FanDuel Single-Game NBA DFS Picks and Helper: Pacers at Celtics (5/23/24)

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 the Indiana Pacers-Boston Celtics Game 2 single-game slate on FanDuel.

NBA Single-Game DFS Picks for Pacers-Celtics

Game 2 Preview

All NBA odds are via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Date and Time: Thursday, May 23rd at 8:05 p.m. ET

Spread: Celtics -8.5

Total: 225 (-110/-110)

Studs to Target

Jayson Tatum ($16,500) -- Jayson Tatum finished with 61.4 FanDuel points (FPs) in Game 1, and it didn’t even feel like he played that well. Sure, 36 real-world points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals isn’t anything to scoff at. But 10 of Tatum’s points came in overtime, and he still shot only 12-of-26 overall (2-of-8 from three). There’s room for improvement efficiency-wise, but his final total from Game 1 still shows a rock-solid floor. He’s the clear-cut top option for the 2x MVP slot.

Tyrese Haliburton ($14,500) -- Tatum’s salary has (rightfully) ticked up after his big Game 1 performance, but Tyrese Haliburton's, despite him netting 52.6 FPs, stayed the same. I touched on Haliburton’s inconsistencies in the Game 1 helper, but it was encouraging to see him kick off this series with a big game. Haliburton's now hit 25 real-world points in consecutive games, but his points prop is still at 18.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook. He’s my favorite contrarian MVP, though his salary is low enough to slot him in any of the multiplier slots. Outside of Tatum, Haliburton is our highest-projected player (44.6 FPs).

Mid-Range Options

Pascal Siakam ($13,500) -- Both Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner ($12,500) feasted against the Kristaps Porzingis-less Celtics in Game 1, notching 49.9 and 43.0 FPs, respectively. That marked Siakam's best fantasy performance since Game 2 of the first round, but I'm optimistic there's more to come as long as Porzingis remains sidelined. The do-it-all forward registered a team-high 25% usage rate while pounding the Celtics for 16 points in the paint. I'm just not sure that Boston has an answer for him. Consequently, Siakam's a strong option in any of the multiplier slots, and there's even a stealth MVP case here if the Pacers keep things close.

Jrue Holiday ($11,500) -- In Game 1, Jrue Holiday finished with his most FPs (53.4) for his best fantasy performance since March 2023... a game that also involved him facing Indiana. There may be something to this Holiday-Pacers matchup. In addition to averaging 35.2 FPPG against them this season, Jrue has averaged 44.5 FPPG against the Pacers dating back to 2019. We project Holiday for 36.2 FPs, making him the top point-per-dollar value on the slate (3.15 FPs per $1,000). His upside at this salary range is unmatched on tonight's single-game slate.

Value Plays

T.J. McConnell ($9,000) -- So let me get this straight. T.J. McConnell went for 24.6 FPs in the series opener, but his salary dipped $500? With that performance, McConnell has now exceeded 24 FPs and cracked double-digit real-world points in three straight and in seven of his last nine. His points prop is down at 9.5 on FanDuel Sportsbook, though we project him for only 9.3 real-world points tonight. Still, that projection includes 23.3 FPs, so he figures to be an uber-popular salary-saver.

Payton Pritchard ($8,000) -- Payton Pritchard has now been held under 13 FPs in four straight games. Yet he's seen 20+ minutes in all four and is averaging 22.7 minutes per game this postseason. There's clearly a limited floor here, but the minutes are still strong enough to consider him as a salary-saver, especially when I like this game to go over 225 total points. The more offense, the better for Boston's sixth man. Expect a bounce back at home -- a venue where he's averaged 21 FPPG this season.

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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.