The NBA is back in business on Thursday, February 20, with nine games across the Association's slate. Two of my entries include the star duo from the New York Knicks in Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson, while I’ll also pinpoint the likes of Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey.
Read below 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.
🔼 Karl-Amthony Towns more than 28.5 points
🔽 Jalen Brunson less than 8.5 assists
🔼 Jayson Tatum more than 26.5 points
🔼 Tyrese Maxey more than 3.5 threes
🔽 Trae Young less than 9.5 assists
🔼 Joel Embiid more than 26.5 points
Click on each pick to read full analysis.
DraftKings NBA Pick6 fantasy basketball lineup for February 20
Karl-Anthony Towns 28.5 points: MORE
Karl-Anthony Towns was on a heater before the All-Star break, scoring more than 28.5 points in back-to-back games. But it’s not like he barely surpassed his total, KAT crushed it, dropping 44 on the Hawks and another 40 against the Pacers.
As for tonight’s opponent, the Chicago Bulls, Towns has scored a whopping 90 points against them this season across two meetings. They have no answer for KAT and he comes into this one well-rested after the break.
Jalen Brunson 8.5 assists: LESS
Jalen Brunson is having another impressive season overall and he serves as the New York Knicks' primary facilitator. The guard is averaging 7.5 assists, but he’s dished out less than 8.5 dimes in four consecutive appearances.
He’s also failed to clear eight assists against the Bulls in 2024-25. This total is too high for my liking, especially because Brunson is also averaging seven assists in February.
Jayson Tatum 26.5 points: MORE
Jayson Tatum is averaging 27 PPG this season and just represented the Boston Celtics in the All-Star Game. He’s registered more than 26.5 points in three straight games, scoring 32, 33, and 40, respectively. Tatum also plays very well against tonight’s opponent, the struggling Philadelphia 76ers.
In two appearances versus Philadelphia, he’s averaging 33.5 points. The Sixers are having a brutal campaign and Tatum has historically always played solid basketball against them. He’s also averaging 28.8 points on the road compared to 25.2 at home.
Tyrese Maxey 3.5 threes: MORE
Since Joel Embiid has been hurt for a lot of the season, Tyrese Maxey has served as the main star in the City of Brotherly Love. Despite their poor record, he’s averaging an impressive 27.6 PPG on 34.6% shooting from deep. We’ll focus on Maxey’s 3-point shooting here.
The guard is averaging 3.3 makes on 9.6 attempts per night but has drained an average of 3.5 in February. Maxey has also averaged four makes on 8.5 attempts from downtown against the Celtics this season.
Trae Young 9.5 assists: LESS
Trae Young is having his best season to date as a passer, averaging an NBA-best 11.5 assists per game. But, he’s dished out less than 9.5 dimes in three of his last six, and the Hawks are up against a respectable defensive opponent tonight — the Orlando Magic.
Orlando is second in the Association in fewest assists allowed per contest and Ice Trae had just eight assists against them earlier in the season. The Magic are also holding point guards to only 8.1 dimes per night. They’ll limit Young’s production as a facilitator.
Joel Embiid 26.5 points: MORE
Embiid is finally back and healthy, which is great news for the Sixers. While a late playoff run seems unlikely, having him on the court helps. In 17 games, he’s averaging 24.9 points and did already face the Celtics this season, putting up 27 points.
The Cameroonian has scored more than 26.5 points in three of his last four games since returning from injury. After a week’s rest, Embiid should come in here at his best versus a superior opponent who he knows well.
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