Best DFS lineup strategy for Pacers vs. Knicks Game 2

There’s only one playoff contest Wednesday evening in the NBA as the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks square off in Game 2. The Pacers will be hoping to level this series after dropping Game 1, while the Knicks try to take control by holding serve at home.

Here’s a look at one potential lineup strategy DFS managers can employ for Showdown contests involving Wednesday’s game with a captain pick, utility plays and fades.

Captain Pick

Jalen Brunson, $18,000

New York’s star point guard has been on a historic scoring pace in the playoffs. He’s hit 60+ fantasy points in four of the last five games, with his lone “down” game in that span was with 58.8 fantasy points. The minutes, usage and shots are going to be there, so it’ll just be a matter of whether or not Brunson converts enough of them from the floor. He’s getting to the free-throw line at a great clip too, so there’s a bit of a buffer against a bad shooting night. There’s really no other option for the captain spot.

Utility Plays

Josh Hart, $9,600

Like Brunson, Hart is playing major minutes. He was on the floor for all of Game 1 and if he keeps up that pace, he’s going to have a decent stat line. Hart has been a menace on the glass and his three-point shot is starting to fall, which gives him tremendous value in DFS lineups. He’s hovering between the 35-40 range when it comes to fantasy points, but broke out in Game 1 with 59.8 fantasy points. While I don’t see him hitting that number again, I do think he has an impressive floor with a decent ceiling for Game 2.

Donte DiVincenzo, $7,200

Why not complete the Nova Knicks triangle? A technicality prevented DiVincenzo from winning Sixth Man of the Year, but he’s shown he can more than just a three-point threat. The guard is attacking closeouts, finding open teammates and filling in gaps defensively. He’s been impressive as a shooter too, connecting on 39.6% of his triples. After logging 86.3 fantasy points over the last two playoff games, DiVincenzo is an automatic add to lineups at this price point.

Andrew Nembhard, $5,600

Nembhard is a role player in Indiana’s starting lineup, doing a little bit of everything while focusing mostly on being a hard-nosed defender. He can hit the triple at a good clip though, and is aggressive when given a favorable matchup. The usage is enough to roster him, even though he’s unlikely to be a featured offensive option at any point in the game. He had a somewhat down Game 1 with 20 points but has usually hovered between 28-35 fantasy points per game in the playoffs.

T.J. McConnell, $4,600

While the backup point guard didn’t quite register 44.5 fantasy points like he did in Game 6 against the Bucks, his 29.3 fantasy points in Game 1 showcased his versatility and ability to fill in gaps in Indiana’s offense. Given Tyrese Haliburton’s struggles, it could be argued McConnell was the better option to close out the game. If Haliburton’s back spasms continue acting up, McConnell should get more playing time and register more fantasy points.

Obi Toppin, $4,400

Everyone will point to Game 6 against Milwaukee as Toppin’s “arrival” to the playoffs but he’s been a decent contributor for the duration of the postseason. The forward has hit 25+ fantasy points in each of the last three games and should be motivated by playing against his former franchise in his former arena. He had a nice between-the-legs dunk in Game 1 in what seemed like a throwback to when he electrified Knicks fans at the Garden, and there should be more opportunities for him to do so in Game 2. He’s an excellent addition to your lineup at this price.

Fades

Tyrese Haliburton, $10,400

Haliburton is going to have a big game at some point but I don’t know that it’ll come in Game 2 on the road. The Pacers star guard has not reached the heights he hit in Game 3 against the Bucks, going under 35 fantasy points in two of his last three games. He only took six shots in Game 1, managing to log 28 fantasy points thanks to his stellar assist and steals numbers. At this price point, Haliburton is not worth the risk when there are other players producing more consistently.

OG Anunoby, $7,600

Anunoby has been a great player for the Knicks, so this isn’t a judgement on his importance to the team. He’s also getting more productive for DFS managers, averaging 34.7 fantasy points per game over the last five playoff games after getting 36.5 combined fantasy points in Games 1 and 2 against the 76ers. However, I think DiVincenzo offers more upside at a similar price point and is likely to get more shots in this offense. I’d leave Anunoby out for Game 2 in favor of DiVincenzo and Hart.