This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We're set for another critical two-game semifinal-round slate Wednesday night, one that features a pair of potential elimination scenarios that will naturally heighten the already elevated urgency inhere in the postseason.
As customary, we'll highlight multiple advantageous positional matchups to exploit at each position for your Yahoo Fantasy lineups, as well as a good trio of candidates that may be best to steer clear of due to a combination of circumstances/salary.
Guards
Stephen Curry, GSW vs. LAL ($44): Curry couldn't come through for the Warriors late in Game 4, but he still churned out a whopping 71 Yahoo points across 42 minutes. The future Hall of Famer has eclipsed 70 Yahoo points on two occasions during the postseason and has been over 50 in another occasion, and with some atoning to do and Golden State facing elimination, Curry should be heavily involved once again in such a critical game.
Kyle Lowry, MIA at NYK ($13): Lowry's salary is especially eye-catching considering he's scored 24.8 to 46 Yahoo points in the first four games of the series and averaging a well-balanced 13.3 points, 5.0 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks while shooting 38.9 percent from three-point range. The Knicks are allowing the 12th-highest offensive efficiency rating to point guards since the start of the regular season as well (26.9), making Lowry all the more appealing at his salary.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jalen Brunson, NYK vs. MIA ($32); Gary Payton, GSW vs. LAL ($10)
Guard to Avoid
Jordan Poole, GSW vs. LAL ($14): Poole has surprisingly been a non-factor over the last three games of the series, scoring 4.6 to 14.3 Yahoo points off the bench and logging well under 20 minutes in two of those contests. Head coach Steve Kerr has been liberally experimenting with different lineup combinations in an attempt to light a spark, and so it isn't completely out of the realm of possibility Poole sees a bigger role in Game 5. Nevertheless, given his meager production in the last three contests, he's best worth avoiding.
Forwards
LeBron James, LAL at GSW ($44): The case for James essentially writes itself, as the future Hall of Famer has unsurprisingly been extremely consistent throughout the postseason. James has scored over 45 Yahoo points in three of the first four games of the current series, and with the conference finals now in L.A.'s grasp, James should be a virtual lock for about a Yahoo point per minute at minimum, a clip he's easily exceeded in five straight playoff contests.
RJ Barrett, NYK vs. MIA ($21): Barrett moved back to small forward in Game 4 and thrived, scoring 33.3 Yahoo points on the strength of 24 points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal. Barrett also scored 46.3 and 29.1 Yahoo points in Games 1 and 2 at Madison Square Garden, and given New York it's down to its last out and Miami has surrendered an NBA-high 26.4 offensive efficiency rating to small forwards, Barrett could prove to be quite the bargain play at his salary.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jimmy Butler, MIA at NYK ($44)
Forward to Avoid
Jarred Vanderbilt, LAL at GSW ($12): Vanderbilt has been doing a standout job on the defensive end, but fantasy-wise, he's been a dud for the most part during the series. After recording 29.2 Yahoo points in Game 1, Vanderbilt has posted just 8.0 to 13.7 Yahoo points in the last three contests while shooting an unbelievably poor 15.4 percent on 4.3 attempts per game, making a very strong case while he should be avoided.
Centers
Anthony Davis, LAL at GSW ($44): Much like LeBron, AD is a self-explanatory pick that would be hard-pressed to truly disappoint. Davis has scored 63.1 and 50 Yahoo points in his last two games and has three double-doubles in the first four games of the series. The big man also produced 76.1 Yahoo points at Chase Center in Game 1, and the Dubs are allowing the most rebounds per postseason home game (48.6) of any team remaining in the playoff field.
Bam Adebayo, MIA at NYK ($28): Adebayo took his game to another level at home on Monday, posting a 23-point, 13-rebound double-double that netted 40.6 Yahoo points. The big man also scored 35.6 and 33.4 Yahoo points in the prior two games, so the track record against the Knicks is there despite the tough matchup it profiles as on paper.
ALSO CONSIDER: Draymond Green, GSW vs. LAL ($24)
Center to Avoid
Mitchell Robinson, NYK vs. MIA ($18): Robinson's production has been tough to trust of late, as the matchup down low against Bam Adebayo has proven a challenging one. The big man scored just 12.0 and 7.0 Yahoo points in Games 2 and 3, and although he bounced back to offer a serviceable 22.9 Yahoo points in Game 4, it's likely more worth while to invest an additional $6 in Draymond Green or $10 to get to Adebayo.
