Yahoo DFS Basketball: Sunday Picks

Yahoo DFS Basketball: Sunday Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.

Sunday's eight-game NBA slate begins bright and early at 1 p.m. EST. Read on below to see which players to target and which to avoid.

GUARD

Chris Paul, HOU vs. DAL ($41): Paul's new to this Texas rivalry, but that doesn't mean he's not ready to contribute in a big way. Dallas' defense against point guards is the weakest in this slate, as the Mavericks allow 40.0 fantasy points per game to the position. Paul has at least 43.9 fantasy points in three of his last four appearances and is primed to take advantage of a subpar opponent that's playing its second game in as many nights.

Andrew Harrison, MEM at OKC ($17):
Harrison's taking advantage of the opportunity presented by Memphis' rash of backcourt injuries, averaging 28.0 fantasy points over the last six games while reaching at least 28.3 four times in that stretch. He has the ball in his hands often and should continue to rack up points and assists at a rate befitting of a much more expensive player. The 23-year-old's youth should also keep his minutes high regardless of game flow to help with development.

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Guard to Avoid:

Ricky Rubio, UTA at POR ($28): The Trail Blazers have surprisingly been the fifth-stingiest team against point guards, allowing just 34.4 fantasy points per game to the position. Rubio left Friday's game against the Hornets with a hip injury, so he'll have trouble overcoming this difficult matchup even if he's able to suit up.

FORWARD

Michael Beasley, NY at IND ($22): New York's dearth of scoring options in the aftermath of Kristaps Porzingis' season-ending knee injury ensures that his successor at power forward should keep pouring in buckets at a high rate. Beasley led the team with 21 points and added seven rebounds in 31 minutes during the team's first game since the Porzingis injury, and that performance was in line with Beasley's production in previous games sans Porzingis. Beasley's $22 price hasn't adjusted to his new role yet, so use him liberally until it catches up to his true value.

Al Horford, BOS vs. CLE ($32):
While Cleveland has some new toys to play with, the fact of the matter remains that power forwards are producing a league-high 41.1 fantasy points per game against the Cavs. Horford's balanced box score contributions should allow him to thrive even if he has an off night scoring, making him the premier choice at forward for owners who can't afford any of the three elite forwards priced above him.

Forward to Avoid:

Dirk Nowitzki, DAL at HOU ($17): No team matches up better with Nowitzki than the Rockets, who are allowing the fewest fantasy points (29.4) and fewest made 3-pointers (1.1) per game to power forwards. Your opportunities to use him in daily formats are numbered, but it's important to remain selective nonetheless, so keep Dirk on the bench.

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CENTER

Enes Kanter, NY at IND ($25): Kanter's fantasy stock also should benefit from Porzingis' absence. He's already averaging a double-double with 14.1 PPG and 10.6 RPG and should carry an even heavier offensive burden against a Pacers team that surrenders 15.7 PPG to the center position -- sixth-most in the league. Some owners might be hesitant to use the towering Turk after he missed New York's last game Thursday with a mouth injury, but Kanter was sizzling before that, averaging 17.2 PPG and 15.5 RPG in the previous six games, all double-doubles.

Dwight Powell, DAL at HOU ($11):
While Houston's also done a good job defending centers, Powell's recent form makes him too strong a value play to pass up at $11 in even the most difficult matchups. He's averaging more than 30 minutes per game in the last three, and he's responded to that workload by producing more than 30 fantasy points per game in those contests. Given his solid production in limited playing time, it's safe to expect Powell to continue producing at a high level given the opportunity.

Center to Avoid:

Myles Turner, IND vs. NY ($21): Turner posted 33.4 fantasy points Friday in Boston, but he's still tough to trust after totaling a combined 21.6 points in two home games before that effort. New York also presents a tough matchup, as the Knicks have held centers to the sixth-fewest fantasy points (30.8).

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. Sasha Yodashkin plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: Youngsash, DraftKings: Yashdogg,Yahoo: Sasha, Fanball: Yashdogg.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sasha Yodashkin
Sasha has been contributing NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB and Tennis content to RotoWire since 2015, with an emphasis on DFS. He is a huge New York sports fan who has been playing fantasy sports since middle school.
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