This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There haven't been a lot of tight games, but both Conference Finals are tied at two games apiece. Two critical Game 5's will be stretched out across Wednesday and Thursday, so let's take a look at some players to target and avoid to hopefully come away with a winning Yahoo entry.
GUARDS
James Harden, HOU vs. GS ($52): In a game that was relatively low scoring for two excellent offensive teams in the Rockets and Warriors, Harden came up big with 30 points on his way to 53.8 Yahoo points Tuesday. He provided excellent defensive numbers as well, recording three steals and two blocks. Harden will continue to be the focal point of the Rockets' offense when they return home for Game 5 and he has one of the highest ceilings of anyone at the guard position.
Jaylen Brown, BOS vs. CLE ($23): Brown dealt with foul trouble in Game 3 which limited his playing time and production, but he bounced back with 41.2 Yahoo points in Game 4. He scored 25 points in that game and has now scored at least 23 points in three of the four games in this series. He's become one of the Celtics' top scoring options with Kyrie Irving (knee) out and carries significant value at this reasonable price.
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Guard to Avoid
Klay Thompson, GS at HOU ($22): Thompson injured his knee in Game 4, but returned to the game and should be fine for Thursday. It was another poor performance for Thompson though and he has now scored 24.7 Yahoo points or fewer in three of four games against the Rockets. With Brown playing so much better right now and only priced one dollar higher, it might be best to avoid Thompson.
FORWARDS
LeBron James, CLE at BOS ($57): James has put the Cavaliers on his back and is now only two wins away from once again reaching the NBA Finals. After struggling in a blowout loss in Game 1, James has scored at least 53.5 Yahoo points in each of the last three games, which included one triple-double. He did only register three assists in Game 4, but he scored a whopping 44 points. He has the highest ceiling of anyone at any position.
P.J. Tucker, HOU vs. GS ($15): Tucker has had an inconsistent series, scoring at least 35.2 Yahoo points twice, but 15 Yahoo points or fewer in the other two games. In the two games where he played well, he had a couple of abnormal performances, scoring 22 points in Game 2 and grabbing 16 rebounds in Game 4. It's tough to expect that type of production from him on a consistent basis, but he's still priced low enough to warrant consideration in tournament play.
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Forward to Avoid
Marcus Morris, BOS vs. CLE ($17): It's been all downhill for Morris since scoring 32 Yahoo points in Game 1, who has been unable to slow down James or produce much offensively in the last three games. He has scored 16.1 Yahoo points or fewer in back-to-back contests and has also had issues with foul trouble since James caught fire. He's not expensive, but he's still a risky option.
CENTERS
Draymond Green, GS at HOU ($34): Even when Green wasn't at his best the first two games of this series, he still scored at least 30.2 Yahoo points in both contests. He's scored at least 42.6 Yahoo points in both games since, providing excellent all-around production. His ability to contribute in so many areas gives him an extremely high floor, leaving him as the best center available.
Tristan Thompson, CLE at BOS ($13): Thompson came through with his best performance of the playoffs in Game 4, scoring 38.4 Yahoo points in 38 minutes. Kevin Love was dealing with foul trouble, which certainly helped Thompson receive so much playing time. This was likely an outlier performance for Thompson, who had scored 21.7 Yahoo points or fewer in each of the first three games against the Celtics. He's still starting though and is near the minimum price, making him a viable option if you want to go really cheap at center.
Center to Avoid
Clint Capela, HOU vs. GS ($32): With the Warriors moving to their small lineup and starting Green at center, it's been a tough series for Capela. After playing at least 30 minutes in both of the first two games, he has logged 24 minutes or fewer in both games since. He hasn't been very productive overall, scoring 27.6 Yahoo points or fewer in each of the last three contests. With Green priced only two dollar higher, he carries significantly more upside than Capela if you want to pay up at center.
