This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Saturday's four-game NBA slate shouldn't lack for desperation, as it features a pair of underdogs that just saw home-court advantage wrenched back away from them in emphatic fashion and a pair of squads finally returning home after looking completely overmatched on the road. Conventional wisdom says go with chalk and keep leaning on players from the obvious favorites, but digging a bit deeper reveals that some of the day's top potential value plays are actually underpriced underdogs on teams that have their backs against the wall.
GUARD
Dwyane Wade, MIA at CHA ($34) - Wade has turned back the clock this series, thriving with the ball in his hands more to the tune of 22.0 PPG and 7.5 APG. The post-LeBron era Heat have largely lived and died by the shooting guard's production when he's healthy, so they should be feeling good about their chances considering how spry Wade has looked in consistently blowing by Courtney Lee and any other defender the Hornets try on him. Until Charlotte demonstrates the ability to contain him, the veteran should be a DFS staple at only $34.
Raymond Felton, DAL at OKC ($15) - Felton has been the savior for the injury-riddled Mavericks, providing steady backcourt production in the form of 69.3 total fantasy points the last two games combined. He's playing heavy minutes mostly because the alternatives are at less than 100 percent physically, but the veteran has definitely earned that playing time. There's little reason to believe his production will dip much for the remainder of the first round.
Guard to Avoid:
Jamal Crawford, LAC at POR ($21) - Crawford hasn't looked worthy of his Sixth Man of the Year award in this series, averaging just 17.5 fantasy points per game. His scoring off the bench isn't as vital with Blake Griffin back and fully integrated, as the power forward's baskets and minutes both fill critical voids that were created in his absence. It doesn't look like Crawford will be called upon to make a massive impact this round.
Others to Avoid: Damian Lillard ($43), C.J. McCollum ($34), Monta Ellis ($25)
FORWARD
Luol Deng, MIA at CHA ($24) - Pretty much every player on the Heat has been, well, hot this series, but Deng especially has given the Hornets fits with 47 points on 17-for-24 shooting in Games 1 and 2 combined. His 6.5 rebound per game average this postseason figures to climb if Miami actually starts missing shots, as that would mean more opportunities on the offensive glass for the man who ranked second on the team with 1.5 boards per game on that end in the regular season. It's a win-win situation for both owners and Deng, as the moderately priced forward figures to thrive regardless of whether the Heat continue their amazing offensive onslaught.
Myles Turner, IND vs. TOR ($18) - Turner could see a major boost in value if coach Frank Vogel's decision to start him in the second half of Game 3 was the beginning of a permanent shift. Lavoy Allen wasn't exactly lighting it up as a starter, while the rookie's higher ceiling on both ends could serve as an equalizer in this 2-7 matchup. Turner earned more minutes regardless of his starting status with a strong performance last time out, and he'll be given every opportunity to match that output given Indiana's lack of alternatives.
Forward to Avoid:
Wesley Matthews, DAL vs.OKC ($19) - Matthews talked after Game 2 about how his offensive output was lacking due to his massive commitment on the other end while guarding Kevin Durant. That trend reversed itself as Matthews piled up 22 points in Game 3, but that offensive outburst came at the cost of a blowout victory for the Thunder thanks to a series-high 34 points from Durant. Coach Rick Carlisle likely realizes that his team has a dramatically better chance of victory if the veteran wing shifts his primary focus back to being a defensive stopper, so expect a result much closer to the former Trail Blazer's 6.5 PPG from Games 1 and 2.
Others to Avoid: Blake Griffin ($37), Dirk Nowitzki ($31), Marvin Williams ($30)
CENTER
Al Jefferson, CHA vs. MIA ($20) - Miami's offensive excellence has overshadowed Jefferson's offensive resurrection, but it'd be foolish to overlook the veteran center considering he's been Charlotte's top source of secondary scoring behind Kemba Walker with averages of 19.0 PPG and 6.0 RPG off the bench. That rebounding stat figures to improve if the Hornets can force a few more misses out of the Heat now that the series has shifted to Charlotte, and his production to date has been worth well above Big Al's price even with the modest production on the glass.
Center to Avoid:
Hassan Whiteside, MIA at CHA ($42) - Sure he's firing on all cylinders, but it's telling that Whiteside failed to reach the requisite average of 42.0 fantasy points in Games 1 and 2 despite shooting a combined 17 of 19 from the field. That incredible field-goal percentage is unlikely to stay that high in Charlotte, so Whiteside will have to step up in other categories to avoid dropping well below expectations for a $42 player. He's a terrific player, but the center's price has just risen too high.
Others to Avoid: Ian Mahinmi ($17), Jordan Hill ($11)
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