Published on: Jan 4, 2022 8:29 am IST|Updated on: Jan 4, 2022 8:29 am IST
NYK vs IND Dream11: Here we are again, discussing the NBA lineup prediction scenarios but I see the game beyond how much one scores, rebounds, or hands over assists, nabs steals/blocks etc. For me, the team composition, the team’s performances are of equal value and therefore my write-ups try to address more than what is suggested by the theme of suggesting a “Dream11 Lineup here”. Anyway, let us jump into this one.
In this game, Eastern Conference teams New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers meet each other. Indiana has lost four in a row and their season has been a tough one with 23 losses and just 14 wins while the Knicks have won just 17 and have lost 20, coming into this one on a two-game losing streak. Both teams are yet to gain any rhythm this season and have lost way too much.
For the Pacers, their bench has become a concern and the team has struggled especially since TJ McConnell has been injured. Indiana has a lot of versatile players, isolation options, off-the-catch shooters, and high-yielding but the record betrays their roster components. Indiana is a classic case of a heavily talented individual player personnel failing to click as a unit.
On the other hand, the Knicks are another example of the total sum failing to yield despite having incredible parts. The team deployed a guard-heavy lineup to begin the season and it is like all of the players have gone cold. Perhaps a lack of a dependable playmaker at the one guard is the reason but with veterans like Kemba, Fournier, Burks, and Randle, they should have won more.
Host: New York Knicks Visitors: Indiana Pacers Match Timing: 5 January, @ 06:00 AM Venue: Madison Square Garden
Knicks: Not developing anything special so far… Knicks have been underwhelming this season on multiple counts and I refuse to attribute this lack of success to the COVID-19 scenario because they weren’t doing any better before the outbreak. Last season, the team had a defensive identity, and players had clarity of role. This season there seems to be a lack of clarity, a lack of the same defensive discipline, and also the offense may have gotten a little better, but the team had a better identity last season. Knicks need someone to hit the mid-season rhythm but it is like there are times when a player goes for 30 or so and the next game struggles to reach 10. I wish this was the case with one or two players but the whole team has been playing such inconsistent basketball. Pacers: They have even bigger issues Indiana loses way too many lose games and there are two major reasons for that. First, they are unable to take big leads, secondly, they misfire towards the close of the game and miss out on key moments. Indiana has been a little short-handed these days but that is one thing that almost every team has gone through by now in varying degrees. Like the Knicks, Pacers weren’t doing any better even when their pieces were intact. Sabonis alone should have been a winning factor but it isn’t the case at all. Indiana is not a pressing defensive squad, their offense is not dependable enough. Despite such a strong frontcourt pairing of Sabonis and Turner, the Pacers have been unable to win games. Indiana Pacers | New York Knicks Games: 37| 37 Wins: 14| 17 Defeats: 23| 20
New York Knicks Team News
Knicks Expected Starting Five Middle: C: Mitchell Robinson PF: Taj Gibson Guards: PG: Miles McBride SG: Evan Fournier SG: RJ Barrett
BENCH: Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Alec Burks, Kevin Knox II, Damyean Dotson, Quinten Grimes. Indiana Pacers Team News
Pacers Expected Starting Five
Wing: SF: Justin Holiday Middle: PF: Domantas Sabonis C: Myles Turner Guards: SG: Duane Washinton Jr. PG: Keifer Sykes
BENCH, Torrey Craig, Oshae Brissett, Lance Stephenson, DeJon Jarreau, Goga Bitadze, Duane Washington Jr.
Domantas Sabonis(OKC ) Points: 32 Rebounds: 13 Assists: 07 Blocks: 01 Sabonis is a highly talented Power Forward who has been big on scoring, rebounds, and assists for some seasons now, having earned the All-Star tag. With LeVert, Brogdon, and Duarte in protocols, I expect 25-32 points, 13-16 rebounds, and 5-8 assists from the highly talented big. He is an option for Star/Pro Player in the Dream11 NBA scenario.
Evan Fournier(NYK) Points: 20 Rebounds: 00 Assists: 00 Evan is an important scorer right now for the Knicks with their ace Julius Randle in the protocols at the time of writing. Even if Julius comes back soon, a lot of Knicks’ offense depends upon the off-guard. Fournier has been inconsistent and can go for 20 or more on one night and go for less than 10 on another, he has followed a strange scoring pattern. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 30-38
Myles Turner(OKC ) Points: 12 Rebounds: 10 Assists: 03 Blocks: 03 Steals: 02 I believe Myles will score more if played alongside a Point Guard like Rubio/Paul/Garland. The Center has usually figured in the 11-18 points range while grabbing 5-10 rebounds, but yes, he has had blocked 2-5 shots a game regularly for quite a few seasons. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 26-41
RJ Barrett(NYK) Points: 19 Rebounds: 04 Assists: 03 Steals: 01 In the last three games, RJ Barrett has shot much better from the field and that can be a welcoming sign for the season ahead. The young scorer has scored 15 or more in three games straight while grabbing 7 rebounds in each of the two games before the last one. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 36-57
Obi Toppin(NYK ) Points: 19 Rebounds: 06 Assists: 06 Blocks: 02 Steals: 01 Toppin largely played a bench role eking out 20 minutes or when the team was healthier, but he played 45 in the last game as the team lacks a substantial rebounding option right now. Can Toppin replicate his last game’s stats? I give him a 55% chance of doing that. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 20-
Justin Holiday(IND) Points: 18 Rebounds: 03 Assists: 03 Steals: 01 Blocks: 01 Justin has proven to be a dependable starting option for the reeling Pacers team and his ability to shoot from outside is a handy weapon. You can expect 13-18 points from the wing.
NYK vs IND Dream11 Lineup Balancers
Lineup be will updated later! Maybe revisited an hour or so before the game.
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