Christmas may be over, but there’s still plenty of hoops yet to be played. Eighteen teams are playing on Thursday, ranging from title contenders to rebuilding rosters. Stars such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Trae Young are all expected to take the floor, just to name a few. With so many squads suiting up, there’s plenty of ways to get in on the action with DraftKings Sportsbook, including DraftKings NBA Pick6 selections ahead of tonight’s loaded slate.
Trae Young more than 11.5 assists
Trae Young has had an uneven start to the season. Despite leading the league in assists (12.0), Atlanta’s franchise player is putting up 21.8 points on a lackluster 39.5% field goal percentage. Most surprising has been the sharpshooter’s struggles from deep, where he’s only connecting on 32.8% of his three-point attempts.
Despite Young’s inconsistency, he’s set up well for a big game tonight. The Bulls are giving up the second-most points (121.1) and the third-most assists (28.7) to opponents this season. The three-time All-Star has gone over this number in each of his previous five games against Chicago, so expect plenty of dimes on Thursday night.
Amen Thompson more than 10.5 points
Houston has risen to the top of the Western Conference on the strength of its depth. Although the Rockets have plenty of All-Star caliber players, the ability to plug and play numerous pieces off of the bench gives the team an edge over most teams. Look no further than last Monday, when Amen Thompson stepped in for an injured Dillon Brooks. The second-year pro delivered a terrific 19-point, 11-rebound, three-assist stat line against the Hornets.
Thompson will get another shot to start on Thursday when the Rockets travel to New Orleans. While the 21-year-old isn’t much of a scorer, the Pelicans are giving up 123.0 points over their last three games, second-most in the NBA. As long as the youngster plays for more than 30 minutes tonight, he should have success against one of the association’s worst defenses.
Zach Edey more than 8.5 rebounds
The Grizzlies raised eyebrows when they selected Zach Edey with the ninth overall pick in last summer’s NBA Draft. Through nearly two months of play, the Purdue alum is proving plenty of people wrong. Memphis’ big man is averaging 10.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks through 18 games this season, earning strong consideration for Rookie of the Year.
While Edey’s offensive play is improving, it makes more sense to back him on the glass tonight. The Raptors have struggled to box out opponents, giving up the 12th-most rebounds this season (52.6). That number has skyrocketed to 57.3 over Toronto’s previous three games, a direct result of starting center Jakob Poeltl’s groin injury. This 7’4″ rookie should have no problem snagging nine or more rebounds against a depleted front court.
Goga Bitadze more than 22.5 points + rebounds
Orlando’s injury luck got even worse on Sunday when the team announced center Mo Wagner would miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL. The injury is a major blow to a Magic team already missing two of their best players in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Although the team snagged an upset win over the Celtics on Monday, it’s clear that head coach Jamahl Mosley will need several role players to step up.
To fill the void left by Wagner down low, Goga Bitadze should have an expanded role on offense. The sixth-year pro has enjoyed a career year, putting up 9.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks on 65.0% shooting from the field. The Heat are a solid defensive unit, but Orlando’s current starting center has cleared this total in four of his last six appearances. Expect Bitadze to flirt with a double-double tonight against Miami.
Bam Adebayo less than 0.5 blocks
Trade rumors from Jimmy Butler have cast a shadow over Miami, with plenty of questions over whether the team should rebuild or ‘retool’ without their best player. Lost in the shuffle has been the disappointing play of Bam Adebayo. The three-time All-Star hasn’t looked like himself for most of the season, averaging 16.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists on subpar 46.0% shooting from the field.
However, the savvy play is actually to fade Adebayo on the other end of the floor. Although the center is a five-time All-Defensive team selection, his 6’9″ height doesn’t lend itself to gaudy block totals (0.7 this season). Tonight’s matchup doesn’t help, as opponents have tallied the second-fewest blocks per game against the Magic (4.1). Bam has averaged just 0.4 rejections over his last ten games vs. Orlando, so history suggests he won’t get one on Thursday.
Jerami Grant more than 14.5 points
Jerami Grant has established himself as Portland’s top veteran scorer, averaging 19.6 points over three seasons with the team. However, the former Pistons star has hit a rough patch recently, putting up a combined eight points on three-of-19 shooting over his previous two games against the Mavericks and Spurs. As it stands, the wing has posted 15.1 points on a disappointing 37.7% field goal percentage.
However, the veteran should have an opportunity to turn things around against a weak opponent, as the Jazz are giving up the third-most points per game (119.5). Since joining the Trail Blazers, Grant has gone over this point total in six of seven games against Utah. Look for him to clear this modest total once more tonight.
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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