Historic rivals will meet once again when the Knicks host the Pacers for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Ahead of Wednesday’s NBA postseason clash, DraftKings is offering several can’t-miss DFS Showdown contests. Let’s take a closer look at which players fantasy basketball managers should be targeting as captain plays tonight.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $500K Shootaround [$100K to 1st] (IND @ NYK)
C Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks ($9,800)
Indiana’s defensive game plan will revolve around stopping Jalen Brunson, and for good reason. New York’s face of the franchise remains one of the most dangerous scorers on Earth. When these teams met last postseason, JB almost single-handedly carried an otherwise mediocre Knicks offense. That’s not the case in 2025, thanks to the presence of Karl-Anthony Towns. The big man has enjoyed a terrific first season in NYC, averaging 23.8 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game (47.9 FPTS).
KAT, for all his offensive prowess, is still prone to the occasional letdown game. In these NBA playoffs, both the Pistons and Celtics have had some success slowing down New York’s second star. However, it’s fair to say that the Pacers are a slight downgrade on defense compared to those two teams. That’s especially true down low, where Myles Turner is their only above-average rim protector. Over his last five meetings with Indiana, Towns has recorded 30.8 points and 11.8 rebounds on 59.6% shooting. Keeping that in mind, the All-Star is more than capable of another stat-stuffing performance on Wednesday.
PF Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers ($8,600)
We’ll stay down low, this time backing Indiana’s über-talented power forward. Pascal Siakam isn’t the most consistent producer in the postseason, but that has more to do with a loaded Pacers depth chart. Tyrese Haliburton will always be the driving force for Indy on offense, but the guard is more than content serving as a distributor. On any given night, Siakam is capable of emerging as a go-to scorer. Over his last ten games, the 31-year-old has accounted for 18.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
The Knicks should give Spicy P a steady diet of wings OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges tonight. That’s not an easy task for anyone, but the Cameroonian should be up for the task. Haliburton, for all his greatness, can disappear on offense once every blue moon. Over his last ten games, including the playoffs, Siakam has notched 19.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists on 50.7% shooting. Those numbers aren’t eye-popping, but they are consistent. For fantasy managers looking for a safer floor, Siakam could be someone to target.
