After a breakthrough season, the Indiana Pacers appear to have settled down to what they really are: an average team. But while that may be the case, it doesn’t mean the Pacers have nothing to offer in fantasy as they have good, productive players to pick from. We’ll show you next.
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Your Main Man: Tyrese Haliburton
Pascal Siakam made us look long and hard at him for two reasons: He leads the Pacers in scoring at 19.7 points and erstwhile main man Tyrese Haliburton is having a down season.
But we ultimately chose Haliburton because he is due to ramp up his production as the Pacers look to battle back into postseason contention. Besides, it’s not as if the former All-Star isn’t putting up good numbers. This season, Haliburton is norming 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 8.4 assists (seventh in the NBA), 1.3 steals, and 0.6 block.
Surefire Studs: Myles Turner, Benedict Mathurin
Turner is a bona fide secondary star and is rightfully drawing attention from contending teams. He should get yours, too, as he has been putting up 15.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals, and 2.0 blocks (fifth in the NBA). The 2.8 stocks are particularly valuable as they generally translate to more points.
Mathurin, on the other hand, is an emerging star, blending elite athleticism and an aggressive attacking style to become one of the Pacers’ more dependable scorers at 17.8 points a game. But he is rounding out his game nicely, too, as evidenced by his 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 0.7 steals.
Low Cost, High-Value Picks: T.J. McConnell, Andrew Nembhard
McConnell is the kind of reliable backup guard team that needs championship aspirations. That’s because the 32-year-old veteran plays hard and brings the intangibles to winning basketball. He also brings a lot of value fantasy-wise, to the tune of 11.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.4 steals.
Nembhard is a lot like McConnell in that he makes an impact to winning basketball. He does the same in fantasy as a low-cost, high-value pick who gives you something without you giving up a lot. His averages of 8.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.1 steals aren’t eye-popping, but they add value to any team