The NBA Playoffs continue tonight with three first-round matchups. The Raptors will visit the Cavaliers at 7 PM EST, the Hawks will visit the Knicks at 8 PM EST, and the Timberwolves will visit the Nuggets at 10:30 PM EST.
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.
Jamal Murray More Than 26.5 Points
Murray had a tough night shooting the basketball against the Timberwolves in game one, where he went 7-22 from the field. He salvaged a poor shooting night by getting to the line a whopping 16 times, though, where he cashed every single free throw for a total of 30 points on the night. Regardless of how Murray will get there tonight, eclipsing 26.5 is absolutely in the ball park. We’re looking at a player who can get tremendously hot at literally any time, and Murray’s no stranger to the bright lights of the playoffs. The Timberwolves’ defense is legit, but there will be too many minutes and too many shots available for Murray for him to not score at least 26.5.
On the season, Murray averaged 25.4 PPG while shooting 48.3% from the field en route to his first All-Star game.
Jalen Johnson Less Than 39.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
Johnson ended the regular season trailing only Nikola Jokic in triple doubles. He’s flashed his Swiss Army knife utility all season with a blistering 22.5 PPG, 10.3 RPG, and 7.9 APG. He’s become the face of the Hawks as their premier point forward around which their offense revolves. And the Knicks understand this, given how hard they committed to shrinking his passing windows by putting Josh Hart on him directly while parking a rim protector deep in the drive to meet him. They made him play through multiple bodies and put less of their defense in rotation. They’ll continue doing so tonight, and it’ll be tough for Johnson to crack the 39.5 PRA figure here. While in the regular season Johnson would have a solid crack at surpassing this number, given he averaged 40.7 PRA in the regular season, the slower pace and deliberate defense in a playoff atmosphere cap his upside somewhat.
Nikola Jokic Less Than 52.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
Similar to Johnson, Jokic’s typical PRA output is nothing short of monstrous. We have to remind ourselves, then, that Jokic “only” put up 50 PRA in Denver’s game one victory over the Timberwolves in 40 minutes of game time. While Jokic’s average PRA this season was 51.3, which he achieved by leading the league in both RPG and APG, his ceiling is capped in a playoff game due to how the game slows down and defenses lock in. While no defense could ever truly shut down Jokic – he’s a “pick your poison” type of player in which you either concede to him his ability to score in isolation or his ability to run the offense as a passing hub – it’s tough to imagine him surpassing 52.5 PRA after he already failed to do so in a whopping 40 minutes of game time. Rudy Gobert can’t do much to stop Jokic one on one, but the Wolves’ defense as a whole is effective and understands how to limit the damage.
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!
