This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Wednesday will be a busy night in the NBA with 10 games on the schedule. Let's get right down to business and discuss which players you should target and avoid to hopefully end your night a winner on Yahoo.
GUARDS
John Wall, WAS at CHA ($44): Wall has been extremely productive lately, scoring at least 43.6 Yahoo points in eight straight games. He's played at least 36 minutes in seven of those eight games, which gives him an excellent floor considering his 29% usage rate that ranks 18th-highest in the league. In his first matchup with the Hornets this season, Wall finished with 31 points and 11 assists. Look for him to keep his recent hot streak going Wednesday.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, SAC vs. UTA ($13): The Kings have shuffled their starting lineup and rotations throughout the season, but recently announced they will be resting their veterans to play their young players more. This is great news for Bogdanovic, who is only averaging 26 minutes per game this season. He was already starting to see more playing time as it is, logging at least 30 minutes in five of his last six games. He's scored at least 27 Yahoo points in three of his last four games and presents an excellent cheap value play against the Jazz.
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Guard to Avoid
Spencer Dinwiddie, BKN vs. SA ($26): Dinwiddie has shown he can be wildly inconsistent, especially over his last five games. He scored at least 45.8 Yahoo points in two of those games, but 20.3 or less in two of the other three. He struggled to score only 22.5 Yahoo points in his first meeting with the Spurs this season, which is no surprise considering they allow the second-fewest Yahoo points per game (39.5) to opposing point guards. At this price, Dinwiddie might not be worth the risk.
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FORWARDS
Kevin Durant, GS at CHI ($52): Durant continues to be one of the more reliable high-priced options in DFS, scoring at least 41.7 Yahoo points in eight of his last nine games. He's averaging 35 minutes per game and has a 30.4% usage rate, which is a big reason for his success. While the Warriors are clearly the superior team, the Bulls play tough at home and might be able to keep this game close. As long as the minutes are there for Durant, expect him to be extremely productive.
Justin Holiday, CHI vs. GS ($19): Zach LaVine has looked excellent since returning from a knee injury, but he is still limited to no more than 20 minutes per game. That helps to keep Holiday valuable, who cashed in 35 minutes Monday against the Heat to score 37.8 Yahoo points. The Warriors play at the fourth-fastest pace (102.4 possessions per game) in the league, so look for Holiday to have extra chances to score and provide value at this price.
Forward to Avoid
Otto Porter Jr., WAS at CHA ($27): While Wall is firing on all cylinders, Porter is struggling right now, scoring 25.2 Yahoo points or less in three of his last five games. He's shooting 48.8% from the field this season overall, but is only shooting 37.9% in six games this month. Until he shows signs of getting out of his shooting slump, it might be best to avoid playing him.
CENTERS
Dwight Howard, CHA vs. WAS ($37): Howard is a double-double machine, averaging at least 13.7 points and 11.5 rebounds each month so far this season. He's been a reliable option in DFS as a result, scoring at least 43.4 Yahoo points in three of his last four games. He scored 47.1 Yahoo points in his previous meeting with the Wizards this season and could really be leaned on to play heavy minutes Wednesday if Frank Kaminsky (ankle) is unable to take the floor. Don't expect the Wizards to be able to slow Howard down.
Jonas Valanciunas, TOR vs. DET ($16): Valanciunas has been hit or miss of late, scoring at least 35.1 Yahoo points in three of his last six games. However, he scored 17.6 Yahoo points or fewer in two of the other three contests. It makes him a risky play, but the good news is he could see added playing time battling with Andre Drummond on Wednesday. If you're looking to take a chance on a cheap center in tournament play, he's a viable option to consider.
Center to Avoid
Pau Gasol, SA at BKN ($19): Gasol (hand) is listed as questionable for Wednesday and said the injury has impacted his play. The results back that up with Gasol scoring 21 Yahoo points or less in three of his last four games. Even if he does play Wednesday, there are plenty of other viable options at center to consider. Stay away from using Gasol, the risk just isn't worth it.
