This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We have a unique two-game slate, as there is one potential elimination game Friday and a series-opening game Sunday. The Wizards and Celtics have played five times in the last two weeks and nine times on the season. We know how the teams match up and have an idea of the tendencies. The Spurs and the Warriors, on the other hand, offer a lot more mystery.
GUARD
John Wall, WAS vs BOS ($51) and Patty Mills, SA at GS ($17): Wall has the highest expected value of any point guard, and perhaps any player in this slate. He is averaging 51.2 fantasy points per game in the series, and scored 54.6 in his last home game. The Wizards have won every home game against the Celtics this season, and Game 6 on Friday is an elimination game, which raises the stakes. Meanwhile, Mills may be the best point guard value, as he's coming off consecutive 30+ fantasy-point efforts as the primary point guard on the team.
Marcus Smart, BOS at WAS ($16): There are no elite shooting guards Friday based upon their recent play. Smart has had some trouble in his two road games this series, but he had 38 fantasy points in Game 5 to show his solid upside.
Guard to Avoid
Klay Thompson, GS vs SA ($32): Thompson has only scored more than 25 fantasy points once in his last five games, and he averaged fewer than 25 in his two regular season games against the Spurs. Put together, his expected value for Sunday is solidly lower than his price, with his rare explosive games not worth the risk.
FORWARD
Otto Porter, WAS vs BOS ($25): Porter has played well all season. He scored 23.3 fantasy points in Game 5, and that was by far his worst game of the series, and he averaged close to 30.0 per game during the regular season. Back at home on Friday, he makes for a solid bounce-back candidate.
Draymond Green, GS vs SA ($38): Green has been outstanding in the playoffs, scoring over 40 fantasy points in seven of eight games, with a low of 32.5 and a high of 63.4. He also played well against the Spurs during the regular season, and the Spurs were just torched by both interior big Clint Capela and perimeter shooter Ryan Anderson, for much of their last series.
Forward to Avoid
Kawhi Leonard, SA at GS ($48): Uncertainty is not a good thing, especially at a max price. Leonard is expected to be able to play Sunday, but he couldn't go in an elimination game Thursday, which means the ankle still has some healing to do. Meanwhile, Leonard is the exact same price as Kevin Durant and $10 more than Green, both of whom would have expected values as high as a healthy Leonard.
CENTER
Al Horford, BOS at WAS ($29): Horford is averaging almost 40 fantasy points per game in the series. Even though he has played better at home, the sample size is small enough that his consistently good play and established upside can't be ignored.
Marcin Gortat, WAS vs BOS ($22): Gortat has had relatively down games in his last two, both of which were blowouts, after outstanding performances in the first two games of the series. This makes him a bit of a bounce-back candidate, playing at home in an elimination game.
Center to Avoid
Pau Gasol, SA at GS ($17): Gasol played great when he first moved into the starting lineup against the Rockets last series, but their success at small ball limited him to 19 and 20 minutes in Games 4 and 5, respectively. He broke out with 35.7 fantasy points in 30 minutes in Game 6, but the Warriors are a better small-ball team than the Rockets, which could limit Gasol's minutes again.
