This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We covered a Game 7 in yesterday's article and were treated to a fantastic matchup between Milwaukee and Brooklyn. The other Eastern Conference semi is in the same circumstance, with Philly looking to close out Atlanta. The Sixers had to pull out a huge road win to get to this point and enter this contest as significant favorites. There's a lot to discuss, so let's kick things off with one of the best players in the series.
Guards
Trae Young, ATL at PHI ($42)
Trae has been a star in the NBA for two years, but he's starting to finally get some national attention for his play these playoffs. The 22-year-old has posted at least 39 Yahoo points in all 11 games this postseason while averaging 29.8 points, 10.5 assists and 1.4 steals. That equates to a 50-point average on Yahoo, which is no surprise when you see Young's 38-minute and 22.4 shot averages. We expect those two things to be his floor in terms of usage, and it makes him impossible to fade.
Seth Curry, PHI vs. ATL ($18)
This Curry isn't quite as good as his brother, but he's found a really nice role with the Sixers. He actually averaged a career-best 22.1 Y! points per game during the regular season and has been even better this series producing at least 23 Yahoo points in all six contests while averaging 31.3. That's a ridiculous total from a sub-$20 player, and we have to assume Curry will continue to do big things with Danny Green still sidelined.
Guard to Avoid
Ben Simmons, PHI vs. ATL ($33)
I'm by no means a Simmons hater because I think he has a place in this league, but I'm not so sure it's in Philly. There's just been way too much negativity around him in terms of his jump shot and ineffectiveness on the offensive end and it's really hurting him now. Simmons has actually scored 32 or fewer fantasy points in four of his last five while averaging 32 Yahoo points over that span. It's never a good thing when a salary is lower than an average, and that's just what we have here with Sim. Just save the salary and use it on the big-name superstars.
Forwards
Kevin Huerter, ATL at PHI ($13)
We need to find some value players to fill in with Young and Joel Embiid, and there's plenty of forwards from which to choose. Huerter is probably the best of the bunch having dropped 41 Yahoo points across 44 minutes in Game 6. A line like that is hard to overlook from a $13 player, and his role should continue to be huge with De'Andre Hunter out for the rest of the series. It's not like it was a fluke either, with Huerter averaging 31 fantasy points over 25 appearances this year where he logged at least 35 minutes. We expect that to be the floor, making him a heck of a value play.
Furkan Korkmaz, PHI vs. ATL ($10)
It's rare to find a minimum-valued player who's usable in the postseason, but here we are with Korkmaz. The sharpshooting forward has been starting in the absence of Danny Green while scoring at least 15 Y! points in the last four games. More importantly, Korkmaz has played at least 23 minutes in each to provide a solid floor at only $10. He also makes it much easier to squeeze the studs into your lineup, and that's honestly the more important aspect when talking about a Game 7. Look at it this way: You can use Young and Korkmaz for a total of $52 and get about 70 Yahoo points, while Simmons and Clint Capela would cost $7 more and likely finish with less production.
Forward to Avoid
John Collins, ATL at PHI ($21)
Collins has taken a step back this season, but it's really not his fault. Trae has stolen a lot of usage, while Capela has swallowed up all of the rebounds. That doesn't even include acquisitions like Bogdan Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams, leaving JC with minimal usage. All of that led to an ugly 17-point outing across 37 minutes in Game 6 to bring his postseason average to 26 Y! points. We have to get more than that from someone valued at $21, especially when we expect bargain players to finish with similar totals.
Center
Joel Embiid, PHI vs. ATL ($49)
If there's someone that should be locked into everyone's lineup, it's Embiid. We say that because he finished second in MVP voting and has been performing like that this series averaging 57.3 Yahoo points across 37 minutes a night. Embiid has proven to be one of the best per-minute producers throughout his career, and it's scary to think what he could do if he stayed on the court for 40-48 minutes. You have to take these guaranteed 50-60 fantasy points and then build your lineup from there.
Center to Avoid
Clint Capela, ATL at PHI ($27)
Capela carried many of my season-long fantasy teams with his 15-15 averages, but he's simply not the same player in the postseason. The big man actually hasn't cracked 38 Yahoo points in 13 straight while only providing a 31-point average. That's a decent haul, but it's simply not good enough from a $27 player. Capela's average is actually south of 28 fantasy points during this series, which is no surprise when you see Philly boasts a Top-5 defense in nearly every metric. Just ride Embiid and Trae and build the rest of your lineup through value plays who offer as much potential.
