Nine games will be taking place across tonight’s Friday night NBA slate.
The Orlando Magic will face off with the Boston Celtics in the first matchup of the night before Julius Randle and the Timberwolves travel to New York for the second time since the pre-season trade. Four games tip-off at the 8:00 p.m. ET window before the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Dallas Mavericks for the second night of a back-to-back. The Memphis Grizzlies will then play the San Antonio Spurs for the second straight matchup between these two teams before the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Brooklyn Nets to close out the night.
There are plenty of options for what to watch and even more opportunities to get involved in the action. One of the more unique features on DraftKings this year is Pick6 Fantasy Basketball!
This article will look at my top Pick6 plays for Jan. 17th. We simply choose whether a player will record more or less of the set statistic. Here are my six favorite plays for Friday night’s action.
Wendell Carter Jr More Than 18.5 Points & Rebounds
The opening matchup of the night will take place between the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic. Orlando enters this matchup without Jalen Suggs, Gary Harris, Jett Howard, Goga Butadze, and both Franz and Mo Wagner. It has been a tough stretch for the team but the injuries have created some additional opportunities for Wendell Carter Jr in the frontcourt.
It has been a disappointing season for Carter Jr who has seen his minutes more limited than he is accustomed to. Across just 24.7 minutes per game, he is averaging just 8.1 points and 6.9 rebounds. The Duke product averaged 15.0 points and 10.5 rebounds just three seasons ago and has been a consistent starter for the past few years. Carter Jr logged 32:38 of game time, his third-most minutes of the season, the last time he was on the floor, and finished with 12 points and ten rebounds. Overall, Carter Jr has recorded more than 18.5 points and rebounds in 13 of the 29 games he has played this year.
Looking at the matchup, Boston possesses a perimeter-oriented style of play. They rank 18th in opponents’ rebounds allowed and 14th in opponents’ points in the paint. Carter Jr is more talented than he has shown for most of this season and will be looking to make the most of his expanded opportunity on the floor. Look for him to assert himself and record more than 18.5 points and rebounds against the defending champions tonight.
P.J. Washington More Than 22.5 Points & Rebounds
The Dallas Mavericks will travel to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in a playoff rematch from last year. This will be the second night of a tough back-to-back for the Western Conference leaders after they cruised to a blowout victory over the Cavaliers last night. While the issue did not prove a problem last night, expect rebounding to be at the top of the list of concerns for the Thunder tonight. Isaiah Hartenstein suffered a calf injury that will keep him out for at least a week while Chet Holmgren remains off the floor with his hip injury. Oklahoma City ranks 28th on the season in opponents’ rebounds allowed and this will be magnified without their top big man options.
Look toward P.J. Washington as the primary player capable of exposing this. The 26-year-old is averaging 13.0 points and 7.8 rebounds this season. Washington had his best statistical game of the season in the first matchup with the Thunder logging 27 points and 17 rebounds. He also logged 10+ rebounds in three of the six playoff games last year.
While tonight’s matchup will not carry quite the same weight with Luka Doncic remaining out due to injury, Washington will have the benefit of expanded minutes with Derek Lively III also set to miss. Washington does not back down to anyone on the floor and has had plenty of success against Oklahoma City already. Look for him to impose himself on the boards and record more than 22.5 combined points and rebounds tonight.
Nikola Vucevic Less Than 18.5 Points
It has been an excellent season for Nikola Vucevic, who has quietly been one of the most productive centers in the NBA. The former All-Star is averaging 20.1 points and 10.4 rebounds this year. This marks his best scoring output since the 2020-21 season.
However, there have been some signs of decline of late. The 34-year-old is averaging 17.4 points per game across his past five games and 17.9 points across his past nine. Vucevic was held to just 14 points in Wednesday’s matchup with the Hawks and he has recorded less than 18.5 points in five of his past nine games. Chicago will face off with a Hornets team that is quietly deep at the big man position. They elected to trade away Nick Richards earlier this week who will immediately walk into a starting center role with the Suns after seeing limited opportunity in Charlotte. Mark Williams will primarily be tasked with slowing down Vucevic and his combination of size and athleticism will cause some issues. Williams is coming off a 31 point and 13 rebound performance on Wednesday. Despite their 9-28 record, the Hornets rank 15th in opponents points, 16th in opponents rebounds and eighth in opponents points in the paint allowed on the season.
Considering the combination of Vucevic slowing down a bit and having a tough matchup, be braced for a modest scoring total tonight. Expect Vucevic to be held to less than 18.5 points for the 17th time this season and for Mark Williams’ presence around the rim to cause some real issues for the veteran.
Kristaps Porzingis More Than 1.5 Made Three-Pointers
Injury issues have been the all-too-familiar problem for Kristaps Porzingis which has limited his production on the year. The 7-foot-2 big man has been excellent when he has been on the floor but has been limited to just 17 games so far this season. Across these matchups, he is averaging 18.5 points and 7.3 rebounds in just 28.7 minutes per game. Porzingis has shot 37.0% from beyond the three-point arc while attempting 5.9 long-range shots per game.
While the sample size remains small, Porzingis has connected on at least two three-pointers in 12 of the 17 games he has played. The Magic are allowing the fewest three-point attempts per game to opponents on the season, but injuries have taken a toll on this roster. They will be without Jalen Suggs, Gary Harris, Jett Howard, Goga Bitadze, and both the Wagner brothers for tonight’s matchup. Several of these names could have seen the opportunity to match up with Porzingis if they were on the floor.
Orlando’s ability to limit three-point attempts will especially be tested against this Celtics team that attempts 49.3 three-pointers per game- six more than any other team in the league. Expect Porzingis to play a key role in this and flash his willingness as a shooter. Count on the Celtics to continue working Porzingis back into the fold and for the big man to connect with at least two three-pointers tonight.
Trey Murphy III More Than 20.5 Points
It has been a disastrous season for the New Orleans Pelicans with injuries impacting just about all of their key stars. Trey Murphy III has not been immune to this and has missed time himself. However, one positive to take away from this season is his continued growth and Murphy being able to put his full offensive abilities on display with a shorthanded roster around him. The 24-year-old is averaging a career-high 21.6 points per game and has recorded more than 20.5 points in 15 of the 26 games he has played.
New Orleans will face a Utah Jazz team tonight that holds a 10-29 record and ranks 26th in opponents’ points per game, 25th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 19th in opponents’ offensive rebounds allowed. While Zion Williamson has made his return to the floor, Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones will continue to miss and Murphy has earned more offensive opportunities.
The Virginia product has been especially impressive offensively of late. He has recorded more than 20.5 points in four straight games entering tonight and is averaging 25.7 points per game across his past 12 games played. Look for him to take advantage of this Jazz team and continue playing attack-minded basketball. Count on Murphy III to record more than 20.5 points for the fifth consecutive game and keep on his upward trajectory as a player.
Cam Johnson More Than 18.5 Points
The NBA trade deadline is approaching, which the Brooklyn Nets will view as their championship of the season. While they have already gotten an early start shipping off Dorian Finney-Smith, Shake Milton, and Dennis Shroder, Cam Johnson has held plenty of trade chatter himself. Johnson has done his part on the court and his level of play has screamed “Come Get Me” to contending teams this season.
The 28-year-old is averaging a career-high 19.6 points per game and has recorded more than 18.5 points in 17 of the 33 games he has played. Brooklyn is set to face off with the Los Angeles Lakers tonight who have had their defensive issues. On the season overall they rank 18th in opponents points per game, 26th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 20th in opponent three-point percentage.
Brooklyn is limited in their offensive options and Johnson will continue to see plenty of freedom with the basketball. Look for him to continue to be aggressive and put forth another audition for why he belongs in a better basketball situation. Johnson has scored more than 18.5 points in the past three games he has played and five of the last six matchups he has been on the floor. Look for him to continue building off this and record more than 18.5 points tonight.
What is DraftKings Pick6?
Pick6 is a peer-to-peer fantasy variant where you build a lineup (your “Pick Set”) of at least two players and select whether 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 cannot pick the same player twice and you must select 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!
