This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA follows up a packed Wednesday slate with only two games Thursday. First, the Sixers will host the Lakers in a star-studded affair. The evening will conclude with a battle between the Warriors and Timberwolves. The Warriors are one of the best defensive teams in the league, but they could have their hands full with Anthony Edwards, who scored 40 points against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday. Let's discuss some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Stephen Curry, GS vs. MIN ($40): Curry has struggled with his efficiency, shooting just 41.6 percent from the field this season. He's been even worse lately, shooting 36.6 percent over his last 13 games. Still, he averaged 20.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.9 assists during that stretch. With so few options because of there being just two games, Curry is still one of the more appealing guards to target.
Furkan Korkmaz, PHI vs. LAL ($11): The Sixers will remain thin at guard with Seth Curry (ankle) and Shake Milton (back) out. Korkmaz has received added playing time as a result of their absences, which has enabled him to score at least 20.7 Yahoo points in four of his last five games. At near the minimum salary, that should at least have him on your radar.
Guard to Avoid
Jordan Poole, GS vs. MIN ($16): Klay Thompson is set to play in this game, which means Poole will serve in a limited role off the bench. Poole hasn't scored more than 25.9 Yahoo points in any of the seven games that Thompson has appeared in this season, and he scored fewer than 22.0 Yahoo points in five of them. Taking a chance on him to have a breakout performance in this game could be ill-advised.
FORWARDS
LeBron James, LAL at PHI ($55): The Lakers might be having an underwhelming season as a team, but James has been at the top of his game. He's averaged 29.1 points per game, which is his highest mark since the 2009-10 season. He continues to excel in other areas, as well, with averages of 7.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks. His floor is a high as any player included in this slate.
Matisse Thybulle, PHI vs. LAL ($11): Thybulle doesn't provide much in terms of points or assists, averaging 5.7 and 1.1 per game, respectively. However, he is a defensive wiz, which makes him an important player for the Sixers. With him having scored at least 21.3 Yahoo points in five of his last six games, he has the potential to provide value.
Forward to Avoid
Andrew Wiggins, GS vs. MIN ($23): Poole isn't the only player who has been impacted negatively by the return of Thompson. Across the seven games that Thompson has played, Wiggins has scored 25.5 Yahoo points or fewer six times. That included a matchup against these same Timberwolves in which he scored only 22.4 Yahoo points.
CENTERS
Joel Embiid, PHI vs. LAL ($53): Embiid is on an incredible heater right now. Over his last 15 games, he's averaged 34.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.5 blocks. His usage rate is all the way up to 36.5 percent, and that's not likely to change anytime soon, given the lack of talent around him.
Kevon Looney, GS vs. MIN ($16): The Warriors remain without Draymond Green (calf), leaving them without their best defensive big man. That's not ideal for a matchup against Karl-Anthony Towns. They might need to turn to Looney for more playing time. Across 25 games in which he has logged at least 20 minutes, Looney has averaged 7.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists.
Center to Avoid
Anthony Davis, LAL at PHI ($39): After being sidelined for more than a month with a knee injury, Davis made his return Tuesday against the Nets. He was limited to 25 minutes, which left him to score just 27.4 Yahoo points. He could be limited again in this matchup, which makes him very risky at his hefty salary.
