It is a loaded 10-game slate of NBA action in the second to last Friday night of the season. Every matchup holds some additional weight with seedings still up for grabs and teams looking to solidify their postseason hopes.
The night will open up at 7:00 p.m. ET in a pair of matchups as the Charlotte Hornets host the Sacramento Kings while the Indiana Pacers play the Utah Jazz. Another double-header will tip-off a half hour later between the Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics as well as the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors.
At 8:00 p.m. ET, three more games will tip off. This includes the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. San Antonio Spurs, the Portland Trail Blazers vs. Chicago Bulls, and the Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder. Three games will also be taking place in the late slate. At 10:00 p.m. ET, the Denver Nuggets will face the Golden State Warriors. A half-hour later, the Los Angeles Clippers will host the Dallas Mavericks while the Lakers play the Pelicans.
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 April 4th. You simply choose whether each set statistic will be more or less than the set number. With the stage set, here are my favorite picks across the 10-game slate.
Domantas Sabonis More Than 5.5 Assists
The Sacramento Kings currently hold a one-game lead for the final play-in slot in the Western Conference with the Phoenix Suns right on their tail. The Kings have struggled of late dropping 11 of their last 15, and need to capitalize on every opportunity for wins with six games remaining on the schedule. They have a great chance to add to this win total tonight facing the Charlotte Hornets with Domantas Sabonis set to continue holding a great deal of the responsibility for production.
On the season, Sabonis is averaging 19.0 points, an NBA-leading 14.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. The three-time All-Star is capable of serving as the hub of the offense for stretches and is one of the best passers at the big man position. Sabonis has recorded more than 5.5 assists in 35 of the 63 games he has played this season.
Looking at the matchup, the Hornets enter with a 19-57 overall record and with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller each already shut down for the season. This will be the second matchup between these two teams this season with Sabonis recording seven assists in the first game. It has been an uneasy season for Sacramento but they still have a chance to end on a high note. Look for Sabonis to take charge in this effort and assert himself as a playmaker tonight. Count on the Kings having success cutting around Saboinis as a passer and for the big man to tally more than 5.5 assists for the 36th time this year.
Fred VanVleet Less Than 2.5 Made Three-Pointers
An intriguing Western Conference matchup is set to take place at 8:00 p.m. ET, as the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the second-seeded Houston Rockets. The Thunder have built up an impressive 14.5-game cushion between themselves and second-place but this still will be looked at as a notable measuring stick matchup for Houston.
Fred VanVleet was brought in as a key veteran piece for this Houston team and this has played out as designed. This season VanVleet is averaging 14.3 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game. The 31-year-old is shooting 34.5% from beyond the three-point arc on 7.7 three-point attempts per game. VanVleet has been held to less than 2.5 three-pointers made in 30 of the 57 games he has played this season.
On top of this, it will be a difficult matchup against the Thunder. Oklahoma City has held opponents to the second-fewest points per game and the worst three-point percentage in the NBA this year. This will be the fourth time VanVleet and the Rockets have faced the Thunder this season with him being held to less than 2.5 made three-pointers in two of these games. He has shot a combined 8-for-24 across these games. Expect the Thunder’s strong perimeter defense to do its job tonight and for VanVleet to be held to less than 2.5 made three-pointers for the third time against the Thunder and the 31st time this season.
Chris Paul More Than 13.5 Points & Assists
In many ways, we are experiencing the passing of the torch regarding the face of the NBA conversation and the league’s brightest stars. But a handful of the past generation continue to produce with Chris Paul being a forgotten name too often in this conversation. The 39-year-old has maintained his solid level of play for the Spurs and also revealed he has no plans to call it a career after the season. The 12-time All-Star is averaging 8.8 points and 7.6 assists per game across his 28.0 minutes per game. Paul also has suited up for 76 games already this season.
The outlook for the Spurs changed greatly following the injuries to Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox. While San Antonio was knocked out of the playoff race, Chris Paul has maintained a high level of play. Over his past 24 games he is averaging 8.0 points and 6.3 assists and recorded more than 13.5 combined points and assists in 14 of these. He has recorded more than this number in 48 of the 76 games he has played this season.
The Spurs will take on the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers tonight. While it has been a terrific season for the Cavaliers, they have shown some weakness in defending guards. Opposing starting point guards are connecting on three-pointers at the second-best rate in the NBA when playing the Cavaliers (41.4%) and Cleveland also plays at the ninth-quickest pace in the league which will increase the number of offensive opportunities. Paul is shooting 53.6% from beyond the three-point arc across his past 15 home games and does not look to have physically declined as the season has progressed. Count on him to continue commanding the offense as a playmaker and capitalize on the vulnerable three-point defense. Look for Paul to record more than 13.5 combined points and assists for the 49th time this season.
Deni Avdija More Than 33.5 Points & Rebounds
One of the more surprising storylines emerging in the second half of the season has been the impressive level of play from Deni Avdija. He is showcasing a level of play it was uncertain he could reach and leaving plenty to build off moving into next year. On the season overall, Avdija is averaging 16.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. Since the All-Star break, his averages have grown to 22.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. He has taken his game up an additional notch in the home stretch of the season, averaging 25.9 points and 11.2 rebounds across his past 12 games.
The Trail Blazers will take on the Chicago Bulls tonight who have played some improved basketball of late. Even still, their biggest weaknesses fall on the defensive end. The Bulls rank 28th in opponents’ points allowed and 29th in opponents’ rebounds conceded. Avdija has the skill set to capitalize on this and he tallied 20 points and 12 rebounds against the Bulls a few months ago before his full breakout.
Avdija has continued to settle in as the season has progressed and is playing the best basketball of his career. He has made it a habit to rebound the ball on one end and lead the fastbreak himself, showcasing an impressive ability to finish around the rim in recent games. He has tallied more than 33.5 combined points and rebounds in three straight games entering this matchup and seven of his last 12 games. Chicago is vulnerable on the boards and also allows more points in the paint than any other team in the league. Look for Avdija to continue solidifying his future with the franchise and playing at a high level to close the year. Count on him to record more than 33.5 combined points and rebounds in this appealing matchup tonight.
Nikola Jokic More Than 11.5 Rebounds
Despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander seemingly running away with the MVP race, Nikola Jokic has done everything possible to reopen this discussion with the regular season winding down. The three-time MVP is playing the best basketball of his career averaging 29.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game this season. Jokic made headlines earlier this week with his 61-point, 10 rebound, and 10 assists performance in the matchup against the Timberwolves.
Denver will take on the Golden State Warriors tonight who are coming off a victory over the Lakers last night. The Warriors have moved to 19-4 in games that Jimmy Butler has played and changed their postseason outlook notably. Even still, one of the biggest weaknesses Golden State possesses is on the interior. The Warriors rank 17th in opponents’ rebounds per game with no individual player averaging more than 6.2 rebounds per game.
This is a great opportunity for Nikola Jokic, who has a case for being the best rebounder on every court he walks on. He is averaging 12.8 rebounds per game on the season and tallied more than 11.5 rebounds in 41 of the 65 games he has played. Tired legs should be a factor for the Warriors on the second night of a back-to-back while Jokic is rested after missing Wednesday’s game to rest. Look for Jokic to impose himself on the interior tonight by pulling in more than 11.5 rebounds for the 42nd time this season.
Luka Doncic More Than 27.5 Points
In one of the final matchups of the night’s slate, the Los Angeles Lakers will take on the New Orleans Pelicans and will be looking to bounce back from last night’s loss. The honeymoon period following the Luka Doncic trade has passed with the team hitting their first signs of struggle. Doncic was limited to just 19 points on 6-for-17 shooting last night and also was held scoreless from beyond the three-point arc for the first time in a Lakers uniform.
Doncic took responsibility for needing to be better following the game and has as ideal of a bounceback spot as he could ask for. Los Angeles will take on the New Orleans Pelicans tonight who enter with the fourth-worst record in the NBA. Injuries have entirely derailed the season with Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, and Dejounte Murray each already shut down for the season. The Pelicans rank 26th in opponents’ points per game, 28th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 29th in opponents three-point attempts.
In the previous matchup against the Pelicans, Doncic finished with 30 points and 15 assists while with the Lakers. Count on him to be hungry to wash away last night’s performance and for there to be no defensive answer for his skillset on this Pelicans roster. Doncic has tallied more than 27.5 points in 12 of his past 17 games and this is the worst defense he has faced across this stretch. He is too talented of a scorer to replicate last night’s struggles and look for Doncic to record more than 27.5 points against the inferior opponents 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!
