This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Thursday features a pair of Game 6's, with the top seeds looking to clinch on the road. The first game starts at 7 p.m EDT, which is earlier than most nights during these playoffs.
The Bucks' and Raptors' defenses have been much better, per-possession, than the Spurs' and Grizzlies'. On the other hand, the Spurs-Grizzlies have played at a slower pace. With no major changes to the rotations expected – Tony Allen (calf) is doubtful to make his playoff debut – no team should be specifically targeted or avoided.
GUARD
Mike Conley, MEM vs. SA ($36): Conley has shined this postseason, showing why he was given the largest NBA contract in league history last summer. He is averaging 24.4 points and 7.4 assists in 35.7 minutes per game in this series, and has scored at least 36 fantasy points in every game. That is great on any night, but even more so with such a small slate, when the scores required to cash are likely to be very low.
Patty Mills, SA at MEM ($10): During the 35.7 minutes per game that Mike Conley is on the floor, the Grizzlies' defensive rating (points per 100 possessions) is 105.6. But during the 12.3 minutes per game that Conley is resting, the Grizzlies' defense has posted an incomprehensibly terrible 154.3 defensive rating. An open layup has an offensive rating barely better than 154.3. Mills, as the Spurs' backup point guard, is the player best positioned to take advantage of the layup lines when Conley hits the pine.
Other suggestions: Vince Carter, MEM vs. SA ($10); Tony Snell, MIL vs. TOR ($13); Tony Parker, SA at MEM ($15)
Guard to Avoid
DeMar DeRozan, TOR at MIL ($39): I hate picking against stars in potential closeout games, since so many respond to the pressure by upping their performance. But DeRozan has just failed to live up to his salary so often, especially during this series. He failed to profit in four of the five games, including a disastrous lineup-destroying 7.4 fantasy points in Game 3. His stat profile requires big scoring nights in order to profit, and only once during this series has DeRozan beat his season average.
FORWARD
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL vs. TOR ($52): With only two players costing more than $40, managers may have a hard time spending all of their salary. Antetokounmpo is only $4 more than Kawhi Leonard, but he has outscored (in fantasy points) Leonard in four of the five games in the playoffs. Antetokounmpo is averaging 39.3 minutes per game, the fourth-highest load of any player in the postseason, and he has scored at least 40 fantasy points in four of the five games.
Norman Powell, TOR at MIL ($11): There's nothing particularly sneaky about selecting Powell, as he will probably be a popular choice Thursday – that's what happens when you score 34.1 fantasy points in 34.0 minutes over two games while costing nearly the minimum. Powell started getting extra minutes in Game 3, and he became one of the Raptors' more widely used players in Games 4 and 5. If his Game 6 is anywhere near as good as his last two, then it will be almost impossible to make up for the missed value in not starting him.
Other suggestions: David Lee, SA at MEM ($10); JaMychal Green, MEM vs. SA ($10); Zach Randolph, MEM vs. SA ($24)
Forward to Avoid
LaMarcus Aldridge, SA at MEM ($29): This was mostly a process-of-elimination pick. There are only six forwards available above the salary floor, and three of them are recommended above. Leonard and Khris Middleton, two of the remaining three, are both fairly priced players in a big role critical to their team's success. That leaves Aldridge, who has had two games with fewer than 20 fantasy points already this series, making him slightly overpriced.
CENTERS
Marc Gasol, MEM vs. SA ($29): At home in a potential elimination game, Gasol needs to play like the best big man on the floor – which shouldn't be too much to ask, given that it is clearly true. Gasol has scored at least 25 fantasy points in every game the series, and at least 31 in four out of five. That's a good floor, and a decent profit most nights.
Other suggestions: Thon Maker, MIL vs. TOR ($10);
Center to Avoid
Minimum value players other than Thon Maker. All five centers who cost above the minimum are fairly priced. Maker, who is having a great season, is a discount. The rest of the minimum value players are having no tangible impact on their series, though Spencer Hawes has been the subject of many of the funnier tweets. None of them can be relied upon to play large minutes.
