Fantasy

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: May 27

FantasyPros breaks down the top DraftKings and FanDuel daily fantasy players for Monday's East finals matchup between the Celtics & Pacers.

Joel Bartilotta, FantasyPros

May 27, 2024 3:09 PM

Indiana’a T.J. McConnell has scored at least 24 DraftKings fantasy points in 8 of his last 11 games.

We figured Boston would close things quickly, but we did not want to see a sweep. The Celtics are favorites to do just that, and it would be truly shocking to see this series get past five games if the Pacers somehow pull this one out.

With that said, let’s look at this Game 4 from a DFS standpoint! Here are our top NBA DFS picks for tonight’s game between the Pacers and Celtics.

Core plays

Jayson Tatum (SF/PF – BOS): $12,000 DraftKings, $17,000 FanDuel

Tatum looks well on his way to a Larry Bird Trophy, which is awarded to the best player in the Eastern Conference Finals. The All-Star guard has scored at least 61 DraftKings points in five of his last six games. No other player in this series has done that more than twice in that same span, with JT averaging 58 DK points per game. He’s also scored at least 53 fantasy points in six of his seven matchups with Indiana this year!

T.J. McConnell (PG – IND): $6,000 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel

If Haliburton has to sit, McConnell will be rostered by everyone, and rightfully so. This stat-stuffer has been going off in a 20-minute role off the bench, but he’s guaranteed to play for 30 minutes if Haliburton is out. We saw TJ score 45 DraftKings points without him in Game 3, scoring at least 24 fantasy points in eight of his last 11 outings. We would like him no matter what, but he’d be rostered in nearly 100 percent of lineups if Haliburton has to sit again.

Cash game considerations

Jrue Holiday (PG – BOS): $7,000 DraftKings, $11,000 FanDuel

Holiday has shown why Boston coveted him in the offseason, showcasing his elite grit and defense in this series. The defensive stud has scored at least 36 DraftKings points in five of his last six games, posting a 38-point average in that span. That’s the best stretch this guy has had with the Celtics, but we’ve seen Holiday flirt with a 40-point average for months at a time in the past. It’s less surprising when evaluating this matchup, averaging 41 DK points per game in his last five matchups with Indy.

Andrew Nembhard (PG/SG – IND): $6,200 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel

Nembhard stepped up without Haliburton in Game 3, providing 32 points, four rebounds, and nine assists in one of the best games of his career. That equates to 52 DK points, but that type of role should continue if the All-Star guard remains sidelined. He’s also scored at least 27 fantasy points in five straight fixtures and shouldn’t remain this cheap with so much in his favor!

GPP targets

Aaron Nesmith (SG/SF – IND): $5,200 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel

Nesmith didn’t do as much as we would have hoped without Haliburton, but the role remains. The defensive stopper battled foul trouble in that loss on Saturday but still played 34 minutes. As long as this guy is playing 35-40 minutes, Nesmith is a brilliant GPP option. He averaged 29 DK points per game in the 37 games he played at least 29 minutes this year, and both of those totals should be his floor if Haliburton remains out.

Value plays

Pascal Siakam (PF/C – IND): $9,200 DraftKings, $13,500 FanDuel

With the All-Star point guard possibly out, Siakam needs to carry the load for the Pacers. That’s what he’s done recently, scoring at least 36 DraftKings points in six straight games. More importantly, he’s looking at 20 shots, 40 minutes, and a 30 percent usage rate in this elimination game, which is massive since Indy plays at the fastest pace in the NBA.

Al Horford (PF/C – BOS): $6,400 DraftKings, $12,000 FanDuel

Horford has been starting for Porzingis in this series, which will resume until KP is able to return. Horford averaged over 30 DraftKings points per game when starting for Porzingis during the regular season but has been even better in this series. In fact, Horford has a 38-point average across his last four fixtures. That’s the All-Star we saw in the past, but it should continue since he’s the only big man remaining in Boston.

Advantageous pricing