This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We have a single-game playoff slate on tap Wednesday for Game 3 of the Nuggets-Heat NBA Finals clash, which means we're working with Yahoo's single-game slate roster format. There are no positional designations, but rather, three multiplier spots in the form of MegaStar (accrues Yahoo points at 2x rate), Superstar (accrues Yahoo points at 1.5x rate) and Star (accrues Yahoo points at 1.2x rate). Two Utility spots accrue fantasy points at a normal rate.
As customary, we'll highlight multiple candidates to consider for each roster spot for your Yahoo Fantasy lineups, as well as one player that can be avoided.
MegaStar Candidates (2x Yahoo points)
Nikola Jokic, DEN ($56): Jokic has scored 64.0 and 55.2 Yahoo points in the first two games of the series while shooting 60.0 percent, including 42.9 percent from three-point range. Jokic has been stellar throughout the postseason and has flashed a ceiling north of 80 Yahoo points, so his candidacy for the top multiplier spot is self-explanatory.
Jamal Murray, DEN ($37): While Jimmy Butler is a consideration, Murray also makes for a viable pivot at a lower salary. The star guard has opened the series with totals of 48.2 and 39.8 Yahoo points, generating double-doubles in both games along the way. Murray has been over 50 Yahoo points on six occasions overall during these playoffs, giving him tremendous upside in this multiplier at his salary.
Superstar Candidates (1.5x Yahoo points)
Jimmy Butler, MIA ($41): Butler has gone just 13-for-33 from the field over the first two games, but he's still produced 36.9 and 38.3 Yahoo points in those contests. However, he's scored over 50 Yahoo points in his last two home postseason games, and the Nuggets are allowing 48.2 percent shooting on the road during the playoffs.
Bam Adebayo, MIA ($27): Adebayo has proven capable of consistently winning his matchups over the first two games of the series, leading to tallies of 48.1 and 40.8 Yahoo points on the strength of 23.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.0 blocks per game. With no defensive-minded center to oppose him, as was the case in the first three rounds of the playoffs, Adebayo should have a solid chance of another strong return.
Star (1.2x Yahoo points)/Utility Candidates
Aaron Gordon, DEN ($21): Gordon has scored 27.7 and 26.4 Yahoo points over the first two games of the series and shot 70.0 percent from the floor, and he's shown some nice upside in the playoffs with at least 32 Yahoo points in three games overall.
Michael Porter, DEN ($19): Porter had a poor Game 2, scoring just 11.2 Yahoo points on 2-for-8 shooting, but he opened the series with 37.1 Yahoo points across 43 minutes. Porter has too good of a track record as a shooter to continue in his series-opening slump (29.2 percent shooting), and the Heat have allowed an NBA-high 26.5 offensive efficiency rating to small forwards since the start of the regular season.
Gabe Vincent, MIA ($16): Vincent has shot 57.7 percent, including 56.3 percent from behind the arc, over the first two games while scoring 30.9 and 32.5 Yahoo points. The emerging guard has been a dependable source of complementary offensive production frequently through the playoffs, and the Nuggets have allowed 47.9 percent shooting, including 37.6 percent from behind the arc, to guards on the road during the playoffs.
ALSO CONSIDER: Bruce Brown, DEN ($17)
Player to Avoid
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, DEN ($14): Caldwell-Pope has opened the series shooting just 33.3 percent over the first two contests while scoring 12.6 and 19.1 Yahoo points. The veteran wing is known to be a streaky shooter, and the Heat is allowing just 43.3 percent shooting, including 29.7 percent from three-point range, to guards at home this postseason.
