This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA bounces back from a limited Tuesday slate with a whopping 13 games Wednesday. We'll be missing some big names, though, with LeBron James (abdomen), Jaylen Brown (hamstring) and Zion Williamson (foot) among those who will be sidelined.
The good news is that there are still plenty of noteworthy matchups, including Celtics hosting the Raptors and the Bulls taking on the Mavericks. Let's get down to business and highlight some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups, as well as a few to potentially avoid.
GUARDS
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC at NO ($33): Gilgeous-Alexander has remained busy for the Thunder, following up his 27.8 percent usage rate last season with a 27.1 percent rate this season. His shooting percentage isn't as impressive, but part of that can be attributed to him taking 6.7 three-pointers per game, compared to 4.9 per game last season. Still, with his ability to stuff the stat sheet in multiple areas, he's scored at least 40.1 Yahoo points in four of his last five games. This is a favorable matchup for him to remain successful given that the Pelicans have the second-worst defensive rating in the league.
Will Barton, DEN vs. IND ($26): With Michael Porter Jr. (back) out Monday against the Heat, Barton scored 43.0 Yahoo points across 35 minutes. Not only will Porter miss this game against the Pacers, but Nikola Jokic will also be out while serving his one-game suspension. That should leave plenty of shot attempts in what is a favorable matchup given that the Pacers have the seventh-worst defensive rating.
Guard to Avoid
Kemba Walker, NY vs. MIL ($17): There are two key stats that are concerning with Walker. First, he's only averaging 27 minutes per game. Second, his usage rate has dropped to 19.6 percent, which would be the lowest mark of his career. The Knicks have a lot of depth and want to keep Walker fresh for the playoffs, so both of these trends could continue.
FORWARDS
DeMar DeRozan, CHI vs. DAL ($36): Zach LaVine and DeRozan have been the leaders of the Bulls' scoring attack, which has helped DeRozan generate a 30.5 percent usage rate. That would be his highest mark since the 2016-17 season and only the second time in his career that he has had a usage rate of at least 30 percent. His assist numbers are down, but he's still averaged a robust 41.7 Yahoo points per game.
Thaddeus Young, SA vs. SAC ($17): Young was barely playing at the start of the season for the rebuilding Spurs, but has seen his role increase with Jakob Poeltl in the league's health and safety protocols. That's helped him score at least 28.1 Yahoo points in three straight games. He should continue to see added playing time with Poeltl out for at least two more games.
Forward to Avoid
Jae Crowder, PHO vs. POR ($19): The good news with Crowder is that he's averaged 30 minutes per game. The problem for DFS, though, is that his usage rate is all the way down to 13.3 percent, which deals a major blow to his offensive production. There are a ton of viable options with 26 teams in action, so there's no need to roll the dice with Crowder and his limited upside.
CENTERS
Jonas Valanciunas, NO vs. OKC ($38): This could get ugly for the Thunder, who don't have much quality size up front. That's part of the reason why they've allowed the fifth-most rebounds per game in the league. Enter Valanciunas, who has used his career-high 34 minutes per game to record averages of 19.5 points, 13.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists. His floor should be extremely high for this matchup.
Bobby Portis, MIL at NY ($14): If you want to fade Valanciunas so you can allocate more of your budget elsewhere, Portis is also very appealing. Brook Lopez (back) doesn't appear to be close to making a return, which should leave Portis in an expanded role. He's started both of the last two games, scoring 47.6 and 41.5 Yahoo points, respectively.
Center to Avoid
Steven Adams, MEM vs. CHA ($17): Adams playing time is starting to become a concern. He's logged 21 minutes or fewer in five of the last seven games, dropping his average to 25 minutes per game for the season. He's scored in double-digits three times this season and has only two games with at least 10 rebounds. Portis has a much more stable role for the Bucks right now and his salary is cheaper, so no need to consider Adams for your lineups.
