The NBA playoffs are off to the races with the first game in each series already in the books. After four games taking place on both Saturday and Sunday, there will be just two matchups taking place tonight.
Starting at 7:30 p.m. ET, the New York Knicks will face the Detroit Pistons after jumping out to a 1-0 series lead. Detroit looked to have the more experienced team on the ropes entering the fourth quarter with an eight-point lead, but the Knicks broke the game open from there and played their way to a victory. Teams that go up 2-0 in a series have gone on to win 92.6% of the time in NBA history, so this will be an important matchup tonight.
At 10:00 p.m. ET, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers will square off for the second game of their series. Los Angeles also has to be frustrated after the opening game. They leaped out to a 15-point lead in the matchup and looked to be in full control early on, but Denver scrapped back into it and were able to produce the overtime victory.
There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the action this evening. One of the unique features on DraftKings this year is Pick6 Fantasy Basketball!
This article will look at my top Pick6 plays for action on April 21st. 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 two Monday night playoff matchups..
Cade Cunningham More Than 15.5 Assists & Rebounds
In the first playoff game of his NBA career, the weight of the moment and the intensity of the Knicks’ defense were bothersome to Cade Cunningham. The former number one overall pick finished with 21 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds, but it took a strong second-half effort for him to get there. He was limited to just six points in the first half on 3-for-10 shooting as OG Anunoby hounded him on this side of the ball. While his scoring did not reach its full stride, Cunningham tallied 18 combined assists and rebounds in the opening game, and he has a clear pathway to replicating this.
While Cunningham made his all-star leap this season, there are still doubts about the supporting cast surrounding him. Expect the Knicks to continue selling out to prevent his shot attempts and be willing to live with the fate of the supporting cast’s level of production. This puts more responsibility on Cunningham as a playmaker, which he delivered by producing 12 assists in the series opener. Across the regular season, Cunningham averaged 9.1 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game.
In addition, Isaiah Stewart is listed as questionable for the Pistons with knee inflammation. He will surely be out there if possible, but if he is to miss time or be limited, this puts more pressure on Jalen Duren to avoid foul trouble. Duren’s 4.4 fouls per 36 minutes are not the best sign in regards to this. Cunningham is capable of scaling up as a rebounder and utilizing his 6-foot-6 frame. Expect him to chip in more on the boards tonight and maintain his place as quarterback of the offense. Look for him to record more than 15.5 combined assists and rebounds, just as he has in 34 regular-season games and the series opener.
OG Anunoby More Than 17.5 Points
OG Anunoby has taken an offensive leap this season that has not received enough national recognition. Once viewed as a defensive specialist, Anunoby has gradually added layers to his offensive game and flourished into an All-Star caliber wing this season. This was especially put on display in the second half of the season and looks to be carrying into the playoffs with 23 points in the series opener.
On the season overall, Anunoby averaged a career-high 18.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. Since the All-Star break, his scoring output has increased to 21.2 points per game, and he recorded more than 17.5 points in 10 of the final 12 regular-season games he played.
With so much defensive attention set to be paid to Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, expect Anunoby to continue asserting himself offensively. There are only so many things you can take away from a team on this side of the floor, and Anunoby will be the beneficiary of sitting lower on the defensive priority list. Look for him to continue playing with confidence by using his physicality to attack the basket as well as capitalize on open perimeter shots that occur due to the focus on the Knicks’ stars. Anunoby’s improved level of offensive play looks to be here to stay, and count on the 27-year-old to deliver once again in the second matchup of the series.
Dennis Schroder More Than 13.5 Points & Assists
The biggest concern regarding this Pistons team is their limitations on the number of offensive creators outside of Cade Cunningham. New York will be willing to let anyone else beat them, or at least prove they are legitimate threats from an offensive perspective. Enter Dennis Schroder, who has had a turbulent year and should be expected to be a more prominent name in the series moving forward. The journeyman guard is far from a perfect basketball player, but he is a competent ball handler who can make plays for others and score in bunches.
Schroder logged 26 minutes of action in the opening game and was limited to eight points and three assists. He shot 3-for-8 from the field and also split his free throw attempts. It was a whirlwind season for the 31-year-old as he spent time with three different franchises. Schroder was putting up nearly career-best marks to start the season with the Nets before being traded to the Warriors and then eventually the Pistons. He played 23 games for Brooklyn, 24 games for Golden State, and 28 games for Detroit this season.
On the season overall, Schroder averaged 13.1 points and 5.4 assists per game. He averaged 10.8 points and 5.3 assists across his time with the Pistons and recorded more than 13.5 combined points and assists in 17 of his 28 games played wth the Pistons, including 15 of his final 19 games. Cunningham had some success in the second half of the series opener and will likely see some additional double teams and traps as a result. Expect this to further increase the need for Schroder and for him to successfully serve as the safety valve in this Detroit offense. Schroder has 69 games of playoff experience under his belt and look for this to be necessary on this youthful Pistons roster. Count on him to deliver tonight by producing more than 13.5 combined points and assists.
James Harden More Than 9.5 Assists
James Harden proved a lot of people wrong this season, producing at the level he did from start to finish and carrying this effort into the playoffs. He set the tone for this Clippers team in the opening matchup, exploding for 15 points in the first quarter and finishing with 32 points and 11 assists despite the loss. Harden is the engine of the Clippers’ offense, but Los Angeles will need to see an improved performance from Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell if they are to achieve their necessary level of team success. Neither of the team’s top wing scorers played up to their standard of expectation, which resulted in Harden launching 22 shots, seven more than any other player on the team.
Even while operating in more of a score-first mindset, Harden still managed to tally 11 assists in the opening game. The two-time assist champion averaged 8.7 assists per game on the season and 9.7 assists in games played alongside Leonard. Harden tallied more than 9.5 assists in six of the final seven regular-season games and also had 16 assists against the Nuggets in a regular-season matchup. Defense is a concern for this Denver team, as they allowed the second-most assists to opponents during the regular season.
Count on Leonard and Powell to have better offensive success in this game and take some scoring responsibility off of Harden’s plate. The team will also continue to rely on Ivica Zubac as a lob threat and roll man, with this having success against Jokic in the past. Harden is one of the smartest passers the NBA has seen, and he will have an answer for every defense thrown his way. Count on him to deliver as a playmaker tonight and record more than 9.5 assists for the second straight game in this series.
Michael Porter Jr More Than 12.5 Points
It was a nightmare start to the playoffs for Michael Porter Jr. He was limited to just 26 minutes of action due to his struggles, and he finished with just three points and four rebounds. Porter Jr. shot 1-for-4 from the field and finished as a -8 plus minus in a two-point victory. While this is a performance he is going to need to wipe away and forget, don’t expect the door to fully close on the $179 million man just yet.
Across the 77 regular-season games that Porter Jr. played this season, he averaged 18.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. The Missouri product shot 39.5% from beyond the three-point arc on 6.4 perimeter shots per game and attempted a career-high 13.4 field-goal attempts across the season overall. Porter Jr. scored more than 12.5 points in 63 of the 77 games he played this year.
Los Angeles deserves credit for their high level of defense, but Porter Jr’s struggles felt much more his own doing than being correlated to how the Clippers were defending him. The 26-year-old has averaged 13.4 points per game or greater in every playoff run except for his rookie season, and played well this year. This number has dropped a bit too much for my liking, and I am buying the dip for Porter Jr. to get back on track tonight. The 12.5 point margin is too low based on the caliber of talent he is and the track record he has performed at. Count on him to get back to looking like the Michael Porter Jr. that we know tonight and score at least 13 points.
Ivica Zubac More Than 29.5 Points & Rebounds
Few players exceeded their individual expectations to the level that Ivica Zubac did this season. At age 28 and in his ninth NBA season, Zubac had a career year and broke free of the ceiling many had on him. The 7-footer averaged a career-high 16.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. Zubac announced his presence in the opening game, finishing with 21 points and 13 rebounds in the overtime loss.
Nikola Jokic will rightfully receive plenty of attention for his production, but he also leaves the door open for opposing big men on the defensive end. James Harden is a master in the pick-and-roll, and Zubac is often being spoon-fed scoring opportunities around the rim. He has showcased his wide catch radius around the rim, and Denver lacks the verticality to fully shut him down as a lob threat.
His top priority will remain making Jokic work for every bit of production, but Zubac will still have his chances to make his impact felt. He recorded more than 29.5 combined points and rebounds in 37 regular-season games. Expect him to be aggressive on the glass tonight and record more than 29.5 combined points and rebounds for the second straight game in the series.
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!
