There are seven games taking place across the Friday night slate in the NBA.
Tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET, the Los Angeles Clippers face the Charlotte Hornets while the Detroit Pistons match up with the Dallas Mavericks. A half-hour later, the Philadelphia 76ers will host the Denver Nuggets with Joel Embiid set to miss his 14th consecutive game. At the same time, the Chicago Bulls travel to face the Toronto Raptors.
Starting at 8:00 p.m. ET, the New Orleans Pelicans will host the Boston Celtics while the San Antonio Spurs play the Milwaukee Bucks. The night’s final matchup at 10:00 p.m. ET is between the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors.
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 January 31. We simply choose whether a player will record more or less of the set statistic. Here are my six favorite plays for Friday night’s action.
Tyrese Maxey More Than 3.5 Made Three-Pointers
After an underwhelming start to the season, Tyrese Maxey has returned to his All-Star caliber form. He enters tonight’s matchup with the Denver Nuggets having scored 28+ points in 12 consecutive games and is motivated to continue after not cracking the All-Star roster this year. This announcement became official last night.
Maxey’s perimeter shooting has been one of the bigger holes in his game this season. The 24-year-old is shooting just 33.7% from beyond the three-point arc and was below 30% on long-range shots for a large portion of the season. This is well below the 38.3% Maxey has shot on three-pointers in his career, as well as the 43.4% that he shot across the 2022-23 season.
Over his past 12 games, Maxey is averaging 31.5 points per game and has recorded more than 3.5 made three-pointers in four of his last six. Joel Embiid and Paul George are set to remain out, leaving the bulk of the offensive responsibilities on Maxey’s shoulders. He is not shy to let it fly, attempting 9.6 three-point attempts per game this season, the sixth-most in the NBA, and 10.3 perimeter attempts across his past 12 games. Denver has done a nice job turning things around this season but there are still some concerns with their defense. They rank 24th in opponent points per game, 25th in opponent three-point attempts allowed, and 11th in opponent three-point percentage. Expect Maxey to have his fingerprints all across this matchup and a nonstop green light on the offensive end. Count on him recording more than 3.5 made three-pointers for the 16th time this season.
Victor Wembanyama Less Than 11.5 Rebounds
The San Antonio Spurs are beginning to play their way into the darkhorse contender conversation with Victor Wembanyama spearheading the effort. Last year’s number-one overall pick has taken a notable leap this season and is averaging 24.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and a league-leading 3.9 blocks per game. He will now prepare to face off with the Milwaukee Bucks, which will mark one of the more difficult personnel matchups for Wembanyama’s skillset.
The unique 7-foot-3 frame Wembanyama possesses makes him a near-impossible matchup, but Giannis Antetokounmpo will be prepared to give it his best shot. The Greek Freak will have a significant strength advantage and Brook Lopez will also play a role in collecting rebounds. Wembanyama has been held to less than 11.5 rebounds in 23 of 39 games he has played thus far. This includes being limited to 10 points and 10 rebounds in his first matchup against Milwaukee.
The Bucks’ team rebounding numbers do not pop, but the best way to limit Wembanyama’s impact is by increasing the rate of physicality. It is not an easy task, but the Bucks have the personnel to do this and the Frenchman has been thrown off by physical teams at times this season. Expect all focus to be on Wembanyama whenever a shot goes up and for the Spurs star to need to impact the game in other ways to have success tonight.
Russell Westbrook More Than 24.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists
After bouncing around the NBA for the past few seasons, Russell Westbrook looks to have found his footing with the Nuggets. Denver has gotten an injection of life since putting him in the starting lineup, with Westbrook showcasing some notable chemistry alongside Nikola Jokic. Westbrook has embraced his ability as an off-ball cutter and Jokic has been able to capitalize as one of the best playmakers in all of basketball. The 36-year-old also tends to have a knack for making hustle plays and doing the dirty work for this Denver team.
So far this season, Westbrook is averaging 13.2 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game. Across his 26 appearances as a starter, the two-time scoring champion has increased his averages to 14.6 points, 7.0 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per game. Westbrook has also recorded more than 24.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists in 20 of the 47 games played this year. However, he finished with 11 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds (27 PRA) in the first matchup with the Sixers this season while only playing 25:01 of game time.
Philadelphia is playing better basketball of late but still holds some defensive concerns. They hold a 19-27 record, ranking 12th in opponents’ points per game, 30th in opponents’ field goal percentage allowed, 20th in opponents’ three-point percentage, 23rd in opponents’ assists tallied and 30th in total team rebounds. Denver has played at the second-fastest pace on the road over the past 25 games with Westbrook leading the charge in this effort. Expect his high level of effort to stand out in this matchup and for the nine-time All-Star to make his impact felt across the box score. Count on Westbrook’s effort level to set the tone and for him to record more than 24.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists tonight.
Bradley Beal More Than 12.5 Points
The final matchup of tonight’s NBA slate will be taking place in Golden State as the Warriors host the Phoenix Suns. Neither of these teams has the outlook they desired for the year and each has been connected to some notable trade rumors. Bradley Beal has been a large part of this, but the former Wizards star controls his own future with a no-trade clause as a part of his contract. Phoenix has attempted to accelerate this process by reducing him to an off-the-bench role despite Beal holding the fifth-highest valued contract in the entire NBA.
Across the 33 games he has played, Beal is averaging 16.9 points. He has recorded more than 12.5 points in 23 of 33 games and is still producing at a high level even while operating in a reserve role. Across the 10 games in which Beal has come off the bench, he is averaging 14.9 points per game and has recorded more than 12.5 points in five such contests.
Golden State looked to be embracing more of a defensive-minded approach this season but has faded after a strong start to the year. This will be further maximized with Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga set to remain out tonight due to injury. Beal missed one of the two matchups with the Warriors already this season but dropped 28 points in the game between them he was on the floor. Expect the 31-year-old to continue to play his way through the trade rumors and provide a nice spark off the bench. Count on him to record more than 12.5 points for the 24th time this season and make the most of his opportunity to run with the second unit.
CJ McCollum Less Than 21.5 Points
It has been a disastrous season for the New Orleans Pelicans as injuries derailed their goals for the year. CJ McCollum has been one of their healthier players on the wider scale but he still has only suited up for 35 of 48 possible games. Across the games he has played, McCollum is averaging 22.0 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.7 rebounds.
It will be a difficult matchup for the Pelicans tonight as they face the defending champion Boston Celtics. While they have looked more vulnerable of late, Boston still ranks fifth in opponent points per game, fourth in opponent field goal percentage, and seventh in opponent three-point percentage. The Celtics are loaded with high-level defenders and most have a size advantage over McCollum’s 6-foot-3 frame.
On the season overall, McCollum has been held to less than 21.5 points in 15 games. This includes being held to just 13 points in the matchup with the Celtics this season. McCollum has been the beneficiary of additional shot opportunities due to the number of injuries, but New Orleans is gradually getting healthier. Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones remain out and Zion Williamson has been downgraded to questionable with an illness, which is a status to monitor. With the combination of a tough defense and a bit of a shrinking role, count on McCollum to be held to less than 21.5 points as the Pelicans take on the defending champions tonight.
Derrick White More Than 7.5 Assists & Rebounds
On the other side of this matchup is Derrick White, who likely will be tasked with matching up with McCollum. While Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown headline the Celtics’ production, White has continued to prove his importance to this team and is the glue that keeps them together in a lot of ways. Expect this to be put on display tonight after a bit of an uneasy stretch from the organization.
White is averaging 16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists this season. He sees plenty of opportunity on the floor with 33.8 minutes per game, and has recorded more than 7.5 combined assists and rebounds in 27 of the 45 games he has played. New Orleans has played at the second-fastest pace of play in the NBA over the past 10 games, so there should be additional opportunities for White to make his impact in the box score. While the injury issues have made these numbers look worse than the reality, New Orleans ranks 29th in opponent points allowed, 28th in opponent rebounds allowed, and 25th in opponent assists conceded this season.
Count on White to assert himself in this game and play a key role in doing the little things for this Celtics team. He has recorded more than 7.5 assists and rebounds in four of his past six games, including double-digit rebounds and assists in three of these games. Expect a focused effort from the Celtics as a team after they have gone just 5-4 in their past nine games with losses coming to the Raptors, Hawks, Lakers, and Rockets. Look for Boston to be hungry to add another win and for Derrick White to play a key role by logging more than 7.5 assists and 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!
