The Pacers are one win away from the NBA Finals. Standing in their way? A Knicks squad desperate for a win at Madison Square Garden. Ahead of Thursday’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 ($15,600)
Multiple Knicks have struggled throughout the Eastern Conference Finals. Karl-Anthony Towns is not one of them (at least on offense). Through four games, the center is averaging 25.8 points and 11.5 rebounds while shooting 52.4% from the field. The biggest difference between this series and last round vs. Boston? KAT has found his three-point range, shooting 45.5% from beyond the arc. At this point, the All-Star is a matchup nightmare for every member of Indiana’s front court.
Towns has had extensive success in this matchup, not just in the past week. Over KAT’s previous seven meetings with the Pacers, he’s posted 27.7 points and 11.7 rebounds. In addition, the center has scored at least 20 points in each of those matchups. The combination of high volume and dependable production makes New York’s superstar a difficult name to pass up tonight. For fantasy basketball managers looking for an alternative to Tyrese Haliburton ($17,100) and Jalen Brunson ($16,500), consider rostering Towns.
PF Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers ($13,500)
Tyrese Haliburton has generated most of the headlines for Indiana, and for good reason. However, the most consistent scorer on the Pacers has been Pascal Siakam. This series, the All-Star has recorded 25.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game (39.56 FPTS). That includes a 39-point outing in Game 2, leading Indiana to a 114-109 victory. The power forward has been incredibly efficient as well, shooting 54.1% from the field.
Much like KAT, Siakam offers an elite mix of high-floor, high-ceiling production. He’s also proven to be a chore for the Knicks on defense, including former Raptors teammate OG Anunoby ($12,300). Over the Cameroonian’s last ten outings vs. New York, he’s generated 22.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists. That’s in addition to connecting on a stellar 41.7% of all three-point attempts. In a primetime showdown at MSG, who better to trust than a former champion? Siakam, at nearly $4,000 less than Haliburton, offers the most big name value on the Pacers.
