Tuesday keeps the NBA week moving with Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET. Let’s break down the top NBA DFS picks and key lineup building blocks on FanDuel and DraftKings. These plays reflect the most up-to-date data — and for live updates, check out our NBA DFS Starting Lineups Page.
NBA DFS Picks Today – Building Blocks: Tuesday, May 27
NBA DFS Picks Today: Building Blocks
Jalen Brunson: Knicks at Pacers
NBA DFS Projections
DraftKings: 46.8 | FanDuel: 44.33
NBA DFS Ownership Projections
DraftKings: 60.3% | FanDuel: 64.6%
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $8,600 | FanDuel: $9,200
New York avoided losing three consecutive games thanks to a spectacular comeback for a 106-100 victory in Indiana on Sunday. Tonight the Knicks are looking for the equalizer, with the Pacers only 2.5-point home favorites.
Jalen Brunson was in foul trouble, picking up four in the first half. That limited him to just 13 minutes in the second half, and he was actually on the bench for most of the stretch when the Knickerbockers brought the game back to even.
Delon Wright was dusted off to make an appearance in the opening frame for the first time in these playoffs, and this was only the third game in which he saw action. Landry Shamet also played in the first half, seeing three total rotations after only getting mop-up duty in a trio of tilts against Boston.
Each is only a one-way player, with Wright a capable defender and Shamet the better offensive threat. Some of their minutes came as a result of Brunson’s foul issues, as well as Miles McBride getting three in an 82-second span in the first quarter. McBride did have close to 10 minutes of court time in the final frame, mostly filling in for Brunson. Cameron Payne was a DNP-CD.
The other major change was moving Mitchell Robinson into the first five, replacing Josh Hart in an effort to battle the Pacers frontcourt. He had 6 points and four rebounds, with the Knicks holding things even during his 10:49 in the first quarter. Expectations are that will be the plan again tonight, though we should not expect Robinson to be quite as prolific with his points.
Hart played 34 minutes, which were five more than Game 2, and Robinson logged 29 for the second consecutive game. Coming off the bench will curb Hart’s minutes upside, but he is still carrying a median projection of 30 minutes, and Robinson is at 25.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the team with 24 points while also corralling 15 errant caroms and handing out one assist. He was definitely decisive and brought positive energy with Brunson on the bench. We have all seen KAT disappear at times without warning, so it will be interesting to see what transpires tonight and how nervous gamers may be towards Brunson. It has been funny this year that the field tends to overreact to the previous game’s outcomes rather than the broader concept and macro view.
Mikal Bridges had 18 field goal attempts for the second straight game, tallying a sedate 15 points on 33% shooting, including a dismal 1 of 6 (17%) from 3-point range. He did have multiple “stocks” (combined steals and blocks) for the ninth consecutive game but only two rebounds and an assist for an overall mediocre DFS effort. He has had only three games with more than 38 fantasy points this postseason, though he consistently produces in the mid-30s.
O.G. Anunoby has six blocks and six steals this series, with exactly 16 points in each game. He has more rebounding upside than Bridges and is the safer fantasy option with better upside.
Stokastic’s NBA DFS Single Lineup Simulator is a groundbreaking tool that revolutionizes lineup building by providing data-driven simulations, making it a must-have for serious players. Check out how the Simulator evaluates this single lineup for a sample Showdown slate:
NBA DFS Picks Today: Building Blocks
Tyrese Haliburton: Pacers vs. Knicks
NBA DFS Projections
DraftKings: 45.07 | FanDuel: 44.34
NBA DFS Ownership Projections
DraftKings: 65.2% | FanDuel: 73.5%
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $8,400 | FanDuel: $9,100
Tyrese Haliburton was strong in the first half, but he slid back into the doldrums with the rest of the team as the Pacers scored only 42 points over the final 24 minutes.
Both head coach Rick Carlisle and Haliburton acknowledged this after the game, which they each have done several times during the playoffs … yet it keeps happening. Aggressive Haliburton can easily order a 50 burger off the menu; sedate Haliburton is likely to hand the Knicks another potential win. Focus on the former but do not lose site of the latter.
Based on the median fantasy point projections, lineups featuring Haliburton, Brunson or Randle Towns (yes I am old and this was a brain cramp) the DraftKings Captain all project within a point of each other. The top lineup is actually with Aaron Nesmith, just edging out the other iterations by a fraction of a point. This also holds true on FanDuel with each of the big three as the MVP, though the best lineup is helmed by Robinson, projecting for just over 1 additional fantasy point while each of the big three is in the Flex slots.
Nesmith sprained his ankle in Game 3, though he did finish the game. He is expected to start tonight, but his status will not be official until after warmups and other training tests. Be sure to tune into Stokastic’s NBA Live Before Lock at 7:30 p.m. ET for all of the up-to-date analysis and breaking news.
Myles Turner stepped up with 19 points, while Pascal Siakam was solid with 17, though that pales in comparison to his 39 points in Game 2. Each was 50% from the field while contributing rebounds and other stats. Turner has the salary discount, but Siakam has the better fantasy upside. All things considered, they are at a similar fantasy point-per-dollar ratio, so let personal preference be your guide.
Tony Bradley played for the second straight game, with his 15 minutes nearly doubling the 8.1 from Game 2. Outside of these appearances, he had seen the court during mop-up time in just four games this postseason. Thomas Bryant played 13 minutes in Game 1, four in Game 2, and the journeyman center did not leave the bench on Sunday. It would seem that Bradley has moved ahead of him as the main backup to Turner.
Obi Toppin is a discount dandy, though as a one-way player with excellent offense and dreadful defense, there are scenarios that have Bradley over Toppin. Keep in mind that both played most of their minutes together, so it would be more of a tight game or situational setting, likely if Turner or Siakam is in foul trouble.
Andrew Nembhard keeps chugging along, and he at least is safe with his playing time. So too is T.J. McConnell, though there are very few scenarios that would have the veteran point guard playing more than 17 to 18 minutes. Bennedict Mathurin is similar to Toppin in that he is a key scorer off the bench but not totally necessary for this balanced and multi-faceted roster. He now has competition from Ben Sheppard for minutes, with both only worthy of consideration as differentiation plays for those crafting more than a dozen lineups. That would change if Nesmith were to sit out tonight, but it would be a group effort replacing him and not one specific player getting a one-for-one replacement opportunity.
Today’s Top Sports Betting Picks
If you’re serious about winning in NBA DFS, you know the edge comes from having the right tools. The same principle applies to sports betting — and that’s where Portfolio EV steps in.
Take Myles Turner under 22.5 points + rebounds + assists (PRA), for example. It’s a +EV bet, meaning it has positive expected value when compared to the best odds available across the market. But the real strength of Portfolio EV isn’t about finding just one good bet — it’s about consistently finding dozens. With the Mass Entry tool, you can scale up, place a high volume of +EV bets, and let the math do the heavy lifting.
Just like you wouldn’t count on one DFS lineup to ship a GPP, you don’t count on one bet to carry your night.
Portfolio EV is built for long-term profitability. It helps you spot market inefficiencies, compare lines across books and generate a steady stream of +EV bets. It doesn’t chase heaters, but rather trusts the numbers, follows a process and builds sustainable profit over time.
Turner is projecting for just over 22 PRA, so it is crucial to get this wager at plus money. In the three games this series, Turner played 31.3, 32.8 and 33.1 minutes, recording 21, 20 and 26 PRA. This wager is likely to come down to the wire, though the math is on the side of the under.
