This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We're looking at a fairly limited night in the NBA with only six games on the schedule Tuesday. The good news is, there is still plenty of money to be won on Yahoo. Here are some players to consider for your entries, as well as a few to potentially avoid.
GUARDS
James Harden, BKN at POR ($55): This one will require some monitoring since Harden is listed as questionable with a sore neck. However, if he plays, he couldn't be in a much more favorable position. First, the Blazers have the second-worst defensive rating in the league. Second, he could receive all of the scoring attempts that he can handle with Kyrie Irving (personal) out and Kevin Durant (hamstring) still sidelined.
Bruce Brown, BKN at POR ($10): Not only will Irving be sidelined, but Landry Shamet (ankle) has also been ruled out. With the Nets depth at guard depleted, expect Brown to see an increased role. He's generally played well when given the opportunity, averaging 11.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steals across 23 games in which he has logged at least 20 minutes.
Guard to Avoid
Tyler Herro, MIA vs. PHO ($19): This could be a low-scoring affair between two teams that rank inside the top-seven in defensive rating. Herro hasn't exactly been playing well heading into this matchup, scoring 26.5 Yahoo points or fewer in five of his last six games. While his salary isn't overly expensive, his upside could be limited.
FORWARDS
Julius Randle, NY vs. WAS ($46): Will the Knicks land some reinforcements for Randle at the trade deadline? He's certainly put the team on his back this season, averaging 23.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. This is a great matchup for him to keep things rolling given that the Wizards have the fourth-worst defensive rating. When these two teams met previously, Randle scored 50.6 Yahoo points.
Talen Horton-Tucker, LAL at NO ($14): The Lakers could be in for a rough stretch with LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (calf) out. In their first game without both players, they lost by 17 points to the Suns. On the bright side, Horton-Tucker played well in that contest, scoring 31.7 Yahoo points across 28 minutes off the bench. Expect him to continue to play more minutes moving forward, leaving him with a chance to capitalize against a Pelicans team with the third-worst defensive rating.
Forward to Avoid
Kelly Olynyk, MIA vs. PHO ($19): During a four-game stretch that Bam Adebayo missed with an injury earlier this month, Olynyk took on an expanded role for the Heat. However, across four games since Adebayo returned, Olynyk has scored 22.2 Yahoo points or fewer three times. Add in this tough matchup and it's difficult to make a case for adding Olynyk to your lineup.
CENTERS
Nikola Vucevic, ORL vs. DEN ($48): This could be one of the most exciting individual matchups of the night with Vucevic facing off against Nikola Jokic. While Jokic grabs more headlines, Vucevic has been nearly as impressive this season, averaging 24.6 points, 11.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists for a Magic team that has often been decimated by injuries. Both he and Jokic are appealing, but with Jokic's salary checking in at $56, Vucevic might be more beneficial for your overall salary cap.
Montrezl Harrell, LAL at NO ($27): With no James and Davis, it's up to Harrell and Dennis Schroder to pace the Lakers' offense. Harrell has already been playing well with Davis out of the lineup, scoring at least 37.7 Yahoo points in six of his last seven game. If you're looking to fade Jokic and Vucevic in tournament play, Harrell is an appealing mid-tier target.
Center to Avoid
Deandre Ayton, PHO at MIA ($24): Ayton is coming off of a strong performance against the Lakers in which he scored 41.6 Yahoo points. However, he can be a bit inconsistent. While he's scored at least 36.9 Yahoo points in three of his last six games, he scored 24.9 Yahoo points or fewer in each of the other three games during that stretch. Add in a tough matchup against Adebayo and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him provide one of his muted stat lines here.
