There are just four NBA games tipping off on Thursday, including a marquee matchup in Los Angeles between the surging Magic and the LeBron James-led Lakers. Even with a select number of teams taking the floor, there’s still plenty of ways to get in on the action with DraftKings Sportsbook, including DraftKings NBA Pick6 selections ahead of tonight’s matchups.
Jakob Poeltl more than 15.5 points
Lost in the shuffle of Toronto’s dismal 3-12 start has been the play of Jakob Poeltl. The veteran center is averaging a career-best 17.1 points and 11.9 rebounds through 15 games, handling much of the scoring load for a Raptors team in desperate need of production on offense.
Although the Timberwolves employ one of the NBA’s better defenses, they’ve been somewhat vulnerable down low. This season, Minnesota is giving up 52.1 points in the paint, fifth-worst in the association. Poeltl, currently enjoying a three-game streak of 25 points or more, is sure to take advantage. The Raptors should lean on their talented big man tonight, giving him plenty of opportunity to surpass this modest total.
Lauri Markkanen more than 21.5 points
It’s been an up-and-down season for Lauri Markkanen. Between inconsistent shooting, injury issues, and a lackluster supporting cast, the All-Star has struggled to produce at the level fans are used to seeing. Still, at 18.0 points per game, it’s not as if the Finnish forward has been a complete no-show thus far.
San Antonio will be without Victor Wembanyama, making things much easier for Utah on offense. Without their talented big man, the Spurs’ thin frontcourt will have their hands full trying to guard a scorer of Markkanen’s caliber. When these two teams last met on November 9th, with Wemby playing, Lauri tallied 20 points. One more bucket tonight doesn’t seem like too much to ask for.
Tobias Harris more than 13.5 points
The Pistons signed Tobias Harris to serve as a capable secondary option on offense, and that’s how things have played out after sixteen games. The fourteen-year pro has put up 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds on 44.2% shooting from the field. Most impressive has been the former 76ers’ consistency; he’s scored in double-digits in all but three outings.
Detroit will get a prime matchup tonight when they face the Hornets, who are currently giving up the twelfth-most points in the NBA (114.1 PPG). Harris has dominated this matchup in the past, scoring more than 14 points in 24 straight games over the past eight years. With such a track record of success against Charlotte, it’s hard not to back the veteran wing in this one.
Franz Wagner more than 1.5 three pointers made
The Magic are thriving even without Paolo Banchero, and much of the credit goes to Franz Wagner. The German wing has always been a talented two-way player, but his contributions on the offensive end have been taken to another level. The Michigan product is averaging 25.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 11 games without Banchero this season.
Orlando will face a stiff road test on Thursday when they visit the Lakers. However, while Los Angeles is considered to be one of the NBA’s best defenses, that hasn’t been the case to start the year. LA has given up the seventh-most points per game (116.0 PPG) while allowing a mediocre 35.7% success rate on three-point shots (16th). Without Banchero, Wagner has been taking just under six attempts from beyond the arc, so there should be plenty of chances for him to nail a pair of treys tonight.
Kyle Filipowski more than 5.5 rebounds
The Jazz are one of the league’s worst teams, but there have been some glimmers of hope. That includes rookie Kyle Filipowski, who has shown some serious growth over his past few appearances. After starting the season near the bottom of head coach Will Hardy’s rotation, the Duke product has averaged 10.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists over his last six games.
As previously mentioned, the Spurs will be without the services of Victor Wembanyama, making life much easier for Utah’s big men. With San Antonio backup Zach Collins forced into the starting lineup, the only other center on the roster is journeyman Charles Bassey. After nabbing six or more boards in three of his last five outings, Filipowski is set up nicely for another productive day on the glass.
Jalen Suggs more than 23.5 points + assists + rebounds
The Magic are a defensively-minded team, but don’t let that fool you into sleeping on their offensive ability. That includes guard Jalen Suggs, who has shown improvement across the board in most statistical categories this season (15.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.7 APG), boosted by the absence of Paolo Banchero.
While the Lakers possess some of the game’s best defenders, they haven’t been great at slowing down opposing guards. This season, Los Angeles has given up 28.1 assists per game, the third-worst mark in the NBA. Suggs has cleared this P+A+R total in two of his three career games against LA, so it’s not a stretch to think he can do it again with even more responsibility on offense.
What is DraftKings Pick6?
Pick6 is a peer-to-peer fantasy variant where you build a lineup (your “Pick Set”) of 2+ players and select whether or not you believe each will outperform their listed stat projection. Enter your Pick Set in Pick6 contests to compete against other users. Get enough picks correct and win a share of cash prizes.
How to Play DraftKings Pick6
Create a Pick Set
Create a Pick Set by choosing 2+ players from the same sport and Pick Group (a set of picks available from a group of set competitions). For each player, simply select if you think they’ll have more or less than their listed stat projection. In each Pick Set, you can not pick the same player twice and you must pick players from at least two different teams.
Enter an Amount
Once you finalize your Pick Set, choose your entry fee amount. Your entries will be automatically distributed into available contests, subject to your confirmation.
Sweat Your Picks
When the games go live, use the My Picks tab to follow your picks in real time to track how your players are performing against their projections and how they stack up against other users.
Compete for Prizes
Make enough correct picks and win a share of the contests’ guaranteed prizes. Any prizes won will be credited to your DraftKings account after contests are finalized.
Play at DraftKings Pick6 or by downloading the DraftKings Pick6 app on Apple or Google!
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is barmy) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
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