This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
This is a strange slate from a scheduling standpoint. The NBA has decided to spread nine games throughout the Sunday card, with only two starting at the same time. We're going to focus on the main slate, which features five matchups beginning at 7:30 p.m. EST and most are exciting Western Conference battles.
Guards
De'Aaron Fox, SAC at DAL ($40)
Fox missed a few games because of an ankle issue, but he's been one of the best PGs in the NBA when on the court. The speedster has scored at least 51 Yahoo points in four of his last five outings, which actually matches his season average. It's rare to see a $40 player average over 50 Y!, yet Fox has clearly taken another step this season. Dallas is far from a daunting matchup ranked 25th in defensive efficiency ratings. They were last in that statistic after acquiring Kyrie Irving last year because guards have been burning this Irving-Doncic duo on the defensive end. That was clear when Fox finished with at least 47 fantasy points in all three matchups in 2022-23.
Keyonte George, UTA vs. PHX ($13)
It looked like George was facing an uphill battle for minutes when looking this roster at the start of the season, though his talent has stood above the rest of the Utah guards. The rookie has started the last four games with at least 28 Yahoo points in three straight. Most $13 players are barely coming off of the bench, and it's clear Yahoo needs to make a value adjustment. Phoenix is a fantastic matchup as they've given up the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing PGs.
Guard to Avoid
Talen Horton-Tucker, UTA vs. PHX ($16)
It's funny we have THT in this section because the player above is to blame. He lost the starting PG gig to George a week ago and has been relegated to bench duties since. He hasn't logged more than 21 minutes in all four outings since the demotion while only averaging 17 Yahoo points. That means Horton-Tucker is due for a salary drop because he's not getting this role back anytime soon with the way George is performing.
Forwards
Kevin Durant, PHX at UTA ($45)
With Bradley Beal (back) sidelined, this is KD and Devin Booker's show. The good news is that there's plenty of usage for both while Durant playing some of the best basketball of his career. He's gone off for at least 47 Yahoo points in seven straight games while dropping a season-high 61 in his most recent outing. That came against this Utah team, which is no surprise since the Jazz rank 26th in points allowed and 28th in defensive efficiency. As long as Durant is getting 35-40 minutes and 20-25 shots, he needs to be at least $50.
Cam Reddish, LAL vs. HOU ($13)
Reddish was a bust in the 2019 Draft, but nobody can deny this kid's talent. He's been shipped around in recent years, but signing with the Lakers was the best thing for his career. The talented wingman has been starting and playing 31 minutes a night across his last five fixtures. Reddish is also registering a 28-point average during that span with at least 28 fantasy points in three of those five. That's a tantalizing total from a $13 player, making him an excellent pairing with studs like Durant, Booker, Luka, SGA, Fox and AD.
Forward to Avoid
Al Horford, BOS at MEM ($17)
Big Al has been a consummate professional throughout his career, though it's going to be tough to trust him in DFS all season. He's been moved to the bench on this stacked roster and has produced 22 or fewer fantasy points in all eight games. He's also seeing fewer than 22 minutes in this diminished role, and that's no surprise since Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis joined a team with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Too many cooks in a kitchen is a bad recipe for a role player, and that's all Horford is at this point.
Centers
Anthony Davis, LAL vs. HOU ($51)
There's been a lot of negative talk around AD this season, and it's hard to understand why. The big man has provided one of the highest ceilings in DFS with at least 54 Yahoo points eight times. He's also surpassed 63 Y! in five while posting an average of 51. There are only a few players who can claim that, and we expect one of those ceiling performances against Houston. Alperen Sengun is known as one of the league's worst defensive centers and Davis dropped 56 Y! across only 30 minutes in their most recent matchup. That was a 25-point blowout, so it's scary to think what AD could do with additional court time.
Bismack Biyombo, MEM vs. BOS ($16)
Why is Biz still only $16? We had him as a recommendation yesterday, and he provided us with another great line. He's scored at least 22 Yahoo points in all six starts since being signed while averaging over 30 Y!. That's ridiculous from a $16 player, but Memphis needs him out there for monster minutes when examining this roster. Ja Morant, Steven Adams and Xavier Tillman are all out to guarantee Biz 25-30 minutes as the starting center going forward. The matchup against Boston is terrifying, though it doesn't really matter with how undervalued Biyombo is.
Center to Avoid
Dereck Lively, DAL vs. SAC ($17)
It was nearly impossible to pick a center we wanted to fade, though Lively's volatility scares us. The rookie has been all over the map in terms of consistency this season with 21 or fewer Yahoo points across eight of his last 11 outings. We've seen a few massive efforts during that stretch, but it's scary to have such a low floor for a first-year center. What's held Lively back is his workload having logged 26 or fewer minutes in all eight of those games. That's happened in six straight coming into Sunday, and we hate to see that going in the wrong direction for an unproven rookie.
