It is a packed night in the NBA with 12 total games including a rematch of the MVP showdown between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
Five games will be tipping off at 7:30 p.m. ET, with some significant implications in the lottery odds across this window. The Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, and Toronto Raptors are each playing in this time slot. Then, at 8:00 p.m. ET, the headline matchup between the Thunder and Nuggets tips off. At the same time, the Orlando Magic will take on the Houston Rockets while the Phoenix Suns play the Memphis Grizzlies.
Only one game will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET taking place between the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks. Then at 10:00 p.m. ET, the Portland Trail Blazers will play the Golden State Warriors before the final matchup of the night between the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings. This will be the second straight night the Kings will close down the NBA slate. They will be looking to bounce back after losing at the buzzer last night on a Kawhi Leonard jump shot in overtime.
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 March 10th. 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 12-game slate.
Scottie Barnes More Than 7.5 Rebounds
The race to the bottom has gotten competitive across the NBA with several teams having their eyes on increasing their lottery odds. Toronto is firmly in this mix as they currently hold the fifth-worst record in the league. The organization is now going to some significant lengths to increase their lottery odds which will be seen on the floor tonight. Jakob Poeltl, Ochai Agbaji, Gradey Dick, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo, and Brandon Ingram are all set to miss tonight’s matchup with the Wizards.
Scottie Barnes will not be a player expected to be added to this list. The former All-Star has suited up for 50 games so far this season and must reach 65 games to be eligible for an All-NBA team. While this will be a tough list to crack even if Barnes does reach the required games played, it is the difference between earning $225 million or $270 million over the next five seasons due to the max-scale rookie extension he signed.
While it has been an uneasy season overall, Barnes has shown some promising flashes on the floor. The Florida State product is averaging 19.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.1 assists on the season. He has recorded more than 7.5 rebounds in 28 of the 50 games this season and will see more rebounding responsibility on his plate with Poeltl set to miss tonight. Washington ranks dead last in the NBA in opponents’ rebounds allowed and 18th in total team rebounds. While he was unable to reach this number in the previous game, Barnes produced 13 and 12 rebounds in the two previous games. Count on him taking advantage of Poeltl’s absence and Washington’s weakness on the glass by logging more than 7.5 rebounds tonight.
RJ Barrett Less Than 21.5 Points
In contrast, RJ Barrett is a member of the Raptors who could be more impacted by the team’s desire to lose. The former Knicks star is averaging 21.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game across his 33.2 minutes per game. The Duke product has a chance to shine as the best player on the floor in this matchup as the Raptors take on the Wizards and this is exactly what Toronto does not want to happen.
Barrett finished with 23 points in the previous matchup with the Wizards and he has recorded more than 21.5 points in 25 of the 50 games he has played. Washington ranks 29th in opponents points per game and Barrett can take over the game if he is given the opportunity. He was limited to 27:45 of game action in the last game, his third-fewest minutes played in a game this season, and was subbed out for the remainder of the game with 4:15 remaining in the fourth quarter with the Raptors leading by four points.
Toronto still came dangerously close to winning the game with a last-second shot from Jamal Shead being waived off for being a split second too late. Don’t be shocked if Barrett’s workload is scaled back even further in tonight’s matchup. The Wizards will not have a clear answer for Barrett’s skillset but count on him failing to have the level of opportunity necessary to record more than 21.5 points tonight.
D’Angelo Russell More Than 15.5 Points
The Brooklyn Nets will take on the Los Angeles Lakers tonight which will be an interesting revenge matchup for D’Angelo Russell. The former No. 2 overall pick is in his second stint with the Nets after starting the season on his second stint with the Lakers. This will not be the full-strength version of the new-look Lakers. LeBron James suffered a growing strain in the matchup with the Celtics and is set to miss some time. In addition, Dorian Finney-Smith will miss due to an ankle injury, Rui Hachimura remains out while Jaxson Hayes and Luka Doncic are both listed as questionable.
Regardless of who is on the floor, expect Russell to come out firing. Across the first 20 games back in Brooklyn, he is averaging 14.1 points, 5.7 assists and 2.8 rebounds. This comes while he has struggled as a shooter, connecting on just 39.6% of his overall shots and 31.8% from beyond the three-point arc. For his career, Russell has shot 42.8% from the floor and 36.6% from beyond the three-point arc. He also shot 45.6% from the field and 41.5% from the three-point arc last season.
Even amid the shooting struggles, Russell has tallied more than 15.5 points in eight games with the Nets. This includes dropping 19 points in his second game back with Brooklyn and a 28-point performance on Saturday. Expect him to be in attack mode as he faces his former teams and produce more than 15.5 points for the ninth time since returning and the second time against the Lakers.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander More Than 45.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists
All eyes of the NBA world will be on the matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets for the second straight day. Oklahoma City will be looking to replicate their convincing 127-103 victory over the Nuggets last night in which Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 40 points, eight rebounds and five assists. The magnitude of the moment was not lost on the MVP favorite who has a chance to pencil his name on the trophy with another successful performance over Jokic tonight.
Looking at his production, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging a league-leading 32.9 points per game, 5.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists on the season. The Thunder star is on a hot streak and has recorded more than 45.5 points, rebounds, and assists in three straight games leading into this matchup. He is averaging 44.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.7 assists across this stretch while shooting 54% from the field and 40% on three-point attempts across this stretch.
While Gilgeous-Alexander will continue to say all the right things publically, he is well aware of the additional stakes in this game. He attacked yesterday’s matchup with an increased intensity and will bring the same effort tonight. The three-time All-Star attempted his second-most shot attempts with 32 in a game and 11 coming from beyond the three-point arc. It wouldn’t be shocking if Denver adjusts their defensive game plan and forces Glgeous-Alexander to be more of a playmaker. He is more than capable of dominating the game as a passer and is too talented as a scorer to be fully shut down. For this reason, I prefer the combined points, rebounds and assists. Count on the Thunder star to cement his MVP outlook by leaving it all on the floor and recording more than 45.5 combined points for the fourth straight game.
Nikola Jokic More Than 1.5 Made Three-Pointers
On the other side of the MVP showdown sits the man who still holds the crown. It should be noted that Nikola Jokic has been added to the injury report and is listed as questionable with right elbow and left ankle issues. Jokic took a hard spill in the first quarter and seemed bothered by it throughout. However, Jokic remained in the game and availability has always been a strength for Jokic. If he can go he will, and expect this to be the case tonight.
One area where Jokic has particularly taken his game a step forward this season has been his production from the perimeter. He is shooting a career-high 4.5 three-point attempts per game this season and connecting at a career-best 43.0% rate. Jokic led the entire league in three-point percentage for a portion of the season and has connected with more than 1.5 made three-pointers in 35 of the 58 games he has played.
This includes the previous matchup with the Thunder in which Jokic shot 2-for-10 from behind the three-point arc yesterday. Oklahoma City has been the best defensive team in the league this season and ranks second in opponents’ points allowed, first in opponents’ field goal percentage, and first in opponents’ three-point percentage. The addition of Isaiah Hartenstein has been notable for this matchup and the Thunder have the personnel to cut off Jokic’s impact on the interior. Look for Jokic to combat this by being more than comfortable connecting from the perimeter and knocking down a pair of three-pointers again tonight.
OG Anunoby More Than 24.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists
The final matchup of the night’s slate will be between the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings. The outlook of the Knicks has greatly changed following the unfortunate rolled ankle suffered by Jalen Brunson. The severity and recovery time for the star guard is still being established, but New York surely will not reach their peak without him. The action will continue on the court regardless and the rest of this Knicks roster must make up for his absence.
Count on OG Anunoby to pick up some of the slack and have an improved statistical output tonight. Anunoby is averaging 16.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists on the season overall. He has recorded more than 24.5 combined points, rebounds and assists in 27 games this season. Sacramento ranks 19th in opponents points allowed, 16th in opponents rebounds per game and 17th in opponents field goal percentage. They will also continue to be without Domantas Sabonis and the league-leading 14.1 rebounds he provides.
Anunoby will see his offensive opportunity grow without Brunson on the floor and expect him to have increased success rebounding the basketball. This is the second matchup between these two teams this season with Anunoby finishing with 33 points, four assists and three rebounds in the first game. He has tallied more than 24.5 combined points, rebounds and assists in five of the past six games, and count on him to keep this up by eclipsing this total 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!
