This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Friday brings three Game 3s across the NBA with both the Celtics and Blazers trying to take commanding 3-0 series leads. The Raptors will also be trying to regain home court advantage by winning one on the road against the Magic. We have another opportunity to win some money on Yahoo, as well, so here are players to target and avoid for your entry.
GUARDS
Russell Westbrook, OKC vs. POR ($52): Even though Westbrook was only a rebound shy of another triple-double in Game 2, it wasn't one of his finer performances. He shot a dreadful 5-for-20 from the field and committed six turnovers. He took the blame for the loss and should be highly motivated in what will be the first game of this series played in Oklahoma City. Don't get overly worked up about one bad game, he still has the highest floor of anyone on the slate.
D.J. Augustin, ORL vs. TOR ($18): Speaking of players who struggled in the second game of their series, Augustin scored just nine points while shooting 1-for-6 from the field. The end result for him was 21.2 Yahoo points across 23 minutes. His playing time ended up being limited due to the lopsided score, so he could bounce back with a valuable stat line if the Magic can keep this game close at home.
Guard to Avoid
Darren Collison, IND vs. BOS ($18): Collison recorded a 17.7 percent usage rate while averaging only 28 minutes a game during the regular season, which isn't exactly a recipe for success. Even when he was bumped up to 33 minutes in Game 3, his lack of involvement in the offense left him with just 16.9 Yahoo points. He's scored 25.7 Yahoo points or fewer in seven of his last eight contests dating back to the regular season, so there's not much to see here.
FORWARDS
Kawhi Leonard, TOR at ORL ($40): With the Raptors needing a win in Game 2, Leonard was as hot as it gets, shooting 15-for-22 from the field on his way to 37 points. As good as Nikola Vucevic was this season, Leonard is by far and away the best player on the floor for either team. With the Raptors looking to swing the series back in their favor, expect another juicy stat line from their superstar forward.
Al-Farouq Aminu, POR at OKC ($17): Despite scoring six points across just 23 minutes Tuesday, Aminu still managed to finish with 24.3 Yahoo points. He ended up recording three steals in that game, which helped make up for his lack of contributions in both points and rebounds. He averaged 10.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and two assists over four games against the Thunder during the regular season, making him someone to at least consider in tournament play.
Forward to Avoid
Domantas Sabonis, IND vs. BOS ($24): This has not been a productive series for Sabonis, who has scored 20.3 and 20.5 Yahoo points, respectively, over the first two games. He's shot a combined 3-for-10 from the field and should continue to face an uphill battle with how well the Celtics are playing defensively. Since he won't come cheap, considering paying up elsewhere.
CENTERS
Steven Adams, OKC vs. POR ($25): Nerlens Noel is a good rim protector, but the Thunder need to rely heavily on Adams in the middle if they are going to get back into this series. He doesn't always receive a ton of scoring opportunities playing with Westbrook and Paul George, but his steady rebounding and heavy dosage of minutes leaves him with a relatively high floor. Jusuf Nurkic (lower leg) is a better defender than Enes Kanter, so his absence tips things in Adams' favor, as well.
Enes Kanter, POR at OKC ($25): Kanter stormed out of the gate in Game 1 with 20 points and 18 rebounds across 34 minutes. However, he battled early foul troubles in Game 2, which contributed to him scoring just 10 Yahoo points across 20 minutes. If he can avoid a similar situation Friday, he provides significantly higher upside than Adams.
Center to Avoid
Myles Turner, IND vs. BOS ($26): It's hard to get excited about anyone on the Pacers in this series. They have struggled to produce offensively without Victor Oladipo (knee), and the Celtics look determined to make quick work of them. Turner has scored 20.6 and 18.6 Yahoo points, respectively, over the first two games and hasn't topped 27.9 Yahoo points in any of his last five contests dating back to the regular season. This isn't a good matchup for him against Al Horford and Aron Baynes, so it's hard to justify spending this much for him when you can have Adams or Kanter for a dollar cheaper.
