After a dominant Game 2 victory, it appeared the Thunder were set to take control of the NBA Finals. Not. So. Fast.
The Pacers responded with a convincing 116-107 win on Wednesday, going up 2-1 in this series. Now, Indiana will host a pivotal Game 4, with a chance to go up 3-1. However, a 68-win Oklahoma City squad can’t be counted out. Ahead of Friday’s NBA Finals clash, DraftKings is offering several can’t-miss DFS Showdown contests. Let’s look at which Thunder and Pacers players fantasy basketball managers should be targeting as captain plays tonight.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball NBA DFS lineups here: NBA Showdown $700K Finals Shootaround [$200K to 1st] (OKC @ IND)
PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder ($20,700)
Typically, I’m not the biggest fan of paying top dollar in DFS formats. Still, there are always exceptions. Given the inconsistent play from most members of the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander feels like a smart pick tonight. The MVP has been phenomenal this postseason, putting up 30.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists while shooting 47.2% from the field. That’s carried over into the NBA Finals. Through all three games against the Pacers, SGA has averaged 53.5 fantasy points.
Still, as previously mentioned, the caveat here is the price tag. Gilgeous-Alexander costs nearly $4,000 more than the next-closest player, Tyrese Haliburton ($17,100). However, this isn’t your typical, superstar-laden Finals matchup. Both of these teams are built on depth, which often leads to unpredictable offensive outputs. The surest thing by far in this series is SGA, who offers a rare blend of elite scoring, savvy playmaking, and harassing defense. After a brutal Game 3 loss, I’m expecting the point guard to come out firing on all cylinders tonight. For fantasy managers struggling to pick a captain, playing it safe makes sense.
PF Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers ($14,700)
The biggest x-factor for Indiana’s scoring attack might be Pascal Siakam. With all due respect to Haliburton, the Pacers become one-dimensional on offense when their second-best player is struggling. That wasn’t the case in Game 3, during which the three-time All-Star notched 21 points, six rebounds and four assists (40.5 FPTS). In theory, this isn’t an ideal matchup for Siakam; Oklahoma City has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing power forwards. However, the Thunder have opted to go with a small-ball lineup recently, benching center Isaiah Hartenstein ($7,200).
With OKC’s front court lacking its usual height, there should be more opportunity for Siakam down low. In this series, the Cameroonian has recorded 18.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game on 45.0% shooting. Despite somewhat middling numbers, he’s still managed to average 37.75 fantasy points. Slight improvement from deep (25.0 3PT%) and a bit more involvement on offense could make a massive difference. As just the fourth-most expensive name on the board tonight, Siakam is a lower-cost option to consider.
