This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
After a fairly light slate Tuesday, the NBA brings eight games to the table Wednesday. With plenty of bad defenses in action, we could see several high-scoring games. Let's discuss some of the top players to consider on Yahoo, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Dejounte Murray, ATL at GS ($35): Trae Young (concussion) is set to miss his second straight game for the Hawks. He has already sat out two of the previous three games. In those two games, Murray scored 46.1 and 55.0 Yahoo points, respectively. The Warriors have the seventh-worst defensive rating in the league, so with an expanded role on tap, Murray has the potential to shine.
Nick Smith, CHA at DET ($10): The Hornets started to tear down their roster Tuesday, trading Terry Rozier to the Heat for Kyle Lowry and a first-round pick. Reports have indicated that the Hornets will now look to move Lowry for additional assets. The departure of Rozier should open up added playing time for Smith, who the Hornets selected in the first round of the 2023 Draft. He is an excellent three-point shooter, posting a 45.5 percent mark from behind the arc this season.
Guard to Avoid
Jordan Poole, WAS vs. MIN ($18): The Nuggets shut down Poole on Sunday, holding him to four points on 1-for-7 from the field. He is shooting only 41.3 percent for the season, including 30.8 percent from behind the arc. Don't expect his efficiency to improve against the Timberwolves, who have the best defensive rating in the league.
FORWARDS
Victor Wembanyama, SA vs. OKC ($44): Wembanyama has seen a slight uptick in playing time, logging either 27 or 28 minutes in each of his last four games. During that span, he has averaged 27.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3.5 blocks. The Thunder don't have a ton of size up front, making this a matchup that Wembanyama could potentially exploit. They could also have tired legs after having just played at home Tuesday against the Trail Blazers.
Brandon Miller, CHA at DET ($16): One of the motivations for the Hornets to move Rozier was to free up more responsibilities for Miller. It comes at an opportune time with him averaging 24.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists over his last three games. Look for him to remain hot against the Pistons, who have played at the sixth-fastest pace and have the second-worst defensive rating in the league.
Forward to Avoid
Keldon Johnson, SA vs. OKC ($27): While Johnson is averaging 31 minutes per game for the season, he has averaged only 27 minutes over his last 15 games since being moved to the second unit. He has provided inconsistent production in his new role, which can somewhat be attributed to him shooting just 41.2 percent from the field during that span. With him having scored 11.9 Yahoo points or fewer in three of his last five games, he's too risky at this salary.
CENTERS
Jalen Duren, DET vs. CHA ($27): Mark Williams (back) remains out for the Hornets. Nick Richards (ankle) is listed as questionable after having missed three straight games. Even if Richards plays, Williams being out leaves the team in a tough spot at center. Williams being out for so long has contributed to the Hornets giving up the seventh-most rebounds per game in the league. This is a double-double waiting to happen for Duren.
Naz Reid, MIN at WAS ($12): With Karl-Anthony Towns going off against the Wizards on Monday, Reid logged only 15 minutes off the bench. That's an anomaly for him, given he has averaged 22 minutes per game for the season. The Wizards have played at the fastest pace in the league and this game has blowout potential, so with the expectation that Reid plays more, he could receive additional opportunities to provide value.
Center to Avoid
Zach Collins, SA vs. OKC ($20): When Wembanyama plays, the Spurs usually bring Collins off the bench. Serving in that role the last two games, Collins scored 15.1 and 13.2 Yahoo points, respectively. Over the 10 games in which he has come off the bench this season, he has averaged only 8.2 points and 5.6 rebounds. That's not enough to warrant his salary.
