The dust is settling from the NBA All-Star break and the normal action is set to return to the floor. Tomorrow will mark a full night of action, but one matchup will take place to provide the appetizer for the remainder of the season.
The Los Angeles Lakers will host the Charlotte Hornets in the only NBA matchup of the night. There is some added intensity following the rescinded trade that took place between these two teams centered around Mark Williams and Dalton Knecht. Both teams have been left to deal with the damage control of the failed trade as the two young players remain on their teams.
In addition, this will mark the third game of Luka Doncic’s Lakers’ tenure. The five-time All-NBA guard is expected to be removed from his minutes restriction and begin fully settling into his new team. The Hornets do not have as lofty of goals for the remainder of the season as the Lakers, but they can produce a complete game on any given night.
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 the lone Feb. 19th matchup between the Lakers and Hornets. 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.
LaMelo Ball More Than 3.5 Made Three-Pointers
Despite his season-long averages of 27.3 points, 7.2 assists and 5.1 rebounds, LaMelo Ball was not named an All-Star this season. The 13-39 record of the Hornets is a fair pushback, but Ball has taken his game to new heights this season.
One area where this has been especially clear is from beyond the three-point arc. The former Rookie of the Year is taking 11.9 three-point attempts per game. While he does not officially qualify for the league leaders due to him only having played 33 games thus far, this would rank first in the NBA in perimeter volume. Ball is connecting on 33.8% of these perimeter attempts, which comes out to an average of 4.0 made three-pointers per game. He has connected on more than 3.5 made three-pointers in 21 of the 33 games he has played this season. During the first matchup with the Lakers, Ball was forced to leave the game after just 8.7 minutes of action. Even in this short time, Ball connected on two three-point shots.
The defensive outlook for the Lakers drastically changed following the loss of Anthony Davis, but the Lakers currently rank 14th in opponent three-point attempts allowed. Ball is willing to let it fly from wherever and will be looking to assert himself from the perimeter tonight. With the bright lights of Los Angeles on him and his willingness from the perimeter clear, count on Ball to connect on more than 4.5 made three-pointers for the 22nd time this season.
LeBron James More Than 15.5 Assists & Rebounds
LeBron James has made his priorities for the season clear as he gears up for another playoff run. The 21-time All-Star elected to sit out of the All-Star game to rest his ankle, which has him officially listed as questionable for tonight’s game. James and the Lakers must make the most of their final 30 regular-season games as they get Luka Doncic fully settled in with his new team and if he can go, he will go tonight.
Even at age 40, James is averaging 24.3 points, 9.0 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game. He has recorded more than 15.5 combined assists and rebounds in 24 of the 48 games he has played. Without Anthony Davis, the need for rebounding help has grown on this Lakers team. He will also be called upon to run the offense at a greater rate, so expect playmaking to take the offensive priority for James as he attempts to spark Doncic’s comfortability.
James has averaged 14 combined assists and rebounds in the first two games alongside Doncic even while playing below his average minutes in each game. Expect a greater focus to continue building chemistry between the two Lakers stars at an increased rate tonight. Count on James taking a backseat as a scorer as he prioritizes impacting the game on the boards and as a playmaker at a greater rate. Count on him to record more than 15.5 combined assists and rebounds tonight with an expanded workload as James settles into this new-look Lakers identity.
Mark Williams More Than 24.5 Points & Rebounds
Few motivations can drive a player as much as the opportunity for revenge. Mark Williams will have the chance to prove why the Lakers will regret the trade not going through less than two weeks after the deal was initially agreed upon.
Beyond the motivation factor, this is an excellent matchup for Mark Williams. Production at the big man position is a clear weakness for the Lakers even after the addition of Alex Len. They attempted to address this by trading for Williams in the first place and he now is in a position to capitalize on the weakness. Sending away Davis has changed the makeup of the Lakers in a major way, with interior defense no longer being an area of strength.
Williams is having a career year, averaging 15.6 points and 9.6 rebounds or 25.2 combined points and rebounds per game. He has recorded more than 24.5 combined points and rebounds in seven of the past nine games. Williams has a massive 9-foot-9 standing reach with the ability to rise up around the rim. Los Angeles will have no answer for him as a lob threat, so expect LaMelo Ball to be active in seeking out these opportunities. His monstrous frame will also pave the opportunity for simple putbacks on the offensive glass.
While Williams was held to 11 points and eight rebounds in the first matchup with the Lakers, this was with Anthony Davis on the floor. Expect this to be much different without the three-time block champion. With a favorable matchup and motivation on his side, count on Mark Williams to be active from start to finish in filling up the stat sheet. Look for the Duke product to record more than 24.5 combined points and assists in his first action back from the All-Star break.
Rui Hachimura Less Than 22.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists
It will be interesting to see how Rui Hachimura’s role changes once the new-look Lakers fully settle in. The Gonzaga product is averaging 13.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game on the season. The early signs have been encouraging, with Hachimura averaging 20 points and 4.5 rebounds across the first two games with Doncic on the floor.
This is not as positive of a matchup for Hachimura compared to the previous two games against the Jazz. The Hornets rank 10th in the NBA in opponent points per game and are 13th in opponent points in the paint. Hachimura is capable on the perimeter as well, but expect the size and interior presence of Mark Williams to prove problematic for Hachimura and for the Lakers to depend on perimeter production in this game.
Even with his success, Hachimura has been held to less than 22.5 combined points, rebounds and assists in 27 of the 45 games he has played. He was inactive for the previous matchup with the Hornets. Expect a bit of a statistical regression from Hachimura in tonight’s game and for him to be held to less than 22.5 combined points, rebounds and assists and for Luka Doncic and LeBron James to steal the spotlight for the Lakers tonight.
Nick Smith Jr. Less Than 11.5 Points
As the Hornets continue to embrace their youthful roster, Nick Smith Jr. has seen some expanded opportunities. The second-year guard is averaging 7.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists across his 18.7 points per game. Smith was the beneficiary of increased opportunities as LaMelo Ball battled injuries leading up to the All-Star break. Across his past 14 games, Smith has averaged 12.8 points per game and recorded 12 or more points in five of his past six games.
Unfortunately for Smith, Ball is back on the floor and the minutes distribution will be shaken up. The Arkansas product played just 16:14 minutes of game action on Feb. 12 after logging 30+ minutes in each of the five previous games. He finished with just two points in this matchup and has been held to less than 11.5 points in 24 of the 33 games he has played overall.
The recent scoring outburst is extremely encouraging for Nick Smith Jr. in the wider conversation. However, expect his short-term opportunities to be limited once again with Ball back in action. Count on Smith to see his minutes limited and be held to less than 11.5 points.
Luka Doncic More Than 25.5 Points
The top priority for the Lakers in every matchup for the remainder of the season will be getting Luka Doncic settled in and ready to succeed. The prized trade acquisition is off his minutes limit and will be refreshed after the All-Star break following the lingering calf issues that have sidelined him for most of this year. Across his first two games with the Lakers, Doncic has played 47 total minutes in which he has produced 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Expect tonight’s matchup to be the first look at a fully unleashed version of Doncic in a Lakers uniform. He has shot just 11-for-27 (40.7%) from the field and 4-for-15 (26.7%) from beyond the three-point arc in these first two games. He is due to begin connecting at a higher rate and the increased health can only help this.
Looking at the larger sample size, Doncic is averaging 27.0 points per game this season and he led the league in scoring at 33.9 points per game last season. He is one of the most gifted scorers in basketball and has been a bit passive in his approach through the opening two games. Expect this to begin changing tonight with no minutes limit and the home stretch of the season starting. He has recorded more than 25.5 points in 15 of the 24 games so far this season, so look for him to fully produce for the first time in a Lakers uniform 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!
