Nine games of NBA action are set to take place tonight with a loaded slate in the early window. Six of these nine games will be tipping off at either 7:00 or 7:30 p.m. ET.
Most notably, the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks will face off in a matchup with much lower stakes than expected at this stage of the season. The Celtics will face off with the streaking Detroit Pistons on the second night of Boston’s back-to-back. The Raptors will be looking to bounce back from their loss last night at the hands of the Celtics and are taking on the Indiana Pacers tonight.
In the later window, the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls will play at 8:00 p.m. ET. Then, the Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings will match up before the final game of the night tips off at 9:00 p.m. ET between the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets.
There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the action this evening. One of the more unique features on DraftKings this year is Pick6 Fantasy Basketball!
This article will look at my top Pick6 plays for action on Feb. 26th. You simply choose whether each set statistic will be more or less than the number is set. With the stage set, here are my favorite picks across the nine-game slate.
Josh Hart More Than 26.5 Points & Rebounds
Just a few months ago it looked like the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers were developing one of the best rivalries in the league. Joel Embiid’s injury news and the underwhelming results from the team have shifted the focus beyond just this season with their eyes focused on the draft lottery. New York has also underwhelmed relative to expectations, with its 0-7 record and -131 point differential against the top three teams continuing to cast doubt on its playoff outlook.
Regardless, the action will continue on the court tonight. New York needs to continue stacking up wins and has a great chance to do so tonight. Expect Josh Hart to be at the epicenter of the production with his work rate and rebounding ability set to be a notable contrast against this Philadelphia roster. Looking at the Sixers, they rank 17th in opponent points per game, 17th in opponent rebounds allowed and 30th in team rebounding overall. They most recently allowed a season-high 142 points to the Bulls on Monday and are on an eight-game losing streak.
While he has more talented teammates, Hart is the heart and soul of this Knicks team. The Villanova product is averaging 14.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game this season and has recorded more than 26.5 combined points and rebounds in three straight matchups leading into tonight. The Sixers will be without Joel Embiid, Guerschon Yabusele, Eric Gordon, Kyle Lowry and Jared McCain for this matchup. With two of their top rebounders out of the picture and the outlook for the Sixers as bleak as ever, look for Hart to assert himself in this game. Count on him attacking the offensive glass and generating putbacks often to pave his way to more than 26.5 points and rebounds for the fourth straight game.
Day’Ron Sharpe More Than 17.5 Points & Rebounds
The Brooklyn Nets are still early in their rebuild and will attempt to match up with the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder tonight. To make matters worse, Noah Clowney, D’Angelo Russell and Cam Thomas will remain out due to injury and Nic Claxton will miss the game due to suspension for accumulation of flagrant fouls. The outlook for this game is certainly bleak, but there are some opportunities for other members of the roster, with Day’Ron Sharpe one of the biggest beneficiaries.
So far this season, Sharpe is averaging 8.2 points and 6.3 rebounds in just 17.3 minutes per game. Expect his level of opportunity to expand without Clowney and Claxton available. Count on Sharpe to do what he does best and rebound the basketball at a high level as this paves the way for some easy putback chances. Sharpe finished with 16 combined points and rebounds in the first matchup with the Thunder despite only seeing 18:05 of game action on the floor.
While you are nitpicking when looking for weaknesses on this Thunder team, rebounding is near the top of the list. Oklahoma City ranks 14th in the league in total rebounds as a team and is 24th in opponent rebounds allowed. Sharpe is one of the best individual rebounders in the league even while his opportunity has been limited. Don’t be surprised if this ends up being one of his best statistical outputs on the season based on the level of opportunity and look for Sharpe to record more than 17.5 points and rebounds tonight.
Lonzo Ball Less Than 10.5 Points
One of the more positive stories around the NBA this season has been the return of Lonzo Ball. The UCLA product missed the past two full seasons with his knee issues but is back in action this season and earned an extension with this Bulls team. Even still, he has yet to fully return to the player he once was and is averaging a mild 7.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists across his 21.6 minutes per game. Ball has been held to less than 10.5 points in 27 of the 33 games this season.
Expect tonight’s game to be added to this list as the Bulls prepare to face off with the Clippers’ hard-nosed perimeter defense. Los Angeles ranks fourth in the NBA in opponent points allowed, eighth in opponent field-goal percentage and fifth in opponent three-point percentage. This will be the second matchup between these two teams, with Ball scoring just five points in the first game.
While it is nice to have Ball back on the floor and the rust is expected, he is shooting a career-worst 35.5% from the floor and just 33.9% on three-point attempts. He has not shown the ability to regularly beat opponents off the dribble and this will be especially problematic against this Clippers defense. Expect better days to be on the horizon but for Ball to be bothered by the Clippers tonight and be held to less than 10.5 points for the 28th time this season.
Cade Cunningham More Than 42.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists
Don’t look now but the Detroit Pistons have quietly been one of the best teams in the NBA of late, with Cade Cunningham leading the charge. The former No. 1 overall pick is putting everything together and making a strong case for earning a place on an All-NBA team. At this stage in the season, Cunningham is averaging 25.8 points, 9.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds per game. He has recorded more than 42.5 combined points, rebounds and assists in back-to-back games entering this matchup.
This is the type of measuring stick matchup that the Pistons have teased to be ready for as they face the defending champion Boston Celtics. Detroit is riding a seven-game winning streak in which Cunningham is averaging 27.2 points, 9.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds in that time. This will be the fourth matchup against the Celtics so far, with Boston coming out on top in each. Cunningham is averaging 22.0 points, 10.7 assists and 7.7 rebounds in those three games but has eclipsed 42.5 combined stats in one of these games.
This has all the makings of a statement performance from Cunningham and the Pistons, so expect the star to be at his best. Boston is still rightfully considered the championship standard and these are the types of games opponents will get up for. Look for Cunningham to build off his streak of strong play and be at the heart of everything the Pistons do offensively. Look for him to record more than 42.5 combined points, rebounds and assists for the third straight game and keep your eye on this matchup all around.
Zaccharie Risacher More Than 12.5 Points
There were lower expectations for Zaccharie Risacher than just about any first-overall pick in recent memory, but the Frenchman is beginning to put things together. On the season overall, Risacher is averaging 11.4 points and 3.5 rebounds. Across his past 11 games, Risacher is averaging 14.5 points per game. He has recorded more than 12.5 points in eight of these 11 games. This includes as many as 30 points, which he scored against the Cavaliers.
Atlanta will take on the Miami Heat, who are in a bit of free fall following the Jimmy Butler trade. Miami enters on a two-game losing streak and has dropped six of its past seven. This will be the second straight matchup between these two teams, with Atlanta coming out on top the first time with a 98-86 victory. Risacher was held to just two points in that matchup on 1-for-8 shooting, which marks his lowest scoring outcome since Jan. 14th and is tied for his lowest of the season.
Expect a bounce-back performance from the rookie as he shoots closer to his standard from the field. It had been over a month since he shot this poorly, so expect Risacher to return to form. Brush off the poor performance to just a bad shooting night and look for him to get back on track for his strong stretch. Look for Risacher to record more than 12.5 points for the ninth time in the past 12 games as the top selection continues to prove his place in the NBA.
Jeremy Sochan More Than 15.5 Points & Rebounds
The final matchup of the night will take place between the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. These Western Conference opponents are slated to be contenders for the foreseeable future, although the Spurs’ short-term outlook took a huge hit following the news that Victor Wembanyama would be shut down for the season. Regardless, the action continues on the court, with Wembanyama’s absence providing a shakeup in roles for the rest of the roster.
Jeremy Sochan is a key part of what the Spurs are building but has been reduced to a bench role over the past 15 games. On the season overall, he is averaging 11.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Sochan has recorded more than 15.5 combined points and rebounds in 23 of the 37 games he has played. Across the past 15 games off the bench, the Baylor product is still averaging 8.5 points and 5.6 rebounds and has recorded 16+ points and assists in seven of these games.
Houston has a defensive identity and ranks fifth in the NBA in opponent points allowed and eighth in rebounds conceded. However, Sochan tallied a season-high 22 points and nine rebounds in the first matchup between these two teams. Look for him to build off this and be a necessary part of the Spurs’ game plan as he matches Houston’s internal production. While his workload has been scaled back, this number has dipped to a spot where I see value. Look for Sochan to make his impact felt and record more than 15.5 combined points and rebounds against the Rockets for the second time and 24th overall time this season.
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!
