The home stretch of the NBA Playoffs is here, with the playoff race heating up in each conference. Two games will be taking place on tonight’s slate as the battle to crown this year’s champion winds down.
To start the night in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics will face the New York Knicks. Boston got back in the win column in Game 3 after dropping the first two games at home. The defending champions have a chance to even things up tonight and take the series back to Boston in Game 5.
Then, in the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors will host the Minnesota Timberwolves. Steph Curry remains on the sidelines with the Timberwolves holding a 2-1 series advantage. The Warriors continue attempting to tread water in the hopes of getting their star back on the floor, with Game 6 considered the target timeline. Minnesota will look to take control of the series with another victory 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 on Monday, May 12. 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 pair of Monday night matchups.
Derrick White More Than 3.5 Made Three-Pointers
Three-point shooting variance has been a massive storyline across the NBA all season, and especially in this series. The Boston Celtics have built their identity as a high-volume three-point team and have a championship to point to for why this is effective. However, they shot a combined 25-for-100 from beyond the three-point arc across the first two games of this series. Boston bounced back in Game 3, shooting 20-for-40 on perimeter shots in the Game 3 victory.
Derrick White has been one of the more consistent shooters at the start of the series, connecting on 11 of his 33 three-point attempts thus far. He shot 5-for-16 in Game 1, 3-for-11 in Game 2, and 3-for-6 in Game 3. These six three-point attempts in the previous game were tied for his seventh-fewest across the entire regular season. White averaged 9.1 three-point attempts per game in the regular season, connecting on 38.4% of those, and is launching 9.0 per game thus far in the postseason.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown stepped to center stage in the last matchup, combining for 38 of the team’s 83 field-goal attempts. Payton Pritchard also found his stride off the bench, scoring 23 points on 16 shot attempts. White is a team-first guy willing to fill whatever role is necessary on a game-by-game basis, with him taking a back seat in that game. However, expect him to be called on at the offensive end at a greater rate tonight. He is the connective tissue of this Celtics team, and the Colorado product connected on more than 3.5 made three-pointers in 35 regular-season games. Expect an increased volume of three-point opportunities tonight as he gets closer to the 11+ perimeter shots he attempted in the opening two games. Count on White to tally more than 3.5 made three-pointers in what should still be looked at as a must-win matchup from the series’ perspective.
Jalen Brunson More Than 6.5 Assists
Jalen Brunson is at the epicenter of everything the Knicks do offensively, and this will continue to be the case throughout this playoff run. The Villanova product is posting a 32.9% usage rate across the beginning stages of the postseason, trailing only Donovan Mitchell for the highest among remaining playoff players. This comes after a 29.5% usage rate in the regular season and after Brunson led the NBA in usage rate last postseason at 36.4%. He is averaging 29.1 points, 7.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game thus far in the postseason.
While Brunson will continue to be a score-first player at his core, he is more than capable of serving as a true point guard when this is the best route for the team. Boston has mixed up its coverages this series and has begun to throw more double teams his direction to get the ball out of his hands. New York has had some up-and-down performances from the supporting cast, and Boston is much more willing to live with its production as opposed to the two-time All-Star.
Brunson has tallied more than 6.5 assists in eight of the nine playoff games, with the opening matchup of this series marking the lone time he has fallen short. His assist output has increased from 7.3 in the regular season to 7.6 in the playoffs this season, after his output increased from 6.7 to 7.5 last playoffs. He is averaging 12.9 potential assists per game in this postseason run. Brunson has had no trouble clearing this number in eight of the nine games thus far. Expect the increased double teams to only improve his playmaking output and for Brunson to cruise past this total tonight.
Payton Pritchard More Than 9.5 Points
The Boston Celtics needed some additional scoring punch in Game 3, and the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year was able to deliver. Payton Pritchard continues to look like one of the most dangerous bench weapons in the league, and his importance has grown due to the status of some of Boston’s key contributors. Kristaps Porzingis looks nowhere near 100% as he continues to battle his illness, Jaylen Brown is still battling through a knee issue, Al Horford is showing his age for the first time in his career and Jayson Tatum has not lived up to his All-NBA expectations. When Boston needs a spark, Pritchard is the guy to go to, and this proved important in Game 3.
The Oregon product exploded for 23 points off the bench in the last victory, shooting 8-for-16 from the field and 5-for-10 from beyond the three-point arc. The 34:31 of game time he received marked a playoff career-high for Pritchard, and expect this to be a sign of things to come. He averaged 14.3 points per game across the regular season and tallied more than 9.5 points in 51 games in the regular season and in five of the eight playoff games. He is averaging 11.3 points per game in the postseason overall.
Expect Boston to continue leaning on Pritchard as a key bench contributor and for his scoring punch to be necessary tonight. He welcomes the opportunity to scale up his offensive role and is capable of getting hot with the best players in the league. Count on the Celtics to rely on him to produce off the bench again tonight and for Pritchard to come through by recording more than 9.5 points for the third time in this series.
Jonathan Kuminga More Than 17.5 Points
Jonathan Kuminga has emerged as one of the more polarizing players in the NBA. Golden State selected him with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and he has never found his full footing within the organization. His talent level and athleticism can pop, but his overall understanding as a basketball player is still lacking. Both Kuminga and Steve Kerr deserve blame for things not working out ahead of his upcoming free agency. Kerr’s unwillingness to allow the 22-year-old to play through his mistakes for larger stretches is inexcusable, especially through some of the injury-riddled stretches. However, Kuminga has not done himself any favors by refusing to buy into Golden State’s unique offensive system and taking to the media to voice his displeasure during his Warriors tenure.
Regardless, all feelings must be put to the side and Golden State must be focused on putting all hands on deck to win this game. Kuminga logged 35:52 of game time in the previous matchup, which is the fourth-most time he has received in a game all season. He finished with 30 points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals, finishing as a +5 in what ended up a five-point loss. He shot 11-for-18 from the field, which trailed only Jimmy Butler for the most on the team.
Kuminga has plenty to prove and will be given the freedom to attack as often as he desires. Expect him to carry a chip on his shoulder coming into this game, with his 6-foot-7 and 225-pound frame being one of the few that properly match up with this Minnesota team. It may not be the most efficient route to getting there, but he will have just about as much shot volume as he desires. Count on Kuminga’s energy level popping on the screen and playing his way to more than 17.5 points tonight with the expanded role in front of him.
Julius Randle More Than 33.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists
There were plenty of concerns regarding the Minnesota Timberwolves’ decision to trade away Karl-Anthony Towns, with Julius Randle a part of the primary return. The three-time All-Star is incredibly skilled but has had some severe dropoffs in production in the postseason that have stained his reputation as a player. Randle has taken some steps to repair this and is amid the most effective playoff performances of his career.
Through the opening eight games of the postseason, he is averaging 22.4 points, 6.4 assists and 5.8 rebounds. This comes after a regular season in which Randle averaged 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists. He is coming off a 24-point, 12-assist and 10-rebound triple-double in the previous game, joining Kevin Garnett as the only other member of the Timberwolves to produce a postseason triple-double. Randle has recorded more than 33.5 points, rebounds and assists in four of the eight postseason games and in back-to-back matchups entering tonight.
Golden State has struggled with Randle’s strength and physicality already in this series. He is willing and capable of banging in the post with Draymond Green and has forced the Warriors to unleash Kevon Looney off the bench as well. When things are clicking for the former Kentucky product, Randle’s scoring opens up his ability as a passer, and his impact on the boards occurs throughout. He is coming off likely the best postseason performance of his career, so count on Minnesota continuing to give him expanded chances to perform. Count on him to record more than 33.5 combined points, rebounds and assists for the third straight game as Minnesota continues to make use of its size advantage around the rim.
Jimmy Butler More Than 26.5 Points
For the first three quarters of the Game 3 matchup, it looked a if we were amid a signature “Playoff Jimmy” Butler performance. But the 35-year-old went the final eight minutes of the matchup without scoring and looking far more disinterested or exhausted than the Warriors would have liked to see. Golden State saw its opportunity to get a win slip away and must now buckle up to even the series tonight.
Despite the disappointing finish to the game, Butler finished Game 3 with 33 points on 12-for-26 shooting from the field. He also tallied more than 26.5 points in two of the previous games in these playoffs while Steph Curry was still on the floor. Without the best shooter in NBA history, Butler will need to scale up his offensive role and play in attack mode. The former Heat star picks his spots and understands the weight of the moment as well as anyone and will fully understand that going down 3-1 in the series with Curry set to miss at least one more game would essentially end the Warriors’ season.
Count on Butler playing with urgency tonight and getting up plenty of shot opportunities. The 26 field-goal attempts he launched in the previous game are the most he has shot since putting on a Warriors uniform. Butler has plenty of playoff experience and will be called on often. Expect him to leave it all on the table tonight and tally more than 26.5 points for the second straight game.
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!
