With the NCAA Tournament set to step into center stage of the basketball world starting tomorrow, the NBA is looking to capitalize with a loaded 11-game slate tonight. Injuries have made a significant impact around the league, so keep an eye on the injury reports with several of these games having long lists of players impacted.
A pair of games will kick off the night at 7:00 p.m. ET taking place between the Dallas Mavericks and Indiana Pacers as well as the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic. A half-hour later, the Miami Heat will be looking to snap their eight-game losing streak by taking on the Detroit Pistons.
Three more games will be tipping off at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia 76ers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder, with this matchup headlining the injury issues on the night’s slate. In addition, the San Antonio Spurs will host the New York Knicks while the New Orleans Pelicans face the Minnesota Timberwolves. Then, at 9:00 p.m. ET, the Utah Jazz will face the Washington Wizards, with Utah holding a one-game cushion for the worst record in the NBA.
It is a busy late-night slate with four games taking place at 10:00 p.m. ET. Most notably, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers will face off for the second time this week after just about all of the notable members of the Lakers roster missed the first game due to injury. In addition, the Memphis Grizzlies will play the Portland Trail Blazers, the Cleveland Cavaliers will play the Sacramento Kings, and the Chicago Bulls will take on the Phoenix Suns.
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 19. You simply choose whether each set statistic will be more or less than the number set. With the stage set, here are my favorite picks across the 11-game slate.
Anthony Edwards More Than 4.5 Rebounds
The Minnesota Timberwolves will host the New Orleans Pelicans tonight with injury concerns stealing all the Pelicans’ hopes on the season. Trey Murphy III is the latest member of the team to be impacted by injuries as he suffered a torn labrum, which will shut down his season. While Julius Randle has received some notable praise for his impact as of late, Anthony Edwards remains the driving force of the team’s production. On the season overall, Edwards is averaging 27.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.
Look for Edwards to assert himself by rebounding the basketball tonight. He has tallied more than 4.5 rebounds in 48 of the 67 games he has played this season. This includes logging nine rebounds in the first matchup against the Pelicans this season. Edwards logs 36.4 minutes per game, ranking in the 98th percentile, so he will see plenty of opportunity on the floor. While it is tough to get a read on its statistical outlook due to the number of injuries it has dealt with, New Orleans has played at the sixth-fastest pace in the league over the past 25 games.
Expect Edwards to welcome the challenge of this up-tempo matchup and be involved all over this game. Minnesota also ranks 10th in the NBA in pace over its last five home games. He has pulled in more than 4.5 rebounds in 71.6% of the games so far this season, including the previous matchup with the Pelicans. Look for him to continue producing and add to this total in the Western Conference battle tonight.
Chet Holmgren More Than 29.5 Points & Rebounds
It is going to be a shorthanded battle taking place in Oklahoma City tonight. Injuries have been the story of the Sixers’ season with Joel Embiid and Paul George shut down for the season and a significant list of other players set to miss tonight. The Thunder have joined them by taking advantage of the opportunity to rest some of their more notable players with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Lu Dort already ruled out while Cason Wallace and Isaiah Hartenstein are listed as questionable.
Chet Holmgren does not crack this lengthy list and is expected to be active tonight. The Gonzaga product has battled injuries this season and has played just 22 total games to this point. These issues have prevented Holmgren from fully finding his stride and he is averaging 15.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game this season. The Rookie of the Year runner-up has taken a step back statistically with this largely due to the growth of surrounding players and injuries being a factor as well.
Tonight presents a great opportunity for Holmgren to kick off the rust and serve as the primary option for the Thunder tonight. Quentin Grimes will run the show for the Sixers, who have lost 18 of their past 22 games, creating a path for Holmgren to look like the clear-cut best player on the floor. Philadelphia is extremely limited in the frontcourt with Embiid, Andre Drummond and Adem Bona all set to miss. Holmgren has tallied more than 29.5 points and rebounds in six games this season, even amid the injury issues. Look for him to make the most of his expanded opportunity against an inferior opponent by reaching this total against a shorthanded Sixers squad tonight. Holmgren could use the repetition to continue building his confidence with the playoffs on the horizon and expect him to play in attack mode tonight.
Ricky Council IV More Than 20.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists
The season has been off the rails for the Philadelphia 76ers for quite some time and the focus for the remainder of the season is on evaluating the young talent currently on the roster. Ricky Council IV is an interesting talking point in this as he has seen his level of opportunity go up and down throughout his two NBA seasons. With Nick Nurse not seeming to particularly be a fan of the Arkansas product and his non-guaranteed contract in mind, it would do Council well to close the season strong.
Overall this season, Council is averaging 6.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists across his 15.5 minutes per game. Looking at his Per 36 numbers, Council is averaging 15.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. He has been granted an expanded opportunity lately with the Sixers’ season outlook changed and injuries continuing to pop up. Philadelphia will continue to be without Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, Andre Drummond, Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon, Adem Bona, Lonnie Walker and likely Kelly Oubre Jr. tonight.
Over his past five games, Council is logging 30.4 minutes per game and averaging 13.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. Oklahoma City also has a laundry list of injuries and will be without several of its top players tonight. Council has recorded more than 20.5 combined points, rebounds and assists in nine games this season and will have the free rein to attack how he sees fit. Council is excellent at attacking the basket and getting to the free-throw line. Look for him to play in attack mode and record more than 20.5 points, rebounds and assists in the shorthanded battle tonight. Expect it to be the type of sloppy basketball that he thrives in and for Council to make his impact felt by logging more than 20.5 combined statistics tonight.
Royce O’Neale Less Than 2.5 Made Three-Pointers
The Phoenix Suns headline the list of organizations in the biggest state of panic right now. They have dropped 16 of their past 23 games and have little control over just about all of their future draft pick outlook. Tensions continue to rise in the organization with some big changes on the horizon. For the time being, Phoenix will continue trying to squeeze into the play-in tournament and needs to capitalize on all possible results with the regular season winding down.
Royce O’Neale has been one of the bigger bright spots on an otherwise miserable team. The 31-year-old sharpshooter is averaging 9.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He has connected on a career-best 41.7% from beyond the three-point arc while launching 5.8 perimeter shots per game.
On the season overall, O’Neale is averaging 2.4 made three-pointers per game but has been held to less than 2.5 made three-pointers in 34 of the 63 games he has played. Phoenix will face off with the Chicago Bulls tonight who have their flaws, but they limit opponents to the second-worst three-point percentage as a team. O’Neale has shot above his standards as a shooter this season as he has never shot more than 38.9% from the perimeter throughout a season. He also shot 0-for-5 from beyond the three-point arc in the previous matchup against the Bulls this season, with Chicago holding opponents to the second-worst team three-point percentage this season. Expect his opportunities to be limited tonight and for O’Neale to be held to less than 2.5 made three-pointers for the 35th time this season.
Ryan Dunn Less Than 11.5 Points
Also on this sinking Phoenix Suns ship is Ryan Dunn. The rookie has been far from the problem for this Suns team but has not been a solution in the way it was hoped either. The Virginia product entered the NBA with questions about his ability as a shooter and these have shown face throughout the season. Dunn is averaging just 6.2 points and 3.1 rebounds across his 17.4 minutes per game.
On the season overall, Dunn has been held to less than 11.5 points in 49 of the 61 games he has played. Dunn’s scoring outlook has grown with him dropping 16, 13 and 17 points across his past three games. Bradley Beal remains out for the Suns, which keeps an open door for an expanded role for the rookie.
While the recent stretch of scoring is encouraging, expect Dunn to return to his normal scoring output tonight. He is shooting just 42.7% from the field and 30.2% from beyond the three-point arc on the season. Phoenix will be taking on the Chicago Bulls tonight who are holding opposing small forwards to just 23.9% from beyond the three-point arc this season, the worst rate in the league. In addition, the Suns have played at the fourth-slowest pace across their past 15 home games. Dunn still has no true foundation for his offensive skills with his scoring production being extremely reliant on transition scoring and points off offensive rebounds. While his work rate will continue to be there, this is not a comfortable enough baseline for scoring. Take advantage of his scoring number increasing due to a strong stretch and fade Dunn from reaching 12 points for the 50th time across the 62 games he has played.
Christian Braun More Than 20.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists
The Denver Nuggets are set to face the Los Angeles Lakers tonight for the second time in less than a week and both are battling some notable injury issues. Denver produced a 131-126 victory on Friday with both LeBron James and Luka Doncic missing this matchup. While James remains out tonight, Doncic is set to return to the floor while Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Christian Braun are each listed as questionable for the Nuggets. Braun missed the previous game with a foot injury but the outlook seems optimistic he will be able to return to the floor tonight.
Assuming Braun can play, expect a big output from him tonight. The Kansas product has continued to step up for the Nuggets and has grown into a huge part of this team. Braun is playing 33.5 minutes per game and averaging 15.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game this season. He has been especially productive as of late. Over his past 29 games, Braun is averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 rebounds per game.
The lack of production at the center position has been a notable weakness for the Lakers and one to continue to monitor moving forward. If Jokic or Murray are to miss, Braun will be asked to scale up his offensive role. Even if the two stars are available, Braun is relied on heavily on a night-to-night basis and consistently finds ways to impact the game. The 23-year-old has recorded more than 20.5 combined points, rebounds and assists in 41 of the 67 games he has played this season. Keep an eye on the injury report ahead of the matchup but expect Braun to record more than 20.5 combined points, rebounds and assists again tonight and continue being a key part of this Nuggets team.
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!
