The opening round of the NBA playoffs is winding down with six of the eight teams having already punched their ticket to advance. The Golden State Warriors have a chance to add to this tonight as they enter this Game 6 matchup with the Rockets with a 3-2 series advantage.
The Warriors took a commanding 3-1 series lead, but the youthful Rockets squad did not roll over and won Game 5 131-116 to keep their season alive. Steve Kerr elected to wave the white flag fairly early, pulling all the starters with 5:50 remaining in the third quarter. With an aging and experienced squad, the Warriors clearly liked their chances back at home for this Game 6 matchup and will now attempt to show why tonight.
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 May 2nd. 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 for the Friday night matchup between the Warriors and Rockets.
Jimmy Butler More Than 11.5 Assists & Rebounds
While there was some risk in taking a big swing in trading for Jimmy Butler, things have been about as perfect as hoped for since this point. The Warriors closed the regular season with a 23-7 record when Butler was in the lineup and looked the part of a contender. The metrics back this up, and Butler has only raised his game since the playoff stakes have started.
Butler suffered a glute injury after a hard fall in Game 2 and was forced to miss the third matchup of the series. He returned in Game 4 and added 27 points, six assists and five rebounds. He also had seven combined rebounds and assists in the previous game despite being limited to 25 minutes of action. Butler is plenty capable as a scorer, but the Warriors have other scoring options, and his best usage will be impacting the game in other areas.
One of the biggest concerns entering this series was the rebounding advantage in favor of Houston. They have the size advantage and attack the glass relentlessly. Houston will need to generate additional offensive possessions if they are to get the result they desire tonight, and expect this to be a notable battle in the Game 6 matchup. While I don’t mind the outlook for Butler’s rebounding outright, he also plays a large role in the flow of the Warriors’ offense. He has not started and finished a game without tallying at least six assists since April 8th. Look for Butler to be focused on doing the little things it takes to win in this Game 6 matchup and tally more than 11.5 assists and rebounds in the process.
Fred VanVleet More Than 2.5 Made Three-Pointers
As the Rockets began to shift their intentions from rebuilding and acquiring young talent to competing, adding veterans was a key part of this plan. Fred VanVleet was a significant part of this effort and was brought down to Houston on a three-year, $128.5 million deal signed before last season. The former NBA champion has shown up when the moment has mattered most, proving to be a calming influence on this youthful Rockets team.
VanVleet is coming off back-to-back 25+ point games in which he shot 12-for-18 from beyond the three-point arc. While this efficiency is not sustainable, he has tallied more than 2.5 made three-pointers in three straight games, and the volume is what is most appealing. The 31-year-old has attempted at least seven three-pointers in every game this series after averaging 7.7 perimeter attempts per game throughout the regular season.
There has been plenty of talk about championship pedigree regarding this Warriors team, but VanVleet has a ring on his finger as well. Houston has gotten inconsistent outputs from plenty of their young talents and expect VanVleet to help cure this when push comes to shove tonight. Count on the veteran to be ready to let it fly tonight, and for Houston to need his impact from beyond the arc. Look for VanVleet to record more than 2.5 made three-pointers for the fourth straight game, and with the Rockets’ season on the line.
Jalen Green Less Than 15.5 Points
Speaking of inconsistent output, Jalen Green spearheads this conversation. There may not be another player in the NBA with a wider variance for when he plays his best and when he plays his worst than Jalen Green. Both have been seen in this series from the young Rockets star. Green exploded for 38 points and six assists in Game 2, looking like the best player on the floor. But he has been held to less than 15.5 points in the other four games of the series, including not cracking double-digit scoring figures in three of these efforts.
Even more concerning, Green’s level of opportunity has been scaled back as the series has progressed. After logging 31, 35 and 39 minutes in the opening three games, Green played just 28 and 25 minutes in the previous two matchups. He also attempted just eight field goals in each of these games, combining for 19 total points on 6-for-16 from the field. Across the regular season, the 23-year-old averaged 21.0 points per game, but the increased playoff intensity has been bothersome. These are struggles he must go through as he grows into the player he is capable of being, but it does not help Green’s outlook tonight.
Expect Golden State to maintain a similar outlook of ensuring Green doesn’t get going early tonight. This is a tough matchup for him overall, and Houston’s loss of trust in his production is also a significant concern. When including the regular season, Green has been held to less than 15.5 points in eight of the 10 matchups with Golden State this year. Don’t expect this fateful Game 6 matchup, where it is sure to be a high-intensity contest with an NBA Finals-like crowd, to be any different. Count on the moment to continue to look a bit too large for Green and for him to be held to less than 15.5 points once again.
Draymond Green More Than 6.5 Rebounds
While there are unfortunately no options on DraftKings Pick6 for backing Draymond Green to pick up a technical or flagrant foul, look for him to make his impact felt in the box score with his rebounding tonight. For all that comes with the Draymond Green experience, he is necessary to this Warriors team, especially with this battle on the boards in mind.
Green must spearhead the rebounding effort with no other big man option logging over 20 minutes per game, even with these totals a bit inflated following the expanded opportunity for bench players in the previous game. Green has tallied more than 6.5 rebounds in two games this series. Houston leans on an all-out attack on the boards. They led the NBA in rebounds per game this season, including generating a league-best 14.6 offensive rebounds per game. They have trailed only the Thunder for the most total rebounds in the playoffs and still lead the pack in offensive rebounding.
The Warriors will still count on Green to play a role in the offense and continue mixing it up, but dominating on the boards will be his clear-cut top goal in this potential closeout matchup. 6.5 is too low a number based on his track record with Green, having tallied more than this in 115 of his 162 career playoff games. Look for him to rise to the challenge tonight and feed off the energy of the Golden State crowd by pulling in more than 6.5 rebounds tonight.
Buddy Hield More Than 2.5 Made Three-Pointers
There will be plenty of attention paid to the likes of Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green in this Game 6 matchup. Which is exactly why there is some huge value in Buddy Hield to make his impact felt and continue delivering for this Warriors’ team. Hield has shown a defensive buy-in that he has lacked throughout his career, which has expanded his opportunity for minutes. He logged 29 and 30 minutes in each of the Warriors’ victories at home during this series, shooting 8-for-20 combined from beyond the three-point arc in these matchups.
It was also this time last season when Hield came alive for the Philadelphia 76ers. On the other side of an elimination game, Hield provided an offensive spark, exploding off the bench for 20 points on six made three-pointers after being out of the rotation completely. He is playing with more confidence with his role more defined on this Warriors’ team and will carry this into tonight.
With both Curry and Butler battling some injury issues, look for Hield to be called upon more frequently in this game. The 32-year-old is a career 39.7% three-point shooter on 7.5 perimeter shots per game. He made more than 2.5 three-pointers in 36 games during the regular season and in both home playoff games in this series. Look for him to benefit from the continued attention spent on Curry and for Hield to connect with more than 2.5 three-pointers tonight.
Alperen Sengun More Than 10.5 Rebounds
It has been an overall excellent playoff debut for Alperen Sengun in this series. The Turkish big man is averaging 20.8 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game across the opening five games of this series. Golden State’s limitations on the interior have allowed Sengun to step up into a more prominent role. He has scored as many as 31 points in a game this series, taking command of the offense in a way that was necessary for Houston.
The Rockets have played Sengun as the full-time center as well as alongside Steven Adams for stretches. While the dominance on the boards is evident with both players on the floor, Houston’s biggest concern has been generating regular offense. Look for them to scale back Adams’ opportunities as a result of this, with Sengun stepping in as the full center and primary rebounding option at a more regular rate. Adams is an option to hold depending on how the game goes, but if Sengun holds up on the interior, it makes sense to keep more reliable offensive options surrounding him.
Sengun has pulled in as many as 16 rebounds in a game this series and tallied more than 10.5 rebounds in two of the last three. No player in Golden State’s regular rotation can match his 6-foot-11 and 245-pound frame. The power balance of this Rockets team has shifted more onto Sengun’s shoulders as the series has progressed, and this shouldn’t be expected to stop tonight. Look for him to command things on the interior in this game and pull in more than 10.5 rebounds, with this effort set to play a significant role in the game’s outlook.
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!
