This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Monday brings a fairly quiet night in the NBA with only five games on the schedule. One of the marquee matchups will feature the Bulls hosting the Suns. The Bulls will be facing an uphill battle against one of the best teams in the league since they are dealing with injuries and will be playing the second game of a back-to-back set.
The Warriors will also be in action in what could be a lopsided contest when they take on the Thunder. The Knicks, who are coming off of an overtime loss to the Lakers on Saturday, will try to bounce back in a tough matchup on the road against the Jazz.
Let's highlight some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups, as well as a few to potentially avoid.
GUARDS
Fred VanVleet, TOR at CHA ($37): VanVleet has provided consistent production, scoring at least 41.3 Yahoo points in six of his last seven games. The Raptors don't have many other viable point guard options behind him, which is part of the reason why he's averaged a whopping 39 minutes per game. That kind of playing time against a Hornets team that has played at the second-fastest pace in the league could lead to another excellent stat line for VanVleet.
Tre Mann, OKC vs. GS ($12): Mann has started each of the last five games with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle) out. While his numbers haven't been off the charts, he did score at least 20.9 Yahoo points three rimes during that stretch. At this salary, that at least makes him worth considering in tournament play.
Guard to Avoid
Mike Conley Jr., UTA vs. NY ($25): Conley has not played poorly, scoring at least 30.6 Yahoo points in seven of his last eight games. However, this isn't exactly a fantasy-friendly matchup against a Knicks team that has played at the slowest pace in the league. Add in the potential for the Jazz to win this game in blowout fashion at home and Conley is risky.
FORWARDS
Scottie Barnes, TOR at CHA ($25): The Raptors have found themselves a special talent in Barnes. He can stuff the stat sheet in multiple areas, averaging 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.0 steals per game. With the Hornets playing at such a fast pace, and having the seventh-worst defensive rating in the league, Barnes has the potential to thrive.
Javonte Green, CHI vs. PHO ($14): Green has become a very important member of the Bulls given all of their injuries. He's averaged 28 minutes over their last seven games, resulting in averages of 13.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. His upside is limited, but that doesn't mean that he can't provide value at his cheap salary.
Forward to Avoid
Cameron Johnson, PHO at CHI ($19): With Jae Crowder healthy, Johnson has returned to the Suns' second unit. He's logged 23 minutes or fewer in two of the last three games and is only averaging 26 minutes per game for the season. As long as Crowder is healthy, Johnson can't be counted on for reliable production.
CENTERS
Pascal Siakam, TOR at CHA ($42): The Hornets have been beaten up by opposing big men this season, which is part of the reason why they've allowed the second-most rebound per game. The last time Siakam took the floor against them, he dominated with 24 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists. A case can be made for building your entire entry around him.
Montrezl Harrell, WAS vs. MIA ($15): This is not a great matchup for Harrell considering how tough the Heat are defensively. However, his salary is cheap, and Danial Gafford (COVID-19) has been ruled out. That could leave Harrell with enough playing time to at least be worth considering if you want to allocate more of your budget to other positions.
Center to Avoid
Bismack Biyombo, PHO at CHI ($15): When Deandre Ayton was injured, Biyombo had a seven-game stretch in which he averaged 14.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. However, now that Ayton is healthy, Biyombo is barely playing. Over the last three games, he sat out one of them entirely, then played 10 minutes or fewer in the other two. Given that Harrell has a much larger role with the Wizards, and that he has the same salary, there's no reason to even think about rolling with Biyombo.
