Yahoo DFS Basketball: Saturday Picks

Yahoo DFS Basketball: Saturday Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.

Yahoo offers Saturday's seven games for its featured slate, which is much more manageable than the 20 teams we combed through Friday. There are still plenty of spots to exploit, so let's get to it.

We have the power trio of Russell Westbrook ($54), LeBron James ($52) and James Harden ($51), with all three facing tough defensive teams. Each offers a great anchor for lineups, but I have to crown Harden as the best option, as LeBron suffered one of his worst season totals in his last game against Denver, and Westbrook is playing the second of a back-to-back.

I'll now target two players at each position with an additional list of players per spot that hold equal weight in my predictions. One player to fade at each position will also be provided.

GUARD

Damian Lillard, POR vs. OKC ($41): Lillard is almost always chalk because of his consistent floor and ability to explode in the right matchup. The combo of a fatigued Thunder team and Lillard's convincing 63 YFP performance against OKC earlier this season makes Portland's star point guard a great candidate to anchor lineups in all formats.

Bogdan Bogdanovic, SAC vs. UTA ($17):
Bogdanovic has seen an uptick in minutes and has also seen his usage rate jump to 20.8 percent in the last month, and he's also had some good success against the Jazz as he put up 33 YFP against them in their last matchup. While the pace of this game leaves something to be desired, Bogdan's cheap price makes him an excellent value candidate against Utah, who is playing the second of a back-to-back.

Other guards to consider: C.J. McCollum, POR vs. OKC ($24), Jamal Murray, DEN at CLE ($22), Ish Smith, DET at MIA ($17), Reggie Bullock, DET at MIA ($11).

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Guard to Avoid:

Kyrie Irving, BOS at HOU ($34): Before anyone overreacts, let me say that Irving's night likely will be decent – but it won't warrant $34. Houston is the NBA's best defense against point guards, and while few can stop Irving if he gets hot, he would have to break 50 YFP to be worth it, and I don't see that happening.

FORWARD

Aaron Gordon, ORL vs. MEM ($28): Gordon has been the Magic's best scoring option the last couple weeks, and he was scary good Friday against Detroit. Gordon sees a 21 percent dip in production on no rest, but the fact that this is a two-game home stand should help negate that deficiency.

Jarell Martin, MEM at ORL ($11):
With injuries scattered over the Grizzlies roster, it makes sense to go with one of the only healthy starters. The scoring burden should flow to Martin with Marc Gasol out and JaMychal Green questionable to play, and his minutes have trended steadily upward as Memphis shifts its focus to the younger players on the roster.

Other forwards to consider: Paul George, OKC at POR ($37), Josh Richardson, MIA vs. DET ($22), Rudy Gay, SA vs. LAL ($11).

Forward to Avoid:

Wilson Chandler, DEN at CLE ($18): Many thought Will Barton would be hurt most by Paul Millsap's return, but early results have shifted that prediction to Chandler. Milsap's minutes likely will see another uptick Saturday, and we'll see Chandler less and less as the season progresses.

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CENTER

Nikola Jokic, DEN at CLE ($46): While he might be a bit too expensive for my taste, Cleveland's Achilles' heel is under the basket and Jokic will be a key factor if the Nuggets are to escape with a win. The Nuggets come in as a slight underdog, and Jokic averages 48 YFP per game when Vegas gives points to the Nuggets.

Nikola Vucevic, ORL vs, MEM ($28):
With Marc Gasol and Detonta Davis both expected to be out, it's anyone's guess who the Grizzlies will start under the basket, but there's an excellent chance Vucevic schools them. After a weak end of the month, Voosh roared back with a double-double Friday, and even though he's playing on consecutive nights the matchup is too good to miss.

Other centers to consider: Andre Drummond, DET at MIA ($44), Clint Capela, HOU vs. BOS ($28), Rudy Gobert, UTA at SAC ($27).

Center to Avoid:

Pau Gasol, SA vs. LAL ($20): Gasol practiced Friday, so it's expected that he'll play despite being questionable. Even if he plays, he's battling two injuries and the potential absence of LaMarcus Aldridge should make this slow-paced team even more sluggish.

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.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Edgerton
Jeff has provided sports content for numerous sports outlets and has played fantasy sports since scores had to be tabulated via newspaper. He started working with RotoWire in 2017. Originally from South Carolina, he's a lifelong Clemson fan now enjoying the sun in Los Angeles.
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