The second night of the NBA Cup Quarterfinals is taking place tonight. Following victories between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks last night, two matchups will take place tonight to decide the final two teams traveling to Las Vegas for the Semifinals.
In the opening game, the New York Knicks will host the Atlanta Hawks with both teams riding a recent hot streak. In the later game, the Golden State Warriors will travel to face the Houston Rockets. While both teams hold top five seeds in the West, Golden State has taken a step back since their strong start out of the gates.
While there will be busier days of NBA basketball moving forward, there are still several options for what to watch and even more opportunities to get involved in the action. One of the more unique features on DraftKings this year is Pick6 Fantasy Basketball!
This article will look at my top Pick6 plays for December 11th. We simply choose whether a player will record more or less of the set statistic. Here are my six favorite plays for Wednesday night’s action.
Draymond Green More Than 20.5 Points, Rebounds, and Assists
It was a bit of a surprise last week when Draymond Green was relegated to a bench role for Friday’s game. While this lasted just one game, as he was back with the starters on Sunday, this is something to monitor moving forward. Even if the optics have changed, the level of opportunity has remained mostly the same for Green. In Friday’s game in which he came off the bench, the former Defensive Player of the Year still tallied 10 points, nine rebounds, and six assists- comfortably recording more than 20.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists.
This will make the third matchup between the Warriors and Rockets this season. While Green was inactive for the most recent matchup, he recorded 14 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists the first time they faced off. Overall, Green has recorded more than 20.5 combined points, rebounds and assists in 12 of the 21 games he has played this year. He also is shooting 3.7 three-point attempts, his most since the 2017-18 season, and connecting at a 39.0% rate.
Looking at tonight’s matchup, don’t be surprised if Green sees extended minutes. Rockets’ big man Alperen Sengun is listed as questionable but is averaging 18.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists this season. Expect Green to be tasked as his primary defender if Sengun suits up. The eight-time All-Defensive team member will swing the game if he can slow down the crafty big man. Looking at the rest of the picture, Green is averaging 8.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.0 assists this season. Expect his fingerprints to be all over this game and for the four-time champion to record more than 20.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists for the 13th time this season.
OG Anunoby Less Than 17.5 Points
The New York Knicks have found their stride and look like the contenders they desired to be. OG Anunoby has been a key part of this but his box score production has been a bit up and down. Overall, Anunoby is averaging 17.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists across his 36.7 minutes per game this season. While he has tallied as many as 40 points in a game, he also has been held to less than 10 points in four games this year. Overall, he has been held to less than 17.5 points in 14 of the 24 games.
Atlanta has struggled defensively this season and is allowing 119.8 points per game which ranks 28th in the NBA. The Hawks also rank 20th in opponents’ field goal percentage and 18th in defensive efficiency. While these numbers do not drive confidence toward Anunoby struggling, this is still a tough matchup for him. The Hawks’ up-tempo style of play also leads to more possessions and has inflated these numbers a bit meaning they are not quite as bad as the stats seem to indicate.
Looking directly at Anunoby’s outlook, Atlanta has several rangy, athletic wings who will provide him with a challenge. Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, and De’Andre Hunter all have the significant size and physicality to go toe-to-toe with Anunoby. The former Raptors forward is at his best when he can use his size and physicality to an advantage and this is not a matchup where this will be overly successful. In the first matchup against the Hawks, Anunoby was limited to 15 points even while attempting 13 shots. He also has been held to less than 17.5 points in five of the past seven games. Expect these offensive struggles to continue and for the Knicks to rely on other sources of offense in tonight’s game.
Buddy Hield More Than 11.5 Points
The Golden State Warriors are desperately trying to re-tool into a contender while Steph Curry continues to play at a high level. Buddy Hield was one of the more notable off-season additions for the Warriors and has provided a nice spark for the team. While he has cooled off from his red-hot start to the season, Hield is averaging 14.5 points and 3.5 rebounds across his first 23 games. The 31-year-old has seen an increase in shot volume and is attempting 11.2 field goal attempts and 7.6 three-pointers so far this season.
Tonight’s matchup should lead to an increase in offensive opportunities as the Warriors face the Rockets. Houston plays with a high pace of play and ranks sixth in pace across the NBA in their past five home games. In addition, Golden State has done a nice job creating additional opportunities and ranks third in the league in offensive rebounds with 13.1 per game.
Hield hit a bit of a lull in his production after the strong start but erupted for 27 points the last time he was on the floor. Overall, he has recorded more than 11.5 points in 12 of the 23 games he has played. The Warriors need Heild to continue providing an offensive punch and will be calculated in creating offensive looks for the veteran. Expect him to see some notable shot volume and record more than 11.5 points tonight.
Onyeka Okongwu More Than 6.5 Rebounds
The Atlanta Hawks are still sorting through the balance of Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu. Both big men play the role the team needs from them at a high level. While Capela has started all 25 games for Atlanta, Okongwu is averaging 24.0 minutes per game compared to Capela’s 22.7.
During the minutes he has been on the court, Okongwu has averaged 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He has recorded more than 6.5 rebounds in 11 of the 23 games he has played overall. The USC product also has recorded 10 or more rebounds in four games this season.
Looking at this matchup, the Knicks have had a mixed bag of results regarding rebounding the basketball. They rank 26th in the NBA in total rebounds collected but lead the NBA in the fewest rebounds per game by opponents. Karl-Anthony Towns headlines the attack and is second in the entire NBA with 13.3 rebounds per game this season.
Expect Okongwu’s athleticism to provide some issues in this game. The 24-year-old can reach a level of verticality that the Knicks will struggle to match and is also averaging 9.9 rebounds per 36 minutes. Atlanta is playing good basketball of late and will be actively trying to control the boards tonight. Expect Okongwu to lead the charge in this category and record more than 6.5 rebounds for the 12th time this season.
Fred VanVleet Less Than 6.5 Assists
30-year-old Fred VanVleet has been a necessary veteran presence on the youthful Houston Rockets roster. The Wichita State product is averaging 16.0 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.2 rebounds in his 35.1 minutes per game. VanVleet has taken a notable step back as a playmaker this season after averaging 8.1 assists per game last year with the Rockets.
This is less about VanVleet underperforming and more about the young players taking the next step and being ready for more offensive opportunities. While VanVleet will continue to play a notable role throughout this year, expect this progression to continue. The reduction in on-ball opportunities has directly resulted in less playmaking potential for VanVleet. This has especially been seen in recent games as VanVleet has been held to less than 6.5 assists in the past four games and eight of the last 10 games.
Overall this season, VanVleet has recorded more than 6.5 assists in just eight of the 22 games. Golden State is a solid defensive team ranking sixth in points allowed and 16th in opponent assists this season. Expect VanVleet to make his impact felt in other areas but to be held to less than 6.5 assists for the fifth consecutive game.
Jabari Smith More Than 1.5 Made Three-Pointers
The Houston Rockets have a logjam of young talent and will need to make some tough decisions regarding who the true foundational pieces of the franchise are moving forward. Third-year forward Jabari Smith Jr is directly tied in this limbo. The former third-overall pick has taken a step back in production this season but has flashed why there should remain belief in recent games.
Overall, Smith is averaging 11.5 points and 7.0 rebounds across his 30.0 minutes of play this season. He is attempting 4.8 three-pointers per game and connecting at a 35.1% rate. This comes out to an average of 1.7 made three-pointers per game this season. Smith has looked especially sharp in recent games, making more than 1.5 three-pointers in six of the past seven games. This includes making three three-pointers in three of these games.
Heading into tonight’s matchup, expect Smith to make use of his floor spacing ability and be active beyond the arc. Golden State is allowing 38.6 three-point attempts per game this season which ranks 24th in the NBA. Houston ranks 18th in three-point attempts as a team and Smith will carry the responsibility of producing some points on the perimeter. Look for him to continue his stretch of strong shooting and for Smith to record more than 1.5 made three-pointers 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!
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.Must be at least 18 years or older. Higher age limits may apply in some states. Eligibility restrictions apply. Valid only in states where DraftKings Pick6 operates. Void where prohibited. For entertainment purposes only. Winning a contest on DraftKings depends on knowledge and exercise of skill. See terms at pick6.draftkings.com.
