Friday's NBA slate brings a compelling mix of home-court trends, hot streaks and injury-driven opportunities that should shape your DFS strategy. With teams like the Celtics, Knicks and Timberwolves thriving at home and several key stars ruled out or listed as questionable, lineup construction will hinge on monitoring late news and exploiting favorable matchups. Below, I break down the slate overview, injuries to monitor and the top DFS targets — including elite plays, expected chalk, mid-range values and salary-saving options — to help you gain an edge on DraftKings tonight.
Slate Overview
MIA at BOS: Heat 11-15 on road; Celtics 16-8 at home
NYK at DET: Knicks on eight-game win streak; Pistons 20-6 at home
IND at MIL: Pacers 3-20 on road; Bucks on two-game win streak
NOP at MIN: Pelicans on three-game slide; Timberwolves 17-8 at home
For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks, articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
Injuries to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
MIA - Tyler Herro (ribs): OUT
NYK - Jose Alvarado (not injury related), Josh Hart (ankle), Karl-Anthony Towns (eye): Questionable; Miles McBride (abdomen): OUT
DET - Jalen Duren (knee), Tobias Harris (hip): Questionable
IND - Ivica Zubac (personal): OUT
MIL - Bobby Portis (hip), Gary Harris (hamstring): Questionable; Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf): OUT
MIN - Ayo Dosunmu (quadriceps), Julius Randle (thumb): Questionable
Elite Players
Guards
Derrick White, Celtics 
($8,200) vs. Heat
White topped 40 DK points in two of the last three games, including delivering a 28-point performance in his most recent outing. He has a good chance to keep the momentum going against the Heat, who are shorthanded in the backcourt, and who give up the league's fourth-most points and second-most rebounds to opposing point guards. He did struggle in his previous meeting with the Heat, but amassed 60.3 DK points in their prior encounter.
Cade Cunningham, Pistons 
($10,200) vs. Knicks
Cunningham topped 50 DK points in three of the last four games, averaging 26.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks over that span. He faces a tough matchup against a rolling Knicks squad, but he managed 58.8 DK points in their last encounter and should continue to lead the charge for his side.
Forwards/Centers
Jaylen Brown, Celtics ($9,700) vs. Heat
Brown missed the last game but is expected back in action against the Heat. He topped 52 DK points in his last two appearances and is averaging 29.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals over 10 games. He should do well against the Heat, who are giving up the league's sixth-most points per game to opposing small forwards. He is also averaging 28.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists over two encounters with the Heat this season.
Pascal Siakam, Pacers 
($8,800) at Bucks
Siakam is expected back in the lineup after missing the last game, and he has a great chance to shine against the Bucks in the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Siakam is averaging 23.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 0.8 blocks over his last five outings, including a high of 50.3 DK points.
Nikola Vucevic, Celtics ($7,600) vs. Heat
Vucevic is expected to make his debut for the Celtics and will likely be featured as an offensive hub, where he should rack up numbers across the board. He is averaging 16.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists on the season but has not had too much success against the Heat this season. Nonetheless, he should have a shot at some better luck with his new squad.
Expected Chalk
Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves 
($9,500) vs. Pelicans
Edwards has reached the 30-point mark in three straight games, averaging 34.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals over that span. He is up for an ideal opportunity to shine against the Pelicans, who give up the league's most points per game to opposing shooting guards. He is also averaging 27.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 blocks over his two previous meetings with the Pelicans this season.
Mid-Range Money
Jarace Walker, Pacers ($5,700) at Bucks
Walker has started in five of the last six games, averaging 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals over that span. He is expected to be back in a bench role against the Bucks, but he should continue to see a good amount of playing time, as his squad is short a couple of frontcourt players. He also faces an advantageous matchup against the Bucks' shorthanded frontcourt.
Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves ($6,500) vs. Pelicans
Gobert continues to deliver steady production in his role, averaging 9.2 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.4 blocks over the last five games. He has a great opportunity to shine against the Pelicans, who are giving up the league's sixth-most points and fifth-most rebounds to opposing centers.
Value Picks
Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans 
($3,800) at Timberwolves
Fears has played out of a bench role for the last seven games but is averaging 9.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 steals over that span, including three games with at least 24 DK points. He should find room to deliver solid production against the Timberwolves, who are giving up the league's second-most points per game to opposing point guards.
Herbert Jones, Pelicans ($4,800) at Timberwolves
Jones is averaging 8.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks over seven games since returning from a two-week absence. He faces a tough matchup against the Timberwolves but will likely be a key part of the gameplan to slow down Anthony Edwards.
Ronald Holland, Pistons ($4,100) vs. Knicks
Holland is playing well lately, averaging 7.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals over the last 10 games, including racking up a high of 32.0 DK points in the most recent outing. He faces a challenge against a solid Knicks' frontcourt, but his tendency to bring great energy to the floor should ensure he continues to deliver good value.
