We’re officially back to kick off the New Year with NBA Pick6! We have an eight game slate on our hands tonight. But before we get into that, let’s quickly check up on the landscape and the standings of the league thus far.
The Detroit Pistons retain control over the first seed in the East, with the Knicks, Celtics, and Raptors trailing closely behind. The Celtics are truly inevitable; despite missing their best player, they have surged to a 22-12 record off the All-NBA level play of Jaylen Brown and strong contributions from their other players such as Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Neemias Queta, and Jordan Walsh.
The Thunder have looked vulnerable in the West since their recent losses to the Spurs. They still hold the first seed with a 30-6 record, but have gone “only” 6-4 in their last ten games. The Spurs, Lakers, Nuggets, Rockets, Timberwolves, and Suns round out the top seven seeds. The Suns continue to exceed expectations and should be getting Jalen Green back soon. The Nuggets will likely drop a few spots in Nikola Jokic’s absence due to a knee hyperextension.
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 tonight’s slate. We simply choose whether a player will record more or less of the set statistic. Here are my favorite plays for tonight’s action.
Tyrese Maxey More than 28.5 Points
Maxey has scored more than 30 points three games in a row now, with all three being wins. He’s taken over the Sixers’ franchise as their centerpiece and deservedly so, powering them with 31.1 PPG while leading the league with 39.8 MPG. He’s not taking his playing time for granted and has shined as bright as any other star in the league this season.
Tonight he’ll get an easy matchup against the Denver Nuggets, whose 21st ranked defense boasts little to deter Maxey from getting his tonight.
Kawhi Leonard More Than 28.5 Points
The Board Man’s resurgence has been one of the best stories of the season lately, with the veteran wing putting up a career-high 28.3 PPG while maintaining his excellent percentages. He leads the league with 96% FT, a tremendous mark that underscores his role in the Clippers’ bounce back from their poor start to the season. He’s also leading the league in steals, with 2.2 a game.
Leonard has been on quite the tear lately, averaging 36.3 PPG in his last five games which includes a monster 55 point, 11 rebound double-double with five steals and three blocks against the first seeded Pistons. He’ll look to bounce back tonight against the Warriors after a quiet 22 point game against the Celtics. He’s been one of the best players in fantasy basketball as well as real life this season.
Scottie Barnes More Than 9.5 Rebounds
Barnes has been doing his thing this season too. The Raptors are 4th in the East and have the fourth best defense in the league. Tonight the Raptors will take on the Hawks in an Eastern Conference affair. The Hawks have done a poor job of keeping opponents off the glass this season, and are conceding the 9th most rebounds to opponent teams. I’m expecting Barnes to take advantage of their weakness in this department and to record more than 9.5 rebounds 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!
