This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
The Knicks will try to force a Game 7 on the road Saturday evening, and I've provided my best selections for both teams as we tackle DraftKings' Showdown contests. Tip-off is at 8:00 p.m. ET, but keep your ear to the ground throughout the day. Early reporting about a key injury could influence how we approach lineup construction.
SLATE OVERVIEW
To begin, we'll look at the winning lineup from one of DraftKings' most popular multi-entry Game 5 contests.
CPTN Josh Hart 51.75
UTIL Jalen Brunson 48.25
UTIL Karl-Anthony Towns 46.75
UTIL Pascal Siakam 35.5
UTIL Bennedict Mathurin 33.75
UTIL T.J. McConnell 21.75
Bolstered by a red-hot start, the Knicks dominated the Pacers and won handily. Nevertheless, this winning lineup featured a perfect 3-3 balance between the two teams. Cashing was also attainable by using Brunson or Towns in the CPTN spot, but Mathurin's budget boost was the key to maximizing the number of elites. Faith in Tyrese Haliburton was not rewarded, and his mediocre game torpedoed many lineups.
Aaron Nesmith's ankle sprain compromised his ability to smother Brunson. Nesmith's health and the necessity to use Obi Toppin and Mathurin for support will loom large as a difference-maker between profit and loss for Game 6.
CAPTAIN CANDIDATES
Jalen Brunson (CPTN $17,400, UTIL $11,600)
Pascal Siakam (CPTN $13,800, UTIL $9,200)
Mikal Bridges (CPTN $11,400, UTIL $7,600)
I'm giving you high, medium and low-priced options for the CPTN spot. The slim salary differential between Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton (CPTN $16,800, UTIL $11,200) would need to be much wider for me to consider Indiana's superstar point man. You're taking Brunson if you believe that we'll see more of the same from Nesmith's defensive efforts after the injury. Brunson leaves you $6,520 per slot after his inclusion. Siakam lifts that average to $7,240 per slot, and Bridges delivers the maximum at $7,720 per slot. While Hart proved to be a shrewd move, Bridges has shown the most consistency among the mid-range Knicks options, and Hart's sample size in the series shows volatility that isn't worth the price tag. The odd men out will also be eligible to populate the UTIL slots.
UTILITY CANDIDATES
Karl-Anthony Towns ($11,600)
Josh Hart ($8,000)
OG Anunoby ($7,800)
Aaron Nesmith ($6,400)
T.J. McConnell ($4,000)
Bennedict Mathurin ($4,600)
Although Indiana's bench provided some punch, Nesmith's slowdown hurt the Pacers, and the hope is that the time off has aided his recovery somewhat. Although his numbers don't always reflect it, he's been the X-factor and is the team's best defensive threat. I acknowledge the variance associated with making the pick due to his ankle, but the Pacers won't hesitate to give him heavy usage if he can handle it.
I'm adding Towns as another option behind the CPTN options that were downgraded. The big man is stepping up defensively, and Myles Turner has had little success in containing him underneath the basket. Coupling Towns and Mitchell Robinson in the first unit sent Josh Hart to the bench, but Robinson disappeared midway through the third quarter and didn't return. Although Towns' start might be slow out of the gate if they keep this frontcourt scheme, his numbers will surge when they send Robinson to the bench.
The Game 6 scenario will again require at least two low-cost measures to keep your lineup balanced, and I would take McConnell first, followed by Mathurin. There's negative correlation between Mathurin and Nesmith, so your pick depends on how you view Nesmith's potential improvement. McConnell will get plenty of work and is independent of the Nesmith/Mathurin conundrum.
After considering the budget option, using Brunson as CPTN looks bleak, and you'd have to sacrifice either Siakam or Towns as UTIL options to make a build you can stomach. Even the use of Bridges would require a punt to get a Brunson/Towns/Siakam combo into the UTIL positions, so it's clear that you can't have an embarrassment of riches and must sacrifice one of our recommended elites. I wouldn't mind getting Hart or OG Anunoby involved, and their inclusion works best with a McConnell/Mathurin combo. A Nesmith/McConnell combo forces me to take someone like Myles Turner or Andrew Nembhard, and neither player interests me much. The sizable gap between $5,000 and $7,400, with only Nembhard in the middle, makes a balanced lineup very difficult, and you end up with money left on the table. However, I found one build that utilizes my entire salary while satisfying most of my preferences. The result is a Siakam sacrifice, but I'm willing to exclude him with this build.
Bridges (CPTN)/Brunson/Towns/Hart/McConnell/Mathurin
ALTERNATE BUILDS
The $5,000-$7,400 gap remains a tough nut to crack, and you're lured to include Myles Turner or Nembhard as one of your utilities can hit squarely in that range. There's also a valid argument to be made for Haliburton, who could break the slate if he bounces back in a big way. I'm hard-pressed to find a reasonable build that includes Haliburton AND Brunson, so you'd have to leave Brunson out if Haliburton is your call.
