This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA has two games on tap Friday, with the Raptors fighting not to fall behind 3 – 0 in the first game, and the Spurs and Rockets playing to break their 1 -1 tie in Game 3. Both the Spurs and the Raptors are dealing with injuries to their starting point guards as well. Tony Parker is out for the playoffs, which means Patty Mills and the other Spurs guards have the chance to step up. Meanwhile, Kyle Lowry sprained his ankle and is questionable to play. His availability on Friday will be a key to both the Raptors' hopes as well as DFS outlooks.
GUARD
Patty Mills, SA at HOU ($15): Mills seems the likely beneficiary of Tony Parker's minutes and production, as it was Mills who produced on a similar level to Parker when the latter was out during the regular season. He is risky, but he has the scoring chops to be an effective DFS play.
DeMar DeRozan, TOR vs CLE ($39): DeRozan's production has been all over the map this postseason. The last time that he had a game worse than the 13.1 fantasy points he scored in Game 2 against the Cavs was a couple weeks ago, when he only had 7.4 against the Bucks. He responded to that terrible game with his best performance of the playoffs at 55.3 fantasy points. DeRozan's despondence with himself after the way he played last game likely slingshots him forward Friday, especially if Kyle Lowry is either slowed or out with his ankle injury.
Guard to Avoid
James Harden, HOU vs SA ($60): To be clear, Harden should be expected to have an excellent game. However, his price is too high. He is the most expensive player in the game, more than LeBron James despite the latter averaging about 15 more fantasy points per game over the last 10 days. He's significantly more expensive than Kawhi Leonard despite Leonard having outscored him by about 25 fantasy points in the first two games of the series. Harden projects to produce well, but his price is just too high.
FORWARD
Kawhi Leonard, SA at HOU ($48): Leonard is a max-caliber player, coming off 61.9 fantasy points in Game 2 and averaging 53.4 fantasy points in his last five games. Despite this, Leonard is $10 less than LeBron James and $12 less than James Harden. You get max caliber impact for a bit less than max price.
Kevin Love, CLE at TOR ($36): Love was a bit off in Game 2, but the game was such a blowout that he only played 21 minutes. He averaged more than 40 fantasy points per game during the regular season and through the first playoff game against the Raptors, so he's a good bounce-back candidate.
Forward to Avoid
LaMarcus Aldridge, SA at HOU ($29): Aldridge has not topped 30 fantasy points in five games, a lapse that hits hard at his price. He should be able to dominate Rockets defenders, but so far he hasn't and there is nothing in his recent history to suggest that dominance will be there Friday.
CENTER
Serge Ibaka, TOR vs CLE ($26): Ibaka has scored 27.2 and 24.0 fantasy points in two games against the Cavaliers, relatively modest numbers, but he has been in that range or higher throughout the playoffs. He doesn't have huge upside, though he did flirt with 40 fantasy points recently (37.2 fantasy points on April 24).
Clint Capela, HOU vs SA ($17): Capela is one of the few centers to have a good game in both of the first two games of this series, totaling 66.7 fantasy points. On Friday, he returns home to face the Spurs and often young players play better at home.
Center to Avoid
David Lee, SA at HOU ($11): Lee moved back to the bench last game in favor of Pau Gasol, and Gasol played great. This seems to leave Lee on the outside looking in. Since most of the starting centers Friday are low cost, Lee's price doesn't earn him any extra consideration.
