NBA DFS Pickem: The Ultimate Guide

NBA Fantasy Pick’em games are growing in popularity, with the option to win real money every single gameday based on higher/lower picks. SportsMillions allows you to make NBA DFS picks on every single NBA game during the regular and post-season.

Here we are going to show you exactly how to play NBA pick’em, along with tips for success and an explanation of every higher/lower market available at SportsMillions. What’s more, we will give you guides on past performances so that you can make an educated pick on those markets.

Let’s start with a step-by-step beginner’s guide to NBA Fantasy Pick’em.

How to Play NBA Pick’em at SportsMillions

Making your NBA Fantasy picks is quick and easy, as we will explain right here. We will spend a little more time later on in the article on each of the higher/lower picks you can make, but first here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started with fantasy basketball picks:

1. Create a free SportsMillions account in a couple of minutes.
2. Claim your welcome offer.
3. Deposit funds to your account by credit/debit card.
4. Choose Pick’em if it is available in your state.
5. Select NBA from the list of sports available.
6. Choose teams or players.
7. Make Higher/Lower picks – minimum of 2 picks to a maximum of 12 for a x1500 payout.
8. Go to My Entries to follow your basketball picks live after the games start.
9. Winning amounts will automatically be credited to your SportsMillions account.

NBA Fantasy Pick’em Tips

In order to succeed at making your NBA picks we’ve got a few tips to share ahead of choosing your higher/lower pick. NBA Daily Fantasy Sports picks involve a variety of factors, and we will go through the different market options in the next section. Before then, let’s look at some of the ways you can improve your chances of landing a payout:

1.     Do Your Research

Before you make your picks, check out the form of the teams and players you are considering, including how these teams have fared against each other in recent times. There are plenty of stats out there related to team and player scoring and defense which will help to guide your picks.

2.     Stay on Top of Injury Reports

Player injuries have a major impact on how they perform on the court. A player coming back from injury may be less than 100%, while if other players are out injured it gives the opportunity for backups to make higher than average scores.

3.     Bundle Your Picks

If you are confident about the result of a particular game, this can be an opportunity to bundle related picks. A player on a hot streak can be a good pick to score well on a number of related stats, which will also improve your chances of successfully hitting on those pick’em picks.

4.     Use the Flex Option

The Flex option gives you a little breathing space with your NBA picks. Selecting this features means that even if one of your picks doesn’t come in, you can still claim a win overall. Of course if you are feeling good about all your choices then go with the Fixed Play option for a bigger potential payout.

5.     Look Out for Promotions

When playing NBA DFS Pick’em at SportsMillions you will often be able to take advantage of promos to boost your chances. These can range from free picks to boosted odds, so make sure to check out the promotion page so that you don’t miss out on a sweet deal.

Higher/Lower Fantasy NBA Pick’em Options:

When you play DFS Basketball Pick’em at SportsMillions you are given a number of different markets which apply to a player or team. We are going to go through each of these options for NBA pick’em and give you a little form guide based on performances in last year’s NBA season.

Assists:

• Look at a player’s role in distributing the ball and the matchup’s pace. Primary playmakers and point guards typically accumulate more assists, especially if their team is facing a weaker defensive unit or a team that allows a high number of points. Faster-paced games often result in more scoring and more assists, meaning the higher pick’em option is the best choice.

Form Guide: We have used data from StatMuse for these form guides, starting with the average assists per game by position in the NBA 2023/24 regular season:

Position	Assists per Game
Point Guard	4.25
Shooting Guard	2.52
Small Forward	2.12
Power Forward	1.74
Center	1.89

Point guards are the main playmakers of most NBA teams and tend to lead in assists per game as a result, with frontcourt players doing less well in this stat.

Blocked Shots:

• Power forwards and centers are the positions to look for here, as these players tend to form the last line of defense. You won’t always find this stat available in NBA Fantasy Pick’em but when it is there, you are often looking at picking higher or lower than 0.5

Form Guide: Here are the regular season numbers for the amount of blocked shots per game, broken down by position.

Position	Blocks per Game
Point Guard	0.28
Shooting Guard	0.33
Small Forward	0.40
Power Forward	0.63
Center	0.90

Centers and power forwards generally play closer to the basket, meaning that they tend to block more shots.

Points:

• This is the main statistic that Pick’em players will be looking for, as they try to estimate how many points a player will score during a game. Pick higher or lower according to how you predict your chosen player will perform on the night.

Form Guide: During the 2023-24 NBA regular season, the average points per game (PPG) by position for regular starters looked like this:

Position	Average PPG
Point Guard	11.8
Shooting Guard	10.8
Small Forward	10.6
Power Forward	9.9
Center	10.1

These statistics reflect the scoring distribution among different positions throughout the season, with Point Guards tending to score more points per game.

Rebounds:

• Evaluate a player’s rebounding role, especially if they play near the basket, and consider the opponent’s size and rebounding efficiency. Players facing teams with weak interior defense or lacking strong rebounders are often in a good spot to exceed their rebounding average. Also, fast-paced games with lots of missed shots tend to offer more rebounding chances.

Form Guide: Here’s a breakdown of rebounds made during the 2023/24 season by player position:

Position	Rebounds per Game
Point Guard	3.03
Shooting Guard	2.96
Small Forward	3.87
Power Forward	4.74
Center	6.62

These statistics highlight that centers and power forwards, typically positioned near the basket, secured the most rebounds per game, while guards averaged fewer rebounds.

Steals:

• When predicting steals, assess a player’s defensive prowess and the opponent’s turnover tendencies. High-energy defenders tend to rack up steals, especially against teams with weak ball handlers. Additionally, consider game flow and matchup; faster-paced games with aggressive defense often yield more steal opportunities.

Form Guide: Check out this table to see the average numbers of steals per game, broken down by position:

Position	Steals per Game
Point Guard	0.87
Shooting Guard	0.71
Small Forward	0.72
Power Forward	0.59
Center	0.58

These figures indicate that point guards led in average steals per game, reflecting their active defensive roles on the perimeter.

Three Pointers Made:

• Take into account a player’s recent shooting performance, his role in the offense, and the opposing team’s three-point defense. Some players thrive against weak perimeter defenses, while others may struggle against teams that defend the arc well. Also, take into account factors like recent streaks, injuries, or matchups that might impact shot attempts.

Form Guide: During the 2023-24 NBA regular season, the average three-pointers made per game by position were as follows:

Position	3-Pointers Made per Game
Point Guard	1.5
Shooting Guard	1.5
Small Forward	1.3
Power Forward	0.9
Center	0.4

Turnovers:

• For turnovers, focus on a player’s ball-handling role and the defensive strength of the opposing team. Primary playmakers tend to have more turnovers, especially when facing teams that pressure the ball or play at a fast pace. Younger players or those facing elite defenders may be more likely to commit turnovers as well.

Form Guide: The average turnovers per game by position in 2023/24 looked like this:

Position	Turnovers per Game
Point Guard	1.5
Shooting Guard	1.1
Small Forward	1.1
Power Forward	1.1
Center	1.2

These figures indicate that point guards, who typically handle the ball more frequently, averaged the most turnovers per game, while other positions had slightly fewer turnovers

Statistics Guide for NBA Fantasy Picks

In the following table we take a look at selected average stats averaged out over the 2023/24 NBA Regular Season. Individual player statistics will vary but this should help you to get an idea of what to expect from teams ahead of a game week.

Statistic	Average (per Team)
Assists	25.5
Blocked Shots	5
Points	114.2
Rebounds	44
Steals	7.5
Three Pointers Made	12.5
Turnovers	14

NBA Fantasy Pick’em FAQs:

Q: What happens if one of my players gets injured?

• If one of your players is injured and is unable to start the game then this stat will be removed from your picks at SportsMillions. So if you had made 7 picks, this will be reduced to 6 valid picks. This situation is commonly known as DNP, meaning ‘Did Not Play’ and so the player does not count towards your picks.

Q: Can I change my picks before the game tips off?

• Once you have made your NBA picks and clicked the ‘Play’ button they cannot be changed or cancelled.

Q: How many NBA Fantasy picks can I make?

• You must make at least 2 picks (for a x3 payout) up to a maximum of 12 picks (for a x1500 payout) or anything in between.

Q: Does every pick need to be correct to win?

• You can choose Fixed Play or Flex Play (if this option is available). With Fixed Play all of your NBA picks must be correct to pay out, and with Flex Play one pick can be incorrect and you still win a payout.

Q: Can I pick a mixture of different sports?

• Yes, your pick can include different games, players and sports. This means you can combine your NBA pick(s) with – for example – NFL or NHL picks.

Q: Is NBA Fantasy Pick’em available in my state?

• If you are located in one of the following stakes then you can play the SportsMillions NBA Pick’em game: Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin.