Thursday's five-game DraftKings slate is filled with injury-driven value and also features a marquee matchup between two of the East's top teams, the Celtics and Knicks. Jayson Tatum will look to lead Boston in his return to Madison Square Garden, while players like Julian Reese and Leonard Miller will aim to capitalize on expanded roles. In this article, I'll highlight Thursday's top plays and value options to help you build winning lineups.
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DraftKings Main Slate NBA Games Today
CHI at WAS: Bulls 12-27 on road; Wizards on seven-game slide, 11-28 at home
MIA at TOR: Heat 16-23 on road; Raptors 22-17 at home
IND at BKN: Pacers on three-game slide, 7-33 on road; Nets 12-28 at home
BOS at NY: Celtics on four-game winning streak, 26-14 on road; Knicks on three-game winning streak, 28-9 at home
PHI at HOU: 76ers 21-18 on road; Rockets on seven-game winning streak, 28-10 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.
NBA Injury Report Today
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
CHI - Collin Sexton (finger), Patrick Williams (thumb), Lachlan Olbrich (foot): Probable; Josh Giddey (hamstring), Anfernee Simons (wrist), Nick Richards (elbow), Isaac Okoro (quadriceps), Matas Buzelis (illness): OUT
WAS - Alex Sarr (toe), Tre Johnson (foot), Bilal Coulibaly (heel), Jaden Hardy (back), Tristan Vukcevic (knee): OUT
MIA - Dru Smith (foot): Questionable; Nikola Jovic (ankle): OUT
TOR - Trayce Jackson-Davis (illness): OUT
IND - Jarace Walker (back), Kobe Brown (back), Ben Sheppard (hip): Questionable; Pascal Siakam (ankle), T.J. McConnell (hamstring), Andrew Nembhard (back), Aaron Nesmith (neck): Out
BKN - Nic Claxton (finger), Terance Mann (knee), Ziaire Williams (foot), Josh Minott (ankle), Noah Clowney (ankle), Nolan Traore (rest): OUT
BOS - Derrick White (knee), Neemias Queta (toe): Questionable; Jaylen Brown (Achilles): OUT
NY - Tyler Kolek (oblique): OUT
PHI - Joel Embiid (illness): OUT
HOU - Tari Eason (illness): Questionable
Elite NBA DFS Players
Guards
Tyrese Maxey, 76ers 
($9,500) at Rockets
Maxey hasn't lived up to his high standards over the past two games but will aim to bounce back versus the Rockets, against whom he recorded 60.5 DK points in a Jan. 22 win. The star point guard has generated 43.5 or more DK points in four of his last six outings, during which he has averaged 22.7 points, 7.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds across 38.2 minutes per game.
Amen Thompson, Rockets 
($7,800) vs. 76ers
Thompson has tallied at least 37.5 DK points in seven of the last eight games, during which he has averaged 17.4 points, 7.4 assists, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 combined steals-plus-blocks per contest. The third-year guard finished with 43.5 DK points against the 76ers on Jan. 22.
Forwards/Centers
Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks 
($9,100) vs. Celtics
Towns has logged 52.0-plus DK points in back-to-back outings and at least 41.5 in seven of his last nine. Over the latter span, the star big man has averaged 20.7 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 29.1 minutes per tilt. In his last game against Boston at Madison Square Garden, Towns recorded 51.8 DK points.
Alperen Sengun, Rockets ($8,600) vs. 76ers
Sengun has supplied 37.0 or more DK points in all but one of his last 12 outings, averaging 22.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.2 combined steals-plus-blocks per game over that stretch. In the Jan. 22 loss to Philadelphia, the star big man closed with 43.0 DK points.
Paul George, 76ers ($8,300) at Rockets
George has impressed since returning from a 25-game suspension, averaging 24.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.9 steals in 33.0 minutes per tilt over the last seven games. He has chipped in at least 36.3 DK points in five of those outings and at least 48.0 in four of them.
Expected NBA DFS Chalk
Jayson Tatum, Celtics 
($10,000) at Knicks
The star forward will play at Madison Square Garden for the first time since rupturing his Achilles in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals last spring, and with Jaylen Brown (Achilles) sidelined, Tatum will likely see increased usage. The 28-year-old has racked up between 50.0 and 73.5 DK points in six of his last seven appearances, averaging 24.4 points, 10.9 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 2.0 combined steals-plus-blocks in 34.9 minutes per game over that stretch.
Mid-Range NBA DFS Picks
Julian Reese, Wizards 
($6,000) vs. Bulls
Reese has started back-to-back games for Washington, including Tuesday's loss to Chicago in which he posted a double-double and 46.3 DK points. The two-way player is in line to run with the first unit again Thursday and has tallied 30.5 to 51.3 DK points in four straight starts, during which he has averaged 17.0 points, 14.3 rebounds, 2.8 combined steals-plus-blocks and 2.3 assists in 37.3 minutes per showing.
Leonard Miller, Bulls 
($5,300) at Wizards
Miller has seen significant playing time of late and is in line to draw a third consecutive start in the absence of Matas Buzelis (illness). Miller has contributed between 20.5 and 40.0 DK points in five straight games, averaging 15.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.8 blocks in 26.6 minutes per contest during that stretch.
NBA DFS Value Picks
Jalen Slawson, Pacers 
($4,500) at Nets
The Pacers are rolling out an extensive injury report heading into Thursday's contest, opening the door for Slawson to retain a significant role. The two-way player has logged at least 24 minutes in each of his last three appearances, registering 35.5, 34.5 and 20.0 DK points in that span.
E.J. Liddell, Nets 
($4,500) vs. Pacers
Liddell has started back-to-back games for Brooklyn and is likely to remain in an expanded role with the club being extremely shorthanded Thursday. The 25-year-old forward has dropped 27.8 and 30.5 DK points while averaging 18.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 blocks in 25.5 minutes per tilt in those two starts.
Trevon Scott, Nets ($3,900) vs. Pacers
While head coach Jordi Fernandez could opt to switch up the rotation, Scott is still likely to see meaningful playing time for the injury-plagued Nets. The 29-year-old forward has appeared in three games (one start) since signing a 10-day pact with Brooklyn, and he has played at least 28 minutes in each of the last two, posting 24.5 and 27.3 DK points in those two outings.
