Sean Barnard makes his DraftKings Pick6 selections for the December 30th slate of NBA games.
There are seven games on the NBA schedule tonight. This includes three games in the late slate as there will be a heavy dose of West Coast action tonight.
Starting at 7:00 p.m. ET, the Washington Wizards will host the New York Knicks, while the Chicago Bulls face the Charlotte Hornets. In addition, the Nuggets will play the Jazz, and the Pelicans will host the Clippers. Then in the 10:00 p.m. ET window, the Warriors will play the Cavaliers, the 76ers will face the Trail Blazers, and the Kings will host the Mavericks.
With plenty of available games and players to choose from, tonight is a great chance to get involved in the action. One of the more unique features on DraftKings this year is Pick6 Fantasy Basketball!
This article will look at my top Pick6 plays for December 30th. We simply choose whether a player will record more or less of the set statistic. Here are my six favorite plays for Monday night’s action.
Carlton ‘Bub’ Carrington Less Than 8.5 Points
The Washington Wizards are inching in the right direction as an organization. It will not translate to many wins this season, but Washington added several exciting young players on the proper developmental path. This has provided a spark to the organization and led to a much better product on the floor. Carlton ‘Bub’ Carrington is a huge part of this after being drafted with the 14th overall pick.
Through the opening 29 games, Carrington is averaging 9.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists across his 29.8 minutes per game. There are some exciting signs of progress from Carrington this season, but there will be ups and downs for the rookie. Expect this to occur tonight as the Wizards face a scrappy Knicks team.
New York ranks eighth in scoring and seventh in opponents points per game this season. The Knicks also rank 26th in pace while the Wizards are fourth in this category. This will be a home game for Washington, but they have struggled at home this season. Carrington has shot just 40.1% from the field and 37.1% at home. The Pittsburgh product is coming off a 17-point performance in his last game, but this was his highest scoring output since November 18th. He has been held to less than 8.5 points 13 times this season, including five of the past eight games. Expect the New York defense to be bothersome and for Carrington to be held to less than 8.5 points tonight.
Joel Embiid More Than 1.5 Made Three-Pointers
The Philadelphia 76ers look to have finally turned a corner after a frustrating start. They enter tonight’s matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers on a three-game winning streak, having won nine of their past 12 games. While there is still work to be done to pull themselves out of the hole that was created with their 3-14 start, Philadelphia finally has some reason for optimism.
Joel Embiid’s availability has been directly tied to this as he has only played 10 games this year. While he is officially listed as questionable with a foot sprain and sinus fracture, Embiid has played three consecutive games leading into this matchup with the same ailments. In the 10 games Embiid has played, he is averaging 22.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. These are extremely mild outputs compared to Embiid’s sky-high standards, but the Sixers superstar is beginning to settle in.
One area where Embiid has shown increased willingness is from behind the three-point arc. He is attempting a career-high 4.2 three-point attempts per game so far. While Embiid has connected on just 28.6% of these long-range attempts, he is a career 34.0% three-point shooter and went four-of-five on three-point attempts against the Celtics on Christmas. He has attempted four or more three-pointers in eight of the 10 games, and the Trail Blazers rank 27th in opponent three-point percentage allowed. Embiid has been calculated and careful in limiting high-risk opportunities on his body when he has been on the floor. Expect him to be comfortable remaining on the perimeter in a game the Sixers should control, and for the big man to knock down two or more three-pointers.
Walker Kessler Less Than 11.5 Rebounds
Third-year big man Walker Kessler has begun to carve out a nice role for himself in Utah. Through 24 games, Kessler is averaging 10.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game. He is an interesting player who still struggles when forced to guard in space but has found a clear lane where he uses his talents to impact the game positively.
Unfortunately, tonight will be about as difficult of a matchup as Kessler could have. The Jazz face the Denver Nuggets led by Nikola Jokic, who is playing at an MVP level once again. Jokic is tied for third in the NBA in rebounds with 12.5 per game. He also is adding 30.8 points and 9.5 assists which also each rank in the top-three in the NBA.
It is not often that Walker Kessler is not the best rebounder on the floor, but this will be the case tonight. Looking at his rebounding output, Kessler has been held to less than 11.5 rebounds in 15 of the 24 games he has played. This will be the eighth matchup between Kessler and Jokic so far in their careers, with Kessler being held to less than 11.5 rebounds in four of the seven games. The Auburn product has eclipsed this total twice already this season against Jokic, but with the three-time MVP seeming to be on a tear, expect different results tonight.
Dennis Schroder More Than 16.5 Points & Assists
The Golden State Warriors are doing everything possible to stay afloat and remain contenders in a difficult Western Conference. While Father Time continues to chase down Steph Curry, the organization made a recent trade to bring in Dennis Schroder in their latest effort to improve. The former Nets guard was off to an excellent start to the season and averaged 18.4 points and 6.6 assists across the first 23 games. Tonight marks his seventh game with the Warriors and he has yet to fully settle in.
The Warriors face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight. While the Cavaliers have held the best record in the league from start to finish this year, their ability to defend guards is one of the biggest concerns for the team. Cleveland also plays at the eighth-fastest pace, which should lead to some additional offensive opportunities.
Schroder has shot the ball uncharacteristically poorly thus far with the Warriors. Across his first six games, he is shooting just 28.6% from the field and 16.7% from beyond the arc. He is still settling into his role with the team, but there is a clear need for his skill set. Schroder saw his most expanded opportunity on the floor last game and clocked 33:38 of game action. Expect his shooting splits to begin to normalize and for Schroder to be heavily involved in Golden State’s offense. Don’t be surprised if this is his best performance with the Warriors thus far, and watch for Schroder to record more than 16.5 points and assists in the process.
Mark Williams More Than 22.5 Points & Rebounds
Injuries have unfortunately been the story of Mark Williams’ NBA career thus far. The Duke product was limited to just 43 games his rookie season, 19 games last year, and missed the first 20 games of this season due to a foot injury. The flashes of his ability have been clear when he has been on the floor, especially when paired with LaMelo Ball, but his lack of availability has been frustrating for all parties.
Through the opening nine games Williams has played, he is averaging 11.1 points and 6.7 rebounds across just 16.7 minutes per game. The Hornets have been gradually scaling up his minutes, with Williams logging 22+ minutes in the past two games. The former 15th overall pick has recorded more than 22.5 combined points and rebounds twice, even with the limited minutes. He is still building toward last season’s averages of 12.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.
Charlotte is set to face off with the Chicago Bulls, which creates a favorable matchup for Williams. Nikola Vucevic will be his primary defender. While Vucevic is in the midst of a great season himself, Williams possesses a level of athleticism and verticality that Vucevic will be unable to match. Opposing centers are averaging 6.9 field goals per game against Vucevic this season, which is among the league-worst rates for big men. Chicago also has been playing at the third-fastest pace, which should increase the offensive opportunity and fits Williams’ preferred style of play. Look for Williams to make his presence felt as a lob threat and in transition with a chance at his best statistical output since returning. Look for him to record more than 22.5 combined points and rebounds and to have an impactful role in tonight’s game.
Paul George More Than 17.5 Points
The Philadelphia 76ers made a massive splash this offseason signing Paul George to a max contract. It has not been the exact hand-in-glove fit that was hoped, with both George and the Sixers as a team facing some significant bumps in the road at the start of the season. George suffered two bone bruises in his knee which caused him to miss some time, and play with a bulky knee brace on a minutes restriction when he returned. The nine-time All-Star has returned to 100% from a health perspective but is still attempting to fully find his stride on the court.
Through his first 19 games with the Sixers, George is averaging 15.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. He has shined defensively but shot well below his averages, connecting on just 40.3% of his field goal attempts and 31.4% from beyond the three-point arc. Getting George going offensively has consistently been a talking point around the Sixers organization, and this matchup with the Trail Blazers tonight is a great chance to make it happen.
Portland ranks 25th in opponent points per game and 27th in opponent field goal percentage. George has still recorded more than 17.5 points per game in seven games this season, even with the shooting struggles. Expect the Sixers to make a conscious effort to grow his role in the offense and get George on the right track. Assuming Embiid also suits up, tonight will make just the fifth time this season that Embiid, George, and Tyrese Maxey have started and finished a game together. Look for George to drop more than 17.5 points against an inferior opponent as he continues to settle into his offensive role.
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.
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.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
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