This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We have the makings of a wild night in the NBA on Tuesday with 11 games on the schedule. Injuries and teams resting players will once again have a significant impact on the DFS slate. Let's discuss some players to target at various salary points, as well as a few players to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Evan Fournier, BOS vs. MIA ($18): The Celtics were dealt some tough news Monday with Jaylen Brown (wrist) ruled out for not only the regular season, but for the playoffs. They will need to get more production from Fournier, who recently had a bout with COVID-19 that took him some time to recover from. He looks to be back in a grove now after having scored at least 32.7 Yahoo points in each of his last four games. That included him scoring 48.6 Yahoo points against these same Heat on Sunday.
Malachi Flynn, TOR vs. LAC ($12): The Raptors have been officially eliminated from the playoffs, so they are going to rest their starters a lot over the final week. Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet will both sit this game out, which should mean plenty of playing time is coming for Flynn. He's generally played well when given an expanded role, averaging 14.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.7 steals across 11 games in which he has logged at least 30 minutes.
Guard to Avoid
Ja Morant, MEM vs. DAL ($32): Morant's scoring average has increased compared to his rookie campaign, but his efficiency has declined with him shooting 45.1 percent from the field. That has contributed to him scoring 34.6 Yahoo points or fewer in seven of his last eight games. On a night with so many other viable options, taking a chance on this being a breakout night for Morant might not be a wise idea.
FORWARDS
Domantas Sabonis, IND vs. PHI ($48): Sabonis destroyed the Cavaliers on Monday, scoring 74.5 Yahoo points on his way to helping the Pacers pull off a victory. That marked the fourth time that he scored at least 67.8 Yahoo points over six games since he returned from a back injury. The Sixers are a significantly tougher defensive team, but with how Sabonis is rolling right now, he is still an excellent option to consider.
DeAndre' Bembry, TOR vs. LAC ($10): Lowry and VanVleet aren't the only players on the Raptors who will receive the night off Tuesday. Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby will also be out, which should open up more playing time for Bembry. He's only played at least 30 minutes in a game four times this season, but he averaged 10.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.3 steals across those contests. At the minimum salary, he could be worth the risk in tournament play.
Forward to Avoid
Oshae Brissett, IND vs. PHI ($18): During a stretch when Sabonis and Myles Turner (toe) were out, Brissett helped carry the Pacers' frontcourt. However, now that Sabonis is back, his role has diminished significantly. The result has been him scoring fewer than 20 Yahoo points in four of the last five games.
CENTERS
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN at DET ($45): Despite having no shot at a playoff spot for a while now, the Timberwolves have continued to play their stars as they normally would. It's been refreshing to see given what other teams like the Pistons and Thunder have been doing for weeks now with resting their starters. Towns has continued to be a dominant force in the middle, scoring at least 41.9 Yahoo points in seven of the last 10 games. Expect him to have a high floor in this contest, as well.
Bobby Portis, MIL vs. ORL ($16): This game screams rest situation for the Bucks, who just played Monday against the Spurs. They are basically locked into either the second or third seed in the Eastern Conference and they are playing a Magic team that is among the worst squads in the league. If Giannis Antetokounmpo sits out, Portis could be a prime target with his cheap salary.
Center to Avoid
Andre Drummond, LAL vs. NY ($21): The Lakers are desperately trying to avoid the play-in tournament, but that still hasn't meant increased playing time for Drummond. In fact, he's logged 22 minutes or fewer in each of the last four games. He only averaged 5.8 points and 6.3 rebounds during that stretch, so it's too risky to take a chance on him providing value here, especially when you consider all of the other appealing center options. If you're hunting for someone in this salary range, both Isaiah Stewart ($22) and Khem Birch ($21) are better options with their teams resting players.
