This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
After a quiet Tuesday, the NBA storms back with 10 games on the schedule Wednesday. There are some exciting matchups among the bunch, including the Celtics hosting the Mavericks. Let's dig into the matchups and discuss some players to consider on Yahoo, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
De'Aaron Fox, SAC at SA ($42): Fox is on some kind of run right now. Across the last 16 games, he's averaged 29.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.6 steals. He's shot a stellar 51.5 percent from the field during that stretch, which is huge when you also factor in that he's averaged 20.8 shot attempts per game. After scoring 47.1 Yahoo points versus these same Spurs on Monday, Fox should carry a high floor into their rematch.
Hamidou Diallo, DET vs. POR ($15): Diallo played 27 minutes against the Raptors on Monday, which was just the second game that he has played for his new team. He certainly made a good impression, recording 19 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks. Although he's not much of a threat from behind the arc, he's been efficient from the field on his way to averaging 11.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the season. The potential for added playing time against a Blazers team that has the second-worst defensive rating in the league makes Diallo an intriguing option.
Guard to Avoid
Malik Beasley, MIN vs. NY ($23): Beasley jumped right back into the starting lineup following his 12-game suspension, logging 30 and 31 minutes, respectively, the last two games. However, he looked rusty, shooting a combined 7-for-29 from the field. He's heavily reliant on his scoring contributions to provide fantasy value, so facing a Knicks team that has the fourth-best defensive rating could be an issue.
FORWARDS
Jayson Tatum, BOS vs. DAL ($42): The Celtics fell to the Pelicans on Monday, but Tatum thrived with 57.3 Yahoo points. He scored 34 points on 25 shot attempts, leading the offense with Jaylen Brown (hip) out. Brown is listed as questionable for this game, so if he sits again, Tatum should once again be asked to provide more scoring. Even if he does play, this could still be a favorable spot to deploy Tatum given that the Mavericks have the ninth-worst defensive rating.
Jae'Sean Tate, HOU at BKN ($20): The dismantling of the Rockets has been a benefit to Tate, who has averaged 32 minutes across the last 13 games. While his numbers don't jump off the page, he's generally taken advantage of his opportunity with averages of 12.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.7 steals during that stretch. After scoring at least 31.4 Yahoo points in five of the last seven games, he's an appealing option on the lower end of the salary scale.
Forward to Avoid
Dillon Brooks, MEM vs, UTA ($20): This is not a good matchup for Brooks. He's mostly reliant on his ability to score to provide fantasy value and the Jazz have the third-best defensive rating in the league. He's faced them twice this season and scored just 23.3 and 17.4 Yahoo points, respectively. There are plenty of other players with more appealing matchups for this busy slate, so it might be wise to avoid Brooks.
CENTERS
Richaun Holmes, SAC at SA ($32): The Spurs have had problems slowing down opposing centers, allowing the fifth-most Yahoo points per game to the position. With that in mind, it's not surprising that Holmes torched them for 53.9 Yahoo points on Monday. He's currently averaging career-highs in points (14.4), rebounds (9.0) and blocks (1.7), so look for him to keep rolling in this rematch.
Nerlens Noel, NY at MIN ($14): It's been a lost season for Mitchell Robinson (foot), who has only played 31 games. His latest injury means he could be out for the rest of the regular season, which puts Noel back into the starting five. He's played well in that role, averaging 6.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.
Center to Avoid
Jusuf Nurkic, POR at DET ($19): After he sat out for over two months, the Blazers have been very cautious with Nurkic since he made his return. He didn't play more than 19 minutes in either of his two games back, scoring 22.6 and 20.8 Yahoo points, respectively. There's no need to push him with the capable Enes Kanter behind him, so look for Nurkic to play limited minutes in this game, as well.
