All 30 NBA teams are set to face off across tonight’s NBA slate. Two games remain on every team’s regular schedule before the playoff seedings are set in stone.
The Eastern Conference is fairly locked in with every team confined to their tier of being a top-six seed, in the play-in tournament, or eliminated from postseason contention. There is still some movement that could occur within these tiers, with the Knicks and Pacers battling for the 3rd or 4th seed and the Bulls and Hawks competing for the eighth and ninth seeds at the top of this list.
Seedings are much more wide open in the Western Conference with the third and eighth seeds separated by just 2.0 total games. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets have clinched the top and second seeds while the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks are locked into the play-in tournament. The Lakers, Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Grizzlies, and Timberwolves will fill in the seeds in the middle with these final two games set to decide things. Each of these teams are playing tonight with the Grizzlies and Nuggets playing each other as a key part of this battle.
There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the action this evening. One of the unique features on DraftKings this year is Pick6 Fantasy Basketball!
This article will look at my top Pick6 plays for action on April 11th. 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 exciting slate.
Zaccharie Risacher More Than 13.5 Points
There has not been a great deal of buzz surrounding this season’s number-one overall pick, but Zaccharie Risacher has come into form down the stretch of the season. The Frenchman is coming off a career-high 38-point performance last night against the Nets in 35 minutes of play. Risacher shot 15-for-20 from the field and 6-for-11 from beyond the three-point arc. While this performance likely leaps to the top when discussing his best games, he has consistently put forth strong performances over the past few weeks.
On the season overall, Risacher is averaging 12.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in his 24.8 minutes per game. Since the All-Star break, his output has grown to 15.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 26.6 minutes per game. Risacher has scored more than 13.5 points in nine of his past 14 games.
The Hawks will take on the Philadelphia 76ers tonight, who have a case for the most disappointing season in the NBA. Since the All-Star break, Philadelphia ranks 29th in opponents’ points allowed, 28th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 30th in opponents’ three-pointer percentage. This will be the third time Risacher has faced the Sixers with him finishing with exactly 22 points in both of the previous games. With this matchup holding some play-in seeding implications, expect a full effort from the Hawks tonight. Look for Risacher to continue playing in attack mode and make a late Rookie of the Year push. Count on him to record more than 13.5 points for the 10th time in his past 15 games and third time against the Sixers.
Ja Morant More Than 26.5 Points
Ja Morant has been in the headlines plenty of late. The Grizzlies star guard has brought on another avalanche of opinions following his latest celebrations and is showing no signs of slowing down. While this will continue to be a talking point, more attention should be paid to the fact that Morant has scored 26 or more points in each of his past five games. This matchup between the Grizzlies and Nuggets carries some significant seeding implications, with Memphis trailing by one game in the standings, and expect them to bring their best punch tonight.
On the season overall, Morant is averaging 23.2 points and has only scored more than 26.5 points in 16 games. However, his lack of on-ball opportunities and the overall structure of the Grizzlies’ offense seems to have been a friction point leading up to the shocking firing of Taylor Jenkins. Morant is averaging 29.7 points per game since the coaching change and has tallied more than 26.5 points in four straight games.
Looking at the matchup, Denver is vulnerable on the defensive end. They rank 24th in opponents’ points per game, 24th in opponents’ three-point percentage, and 24th in opponents’ points in the paint. This is a near-ideal matchup for Morant as the Nuggets do not possess the perimeter defenders to stick with his quick-twitch ability on the perimeter nor to properly wall off the rim and prevent him from getting to the basket. This will be Morant’s first game against the Nuggets this season but he has recorded more than 26.5 points in three of his last four matchups with Denver. Expect the Grizzlies star to make the most of his opportunity against the struggling defense and play in attack mode tonight. Look for him to tally more than 26.5 points for the fifth straight game and for Denver to have no answer for him defensively.
Jalen Pickett More Than 1.5 Made Three-Pointers
On the other side of the matchup, Jalen Pickett also has been a beneficiary of his team’s coaching change. Denver made an even more shocking decision to fire Michael Malone despite the postseason right around the corner. In the first game since the coaching change, Russell Westbrook was limited to 16:45 of game action which is his fewest in a game since December 5th. On the opposite side of this conversation, Jalen Pickett is coming off 31:15 of game time in the previous game marking just the third time this season he has logged over 30 minutes in a game.
Pickett is in his second season in the NBA and has seen his level of opportunity go up and down throughout the year. Overall he is averaging just 4.3 points, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 rebounds in his 13.6 minutes per game. Pickett has received some strong praise through the media from Nikola Jokic and has seen his minutes grow to 27.8 per game across the past five matchups with him producing 9.3 points. 4.7 assists, and 3.7 rebounds. Most of his impact is made from beyond the three-point arc as the Penn State product is shooting 41.2% on three-point attempts this season while launching 2.1 long-range shots per game.
Pickett shot 5-for-7 from beyond the three-point arc in the previous game and has connected on more than 1.5 made three-pointers in three of the past four games. Memphis has struggled to defend this portion of the floor ranking 27th in the league in opponents’ three-point attempts and 17th in opponents’ three-point percentage. Nikola Jokic makes life easy for players who are willing and effective catch-and-shooters with Pickett fitting this category. Look for him to continue taking advantage of his chances and be ready to fire tonight by connecting with more than 1.5 three-pointers.
Domantas Sabonis Less Than 37.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists
The Sacramento Kings will host the Los Angeles Clippers tonight marking the fourth matchup this season. Sacramento will attempt to earn their playoff opportunity through the play-in tournament again this year while the Clippers remain in the battle for seeding. While there will be some interesting conversations about his future when the offseason reaches, Domantas Sabonis has had another successful year. The three-time All-Star is averaging 19.1 points, a league-leading 13.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.
Tonight will be a tough matchup for Sabonis and the Kings. The Clippers have embraced a more defensive-minded approach this season and rank fourth in opponents’ points allowed and eighth in opponents’ field goal percentage. Ivica Zubac sets the tone for the team on the interior and has made an All-Defensive team campaign with his play. This has especially been evident down the home stretch of the season with Kawhi Leonard coming into form and further elevating the defense.
The Clippers would enter the playoffs as the fifth seed if the season ended today but they are tied with the Nuggets while the Warriors, Grizzlies, and TImberwolves are a game behind them. This is an important game from a seeding perspective and look for the Clippers to bring their best effort with this showing up on the defensive end. Sabonis is coming off a 13-point, 12-rebound, and two-assist performance (27 PRA) the last time he was on the court and will have a more challenging defense tonight. Expect his impact in the box score to be limited and for Sabonis to be held to less than 37.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists tonight.
Steph Curry More Than 25.5 Points
The Golden State Warriors will also have their focus on this late playoff push as they take on the Portland Trail Blazers tonight. This is just about a must-win for the franchise after they dropped at the hands of the Spurs as 17-point favorites on Wednesday. They now hold the same record as the Grizzlies and Timberwolves with two of these teams destined to fall in the play-in tournament. As has been the case for years at this point, the Warriors only go as Steph Curry can take them and he will have this fully on his mind tonight.
On the season, Curry is averaging 24.5 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game. He is leading the NBA in made three-pointers and three-point attempts for the second straight season shooting 39.5% from beyond the three-point arc overall. Across the 25 games Curry has played with Jimmy Butler, the two-time MVP is averaging 27.4 points per game. He has recorded more than 25.5 points in 31 of the 68 games he has played this season and four of his past six games.
Getting a week off after the regular season to rest up for playoffs and avoid the play-in entirely would be a huge advantage to one of the most experienced rosters in the league. Expect some urgency to be shown from this Warriors team as they look to earn this with Curry leading the charge. Count on an all-out attack tonight and for Curry to record more than 25.5 points for the fifth time in his past seven games with the playoff seedings on the line.
Stephon Castle More Than 32.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists
Over the past 15 games, there are four players in the NBA to have recorded 300+ points, 95+ assists, and 85+ rebounds. This list is made up of Luke Doncic, James Harden, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Stephon Castle. San Antonio has fully unleashed the fourth overall pick and should be thrilled with the results they have seen. Castle has made a firm case for Rookie of the Year and showcased how deep his skillset is.
On the season overall, Castle is averaging 14.6 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game. Since the beginning of March, these numbers have grown to 19.4 points, 5.4 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game. He has recorded more than 32.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists in three of his past five games.
Castle and the Spurs will face the Phoenix Suns who hold among the most pessimistic outlooks of any team in the league. They have looked lifeless on the floor all seasons and this should especially be the case after being eliminated from the play-in race. Castle is being granted the freedom to attack as much as he wants on the basketball court and has the talent to produce. Look for him to deliver in the box score again tonight and record more than 32.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists as he puts a bow on his Rookie of the Year campaign.
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!
