Yahoo DFS Basketball: Sunday Picks

Yahoo DFS Basketball: Sunday Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.

Sunday's six-game NBA slate begins at 3:30 PM Eastern time. Read on to see the players to target and which to avoid.

GUARD

Dennis Schröder, ATL at NY ($35): When these teams met Nov. 24, Schröder shredded Jarrett Jack and New York's porous defense for 26 points and eight assists. The Knicks are allowing the 11th-most fantasy points (42.3) and fifth-most assists (9.0) per game to point guards and should be even worse defensively on the second night of a back-to-back. Given how integral Schröder is to Atlanta's offense, he should have no trouble racking up high totals in points and assists.

Terry Rozier, BOS at DET ($10): Rozier has stepped up his production recently, averaging 27.3 fantasy points in the past two games. That rise in output has been accompanied by a rise in playing time, as the past three games represent only the third time this season that Rozier's topped 23 minutes in three consecutive contests. At the minimum price, it's worth investing in him in hopes of another lengthy and productive game against a Pistons defense that's been middling at defending the point guard position.

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GUARD TO AVOID

De'Aaron Fox, SAC vs. TOR ($13): Toronto's allowing the fewest fantasy points (37.0) and PPG (18.0) to point guards, so don't be surprised to see Fox held to single-digit fantasy points for the third time in six games. Even at his low price, Fox simply doesn't bring enough upside in this matchup to justify selection.

FORWARD

Kenneth Faried, DEN at IND ($21): Faried's excelled in the absence of Paul Millsap (wrist), averaging 13.0 PPG and 9.3 RPG, and the bouncy big man's production should stay constant regardless of Nikola Jokic's (ankle) status, given the talented center's more perimeter-oriented game. There's still a buy-low opportunity available on Faried with his price failing to fully account for the injury issues around him, and he should excel against a Pacers team that's allowing the sixth-most PPG (21.4) and 10th-most RPG (10.4) to power forwards.

Robert Covington, PHI at NO ($29): Covington's been phenomenal over his past three games heading into the weekend, twice topping 40.0 fantasy points. The silky-shooting small forward should have no trouble putting the ball in the basket against a Pelicans team that's allowing 108.9 points per game, which is fourth-most in the NBA. If you don't have the money for Anthony Davis ($56) or Kristaps Porzingis ($45), Covington's your best bet for forward production.

FORWARD TO AVOID

Harrison Barnes, DAL at MIN ($28): Barnes hasn't shown explosive upside, topping 40.0 fantasy points only twice in his past 14 appearances while finishing with no more than 42.2 at any point over that span. With other forwards in his price range excelling recently, there's little reason to pick Barnes over them against a Timberwolves defense that's allowing just 33.1 fantasy points per game to the position. That mark represents the eighth-lowest total in the league.

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CENTER

Jonas Valanciunas, TOR at SAC ($13): No team's been more generous to centers than Sacramento, as the Kings are allowing league-highs in fantasy points (45.1) and rebounds (15.0) to the position. Valanciunas' average of 2.2 offensive boards per game suggests he should thrive on the glass in this favorable matchup while also boosting his scoring total with easy putbacks. The Kings are also stingier than league average in PPG allowed to shooting guards and allow the third-fewest fantasy points to point guards, so expect the trash brothers to cede more shots Valanciunas than usual.

Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. DAL ($40): Towns is coming off his second-best fantasy outing of the season with 55.4 fantasy points Wednesday against the Clippers, and he should be able to replicate that effort against the 7-19 Mavericks. The 2015 first overall pick has topped his season playing time average of 34:47 in four consecutive games and eight of his past nine, so playing time's unlikely to be an issue despite the weak opposition. With injuries decimating the center position, Towns is the clear go-to if you have the funds to spend big at the position.

CENTER TO AVOID

Andre Drummond, DET vs. BOS ($46): No team's been stingier against centers than the Celtics, who are allowing a league-low 32.8 fantasy points per game to the position. While many will be tempted to use Drummond after his excellent Nov. 27 outing in Boston, his high price coupled with his opponent's success against centers in most other matchups make him a very risky play.

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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