Core Plays LIVE: NBA DFS Picks for Friday, March 13th

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2026-03-13 20:09:46 Premium Content Part of the product NBA DFS

A daily fantasy sports OG, Notorious has been roaming the DFS streets ever since they were invented. He has racked up multiple live final seats and several six-figure tournament wins in his DFS career. So, who better to walk you through the madness of NBA DFS slates on DraftKings and FanDuel? Core Plays LIVE will zoom out on the slate as a whole, zoom in on the best plays, and constantly update as news breaks. Whether you are diving into the slate 5 hours before it starts or 5 minutes before it starts, you’ve come to the right place.

Happy Friday!

And this is not just any Friday; it’s Friday the 13th. I’ve heard today can be good luck or bad luck. The way I see it, it’s all about your perspective. I’d much rather have some good luck come my way, so that’s what I’m going to believe.

We have 8 games on the schedule, but only the first 5 games are included on the main slates for DraftKings and FanDuel. A lot of the teams on the schedule are playing on the second half of back-to-backs, so I expect it to be a busy day on the injury front.

Let’s dive into the games!

NBA DFS Top Picks on DraftKings and FanDuel: Core Plays LIVE for Friday, March 13th

Slate Overview

• 5-game main slate
  - 7:30 pm ET – New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers
  - 7:30 pm ET – Memphis Grizzlies at Detroit Pistons
  - 7:30 pm ET – Phoenix Suns at Toronto Raptors
  - 7:30 pm ET – Cleveland Cavaliers at Dallas Mavericks
  - 8:00 pm ET – New Orleans Pelicans at Houston Rockets
  - 10:00 pm ET – Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden State Warriors (not on main slate)
  - 10:00 pm ET – Utah Jazz at Portland Trail Blazers (not on main slate)
  - 10:30 pm ET – Chicago Bulls at Los Angeles Clippers (not on main slate)
• NBA DFS Optimizer
• NBA Starting Lineups
• NBA Injury Report
• Scroll to FanDuel and DraftKings Rankings & Core Plays

News Updates

This section will be updated as injury news is released throughout the day.

Team Previews

New York Knicks (at IND)

We kick off tonight’s 5-gamer with the Knicks, who draw a fantastic matchup on the road against the Pacers, who rank 7th in pace and 25th in points allowed per game. Indiana also struggles on the glass, ranking 29th in rebounding rate. The Knicks’ team total is 121 points, which is 3 points higher than their season average. Miles McBride is out, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart are questionable.

We have to keep an eye on the availability of Hart and KAT. If Hart is out, Landry Shamet will likely draw another start. If KAT is out, Mitchell Robinson becomes an elite play in all formats. With both players currently in the projections, there’s not a single player on the roster with a positive RGValue. Jalen Brunson has topped 40 fantasy points in 7 of his last 8 games and has a strong matchup against the Pacers. At less than 10% projected ownership, he’s an intriguing tournament play. The one thing the Pacers do well is defend the 3-point line, so I am going to fade OG Anunoby.

Indiana Pacers (vs. NYK)

The Pacers draw a brutal matchup at home against the Knicks, who rank 23rd in pace and 5th in points allowed per game. Indiana’s team total is only 107 points, which is 4 points lower than their season average. This is a tough spot for the Pacers, and they are trying to tank. This is a back-to-back, so we are still waiting on their injury report. The Situation Room is littered with Indiana players, so we can expect them to be shorthanded.

There’s not much we can do until we get Indiana’s injury report, as there are so many players who could be in or out. As it stands right now, there’s not a single player in LineupHQ with an RGValue better than -3.5, but I fully expect the Pacers to rule out some key players. I’ll provide an update once they post their injury report.

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