It’s a quiet slate in the NBA tonight, with only five games on the schedule. Two of my entries will focus on Denver Nuggets star duo Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray as they face the Philadelphia 76ers. However, I’m also expecting Tyrese Maxey to have a solid night as a playmaker.
Elsewhere, Jordan Poole is in line for a standout performance against the Los Angeles Lakers after torching them last season.
Read below my best NBA picks for DraftKings’ Pick6.
DraftKings NBA Pick6 Picks for today
The first three picks are our favorite plays for a 3-player lineup. If you want to play a 6-player lineup, use all six stat projections below.
🔼 Tyler Herro More Than 22.5 Points
🔽 RJ Barrett Less Than 21.5 Points
🔼 Jamal Murray More Than 5.5 Assists
🔼 Nikola Jokic More Than 12.5 Rebounds
🔼 Jordan Poole More Than 19.5 Points
🔼 Tyrese Maxey More Than 6.5 Assist
Click on each pick to read full analysis.
DraftKings NBA Pick6 fantasy basketball lineup for January 21
Tyler Herro 22.5 Points: MORE
Tyler Herro is leading the Miami Heat with a career-best 24 points per game on 40% shooting from 3-point range. He’s scored more than 22.5 points in three of the last five games and finished with 22 the one that didn't clear the total. He hasn’t faced the Portland Trail Blazers once over the two seasons, but there’s reason to believe he’ll show out.
The Kentucky product is averaging 24.1 points per contest in January and just below 25 against Western Conference opponents. Portland is also considered an easier matchup for shooting guards, allowing 23.8 points per night to the position.
RJ Barrett 21.5 Points: LESS
Overall, it’s been an impressive campaign for RJ Barrett as one of the pillars of the Toronto Raptors rebuild. But despite averaging 22.4 PPG, January has been his worst month, scoring just 18.4 points per contest and registering less than 21.5 points in four of his last five.
The ex-Duke Blue Devil faced the Orlando Magic once last season and put up 19 points. He’s in a bit of a cold spell right now and while Barrett can obviously still make an impact, I don’t see him getting to 22 points tonight given his struggles combined with the prospect of facing a top-shelf defense.
Jamal Murray 5.5 Assists: MORE
Jamal Murray is averaging six assists per game, which is second on the Denver Nuggets behind Nikola Jokic. And while he’s only dished out more than 5.5 dimes in two of his previous five outings, his playmaking will be at a high level tonight.
The guard averaged 8.5 assists last season against the Philadelphia 76ers. Philly isn’t great defensively, allowing 29.7 dimes per night across its last three games.
Nikola Jokic 12.5 Rebounds: MORE
What can’t The Joker do? The big man is averaging 13.2 rebounds this season but that has shot up to 14.3 in January. No one can match him on the glass.
He’s brought down more than 12.5 boards in three of the last five games and finished with 12 in the other two. Jokic also dominated the boards last season against Philly, averaging a mind-boggling 17.5 rebounds across two outings.
Jordan Poole 19.5 Points: MORE
The Washington Wizards may be downright terrible, but Jordan Poole is having a nice season with 21.6 PPG on 40% shooting from three. Although Poole has compiled more than 19.5 points just twice in his last five contests, there’s evidence backing him to put up 20+ tonight.
Washington takes on the Los Angeles Lakers tonight and Poole averaged a whopping 31.5 PPG against them in two games last season. On top of that, the guard is averaging of 22.3 points in January.
Tyrese Maxey 6.5 Assists: MORE
Tyrese Maxey is one of the lone bright spots on the struggling Sixers and aside from being their best scorer, he’s also their top facilitator, averaging 5.8 assists per contest. While he’s dished out less than 6.5 dimes in three of the previous five, Denver is dead last in opponent assists allowed.
In one appearance against Jokic & Co. in ‘23-24, Maxey had nine assists. He’s also averaging 6.9 dimes in 10 January appearances.
Jon Metler's DraftKings NBA Pick6 lineup for today
No respect from the graphics team for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The @Pick6 lineup for Tuesday:
— Jon Metler (@JonMetler) January 21, 2025
⬆️ Bub Carrington
⬆️ OG Anunoby
⬆️ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
⬆️ Jerami Grant
⬆️ Tyler Herro
⬆️ Paolo Banchero https://t.co/8d3BoHCESu pic.twitter.com/JiMijSpMu0
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