There is only one game tonight in the Association as the Charlotte Hornets visit Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Doncic will be included in my entries, along with the likes of LaMelo Ball, Austin Reaves, and Miles Bridges. We’ll stay away from LeBron James, though, since he’s listed as questionable.
Keep reading for my 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.
🔽 Luka Doncic less than 26.5 points
🔽 Miles Bridges less than 21.5 points
🔼 Austin Reaves more than 21.5 points
🔽 LaMelo Ball less than 3.5 threes
🔼 Rui Hachimura more than 4.5 rebounds
🔼 Nick Smith Jr. more than 11.5 points
Click on each pick to read full analysis.
DraftKings NBA Pick6 fantasy basketball lineup for February 19
Luka Doncic 26.5 points: LESS
JJ Redick said on Tuesday that Luka Doncic will have no minutes restriction moving forward after fully recovering from a calf injury. The newly acquired guard has played in just two games so far for the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 23 minutes and 15 points per game.
Even though he’ll likely surpass 30+ minutes here, I haven’t seen enough of Doncic in this LA system to believe he’ll score more than 26 points tonight. There’s no question he will find his rhythm offensively sooner rather than later, but it’ll take more time.
Miles Bridges 21.5 points: LESS
Miles Bridges stepped up in a big way when LaMelo Ball was injured, but the guard is back now and the 26-year-old wasn’t playing that well before the All-Star break. The forward has registered less than 21.5 points in three of his last five outings, scoring just 19 and seven points across his previous two games.
While he did drop 26 against the Lakers earlier in the season, his workload isn’t going to be as large with Ball in the lineup and Los Angeles has a respectable defensive unit. Bridges is also averaging 18.1 PPG on the road compared to 20.9 at home.
Austin Reaves 21.5 points: MORE
Austin Reaves is having a career year, starting 47 games and averaging 19.1 points. He’s carved out a nice role under Redick and was playing well before the All-Star festivities in the Bay Area.
The guard has scored more than 21.5 points in three of his last five, even erupting for 45 points on February 8. Reaves averages 20.6 PPG at home compared to 17.5 on the road and also scores just under 21 points per game against Eastern Conference opponents.
LaMelo Ball 3.5 threes: LESS
Ball can do it all on the hardwood. While playmaking is arguably his biggest strength, LaMelo shoots the rock relatively well from downtown, too. He’s averaging four triples on 11.9 attempts for a 34% clip. However, Ball is averaging only 2.5 makes from deep in February so far.
On top of that, the Lakers are fantastic at defending the perimeter, holding opponents to a 35.4% clip from beyond the arc and just 32.8% across their last three games as well.
Rui Hachimura 4.5 rebounds: MORE
Rui Hachimura is having one of his best seasons as a rebounder, averaging 5.2 per night. He’s a physical presence down low and has grabbed more than 4.5 boards in three of his last five appearances for the Lakers.
The Charlotte Hornets rank toward the bottom of the NBA in most rebounds allowed and Hachimura is averaging over five per game against East teams.
Nick Smith Jr. 11.5 points: MORE
Nick Smith Jr. stepped into the Charlotte starting lineup in mid-January and has flourished in his new role. In six February games (all starts), Smith is averaging 16.7 PPG while averaging over 30 minutes per contest.
The 20-year-old has registered more than 11.5 points in four of his last five. The only reason he only had two points in the final game before the All-Star break is because he was ejected after just 16 minutes of action. He’ll benefit from the increased workload again tonight.
Jon Metler's DraftKings NBA Pick6 lineup for today
Check back later for Jon's lineup.
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