The playoff push is heating up across the NBA with about 20 games remaining for each team. There will be eight games across tonight’s slate with several notable matchups taking place.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Hornets will kick off the night in the lone matchup starting at 7:00 p.m. ET. A half-hour later, the Toronto Raptors will take on the Utah Jazz in a matchup that will have some notable draft lottery odds implications. At the same time, the Dallas Mavericks will host the Memphis Grizzlies.
Starting at 8:00 p.m. ET, another double-header will take place. The Miami Heat will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at the same time as the Oklahoma City Thunder face the Portland Trail Blazers.
Three games are set to take place in the late slate. Starting at 10:00 p.m. ET, the Sacramento Kings will host the San Antonio Spurs in De’Aaron Fox’s return to his former city. At the same time, the Denver Nuggets will host the crumbling Phoenix Suns. The final matchup will tip-off at 10:30 p.m. ET, with this taking place between the Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks. This will be the second night of a back-to-back for the Knicks after they suffered a frustrating overtime loss to the Lakers last night in which Jalen Brunson suffered a concerning ankle injury.
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 action on March 7th. You simply choose whether each set statistic will be more or less than the number is set. With the stage set, here are my favorite picks across the eight-game slate.
Donovan Mitchell Less Than 23.5 Points
The Cleveland Cavaliers look every bit the caliber of title contender they have been designed to be. They became the first team to officially clinch a spot in the playoffs with their 52-10 record and enter this game on a 12-game winning streak. Donovan Mitchell has been a huge part of this effort and is averaging 24.4 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.3 rebounds on the season. He has tallied more than 23.5 points in 30 of the 58 games he has played.
There is not nearly as positive of an outlook for the Charlotte Hornets, whom the Cavaliers are set to face tonight. The Hornets are just 14-47 on the season sitting in 14th place in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte enters on an eight-game losing streak with only one of these losses finishing within 13 points. This also will be the third matchup between these two teams in the year with both previous matchups ending in double-digit Cavaliers’ victories.
Based on the level the Cavaliers and Hornets are each playing at, don’t expect this game to remain competitive for too long. Expect this matchup to allow some old-fashioned load management in which Mitchell’s abilities are not required much in the second half. He was held to 18 and 19 points in the previous two matchups with the Hornets with the score being a factor in this lack of production. Expect the same outlook tonight as the Cavaliers keep their long-term goals in mind. Expect him to be held to less than 23.5 points for the 29th time this season as the Cavaliers have little issue taking care of business in this game.
Ty Jerome More Than 1.5 Made Three-Pointers
One guy who will not be as heavily impacted by the potential blowout is Ty Jerome. The 27-year-old has been one of the better stories in the NBA this season after playing just two total games last year. He has seen his role grow throughout the season averaging 12.1 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.6 rebounds across his 19.7 minutes per game. Jerome has grown into one of the better shooters in the league and is connecting on 44.0% of his three-point attempts while launching 3.6 perimeter shots per game. This comes out to an average of 1.6 made three-pointers per game and he has made two or more long-range shots in 28 of the 58 games he has played.
Looking at the matchup, the Hornets rank 14th in opponents’ points per game but 28th in opponents’ three-point attempts allowed. This will be the fourth matchup between these two teams this season with Jerome shooting a combined 6-for-13 on three-point attempts in these games. He has recorded more than 1.5 made three-pointers in two of the three matchups with the only game that he fell short he logged just 12:24 of game action.
Jerome has earned a more consistent opportunity in the Cavaleirs’ regular rotation and should be set for expanded minutes with the potential of this game getting out of hand early. In the 16 games that he has played 23 minutes of game action or greater, Jerome has tallied more than 1.5 made three-pointers in 13 of these games (81.3%). Look for the Cavaliers’ sharpshooter to make the most of his expanded chance and knock down at least a pair of three-pointers tonight with the blowout expected.
De’Aaron Fox More Than 22.5 Points
There is not as much hostility in the air between De’Aaron Fox and the Kings compared to some other star breakups. But even still, there are few better feelings as an athlete than showing out in front of your former team. This is the opportunity Fox has tonight as he makes his first return to Sacramento since the trade and expect him to have plenty of opportunities for a strong offensive output.
In the 13 games since coming to San Antonio, Fox is averaging 19.3 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.2 rebounds. However, he is averaging 23.7 points per game on the season as a whole. The Kentucky product has scored as many as 60 points in a game this season and recorded more than 22.5 points in 31 of the 58 games he has played. This includes five matchups already with the Spurs.
Sacramento sits in ninth place in the Western Conference with defense at the top of their list of concerns. They rank 19th in opponents’ points per game, 17th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 29th in opponents’ three-point percentage. Fox is well aware of the team’s shortcomings with this being the driving force of his desire for a trade. Expect him to play in attack mode and capitalize on the weaknesses of the roster he just left, with full offensive responsibility on his plate after Victor Wembanyama’s season was officially shut down. Count on Fox playing in attack mode and recording more than 22.5 points for the 32nd time this season.
Devin Booker More Than 32.5 Points & Assists
The Phoenix Suns’ outlook is among the worst in the NBA both in the short and long term. They have gone all-in on this current roster, yet sit in 11th place in the Western Conference with a 29-33 record and have traded away or swapped all of their picks out through 2031. Regardless, the season continues and they will attempt to play themselves out of the hole they have created. They will take on the Denver Nuggets tonight with the hopes this can begin to spearhead this effort.
Devin Booker has had a reduced statistical season overall averaging 25.9 points, 6.9 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game on the season. There was hope going into the season that the addition of Tyus Jones could further unlock Booker as an off-ball scorer. This has not played itself out as such with Booker taking on more of an on-ball role of late. He is averaging 8.0 assists over the past 11 games with his scoring averages still staying at 25.5 points per game.
Denver looks dangerous again this season but their biggest concerns are on the defensive side of the ball. They rank 22nd in opponents’ points per game and are 28th in assists allowed to opponents. In addition, Bradley Beal is listed as questionable which could further grow the on-ball opportunities for Booker if he is to miss. Expect Booker to take this sinking season personally and do everything in his power to give Phoenix a chance in this game. He has recorded more than 32.5 combined points and assists in 30 of the 56 games this season. Look for him to add to this tonight against the vulnerable Denver defense.
Karl-Anthony Towns More Than 24.5 Points
The New York Knicks suffered an overtime loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers tonight in which Jalen Brunson suffered a concerning-looking ankle injury. They will remain in Los Angeles once again tonight this time to face on the Clippers. The outlook for this game changes greatly without Brunson on the floor. Expect more offensive responsibility to be put on Karl-Anthony Towns’ plate as he looks to bounce back from his 12-point and 3-for-12 shooting performance last night.
It has been a bit of a tough stretch for Towns after a stellar start to this season. The former number-one overall pick is averaging 24.2 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists while shooting 41.9% from beyond the three-point arc on the year. Towns has recorded more than 24.5 points in 24 games this season thus far. This will mark just the second game this season Towns has suited up without Brunson. He finished with 31 points, 21 rebounds, and four assists in the lone game this occurred, although this matchup was against the Utah Jazz.
The Clippers will provide more defensive resistance as they rank fourth in opponents’ points per game and 10th in opponents’ field goal percentage. Even still, Towns’ perimeter ability will create some challenges with Ivica Zubac being far more comfortable when remaining in the paint and serving as a rim protector. Expect Towns to have plenty of additional shot opportunities without Brunson and for the offense to be catered more to him without the star guard. Count on a bounceback performance after last night’s frustrating game and for there to be enough opportunities for him to play his way to recording more than 24.5 points tonight.
Josh Hart More Than 15.5 Assists & Rebounds
While Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns steal the spotlight for the majority of the Knicks’ production, Josh Hart remains the heart and soul of the franchise. The Villanova product has a knack for doing the little things necessary to contribute to winning and will be called on at a greater rate without Brunson tonight. On the season, Hart is averaging 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game.
Brunson’s level of availability has been excellent this season with tonight set to be just the second game he misses. In the lone matchup that Brunson did miss, Hart finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists. Overall this season, Hart has recorded more than 15.5 combined assists and rebounds in 26 of the 59 games he has played. New York will be missing the ball-handling and playmaking that Brunson provides and expect Hart to take on some of these responsibilities to lead to his statistical output growing.
While the Clippers have done an impressive job embracing a more defensive-minded approach this season, these are the types of matchups in which Hart is at his best. Look for him to be committed to competing on the boards and doing the dirty work for this Knicks team. Count on him to record more than 15.5 combined assists and rebounds for the 27th time this season and do everything in his power to give New York a chance at a bounce-back win.
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!
