This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The Bucks find themselves backed into a corner Friday as they enter Game 3 against the Heat in an 0-2 hole. Meanwhile, the series between the Rockets and Lakers will also get underway. Let's discuss these two games and which players among them might be worth considering on Yahoo, as well as a few to potentially avoid.
GUARDS
LeBron James, LAL vs. HOU ($52): The Lakers haven't played since Saturday, so James will be well rested for this contest. This provides him a great matchup considering the Rockets primarily use small lineups. They couldn't slow James down during the regular season, which resulted in him averaging 24.5 points, seven rebounds, 13.5 assists and two steals across two games.
Goran Dragic, MIA vs. MIL ($25): Rolling with Dragic at this salary almost feels like a must. He's been stellar in the playoffs, scoring at least 34.5 Yahoo points in five of six games and at least 39 Yahoo points in both games against the Bucks. Dragic has especially stepped up in the scoring department, averaging 23.5 points per game during the playoffs compared to 16.2 points during the regular season.
Guard to Avoid
Eric Bledsoe, MIL at MIA ($20): After missing Game 1 with a hamstring injury, Bledsoe was able to take the floor in Game 2. He played 31 minutes, so he should be fine moving forward in this series. The problem is Bledsoe only scored 24.4 Yahoo points in his return and has only scored more than 28.9 Yahoo points once during the Bucks' playoff run. With how hot Dragic is, rolling with Bledsoe doesn't seem like a risk worth taking.
FORWARDS
Anthony Davis, LAL vs. HOU ($51): Davis provides the potential to feast in this series with smaller players guarding him. He's coming off a 43-point performance against the Blazers in Game 5 and averaged 29.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks in the first round. Davis's floor is arguably as high as anyone's on this slate.
Jae Crowder, MIA vs. MIL ($17): Injuries could be a problem for the Heat in this game with Andre Iguodala (ankle) and Kelly Olynyk (knee) listed as questionable. If Iguodala is unable to take the floor, that could further cement significant playing time for Crowder. While he averaged 26 minutes a game in the series with the Pacers, he's logged a least 35 minutes in both games versus the Bucks. Crowder only counted 15.8 Yahoo points in Game 1, but came through with 32.2 Yahoo points in Game 2.
Forward to Avoid
Eric Gordon, HOU at LAL ($20): Across the first five games against the Thunder, Gordon averaged 19.4 points on 18.6 shot attempts per game. In the following two - both of which Russell Westbrook was able to play at least 27 minutes - he averaged 15 points on 11.5 shot attempts per contest. That was much more in line with Gordon's season average of 12.9 attempts a night. As Westbrook continues to play more minutes the further away he gets from his injury, Gordon should see his scoring opportunities return to normal levels.
CENTERS
Brook Lopez, MIL at MIA ($20): Lopez's ceiling might not be very high, but he does offer a fairly high floor given his salary. He's scored at least 29.4 Yahoo points in both of the first two games against the Heat and has scored at least 24.2 Yahoo points in each of the last six. Lopez doesn't always produce a lot of rebounds given his size, but his ability to rack up blocks somewhat offset that.
P.J. Tucker, HOU at LAL ($12): Tucker is arguably the most appealing budget-friendly option at any position for this slate. He's scored at least 30.8 Yahoo points in back-to-back games and plays a ton of minutes manning the five for the Rockets' small lineups. There is some concern Tucker could get into foul trouble guarding Davis, but he could well be worth the risk at such a cheap salary.
Center to Avoid
Bam Adebayo, MIA vs. MIL ($32): This is not a knock on Adebayo. He's become one of the best centers in the league and has been huge for the Heat throughout the playoffs. The problem is there are so many juicy top-tier options on the slate like James, Davis and James Harden ($56) that promise significantly higher upsides. If you add Adebayo to your entry, it limits your options elsewhere. It might be best to save at center with Lopez or Tucker.
