The final push for the NBA playoffs is in full swing with less than 10 games remaining on each team’s schedule. Eight games will be on the slate tonight with each result holding some big implications with the playoffs on the horizon.
Four games will be tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET to kick off the action. The Miami Heat will play the Washington Wizards, the Utah Jazz will take on the Charlotte Hornets, the Sacramento Kings will face the Indiana Pacers, and the Orlando Magic will host the Los Angeles Lakers. A half-hour later, the Boston Celtics will square off with the Memphis Grizzlies with the dust still settling from the coaching change.
Starting at 8:00 p.m. ET, the Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Chicago Bulls who have sneakily been one of the hottest teams in the league. A half-hour later, the Brooklyn Nets will face the Dallas Mavericks as their health outlook has begun to turn around. Just one game will be taking place in the late slate as the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers play at 10:00 p.m. ET.
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 31. You simply choose whether each set statistic will be more or less than the set number. With the stage set, here are my favorite picks across the eight-game slate.
Bam Adebayo Less Than 34.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists
The Miami Heat have found some footing after slipping into free fall following the Jimmy Butler trade. After a concerning 10-game losing streak, the Heat have won three games in a row and have a great chance to pick up another win against the Washington Wizards tonight. Despite holding the second-worst record in the league, Washington continues to compete at a high level with a number of their young talents showing some intriguing flashes.
Bam Adebayo has been thrust to the forefront of the production for the Heat and is battling with the responsibility that comes with this. On the season as a whole, he is averaging 17.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, or 31.5 combined PRA. Since the Butler trade became official, Adebayo is averaging 19.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists or 32.5 combined PRA.
In either case, this 34.5 combined total is a lofty goal for Adeabyo. Teams at the bottom of the standings are typically susceptible to big stat production for the other team. However, Washington is still competing at a high level and it should be noted that Adebayo was limited to 16 points, seven rebounds, and five assists (28 PRA) in the previous matchup against the lowly 76ers. Expect Alex Sarr’s shot-blocking presence to limit Adebayo’s impact around the rim and for points to be difficult to come by. He has been held to less than 34.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists in 48 of the 72 games he has played this year. Expect the youthful Wizards roster to compete tonight and for Adebayo to be held to less than this total once again.
Franz Wagner Less Than 23.5 Points
After a hot start to the season, the Orlando Magic have continued to slide down the Eastern Conference standings with their outlook now much more bleak than expected. They are 19-30 over their past 49 games and look set to be forced to earn their way into the playoffs through the play-in tournament. Franz Wagner’s level of play has mirrored these up-and-down results. While he is statistically having the best season of his career, this has not quite matched the eye test and the questions surrounding Wagner’s fit with Paolo Banchero are more legitimate than ever before.
Wagner is averaging 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists on the season overall. He is shooting a career-worst 46.2% from the field and below 30% from beyond the three-point arc for the second straight season. Wagner has been held to less than 23.5 points in 27 of the 55 games including nine of his past 12 games.
Orlando will take on the Los Angeles Clippers tonight. The Clippers are peaking at the right time: Kawhi Leonard looks healthy and has shown flashes of being the dominant two-way star he has proven to be in the past. In addition, Los Angeles has leaned on their defensive identity at an increased rate this year. They rank fourth in the NBA in opponents points allowed, seventh in opponents’ field goal percentage, and fifth in opponents’ three-point percentage. Wagner was held to 14 points in the first matchup with the Clippers with this still occurring while Leonard was sidelined. Expect the Clippers’ defense to play a factor in this game and for Wagner to struggle to penetrate the paint with the strong perimeter defense in front of him. Count on him being held to less than 23.5 points for the 10th time in the past 13 games and the second time against the Clippers this season.
Zach Edey More Than 7.5 Rebounds
It has been a turbulent stretch for the Memphis Grizzlies with the recent firing of head coach Taylor Jenkins being the most notable storyline. Ja Morant’s lack of availability has been a driving force for the team’s underperformance and the coaching change seems an attempt to create a spark within the organization. They do not have much time to get back on track with the playoffs on the horizon and they are set to suit up against the defending champions tonight.
This will be an interesting clash of styles as Boston continues to attempt three-pointers at an all-time rate. While this is not a play style that benefits Zach Edey, he played 26:30 of game time in the first game following the coaching change which marked his ninth-most minutes in a game all season. The rookie is averaging 20.7 minutes of play on the season and is producing 9.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. To be fair to the 7-foot-5 big man, he has held his own when the floor is spaced better than many expected this season and has not prevented the Grizzlies from playing at the fastest pace in the NBA this year.
Edey has pulled in more than 7.5 rebounds in 31 of the 59 games he has played and this will be his first match against the defending champions. Boston ranks 11th in total rebounding and 13th in opponents’ rebounds allowed. Edey tallied 11 rebounds in the previous game and will have a rebounding advantage over either Al Horford or Luke Kornet. Look for Edey to lean on his toughness and assert himself by recording more than 7.5 rebounds tonight.
Matas Buzelis More Than 13.5 Points
The Chicago Bulls have emerged as one of the hottest teams in the NBA of late. They are 9-3 in their last 12 games while beating teams like the Nuggets and Lakers twice. Josh Giddey has (rightfully) stolen the spotlight for his improved play, but Matas Buzelis has also shone in recent weeks. The 11th overall pick in this year’s NBA draft has made the most of his recent opportunities and is growing into a key part of this Bulls team.
On the season overall, Buzelis is averaging 8.1 points and 3.3 rebounds in his 17.9 minutes per game. Since the start of February and all across March, the G League Ignite product has played 26.5 minutes per game and seen his scoring output grow to 13.3 points per game. He exploded for a career-high 31 points against the Lakers last Friday and is coming off a 28-point performance in his previous game.
It will be a tough challenge tonight against the Thunder who are holding opponents the second-fewest points per game on the season. Buzelis’ 6-foot-10 frame and impressive athleticism will be necessary in this game. There will be plenty of attention paid to Josh Giddey’s return to Oklahoma City for the first time and the second matchup against his former team. Count on Buzelis to take advantage of lesser defensive attention and make his impact felt as a scorer in this game. He is averaging 20.3 points across his past four games and look for him to pick up right where he left off from the 28-point performance on Saturday.
Luka Doncic More Than 15.5 Assists & Rebounds
In the final matchup of the night, the Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Houston Rockets. The Lakers have hit their first signs of turmoil following the Luka Doncic acquisition with defensive problems being thrust into the forefront. It will be a difficult challenge tonight as they play the hard-nosed defensive-minded Rockets. Houston ranks fifth in opponents’ points per game, fifth in opponents’ field goal percentage, and limits opponents to the second-fewest three-point attempts.
Luka Doncic has settled in with his new team and it is clear the keys to the franchise have been handed to him. Across his first 21 games with the Lakers, the five-time All-NBA guard is averaging 27.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game. Doncic will always be a score-first player, but expect the top priority of the Rockets’ defense to be limiting his impact. Instead, look for Doncic to make the bulk of his production seen as a playmaker and on the boards.
The lack of production at the big man position has increased Doncic’s importance to contribute as a rebounder and his playmaking skills continue to pop off the page. Doncic has recorded more than 15.5 combined assists and rebounds in back-to-back games leading into this matchup and in 11 of the past 19 games. Expect him to continue to make his impact felt one way or another and to have success as a playmaker and on the boards. He is too talented to fully neutralize. Look for him to record more than 15.5 combined assists and rebounds for the 12th time in the past 20 games in this Western Conference battle.
Austin Reaves More Than 2.5 Made Three-Pointers
With so much defensive attention spent on Luka Doncic and LeBron James, Austin Reaves gets the benefit of being able to take on the opponents’ third-best defender at a regular rate. The importance of Reaves has been clear to this Lakers team even while their defensive issues have been on full display. Reaves is averaging 20.1 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game on the season overall.
Looking at his three-point production, Reaves is shooting 36.3% from beyond the arc while launching 7.2 perimeter shots per game. In the 20 games since Luka Doncic stepped on the floor, Reaves is averaging 22.1 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.5 rebounds with his three-point output increasing to 7.7 long-range shots.
Reaces shot 5-for-8 from beyond the three-point arc in the previous game and has recorded more than 2.5 made three-pointers in seven of his past 10 games. The 26-year-old averaged 2.9 made three-pointers per game in March and his role in the offense is not shrinking anytime soon. You can only take away so many things from an opposing team’s offense and Reaves benefits greatly from his spot in the pecking order. Expect him to continue being active from beyond the arc by connecting on more than 2.5 made three-pointers for the 35th 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!
