This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Monday brings plenty of action in the NBA with nine games on the schedule. There are some exciting matchups among them, including the Sixers hosting the Nuggets in a battle between two of the premier big men in the league.
The Jazz will also be facing a tough opponent when they host Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. There is the potential for a few lopsided affairs, as well, including when the Hawks host the Trail Blazers. Another game that could get ugly in a hurry features the Wizards taking on the Warriors.
Let's dig into the matchups and highlight some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups, as well as a few to potentially avoid.
GUARDS
Terry Rozier, CHA at OKC ($33): Rozier has quietly been extremely productive, especially in the wake Gordon Hayward's (ankle) injury. Since Hayward went down, Rozier has averaged 23.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.8 steals across 13 games. He also logged 37 minutes per game during that stretch, a trend that should continue for however much longer Hayward is out.
Alex Caruso, CHI at SAC ($17): The Bulls badly needed Caruso back on the floor for his defensive presence, and he immediately made an impact in his first game back from injury Saturday against the Cavaliers. He logged 29 minutes off the bench and finished with 11 points, four assists, four steals and a block over 29 minutes. Even if Zach LaVine (knee) returns against the Kings, the Bulls will likely keep Caruso on the floor for as long as possible given, the jolt that he provides for them defensively.
Guard to Avoid
Mike Conley Jr., UTA vs. MIL ($20): There have been plenty of ups and downs with Conley lately. Across his last six games, he scored at least 33.5 Yahoo points two times. However, he scored 21.9 Yahoo points or fewer in each of the other four games during that stretch. There are plenty of intriguing options in this salary range for a nine-game slate, so taking a chance on Conley to have one of his better nights might not be necessary.
FORWARDS
DeMar DeRozan, CHI at SAC ($46): After his crazy stretch of scoring at least 35 points and shooting at least 50 percent from the field in eight straight games, DeRozan has cooled off, shooting 39.9 percent over the last seven games. He's still been excellent for DFS purposes, though, averaging 26.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.6 steals during that seven-game stretch. A matchup against a Kings team that has the third-worst defensive rating in the league could leave him with another juicy stat line.
Aleksej Pokusevski, OKC vs. CHA ($17): The tanking Thunder just played Sunday, so we'll need to keep an eye out for a player or two on the team to potentially rest against the Hornets. That shouldn't be an issue for Pokusevski, and in fact, he might actually be aided by someone getting the night off. He's scored at least 22.1 Yahoo points in six of the last seven games and could receive added opportunities to be productive in this matchup given that the Hornets have played at the third-fastest pace in the league.
Forward to Avoid
Kyle Kuzma, WAS at GS ($35): Kuzma has cooled off a bit, scoring no more than 31.9 Yahoo points in any of the last three games. Part of that might be attributed to the return of Kristaps Porzingis, although he didn't play Saturday against the Trail Blazers, a game in which Kuzma only scored 29.1 Yahoo points. Given that Porzingis will take the floor against the Warriors, and that the Warriors have the third-best defensive rating, rolling with Kuzma at this salary isn't very appealing.
CENTERS
Domantas Sabonis, SAC vs. CHI ($37): Sabonis has missed the last two games for the Kings, one while serving a suspension, and the other for a personal matter. He's expected to return against the Bulls, a team that he has caused plenty of problems for this season. Over four previous meetings with them, Sabonis has averaged 20.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists.
Trendon Watford, POR at ATL ($17): With the Trail Blazers going nowhere fast, Watford has been thrust into a prominent role lately. He's responded by scoring at least 33.4 Yahoo points in three of the last five games. Don't expect his playing time to decline anytime soon.
Center to Avoid
Kristaps Porzingis, WAS at GS ($30): It's good news for the Wizards that Porzingis will take the floor in this game, but they have been cautious with their prized deadline acquisition, playing him no more than 26 minutes in any of his three games with the team. They have their eye towards the future, so he could remain on that same minutes restriction for the remainder of the season. Add the likelihood for limited minutes to this tough matchup and it's difficult to justify adding him to your entry at this salary.
