Two straight wins have put the Knicks in control of the Eastern Conference Finals. Now, the series shifts to Cleveland for Game 3; can the Cavaliers come through tonight? Big names such as Jalen Brunson ($10,600), Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,400), Donovan Mitchell ($10,000) and James Harden ($9,800) are expected to take the floor tonight.
In spite of the star power, this evening’s featured DFS NBA slate has several role players worth targeting. With so much on the line, this one will likely come down to which under the radar contributors step up. Here are two bargains worth heavy consideration in all DFS formats ahead of Saturday’s Game 3 showdown.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $400K Shootaround [$100K to 1st] (NYK @ CLE)
SG Sam Merrill, Cleveland Cavaliers ($3,800)
There’s no sugarcoating it: Cleveland couldn’t buy a basket in Game 2. The team shot just nine-of-35 from three-point range (25.7%). Among the many Cavaliers that looked off, Sam Merrill stood out. The sharpshooter wasn’t himself on Thursday, missing all seven of his attempts from beyond the arc. It’s a far cry from what we saw from the sixth-year pro during the regular season. However, the playoffs have been a bit of a disappointment. Merrill has failed to reach 20+ fantasy points in 13 of his 15 postseason appearances.
Although the Knicks wield an elite defense, they have been prone to giving up good looks from deep. This season, New York’s opponents are knocking down 13.5 three-pointers per game, tied for the 12th-most in basketball. Keep in mind, Merrill delivered a solid 12-point showing in Game 1 (19.8 FPTS). That was despite middling four-of-nine shooting as well. A more efficient performance at home on Saturday wouldn’t come as much of a shock. Considering his low cost, Merrill makes sense as a high-upside play.
SG Landry Shamet, New York Knicks ($2,800)
Knicks head coach Mike Brown hasn’t been shy about shaking things up down the stretch. His decision to sub out Josh Hart ($8,600) for Landry Shamet late in Game 1 proved crucial for New York. The latter isn’t likely to log a ton of minutes tonight, but he might be the team’s best two-way bench option. Shamet has been on a bit of a heater, scoring at least nine points in three of his previous four outings. Even a scoreless Game 2 came with a 15-minute workload, a positive sign for the veteran going forward.
The majority of Shamet’s contributions on offense come as a shooter. That can make him somewhat inconsistent for DFS purposes. With that being said, the Cavs has been generous all season when it comes to guarding the perimeter. Teams are shooting 37.1% from three-point range against Cleveland, fifth-worst in the NBA. It’s not as if New York’s other bench scorers, such as Miles McBride ($4,800) and Jordan Clarkson ($2,000) have been lighting it up either. At $2,800, Shamet offers little risk for fantasy managers tonight.
