The play-in tournament continues Thursday with the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference on the line. After falling to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, the Washington Wizards will try to bounce back against the Indiana Pacers, who dismantled the Charlotte Hornets in their first game. We also have DraftKings Showdown lineups to build, so here are some players to consider as you work your way through the options.
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Washington Wizards vs. Indiana Pacers
SHOWDOWN STRATEGY
Captain’s Pick
Domantas Sabonis ($16,800 CP): Sabonis was a monster down the stretch, averaging 23.0 points, 14.1 rebounds, 10.7 assists and 1.8 steals over his final nine games of the regular season. He carried over that production into the play-in tournament, falling an assist shy of a triple-double on his way to 56.8 DKFP. The last two times he faced the Wizards, he scored exactly 74.3 DKFP in both contests. With both of these teams ranked inside the top-four in the league in pace of play during the regular season, Sabonis could be primed for another juicy all-around stat line.
Bradley Beal ($15,300 CP): It feels odd not to include Russell Westbrook ($20,100 CP) in this section given that he averaged a triple-double for the season. However, his salary is so much higher than anyone else’s that it does a number on your budget. If you want to fade him to build a more balanced entry, Beal is also someone to consider. The last time we saw him take the floor against the Pacers, he scored 50 points on his way to 64.8 DKFP. In the matchup prior to that, he also played well by scoring 45.3 DKFP.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $450K Win Or Go Home [$100K to 1st] (IND vs WAS)
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HAMMER THE OVER
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UTIL Plays
T.J. McConnell ($8,000): Malcolm Brogdon ($10,000) made his return from a 10-game absence to take on the Hornets, but he only played 21 minutes. Add in Caris LeVert being in the league’s health and safety protocols and McConnell stepped up with 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals. While he may not garner many headlines, McConnell was a key reserve for the Pacers all season, averaging 8.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals. Considering the up-tempo pace at which these two teams have played, McConnell could be in line for a productive evening.
Justin Holiday ($5,000): After a stint coming off the bench, Holiday has moved back into the starting five for the Pacers’ last five games. He hasn’t disappointed, averaging 14.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 3.4 three-pointers during that stretch. With LeVert still out, Holiday figures to once again receive an expanded role.
Daniel Gafford ($4,400): The Wizards seem steadfast about keeping Alex Len ($2,400) and Robin Lopez ($2,200) in the mix at center, despite Gafford’s recent strong play. Although he only averaged 18 minutes over their final 20 games, he still produced averages of 9.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. That’s enough to at least put him on your radar at his cheap salary.
Fades
Oshae Brissett ($7,400): There was a stretch for the Pacers when both Sabonis and Myles Turner (toe) were out and Brissett stepped up in a big way. Now that Sabonis is back, though, his production can be somewhat inconsistent. Yes, he’s scored at least 23 points in back-to-back games. However, he failed to score more than eight points in three of four games prior to that. That might make him too risky, especially given his salary.
The Outcome
These two teams have already played twice in the month of May with the Wizards winning both games. The time that they played in Washington, the Wizards scored 154 points on their way to a 13-point win. The Pacers have done an admirable job of fighting through injuries, but with Turner and LeVert out, look for the Wizards to finally put an end to their season.
Final Score: Wizards 128, Pacers 124
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $450K Win Or Go Home [$100K to 1st] (IND vs WAS)
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