The 2024 Eastern Conference Finals continue Thursday evening with the Boston Celtics hoping to take a 2-0 lead on the Indiana Pacers. Game 1 was an overtime thriller and the Pacers will rue some late gaffes, but they’ll have some confidence knowing Boston has slipped in Game 2s in each of the last two series.
Here’s a look at one potential lineup strategy DFS managers can employ for Showdown contests involving Thursday’s game with a captain pick, utility plays and fades.
Captain Pick
Jayson Tatum, $17,100
Even if you want to save some cash by moving players around with your captain pick, Tatum simply has to be in your lineup. Despite his uneven shooting performances in the playoffs. he continues to be a fantasy star. Tatum has logged 60+ fantasy points in four straight games thanks to his consistency on the glass and his focus on attacking the basket. If his three-point comes around, watch out for a big score. I’ll take Tatum as the captain for Game 2.
Utility Plays
Jaylen Brown, $9,400
Like Tatum, Brown simply has to be in the lineup after his standout showing in Game 1. The forward was responsible for the game going to overtime with his clutch three-point shot in the dying moments of the fourth quarter, and he logged 49.3 fantasy points in the contest. The Pacers have struggled to defend opposing wings and Brown should continue to take advantage tonight.
Myles Turner, $8,000
Turner has found his shooting stroke in the playoffs, which makes him a nice lineup addition at this price point. The big man has topped 30 fantasy points in six straight games, going over 40 fantasy points in two of those contests. The Pacers should continue to lean on Turner to space the floor and defend the rim, so playing time won’t be a problem. I like Turner to continue his strong playoff production in Game 2.
Jrue Holiday, $7,400
Holiday’s Game 1 performance can be seen as a bit of an outlier. He tallied 54.8 fantasy points, by far his best performance of the playoffs. I don’t expect Holiday to score as effectively as he did in Game 1 but he should continue to see good looks while maintaining his assist and rebounding numbers. The matchup is not as favorable as Tatum’s or Brown’s but it’s hard to leave Holiday out of your lineup after his strong start to the series.
Andrew Nembhard, $5,400
Nembhard is one of the best value plays of the playoffs in DFS. He’s firmly entrenched as a starter in this Indiana rotation and should continue to see strong usage. The guard has not been shy about taking shots when he’s open, which bodes well for DFS managers who roster him. Nembhard will do a little bit of everything to accumulate fantasy points and is an excellent addition to round out your lineup.
Sam Hauser, $2,400
Because I went heavy with high-usage rotation players for most of the lineup, there isn’t much cash left to round out the squad. Hauser was truly abhorrent in Game 1, managing just 0.8 fantasy points. He only played nine minutes, and there’s some real risk here because his value is so dependent on the three-point shot. I think Hauser should see more playing time here and as long as he can hit a few shots, he’ll deliver enough value at this price.
Fades
Pascal Siakam, $9,000
It might be odd to see Holiday in the lineup after a big Game 1 showing while Siakam is in this category after dropping 52 fantasy points in the opener. Price is the main sticking point, since Siakam hasn’t topped 50 fantasy points in the playoffs since his first two games against the Bucks. He’s highly unlikely to hit this threshold again and at this price, that inconsistency is worth staying away from.
Al Horford, $6,600
At some point, Horford’s production is going to slip back to his usual levels. Kristaps Porzingis being out has helped the veteran big man, who has seen his perimeter shot fall in the last two games. After dropping 58.8 fantasy points to close out the Cavaliers, Horford logged 31.5 fantasy points in the opener against Indiana. However, these are two his two best fantasy showings in the playoffs by a decent margin. It’s a fair price, but Horford is best left out of your lineup tonight.