FanDuel Single-Game NBA DFS Picks and Helper: Pacers at Knicks (5/8/24)

Since NBA DFS is easier to predict than baseball or football, it would likely get plenty of votes as the best sport to play on FanDuel. Basketball players usually stick to the same minutes and produce at roughly the same rate. Sounds easy, right? Trust me -- it's not!

As a result, NBA daily fantasy is highly reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to ensure that you're up to date with key injuries. Our projections -- which are powered by numberFire -- update throughout the day to reflect current news. You can also turn to numberFire for player news updates as well as a matchup heat map and lineup optimizer to help give you an edge.

On top of all that, here at FanDuel Research, we'll come at you each day with this NBA DFS primer, which breaks down some of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's dive into today's Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks single-game slate on FanDuel.

NBA Single-Game DFS Picks for Pacers-Knicks

Game 2 Preview

All NBA odds are via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Date and Time: Wednesday, May 8th, 8:00 p.m. ET

Spread: Knicks -4.5 (-112)

Total: 219.0 (-110/-110)

Moneyline

• Pacers: +158
• Knicks: -188

Studs to Target

Jalen Brunson ($17,500) -- Jalen Brunson is far and away the highest-salaried player on tonight's single-game slate, and he figures to be uber-popular in the 2x MVP slot. Brunson's been on an absolute tear of late. He racked up 43 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists in Game 1, culminating in 58.2 FanDuel points (FPs). With that, he's now scored at least 39 actual and 56 FanDuel points in five straight games. Brunson's points prop is up to 37.5 on FanDuel Sportsbook, and his 52.2-FP projection tops the slate. There's enough value from Indiana's side to fit Brunson into lineups -- just keep in mind that he'll likely draw a sky-high roster rate.

Pascal Siakam ($14,500) -- Tyrese Haliburton ($15,000) boasts Indiana's highest salary tonight, but Pascal Siakam is the Pacer to consider in a multiplier spot tonight. Siakam was held in check in Game 1, netting just 35.7 FPs. He's now been held under 40 FPs in three straight games, but we can't ignore the 62.6 and 59.2 FPs he opened last round with. Some positive regression with defensive stats (just 2 combined steals and blocks in the last three games) should help Siakam get back on track, and he's a near-lock for minutes in the upper 30s.

Mid-Range Options

Josh Hart ($13,500) -- There's an argument for Josh Hart as a contrarian MVP, though I'm more than happy to throw him in the 1.5x STAR or 1.2x PRO slots. Hart was incredibly consistent in the first round (41.2 FPPG) before exploding for 58.6 FPs in the series opener against Indiana. Hart continues to be a menace on the glass (13+ rebounds in five of seven playoff games), but it's the scoring that's unlocked his fantasy upside. He scored 24 points last time out and is averaging 17.9 for the postseason. Hart's points prop is set at 16.5 on FanDuel Sportsbook, and he should again feast against an Indiana defense that's let up the fourth-most FPPG to PFs, per FantasyPros.

Myles Turner ($12,000) -- Myles Turner was solid in Game 1 after an up-and-down first round that saw him exceed 44 FPs three times but fail to hit 23 FPs twice. He scored 23 real-world points in the series opener, although he managed just 2 rebounds and 1 block. Turner isn't a great rebounder for his position (6.9 per game for the season), but we can surely expect more than he snagged last time out. If he's going to play this big of a role on offense, it's only a matter of time before the periphery numbers (and FanDuel points) catch up. Tonight, his points prop is set at 17.5 on FanDuel Sportsbook.

Value Plays

Isaiah Hartenstein ($10,500) -- Coming into the series, I knew Isaiah Hartenstein would be an intriguing target in DFS and the props market -- the Pacers rank 30th in paint defense and 24th in rebound rate, after all. But with Mitchell Robinson suffering a season-ending injury in Game 1, Hartenstein is a priority play until further notice. In 22 games sans Robinson and Julius Randle, Hartenstein averaged 30.2 FPPG in 24.4 minutes of action, according to RotoGrinders CourtIQ. He netted only 25.2 FPs in Game 1, but the 36 minutes were easily his most of the playoffs. Expect his production to climb with the minutes in such a plus matchup. Tonight, we project Hartenstein for 35.0 FPs, making him the top point-per-dollar value on the slate (3.33 FPs per $1,000).

Obi Toppin ($9,000) -- Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell ($10,000) have been spectacular off the Indiana bench, and they boast comparable salaries to starters Aaron Nesmith ($9,500) and Andrew Nembhard ($8,500). You can talk me into any of the four -- though McConnell's salary is a bit rich for my liking -- but Toppin has the edge for me. While he played only 19 minutes in Game 1, that didn't stop him from racking up 26.7 FPs. After a dud in the last round's opener, Toppin's averaged 24 FPPG across the last six outings. Toppin's my favorite way to go under $10K, although Nembhard's in a nice buy-low spot after he put up 26 FPPG in the first round.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.