Yahoo DFS Basketball: Sunday Picks

Yahoo DFS Basketball: Sunday Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.

It's going to be a quiet Sunday in the NBA with just five games on the schedule. The main evening slate on Yahoo will be even sparser since it consists of just three games. However, there could be plenty of offense to go around with the Warriors, Kings and Hawks all in action. Let's take a look at some players to target and avoid while filling out your lineup.

GUARDS

De'Aaron Fox, SAC vs. PHO ($27): Fox isn't exactly thriving right now with 29.9 Yahoo points or fewer in five of his last eight games. He only averaged 14.8 points per game during that stretch in large part because of his 42.6 percent shooting from the field. That's a significant decline from his 46 percent shooting from the field for the season, overall. The good news is that he is still going to receive plenty of opportunities to be productive since the Kings play at the third-fastest pace (104 possessions per game) in the league. This is also a great matchup against the Suns, who allow the third-most points per game (115.8).

Terrence Ross, ORL at ATL ($20): The Magic average the fourth-fewest points per game (104.9) in the league, so they really need Ross to continue his recent run of success. He's averaging 19.6 points across his last eight games and has scored at least 38.5 Yahoo points in three of his last five contests. The Hawks allow the most points per game (118.4), so don't be surprised if Ross explodes in this contest. He scored 39.5 Yahoo points the last time these two teams met.

Guard to Avoid

Alec Burks, SAC vs. PHO ($16): After not playing much at the start of the season for the Jazz, Burks found himself in a great situation with the Cavaliers. He was averaging 29 minutes a game, which helped him average 11.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists. However, he's since been dealt to the Kings, who have far more depth and talent than do the Cavaliers. He only logged 15 minutes in his debut Friday, and it's hard to envision him playing much more than that moving forward.

FORWARDS

Jonathan Isaac, ORL at ATL ($20): Isaac has come alive for the Magic, averaging 11.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals and two blocks across his last 10 games. One of the games during that stretch came against these same Hawks. Considering how poorly they play defensively, it's not that surprising that Isaac scored 32.3 Yahoo points in that contest. He should receive plenty of playing time in their rematch, making him a great option at this reasonable price.

Mikal Bridges, PHO at SAC ($17): Bridges has already made 43 starts during his rookie season, but he's not playing a ton, averaging just 28 minutes a night. However, with T.J. Warren (ankle) and Devin Booker (hamstring) battling injuries, Bridges has logged at least 35 minutes in seven straight games. He's made the most of his added opportunities, scoring at least 26.7 Yahoo points in four of those contests. Booker has been upgraded to probable for Sunday, but with Warren still expected to be sidelined, Bridges should receive enough minutes to provide value.

Forward to Avoid

Harrison Barnes, SAC vs. PHO ($19): After adding Barnes, Burks and Corey Brewer last week, the Kings have a lot of depth across the board. That's good for their chances of making the playoffs and bad for the fantasy value of several players on the team. They wasted no time starting Barnes and playing him 37 minutes in his debut Friday against the Heat. However, he scored just 22.4 Yahoo points and attempted only nine shots. The Kings have plenty of offense around him, so his production might be limited again Sunday.

CENTERS

Nikola Vucevic, ORL at ATL ($40): This is about as juicy of a matchup as it gets. Vucevic has scored at least 40.3 Yahoo points in 12 of his last 14 games and will face one of the worst defensive teams in the league. The last time he played against the Hawks, he scored 54.8 Yahoo points. Don't expect them to be able to slow him down in this contest, either.

Deandre Ayton, PHO at SAC ($28): With so few games on the schedule, it's hard to find an exciting cheaper option at center. Paying up for Vucevic might be the wise choice. However, if you want to save some money at the position, Ayton has plenty of upside. He's scored at least 33.7 Yahoo points in three of four games since returning from injury and has an excellent opportunity to be productive again Sunday since the Kings allow the seventh-most Yahoo points per game (38.9) to opposing centers.

Center to Avoid

Willie Cauley-Stein, SAC vs. PHO ($17): The Barnes trade is bad news for Cauley-Stein. Cauley-Stein has already been losing some minutes lately to Marvin Bagley, so Barnes further complicates things. As a result of his reduced role, he's scored 18.3 Yahoo points or fewer in three of his last five games. Even though he's not overly expensive, his limited upside still might not warrant adding him to your entry.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Mike Barner plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: mbarner, DraftKings: mbarner51.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike Barner
Mike started covering fantasy sports in 2007, joining RotoWire in 2010. In 2018, he was a finalist for the FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Mike also won the 2022-23 FSGA NBA Experts Champions league. In addition to RotoWire, Mike has written for Sportsline, Sports Illustrated, DK Live, RealTime Fantasy Sports, Lineup Lab and KFFL.com.
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