After initially being listed as questionable, Brunson (ankle/neck) has been downgraded to doubtful for Tuesday’s game vs. the Pacers. Mitchell Robinson ($4,500, back) has also been downgraded to questionable.
Brunson has been excellent recently, scoring at least 28 points in four straight games. For the season, the guard is averaging 26.6 points and 6.3 assists per game with a team-high 30.5% usage rate for the Knicks.
Miles McBride usually starts in place of Brunson, but McBride is still out with his core injury, so Jose Alvarado ($3,200) is the top candidate to start tonight, making him a great punt play for DFS. Since joining New York at the deadline, Alvarado has been producing 1.0 FPTS per minute.
Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,000) and OG Anunoby ($6,800) will also take on larger roles and both see significant boosts to their fantasy stock with Brunson likely out. With the guard off the floor this season, Anunoby’s and Towns’ usage rates rise 4.3 and 3.9 percentage points, respectively.
As a team, the Knicks have struggled without Brunson this season with a 1-4 record. However, they are facing a tanking Pacers team that has lost 13 games in a row and will be without their top player in Pascal Siakam (doubtful, knee). With the veteran inactive this season, Indiana is 1-12.
Even with Brunson downgraded, the Knicks are a 15.5-point favorite over the Pacers on DraftKings Sportsbook.
