There’s three games tonight on the NBA Playoff slate. The 76ers will visit the Celtics and try to survive at 7 PM EST, the Hawks will visit the Knicks for a pivotal Game 5 at 8 PM, and the Trail Blazers will visit the Spurs at 9:30 PM to try to keep their season alive.
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 tonight’s slate. We simply choose whether a player will record more or less of the set statistic. Here are my favorite plays for tonight’s action.
Joel Embiid More Than 26.5 Points
Embiid made his return in Game 4 just over two weeks removed from his appendectomy. He came out of the gates strong, getting to the line and immediately applying pressure to Boston’s defense. He wasn’t 100%, and his return didn’t give the Sixers enough lift to get them past the Celtics as they fell to Boston 96-128.
Individually, though, Embiid put up 26 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists on 43% shooting from the field. If Embiid can give it a go again tonight in this elimination game, he’ll presumably shoulder a heavy workload once again. Boston also doesn’t seem particularly fazed by his presence. They baited him into taking jumpers, hunted him in space (Embiid was the screener’s defender on 37 ball screens, tied for his second highest total of the season), and didn’t send any early help. If this is the case again tonight, Embiid should be able to get to 26.5 freely.
CJ McCollum Less Than 3.5 Assists
CJ McCollum’s production in this category has mostly lived underneath this 3.5 line. In four games, he’s posted one, six, one, and three assists, underlining his role as mostly a scorer rather than a distributor. He’s taking plenty of shots and not really looking to pass. Furthermore, New York’s defense has made it tough for ball handlers to drive and dish out to the perimeter for threes.
McCollum’s role as a microwave scorer should remain intact tonight. Furthermore, the Knicks only allowed 24.6 APG to opponents in the regular season, which is the fourth fewest in the NBA.
Jalen Brunson Less Than 27.5 Points
There’s a real case for Jalen Brunson to score Less than 27.5 tonight; Atlanta’s making him play in crowds and blitzing him relentlessly. He’s been inefficient for this entire series and has committed key turnovers especially late in Game 4, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels making his life difficult. Brunson’s also averaging just 25.5 PPG, which is a small step down from his regular season average of 26 PPG. If tonight’s game goes similar to Game 4, with the Knicks turning to Karl-Anthony Towns to counter the Hawks’ hounding Brunson, it’s even more likely that Brunson falls below 27.5.
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!
