ceilings of anyone at the guard position.
Jaylen Brown, BOS at CLE ($21): The Celtics won Game 5 in deciding fashion despite Brown struggling to shoot 4-for-15 from the field. He did attempt a series-high eight free throws, which helped him finish with 24.6 Yahoo points. The good news is that Brown was still heavily involved offensively and has attempted at least 15 in four of five games against the Cavaliers. His price came down a little as well, making him a viable option once again.
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Guard to Avoid
Klay Thompson, GS at HOU ($22): Thompson injured his knee in Game 4, but returned to the game and played 39 minutes. He is officially listed as questionable Thursday, but he is expected to play. Game 4 was another poor performance for Thompson and he has now scored 24.7 Yahoo points or fewer in three of four games against the Rockets. Brown is having a better series and is slightly cheaper, so it might be best to avoid Thompson.
FORWARDS
LeBron James, CLE vs. BOS ($57): James couldn't carry the Cavaliers to a win Wednesday and looked be battling fatigue at different points throughout the game. He still scored 42.5 Yahoo points, further proving how crazy high his floor actually is. He'll only get one day of rest before facing elimination in Game 6, but expect him to be ready and put up another monster stat line.
P.J. Tucker, HOU vs. GS ($15): Tucker has had an inconsistent series, scoring at least 35.2 Yahoo points twice, but 15 Yahoo points or fewer in the other two games. In the two games where he played well, he had a couple of abnormal performances, scoring 22 points in Game 2 and grabbing 16 rebounds in Game 4. It's tough to expect that type of production from him on a consistent basis, but he's still priced low enough to warrant consideration in tournament play.
Forward to Avoid
Marcus Morris, BOS at CLE ($17): Morris moved to the bench for Game 5, but still played 37 minutes as the Celtics went with a short rotation. Even though that was the most minutes Morris has played in a game this series, he scored just 22.2 Yahoo points. This series now shifts back to Cleveland, a place where Morris scored 14 and 16.1 Yahoo points in Game 3 and Game 4, respectively. He has comparable upside to Tucker, so it might be worth putting Tucker into your entry and saving a couple of dollars.
CENTERS
Draymond Green, GS at HOU ($34): Even when Green wasn't at his best the first two games of this series, he still scored at least 30.2 Yahoo points in both contests. He's scored at least 42.6 Yahoo points in both games since, providing excellent all-around production. His ability to contribute in so many areas gives him an extremely high floor, leaving him as the best center available.
Larry Nance Jr., CLE vs. BOS ($13): Nance was largely irrelevant in the first two games of this series, but has scored at least 21.1 Yahoo points in each of the last three games. He's finally getting more playing time, logging at least 17 minutes in two of those three contests. He doesn't have significant offensive upside, but he's still managed to provide value with rebounds and defensive stats. At near the minimum price, he could be worth the risk in tournament play.
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Center to Avoid
Clint Capela, HOU vs. GS ($32): With the Warriors moving to their small lineup and starting Green at center, it's been a tough series for Capela. After playing at least 30 minutes in both of the first two games, he has logged 24 minutes or fewer in both games since. He hasn't been very productive overall, scoring 27.6 Yahoo points or fewer in each of the last three contests. With Green priced only two dollar higher, he carries significantly more upside than Capela if you want to pay up at center.
