It is a full 10-game slate taking place this Friday night with some intriguing matchups from start to finish. Each game carries some additional weight with the full seedings in each conference beginning to be established and the playoffs on the horizon.
To start the night, tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET, the Denver Nuggets will take on the Detroit Pistons. Detroit has entered the conversation as a dark horse playoff threat and goes into tonight’s game on an eight-game winning streak. Three games will then be tipping off at 7:30 p.m. ET, headlined by the Eastern Conference battle between the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.
An additional three games will begin at 8:00 p.m. ET with the Knicks and Grizzlies headline the window. Tonight is expected to be the return of Mitchell Robinson as he is expected to make his debut after being sidelined for the entirety of the bugging of the season with injury. At 9:00 p.m. ET, the Pelicans and Suns will square off for the second consecutive night with the Pelicans producing the victory last night. Then, the Jazz and Timberwolves will face off before the Lakers and Clippers play in the final matchup of the night.
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. 28th. 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 10-game slate.
Tobias Harris More Than 15.5 Points
Tobias Harris has just about perfectly filled the shoes of the win-now veteran the Pistons were missing. While there were some growing pains early on, Harris has settled in with his new team and is playing some of his best basketball of late. He has played a big part in the culture and on-court production of the organization as they currently hold their brightest future outlook in over a decade.
On the season overall, Harris is averaging 13.8 points and 5.9 rebounds across his 32.1 minutes of play. He has produced at an increased level this month averaging 17.7 points per game in February and has shot 57.8% from the floor. While Harris has struggled a bit as a shooter this season, connecting on just 33.3% of his three-point attempts, he has made two three-pointers in four of his past six games. Harris has also recorded more than 15.5 points in seven of his last eight games and 11 of his past 13.
Tonight’s matchup is expected to have a playoff-like atmosphere with the Detroit faithful rallying around this squad. Harris also averaging 3.2 more points per game at home this season. While he was limited to just seven points in 24 minutes in the road loss to Denver earlier this year, this was during a tough stretch of play from Harris. Both he and the team have turned things around since this point and will continue to lean on what has been working in recent games. The 32-year-old has averaged more than 15.5 points per game in nine of the 14 seasons of his career and scored this many in 26 games this season. Look for him to continue playing at a high level and record more than 15.5 points again tonight.
Tyler Herro Less Than 12.5 Assists & Rebounds
The Miami Heat are continuing to adjust to life in the post Jimmy Butler era with the short-term results not proving to be overly positive. One consistent bright spot that has occurred this season has been the level of play from Tyler Herro. The former Sixth Man of the Year earned his first All-Star appearance this season and is averaging 24.0 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game overall. Herro and the Heat will face off with the Indiana Pacers tonight who have found their stride after a concerning start to the season.
While there is a case to be made about the outlook of Herro’s scoring potential in this matchup, look for him to record less than 12.5 assists and rebounds. Herro has been held below this number in 35 of the 55 games he has played this season including six of the past seven games. He also has been held to less than this in five of the six games since Andrew Wiggins arrived as a part of the Butler deal.
The Pacers do a nice job controlling the pace of the game and playing at their tempo. Expect Herro to still make a notable impact in the scoring department, but 12.5 is too lofty of a goal for his assists and rebounds. Herro has averaged just 7.6 combined assists and rebounds in his 18 career games against the Pacers, only recording more than 12.5 combined stats once. Look for the first-time All-Star to be comfortable playing within his role as a score-first talent and for other members of the Heat to be responsible for the rebounding and playmaking production. Cont on Herro to be held to less than 12.5 assists and rebounds for the 36th time this season tonight.
Dyson Daniels Less Than 14.5 Points
The Atlanta Hawks made a significant decision shortly before the season to trade away DeJoune Murray. Dyson Daniels arrived in Atlanta as a part of the returning package and has taken his game to new heights in his new destination. Daniels has made a convincing case for deserving the Most Improved award and will have a chance to continue building his campaign down the home stretch of the season.
Daniels is averaging 14.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and a league-leading 3.4 steals per game on the year. Each of these is career-high for the Australian and he has played his way into a key role on this Hawks team. After shooting just 43.5% from the field and 31.2% from beyond the three-point arc across his first two seasons with the Pelicans, Daniels has been a more effective shooter in Atlanta. He also is wrapping up arguably the best month of his NBA career averaging 16.5 points per game in February while shooting 52.4% from the field.
Unfortunately, the Hawks are set to face the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight who enter with one of the best defenses in the league. The Thunder are holding opponents to the second-fewest points per game on the season, the worst shooting percentage from the field, and the worst three-point percentage in the league. This will be the second matchup between these two opponents with Daniels being held to just seven points on 27.3% shooting from the field in the first game. Even with his increased scoring output, Daniels has been led to less than 14.5 points in 30 of the 54 games he has played. The 52.4% rate he shot three-pointers in February is unsustainable and the Thunder will make life more difficult from this area of the floor more than any team in the league. Expect the Thunder defense to make its impact felt and for Daniels to ultimately be held to less than 14.5 points tonight.
Zaccharie Risacher More Than 1.5 Made Three-Pointers
Another member of the Hawks set to try his hand against this stingy Thunder defense is Zaccharie Risacher. This year’s first-overall pick is averaging 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists and has found his stride of late. While there were lower expectations for Risacher than just about any top pick in recent memory, the role he is expected to grow into on this Hawks team has become clear.
Looking at his production from beyond the arc, Rsacher has shot 33.3% on three-point attempts on 4.2 attempts per game. He took a huge leap forward in February and has shot 45.5% on his long-range attempts. He has connected on two or more three-pointers in 20 games this season including four of his past five games.
While the Thunder defense is strong, Risacher will be a few notches down on their list of priorities. The rookie has looked unafraid this season. This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams with the first game occurring in only Risacher’s third game in the league. He shot 0-for-2 on three-point attempts in this October matchup although he did add 13 points. With some more experience under his belt and a growth in volume of three-point opportunities expect better results tonight. I am buying into the recent stretch of strong play and the growth in perimeter volume. Look for Risacher to connect on more than 1.5 made three-pointers for the fifth time in the past six games and be ready for the challenge brought on by this Thunder defense.
Nick Richards More Than 18.5 Points & Rebounds
The Phoenix Suns made a splash leading up to the trade deadline by trading for Nick Richards from the Charlotte Hornets. Richards has stepped into the starting center role, and it has been a bit of a mixed bag of results to this point. Across his first 18 games with the Suns, Richards is averaging 8.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in 22.4 minutes per game.
This will be the second consecutive matchup between these two teams as the Pelicans defeated the Suns 124-116 last night. The outlook will be slightly different with Zion Williamson ruled out for the game due to conditioning. Richards finished with 10 points and 16 rebounds last night even with Williamson on the floor. The Kentucky product has recorded more than 18.5 combined points and rebounds in nine of the 18 games he has played with the Suns to this point.
New Orleans ranks 26th in the NBA in opponents’ points allowed and 27th in opponents’ rebounds. While injuries have been the driving force of the underperformance, this will not change tonight with Williamson already ruled out while Dejounte Murray and Herb Jones have already been shut down for the year. The 27-year-old will get his first chance at the interior production tonight. Look for Richards to make the most of it and build off his combined 26 points and rebound output last night by recording more than 18.5 combined points and rebounds again tonight.
Ivica Zubac More Than 26.5 Points & Rebounds
The final matchup of tonight’s NBA slate will be the cross-city matchup of Los Angeles between the Lakers and Clippers. This will be the third matchup this season between these two teams but the first to occur on the Lakers home court. Keep an eye on the injury report leading up to this game as this is the second night of a back-to-back for the Lakers with the status’ of Luka Doncic and LeBron James uncertain. With or without the Lakers’ stars, look for Ivica Zubac to impose himself in this matchup. Interior defense is a significant weakness of this Lakers team since Anthony Davis was traded away.
This creates a great chance for Ivica Zubac who is in the midst of the best season of his career. The 27-year-old is averaging a career-high 15.3 points and 12.5 rebounds across the opening 56 games of the season. Zubac has built impressive chemistry alongside James Harden who has paved the way for some of the easiest scoring opportunities of his career.
Zubac has recorded more than 26.5 combined points and rebounds in 31 of the 56 games this season. This includes one of the two previous matchups with the Lakers in which Zubac tallied 21 points and 19 rebounds. He fell short in the second game, recording just eight points and 10 rebounds in a 25-point loss. With the Clippers having a rest advantage and the interior weakness of the Lakers noted, look for Zubac to make hi impact felt on the interior and play a huge role in the Clippers’ production tonight. Neither Jaxson Hayes nor Alex Len will have an answer for Zubac. Expect the Clippers’ big man to make his presence felt and record more than 26.5 points and rebounds for the 32nd time this season and second time against the Lakers.
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!
