Game 6 between the Pacers and Knicks is tonight. The home team has won every game so far. In the first two games, the teams put up 238 and 251 points. Adjustments were predictably made and, as the teams got more comfortable with each other, the combined scores were 217 and 210 in the next two contests. New York losing OG Anunoby in Game 2 certainly didn’t help matters in losing two on the road. After the 121-89 beatdown in Game 4, a dark cloud began to permeate between the skyscrapers in NYC, filtering down into the cracks of the subway. But their Dark Knight—aka, Jalen Brunson—delivered poetic justice in leading the Knicks to the 121-91 win in Game 5. For the numerologists out there, 121 has been scored by a team in four of the five games! Does home court reign supreme once again or will we be blessed with another Game 7 like in the Western Conference?
DraftKings Sportsbook has IND -5.5 over NYK at home. The total is 215.5. OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson are out. No players are listed as questionable. Keep track of injury updates at DK Live.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $400K Shootaround Special [$100K to 1st] (IND vs NYK)
T.J. McConnell ($9,000 CP): McConnell will likely play only 19 to 22 minutes, and there’s a good chance he only scores in the teens for DKFP. That said, there’s also a chance for tremendous bang for the buck. When he’s on the court, the usage rate is in the 25 percent range, and it can get over 30 percent at times. He has scored double-digits three times in this series and dished out at least 10 assists in two. He has the ability to contribute across the board and has put up 33.5 and 40.5 DKFP this series. I expect the Pacers to play fast and respond well from the beatdown in Game 5, with McConnell being instrumental in getting the crowd to be a raucous beast. McConnell is also always one to fit in both Brunson and Haliburton.
Tyrese Haliburton ($15,000 CP): If utilizing Haliburton or Brunson at CPT, it’s difficult to have both in the lineup, and that may be okay since there are scenarios in which one struggles tonight. Just look at last night’s game in Minnesota, where Nikola Jokic disappointed. I initially went with Brunson here, but I pivoted to Haliburton. Recency bias will have most using Brunson, since he’s been playing better as of late and seems to have a higher floor due to the robust usage rate and fact that he is essentially Atlas for the Knicks offense. But Brunson has had his struggles this series while Haliburton is at home, and I expect him to play well tonight. Both have 60-DKFP upside.
Josh Hart ($9,200): It’s amazing how productive Hart is with a usage rate that rarely exceeds 20 percent. Playing the entire game at times certainly helps. Hart does it all, but it’s his work on the glass that provides a high floor, making a double-double a high-probability outcome. He has gone for over 40 DKFP in four of the games with two over 50.
Alec Burks ($4,400): Burks is very familiar with the microwave-off-the-bench role. Thibs unplugged him for the playoffs, but after Anunoby was lost due to injury, he had to set it on the countertop once again. In the last three games, Burks has played 22, 23 and 24 minutes, contributing 25.5, 30.25 and 26.75 DKFP. There is some risk because Burks doesn’t do much outside of scoring, but the price and opportunity make Burks viable with some upside if he scorches the nets.
Ben Sheppard ($2,800): If searching for salary relief, Sheppard is the one I’d go with. The upside is limited because he probably won’t see 20 minutes and the usage rate is low. He’s out there to space the floor and drill the open J. These type of players tend to play better at home, though, and he has put up double-digit DKFP in four of the five games this series. The only game he didn’t finished at 9.5 DKFP.
Pascal Siakam ($8,600): New York has done a good job neutralizing Siakam this series. He has scored at least 20 points only twice and hasn’t scored over 40 DKFP in any contest. He’s not a defensive maven, doesn’t grab a ton of boards or dish out many dimes. If he’s not scoring over 30 points, the fantasy upside is lacking.
I don’t think we see a blowout like what’s happened in the last two games. 121-89 and 121-91. That’s eery. While I expect this game to be much more competitive, I like the Pacers to play with their hair on fire and force a Game 7. Haliburton will likely be much more aggressive, which will open up things for the role players.
Final Score: Timberwolves 118, Nuggets 112
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $400K Shootaround Special [$100K to 1st] (IND vs NYK)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is mbarner51) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
