This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Thursday features a modest yet exciting five-game slate, highlighted by a Cavaliers-Spurs clash that promises to be played at a high level. The Bulls and Warriors will look to take advantage of their matchups with the cellar-dwelling 76ers and Lakers, respectively, but it's important to look beyond the obvious choices on their rosters to find DFS success. The information below should help you do just that, as the listed players are all in great positions to outperform their prices:
GUARD
Lou Williams, LAL vs. GSW ($24) - Don't let Williams' cold shooting night against the Warriors on Jan. 5 stop you from scooping him up, as the prolific scorer is averaging 24.9 points and 38.5 fantasy points per game in his last seven besides that encounter. Any time a player goes a significant stretch with a PPG average higher than his price, he makes for a can't-miss value until either his price is adjusted or he cools off. Roll with Williams until one of those two things happens.
Tony Parker, SA vs. CLE ($20) - Parker has been an excellent value in the $20 price range all season long, topping the 20.0-fantasy-point mark 24 times in his last 30 appearances, while eclipsing 25.0 18 times in that span. The veteran point guard is locked in coming off a season-high 31-points against the Pistons, so expect him to keep his foot on the gas against a Cleveland defense he eviscerated for 19.5 points per game in two meetings last season.
Guard to Avoid:
D'Angelo Russell, LAL at GSW ($23) - Russell was limited to just eight points and five assists last time he played the Warriors, and that was when he was at full health. Now he's coming back from an ankle injury that kept him out one game and limited him to just 24 minutes in his return Tuesday. There are much better options available than a hobbled Russell on the road against a team with a 36-game home winning streak.
Others to Avoid: Reggie Jackson ($36), Brandon Jennings ($23), Darren Collison ($21), Trey Burke ($19)
FORWARD
Nikola Mirotic, CHI at PHI ($21) - The Bulls have been decimated by injuries recently: Pau Gasol is out, Derrick Rose is questionable and both Jimmy Butler and Joakim Noah are projected to play despite dealing with ailments of their own. Someone has to carry the offensive load against Philadelphia's paltry defense with so many key pieces out or limited, and Mirotic is the most logical candidate to do so. The talented Montenegrin has scored at least 17 points four times in the last seven games while topping 24.0 fantasy points in each of those contests, and he should have no problem at least replicating those numbers against the last-place 76ers.
Harrison Barnes, GSW vs. LAL ($23) - The athletic forward should be in line for some extra playing time with the Warriors suggesting that Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green and/or Shaun Livingston could be rested as they conclude a back-to-back set. Add in the fact that his minutes have been consistently on the rise since he returned from an ankle injury six games ago, and all the factors point to Barnes receiving a massive workload against the pathetic Lakers defense. Considering he topped 30.0 fantasy points in three consecutive contests just before sustaining the injury, Barnes is a good bet to outperform his $23 price tag should he receive his hefty projected chunk of playing time.
Forward to Avoid:
Nerlens Noel, PHI vs. CHI ($28) - Noel's production over the last five games has been tepid with Jahlil Okafor working his way back into a larger role in the 76ers' frontcourt. Noel has played 29.0 minutes to Okafor's 26.4 over the last five games, but has topped 30.0 fantasy points just once in that span while the cheaper Okafor has done so twice. He should continue to provide solid rebounding and hustle stats, but it's tough to justify investing $28 in a player who struggles to reach double digits in scoring.
Others to Avoid: LeBron James ($52), Omri Casspi ($28), Julius Randle ($23), Marcus Morris ($23)
CENTER
Rudy Gobert, UTA vs. SAC ($25) - Similarly to Barnes, Gobert's minutes have consistently trended up since his return from a knee injury four games ago. Those worried about him being limited in the second game of a back-to-back should be aware that the Stifle Tower played 30 minutes Sunday after getting 28 on Saturday, meaning he should be nearing a full workload against Sacramento's last-place defense. He's still going for less than his pre-injury asking price, meaning now could be your last chance to pounce on Gobert before things go back to the way they were.
Center to Avoid:
Andre Drummond, DET at MEM ($46) - Drummond continues to hit free-throw shooting lows that most fans could never imagine an NBA player reaching, converting just 19.2 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe over the last five games. His ineptitude at the line finally forced coach Stan Van Gundy's hand Tuesday, as Detroit's starting center was forced to watch much of the fourth quarter from the bench. Another late-game benching is entirely possible in what figures to be a close game against the Grizzlies, and Drummond needs all the minutes he can get to live up to his $46 price after failing to top 40.0 fantasy points in four of the last five games.
Others to Avoid: Tristan Thompson ($20), Jeff Withey ($14)
