Fantasy Basketball Power Rankings: Top Performers from Week 8 of NBA Playoffs

The eighth full week of the NBA postseason marked the inception of the final leg of the quest for the Larry O'Brien Trophy, with the Pacers and Thunder doing battle at Paycom Center on Thursday and Sunday night. Most of the usual suspects shined in the high-stakes environment, but there was one noteworthy newcomer to the top five this week.

As customary, we'll dive into the top five fantasy performers for the past week, followed by a glance at five players that typically carry very reasonable salaries in DFS contests and are therefore worth considering for the upcoming NBA Finals.

Top Fantasy Performers from Week 8 of NBA Playoffs

#1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder

Last Week: 60.3 FP/G 

The reigning Most Valuable Player came into the Finals with a head of steam after scoring 40 and 34 points in the final two games of the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves, and he's kept the hot hand going in the subsequent pair of contests. SGA took a co-postseason-high 30 shots in Game 1 and netted 38 points alongside five rebounds, three assists and three steals. He was then instrumental in helping OKC avenge its stunning defeat in that contest with a stat-sheet-stuffing 34-point, eight-assist, five-rebound, four-steal, one-block effort over 36 minutes in Game 2, a night where he went 11-for-21 from the floor and also netted 11 of 12 free-throw attempts.

#2. Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers

Last Week: 35.8 FP/G 

Haliburton is a distant second to SGA in this week's rankings, but he was the key figure in the Pacers' Game 1 upset thanks to his last-second, game-winning bucket. Largely lost in the euphoria and shock of Indiana's win was the fact it was a fairly pedestrian performance by Haliburton's lofty standards, as he finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and one block in 39 minutes. The star point guard actually had a more complete night in Game 2 – he checked off every box with 17 points, six assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks – but that came in a double-digit defeat.

#3. Pascal Siakam, Pacers

Last Week: 35.5 FP/G 

Siakam put together a nice encore to his Eastern Conference Finals MVP-winning effort in Game 1 of the Finals, as he posted a signature 19-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included three assists and a block over 35 minutes. However, there was a notable downturn in Sunday's Game 2. It cost Indiana considerably, as the normally reliable big man only went 3-for-11 from the floor in a postseason-worst shooting effort. He did find the net on eight of nine free-throw attempts to help get him to a respectable 15 points, and his seven boards, four assists and two blocks were enough to vault him to No. 3 on this list. 

#4. Jalen Williams, Thunder

Last Week: 33.7 FP/G 

Williams has opened the Finals in trademark fashion, offering a well-rounded 18.0 points, 5.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals across 35 minutes per game. However, his shooting woes have resurfaced, as he's connected on only 33.3% of his attempts from the field, including 22.2% from behind the arc. Nevertheless, a 92.3% success rate from the free-throw line has helped mitigate the inefficiency, and Williams has proven amply capable of heating up any given night on countless occasions. 

#5. Alex Caruso, Thunder

Last Week: 29.2 FP/G

Caruso is easily the most surprising member of the top five this week, as the defensive specialist's all-around contributions naturally experience their fair share of fluctuation in his bench role. However, to open the Finals, the veteran wing has generated back-to-back double-digit scoring performances for the first time since the final two games of the semifinal-round series against the Nuggets, going for 11 and a postseason-high-tying 20 points in Games 1 and 2, respectively. The former performance was actually the more balanced one from a fantasy standpoint, as Caruso added six rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks in OKC's series-opening stumble.

DFS Value Plays To Consider in the NBA Finals

Andrew Nembhard, Pacers

Last Week: 27.8 FP/G 

Nembhard has provided exactly the type of numbers expected from him over the first two games of the series, averaging 12.5 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals over 32 minutes per contest.

Myles Turner, Pacers

Last Week: 26.3 FP/G 

Turner has bounced back from a lackluster finish to the ECF by supplying 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks over the first two games of the Finals, shooting 50.0% in the process.

Luguentz Dort, Thunder

Last Week: 24.6 FP/G 

Dort's fantasy volatility has been on full display over the first two games of the Finals, but his three-point shooting and ability to pile up defensive counting stats always gives him some upside as a DFS tournament value option.

T.J. McConnell, Pacers

Last Week: 22.9 FP/G

McConnell's efficiency has been off the charts over the first two games, as he's shot 69.2% and provided 10.0 points, 5.0 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals across just 17.5 minutes per contest.

Aaron Nesmith, Pacers

Last Week: 21.4 FP/G 

Nesmith has been a mid-salary fantasy asset for DFS players in the first two Finals installments, contributing 12.0 points and 8.0 rebounds while draining a blistering 46.7% of his 7.5 3-point attempts per game.