This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The Blazers face the Nuggets in a game that features two of the worst six defensive teams and two of the fastest eight. Other than those two, all of the teams in action are roughly average-or-tougher fantasy opponents. Given the short slate of games, stacking players from that game may be a good strategy.
GUARDS
Eric Bledsoe, PHO vs. SA ($35): Bledsoe is riding a three-game streak of putting up at least 30 points and eight assists. While the Spurs are the best defense he's faced during this run, point guard is arguably the Spurs' weakest defensive position. Point guards facing the Spurs have the third-highest field goal percentage in the league, and commit the fifth-fewest turnovers.
Langston Galloway, NO vs. IND ($11): Galloway has played at least 28 minutes in four of the last five games. While all five games have netted at least modest fantasy profits, he exceeded 29 fantasy points in three of them. With Tim Frazier (wrist) doubtful for Thursday's game, and Tyreke Evans (knee, calf) questionable and seeming unlikely to play, Galloway could see major minutes once again.
Other suggestions: Jrue Holiday, NO vs. IND ($26); Patty Mills, SA at PHO ($13); Justin Holiday, NY at GS ($10)
Guard to Avoid
Devin Booker, PHO vs SA ($25): Booker's situation is the inverse of his backcourt partner, Bledsoe, as he has gone cold, averaging only 14.0 points per game while shooting 31.1 percent from the field and failing to score more than 16 in his last four. The Spurs are not great against shooting guards, but it is a tougher matchup than for point guards.
FORWARDS
Kawhi Leonard, SA at PHO ($40): There are a lot of good cheap forward options and not a lot of good expensive forwards. But if I want to spend more than $20 on a forward, I like Leonard's high floor against a fantasy friendly opponent. Suns' opponents average the second-highest three-point percentage in the league and are in the top 10 for rebounds and assists. Meanwhile, Leonard has scored fewer than 20 points only once since Veterans' Day, and he scored 19 in that game.
Kyle O'Quinn, NY at GS ($11): O'Quinn was earning notice even before Tuesday's outburst, where he scored 22 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and totaled 42.8 fantasy points. He has at least 20 fantasy points in every appearance this month. In fact, Tuesday was O'Quinn's second 20-point, 14-rebound game in December. He is profiting on bad days and winning lineups on good ones.
Other suggestions: Jared Dudley, PHO vs. SA ($10); Andre Iguodala, GS vs. NY ($10)
Forward to Avoid
Anthony Davis, NO vs IND ($57): Make no mistake, Davis is incredible, and he is a better player than whoever he will match up against, be it Thaddeus Young or Myles Turner. Davis also has an impressive floor, only twice this season falling short of 30 fantasy points. However, his price has risen too high. Even on a night with few games, Davis would need to score around 65 fantasy points just to break even, and he has only hit that mark once in his last six games – a stretch during which he is averaging 25.7 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. If those gaudy stats aren't enough to profit, then the cost has risen too high.
CENTERS
Nikola Jokic, DEN vs POR ($21): Jokic will probably be a popular pick Thursday, but sometimes it pays to go with the pack. After Jokic posted double-doubles in five of six appearances – despite playing 28 minutes or fewer in four of them – coach Mike Malone acknowledged that it is time to give Jokic more minutes. In all six of those games, Jokic scored at least 29 fantasy points. As mentioned at the top, this matchup is juicy for fantasy purposes, and Blazers' opponents rank sixth in the league in rebounds per game.
Tyson Chandler, PHO vs. SA ($15): It's unreasonable to expect a player to grab 20 rebounds in a game, though Chandler has done that in each of his last two. He is one of the best rebounders in the league and his role in the rotation is secure. The Spurs are on the second night of a back-to-back, and are therefore liable to rest at least one of their starters. LaMarcus Aldridge sat out Wednesday and will return, while Pau Gasol sat out last time the Spurs played in a back-to-back. The presence of any backup big man increases Chandler's value. If everyone plays, then Chandler still benefits from the extra rest compared to his opponents.
Other suggestion: Myles Turner, IND at NO ($25)
Center to Avoid
Jusuf Nurkic, DEN vs POR ($14): Part of this is doubling down on the idea that Jokic will play increased minutes Thursday, combined with the fact that the Nuggets did not look good when Jokic and Nurkic shared the floor earlier this season. Nurkic has already played fewer than 20 minutes in three of the last six games, and any additional decrease would do meaningful harm. This is still a favorable matchup, but the internal dynamics on the Nuggets is reason enough to stay away.
