The Thunder will host the Pacers in Game of the 2025 NBA Finals on Monday night. Here’s a look at the Pacers vs. Thunder Game 5 DFS captain/MVP thoughts, lineup builds and strategies ahead of tonight’s game.
DFS Strategy Overview
Format: NBA Finals – Showdown (Captain/MVP + 5 Flex)
Target Total: ~223 points implied
Favored Team: Thunder (–9.5); focus slightly more on OKC core
CAPTAIN / MVP PLAYS (1.5x points & salary)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)
DK Salary: $18,600 (Captain)
Projection: ~52–60 fantasy points
Why: He’s the top overall play. Averaging 33.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 6 APG in the Finals. If you can afford him as CPT, do it.
Jalen Williams (OKC)
DK Salary: $13,500 (Captain)
Projection: ~38–44 FP
Why: 27 real points in Game 4. Great leverage play at CPT in case he goes off again and SGA is “just” solid.
Tyrese Haliburton (IND)
DK Salary: $14,100 (Captain)
Projection: ~42–48 FP
Why: High-floor play due to his assist volume (9–11 per game), threes, and late-game usage. Excellent in Pacers builds.
CORE FLEX PLAYS
Pascal Siakam (IND)
DK Salary: $8,800
Why: Safe 35+ FP play. Averaging ~19 PPG, 6 RPG, 3 APG in the series. Mid-range price, great value.
Chet Holmgren (OKC)
DK Salary: $7,600
Why: Ceiling is 35–40 FP when blocks and boards spike. Risk of foul trouble, but upside is huge if Thunder dominate inside.
Myles Turner (IND)
DK Salary: $6,600
Why: Sneaky GPP value. Has 3-block upside, and capable of a double-double. Volatile but cheap with ceiling.
VALUE DART THROWS (under $5,000)
Isaiah Joe (OKC) – $3,000
Boom-or-bust bench shooter. If he hits 3+ threes (like Game 3), he could break the slate at near minimum.
Aaron Nesmith (IND) – $4,200
Low-usage, high-minutes wing. Good for 20+ FP if he racks up defensive stats or hits a couple corner threes.
Andrew Nembhard (IND) – $5,400
Not quite a “value” but viable low-owned flex. If Haliburton gets doubled or goes cold, Nembhard’s usage can spike.
Sample Builds
Balanced Thunder Stack
Captain: Jalen Williams
Flex: SGA, Holmgren, Siakam, Nesmith, Joe
GPP Pacers-Lean
Captain: Haliburton
Flex: Siakam, Turner, SGA, Nembhard, Joe
Stars & Scrubs
Captain: SGA
Flex: Haliburton, Williams, Joe, Nesmith, Holmgren
Final Tips
Lean SGA CPT in cash games
Use Jalen Williams or Haliburton CPT in GPPs for differentiation
Sprinkle in bench shooters (Joe, Nembhard, Nesmith) in large-field tournaments