This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
It is the final night of the regular season and the slate is packed. It is the wildest night of the year for daily fantasy due to teams resting players, which results in others seeing many more minutes than they are accustomed to. Ahead, we will look at both players with great values due to a probable workload well above their price, as well as high priced players with something still to play for. Also, we will try to determine which typically solid plays to avoid as a result of an expected workload decrease.
GUARD
James Harden, HOU vs SAC ($54) - Harden and the Rockets find themselves in a win-and-they're-in situation. They just so happen to be going up against a Kings team that has been firmly in tank mode for a while now. DeMarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo and Darren Collison did not even travel with the team for their final road trip, and the latter two players have left the Kings' backcourt very thin. Harden should be able to go to work on Seth Curry and Ben McLemore, much like he has been doing lately. He has averaged a remarkable 53.6 fantasy points per game over the last 13, including five games over 60. He has carried the load for the Rockets and is the likeliest candidate of all the top-tier guards who actually play Wednesday to go off.
James Ennis, NOP at MIN ($10) - There are a few options at the minimum price for guards who could put up big numbers including Justin Holiday, Ben McLemore and Mario Hezonja. I like Ennis due to his matchup, recent production and the fact that he is playing for a job next season. He has put up 29.2 and 46.5 fantasy points in his last two games, respectively, and will match up with a Timberwolves team with an up-tempo offense. Ennis should play anywhere between 30 and 40 minutes, depending on foul trouble, and will have every opportunity to continue his production trend upwards in the Pelicans' season finale.
Guard to Avoid
Kyle Lowry, TOR at BRO ($36) - Lowry can be paired up with DeMar DeRozan for this one given their team's situation. The Raptors have their position locked in for the playoffs and are playing on the second end of a back-to-back. Assuming they play, expect them to have relatively small workloads. If they indeed suit up, the Nets will have a hard time keeping this one close, so both Lowry and DeRozan will not have much of an opportunity to produce effectively.
FORWARD
Gordon Hayward, UTA at LAL ($31) - The Jazz need to win and get a little help from the Rockets in order to make the playoffs, and they will need to depend on Hayward to get them there Wednesday. The Jazz have relied on their strong frontcourt for much of the season, but both Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert are noticeably struggling with injuries right now. There is no guarantee that either will even be able to play, let alone be effective. Hayward will likely be defended by Kobe Bryant in his farewell game, and Bryant is expected to play as many minutes as he is able. It is fair to assume he will be focused on putting up a strong offensive performance in his final NBA outing, which would mean he will need to rest a bit on defense. If that is indeed the case then Hayward should benefit statistically.
Mirza Teletovic, PHO vs LAC ($15) - Teletovic has been playing very well as the Suns have wound down their season, and assuming Tyson Chandler sits out again due to a concussion, the former should see a big workload. He has averaged 21.3 points, 6.4 boards, 1.9 assists, 1.0 steals and an impressive 3.0 triples per game over his last eight, good for more than 33 fantasy points per outing. If you're looking for even cheaper options who should play big minutes, Willie Cauley-Stein, Ersan Ilyasova and Trey Lyles could be intriguing plays.
Forward to Avoid
LaMarcus Aldridge, SA at DAL ($32) - Much like Lowry and DeRozan, Aldridge can be paired with Kawhi Leonard in this category. The Spurs will be playing on the second end of a back-to-back, and it is highly unlikely head coach Gregg Popovich utilizes his star forwards for a large portion of this game. They still may start as a means of staying consistent heading into the playoffs, but neither will likely play significant minutes.
CENTER
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs NO ($41) - Towns has surpassed all expectations in his rookie season and should take on his full workload in an advantageous matchup Wednesday. He will play against a very depleted Pelicans' roster and will have an opportunity to produce one last big line. Besides Dwight Howard, he is the safest play off all the other expensive centers on the board. If you are looking to fill your center slot with a minimum priced player who should play a lot, Kostas Koufos, Dewayne Dedmon and Jon Leuer are all solid options.
Center to Avoid
Greg Monroe, MIL vs IND ($22) - There are not many bad plays at the center position Wednesday. Having said that, Monroe is coming off his best game in quite some time, but it is hard to argue with the evidence prior to that. Ever since the Bucks let Giannis Antetokounmpo take over the point-forward role, Monroe has seen his value slip. As of now, Milwaukee is expected to play their normal team and that does not bode well for Monroe's chances.
