This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
After having nearly every team in action yesterday, we have just two games to talk about today. The NBA scheduling has been frustrating all season, and it's hard to understand why the games aren't more spread out. In any case, we still have two great matchups, and it'll be fun to break these down!
Guards
Damian Lillard, MIL at IND ($44)
Dame was slow to get going in his first few games with the Bucks, but we're really encouraged with what he's done over the last week. The perennial All-Star has at least 41 Yahoo points in three straight games. That's the stud we've been waiting to see because he averaged more than that in his Portland tenure. There's also a chance Giannis Antetokounmpo is rested in the second half of a B2B, and that would only add to Lillard's intrigue. The matchup is the icing on the cake, with Indiana ranked 26th in defensive efficiency and 28th in points allowed.
Cole Anthony, ORL vs. ATL ($17)
Anthony has always been a great fantasy producer when given an opportunity, and his chances are increasing with Markelle Fultz injured. They're still choosing to bring Anthony off of the bench, but he's the primary ball-handler for this team. He's got at least 33 Yahoo points in two of three games since Fultz went down, flirting with a 30 percent usage rate in that span. That makes him enticing against Atlanta, who rank 22nd in points allowed.
Guard to Avoid
Buddy Hield, IND vs. MIL ($22)
Buddy has been relegated to the bench this season, and it's crushed his upside. The sharpshooter hasn't played more than 30 minutes in any game, averaging just 23 Yahoo points per game across 23 minutes a night. That's not enough from a player in this price range, and it's even more terrifying since he hasn't scored more than 34 Y! points in any game. Milwaukee is no easy matchup either, ranked Top 5 in almost every defensive metric last season.
Forwards
Paolo Banchero, ORL vs. ATL ($33)
We already talked about how Fultz is out, and that's allowed Banchero to take over this team. The former first-overall pick has at least 49 Yahoo points in two of his last three games. He's also playing over 35 minutes a game while attempting 15-20 shots a night. That sort of role is what you want from such a high prospect, especially against a horrid Hawks defense. That was on full display when Paolo provided at least 37 Y! points in three of their four matchups last year!
Saddiq Bey, ATL at ORL ($11)
Bey is far from an exciting pick, but he's a great cheap option to pair with one of the studs. He's been in and out of the starting lineup all season, but he's locked into 25-30 minutes a night. That's led to Bey scoring at least 22 Y! points in five straight fixtures while posting a 24-point average on the year. That might not sound like much, but those are stellar totals from an $11 player. Bey bludgeoned the Magic the last time he played them, too, dropping 49 Yahoo points in one of the best games of his career.
Forward to Avoid
Khris Middleton, MIL at IND ($21)
Middleton is an amazing player, but he just hasn't been healthy for two years now. He had the worst year of his career last season, and knee surgery during the summer has really killed his early-season production. Mid hasn't played more than 21 minutes in any game this season, failing to crack 30 Y! points in any of those. We do expect him to get more work as the season progresses, but we can't trust him in DFS until he's getting closer to 30 minutes a game.
Centers
Goga Bitadze, ORL vs. ATL ($16)
Wendell Carter got injured for Orlando last week, and it's forced Goga into the starting lineup. In the first two games without WCJ, Bitadze is averaging 28 Yahoo points per game across 23 minutes a night. That rate is no surprise since Bitadze had 33 and 42 Y! points in the two games he played at least 25 minutes last year. This per-minute stud will produce as long as he's out there, and Orlando needs him to play big minutes to oppose Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu.
Center to Avoid
Brook Lopez, MIL at IND ($21)
Lopez had a bounce-back 2022-23 season, but he's struggled to get going with the addition of Damian Lillard. There's simply not enough usage to go around with Giannis and Dame out there, with Bro-Lo averaging 26 minutes and fewer than 10 shots a night. That's limited Lopes to just 22 Y! points per game, and we don't want to trust him until he becomes a bigger part of this offense. Indiana is no easy matchup either because Myles Turner is one of the best defensive centers in the NBA.
