This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
It's shaping up to be a quiet night in the NBA with only four games on the schedule. The good news is, there will be plenty of stars to choose from in DFS with the Warriors, Celtics, Suns and Bucks among the teams in action. Let's examine some players across the salary scale to consider, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Stephen Curry, GS at CLE ($49): Curry is locked in right now, averaging 38.9 points over his last eight games. He's drained at least 10 three-pointers in back-to-back games and shot a whopping 49.1 percent from behind the arc during that eight-game stretch. He's a matchup nightmare for a Cavaliers team that has allowed the fourth-highest three-point shooting percentage in the league.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, ATL vs. MIL ($25): Trae Young (calf) has missed both of the Hawks' last two games, which has opened up an expanded role for Bogdanovic. He responded by scoring 46.1 and 36.2 Yahoo points, respectively. Young is questionable for this game against the Bucks, so if he sits again, Bogdanovic could be an ideal option at his reasonable salary. Even if Young plays, though, Bogdanovic is worth considering since he's scored at least 36.2 Yahoo points in six of his last nine contests.
Guard to Avoid
Andrew Wiggins, GS at CLE ($28): Wiggins can go off any given night and the Warriors need him to provide added scoring right now with Kelly Oubre Jr. (wrist) out. However, he's been inconsistent, scoring 28.8 Yahoo points or fewer in four of his last seven games. Given that his salary doesn't come at much of a discount, adding him to your lineup comes with plenty of risk.
FORWARDS
Jayson Tatum, BOS at LAL ($41): Tatum is trying to get the Celtics back on track as the playoffs approach. He recently had a 53-point performance in a win over the Timberwolves and he scored 32 points to go along with nine rebounds and five assists in a one-point win over the Trail Blazers on Tuesday. The Lakers are still a good defensive team despite all of their injuries, but Tatum will carry a high floor into this matchup.
Kent Bazemore, GS at CLE ($13): With Oubre out the last three games, Bazemore has stepped into the starting five. While his numbers aren't off the charts, he's played well, averaging 12.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals. The key is that he averaged 29 minutes per game during that stretch. With a reasonably high minutes floor, he's someone to at least consider, especially if you want to go with a stars-and-scrubs approach.
Forward to Avoid
Buddy Hield, SAC at PHO ($20): This is a tough matchup for Hield, who is mostly a scoring-dependent fantasy option. He's not overly efficient, either, shooting just 39.7 percent from the field. Now he'll have to face a Suns team that has the fifth-best defensive rating in the league. In two previous meetings against them, he scored 20.8 and 26.5 Yahoo points, respectively.
CENTERS
Jarrett Allen, CLE vs. GS ($29): Allen recently missed eight games with a concussion before making his return Thursday against the Hornets. He didn't miss a beat, recording 15 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a block across 30 minutes. This is a favorable matchup for him to at least approach a double-double against a Warriors team that has allowed the sixth-most Yahoo points per game to opposing centers.
Hassan Whiteside, SAC at PHO ($10): Whiteside has only averaged 15 minutes per game this season while playing in a backup role to Richaun Holmes. The Kings will need him to play more now, though, with Holmes out because of a hamstring injury. Whiteside still came off the bench with Holmes out Wednesday, but he scored 40.8 Yahoo points across 23 minutes.
Center to Avoid
Isaiah Hartenstein, CLE vs. GS ($20): Allen's concussion forced Hartenstein into an expanded role as soon as he joined the Nuggets. Across seven games with Allen out, he averaged 10.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 23 minutes per contest. However, with Allen healthy Wednesday, he only logged 13 minutes against the Hornets. With limited minutes likely coming his way against the Warriors, he could significantly underperform based on his salary.
