I only have a few picks for the NBA slate on Friday, February 6. Normally I break things down with two separate articles, but it doesn’t feel necessary today. So, instead of splitting sides/totals and player props into two pieces, I’m bringing everything under one roof — a streamlined look at my favorite bets for the day’s slate. Keep reading for my NBA picks and predictions for Friday.
RELATED: Check out the Pro Picks page for more selections from our talented VSiN hosts and analysts!
NBA Best Bets Today (Sides/Totals)
Heat +7.5 (-110) vs. Celtics
Heat at Celtics – 7:30 pm ET
The Celtics have won-and-covered in four consecutive games, but I’m taking a shot with the Heat to cover +7.5 tonight — and I would be more than willing to play this at +6.5, which is where the number sits now. Boston has a losing ATS mark when playing as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points under Joe Mazzulla, so this situation hasn’t been too kind to the Celtics. This is also an advantageous rest spot for the Heat, who haven’t played since Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Celtics are playing their third game in four nights.
Miami is also rather healthy coming into this one, as Tyler Herro is really the only contributor that’ll be missing. On top of that, the Heat locker room should be in a better place with the trade deadline having passed. Miami was rumored to be in on Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant, but the team didn’t end up doing anything.
This just should be a game in which both teams are running up and down the floor, gunning up shots at a rapid pace. And I think the Heat have what it takes to hang around in a shootout.
Knicks ML (-115 – 1.5 units) vs. Pistons
Knicks at Pistons – 7:30 pm ET
The Knicks are scorching hot at the moment. New York carries an eight-game winning streak into this one, and the team’s metrics are outrageous recently. Over the course of the winning streak, the Knicks are No. 1 in the NBA in offensive rating (121.1) and defensive rating (98.5). Both of those numbers would also be league-best marks over the course of the entire season.
With New York playing this well, it’s hard to go against the group tonight. Detroit is playing the second leg of a back-to-back, and Jalen Duren had to leave last night’s game with right knee soreness. With that in mind, while both teams are getting ready to play for the third time in four nights, it’s the Knicks that had last night to rest. That should mean that they’ll be the hotter and healthier team entering this one.
New York also happens to have a crunch-time performer that can hang with Cade Cunningham, as Jalen Brunson is an absolute killer late. That should be a factor if this one is tight with five minutes to go.
NBA Player Props Today
Ryan Rollins Over 25.5 Points + Assists (-110) vs. Pacers
Pacers at Bucks – 8:00 pm ET
I will eventually stop going Over on Rollins’ combined points and assists total, but tonight isn’t the night. Rollins is coming off a game in which he had 27 points and four assists against the Pelicans, and his usage rate was up at 28.7%. That was an encouraging sign with Kevin Porter Jr. back in the lineup for Milwaukee. Most of Rollins’ big games this season have come with Porter and Giannis Antetokounmpo out, but the presence of just one of them has cut into his workload a ton. Well, not last game.
I just have a feeling the Bucks know how important it is to continue investing in the development of Rollins, as he can be a big piece of the puzzle when it comes to keeping Antetokounmpo around long term.
Tonight, Rollins is going up against a Pacers team that happens to be miserable defensively — and won’t have their new rim protector, Ivica Zubac, just yet. Indiana is 23rd in the league defending at the rim, where Rollins scores 31% of his points. The Pacers are also 26th in the league defending pick-and-roll ball handlers, and they put opponents on the free throw line a lot. Rollins can take advantage of all of that as a scorer, and he can also do some good work as a disher.
This is just too low of a number considering Rollins has had at least 28 combined points and assists in four of the last five games.
Additional Plays (Late Adds, Parlays, Teasers, Futures)
Nothing yet.
2025-26 NBA Record: 323-308 (+3.81 units)
