NBA Winners From Downtown: 1-8-16

Winners From Downtown is bringing the top daily picks for your cash games, alongside some value plays, and Vegas notes. Be sure to check out our minutes tool, and Colossus lineup optimizer.

Projections show DraftKings prices and fantasy points.

Vegas Notes

- Lakers-Thunder is the obvious blowout tonight, as both matchups have been this season. OKC has won by an average of 37.5 points in the prior two matchups. No need to pay up for any Thunder players in cash tonight. Cavs-Wolves, and Spurs-Knicks are other blowout potential games.

- Warriors-Blazers is the highest projected scoring game tonight (213), and the Warriors are 9 point favorites. This one should stay competitive, and be a hotbed for fantasy points.

- Pelicans-Pacers, Bucks-Mavs, and Raptors-Wizards are the three other games with close spreads, and high totals. All six teams are on my radar tonight.

Top Picks

Salary: FD: $8,900 DK: $8,400

Point guard is loaded tonight, and you can't go wrong with many of them. John Wall and Kyle Lowry are two top guns tonight, and how can you turn down Kyrie Irving with that DK price? ($6,900) Damian Lillard has been out of the loop for sometime, but despite shooting 28% in the last two games, he has averaged 18-8-5, with 1.5 steals per game. The important thing is Lillard looks healthy. As long as Terry Stotts marks him as active, Lillard is a safe cash game option to deploy again. I love the tempo in this game for both sides, and clearly Vegas does too. Lillard averaged 20-6-6 in three games against Golden State last season, and that was with a significantly less usage rate. Golden State are a good defensive team, but their style of play can lead to plenty of production on the other site. Don't sleep on Lillard tonight.

Salary: FD: $6,000 DK : $6,600

Elfrid Payton is questionable again tonight, but either way, Victor Oladipo will start at point guard. He has thrived in the new role the last two games, as he was previously a wreck coming off of the bench. He had 35 and 37 DK point games in the last two games, shooting over 50% from the field in both. He now gets a matchup to build some more momentum on. Brooklyn has allowed the 6th most fantasy points per game to opposing SG. Shooting guard is often a scoring reliant position, so nabbing a guy who is playing point guard means better production.

Salary: FD: $8,800 DK: $9,100

Paul George let us down in the last matchup, as he was starting to get hot again. 20-3-7, with two steals is not bad by any means, but the five turnovers really hurt on FD. Still, his price is fantastic for his production, averaging 23-3-7 in the last six games. Vegas has this has one of the top five scoring games of the night, making George an easy option with his usage rate, and a high 103 team total. New Orleans ranks 29th in defensive efficiency, so another advantage for PG13.

Salary: FD: $8,000 DK: $7,900

Nothing against Anthony Davis, as he makes for a fine cash game play as well, but I will talk about a guy a bit cheaper. Chris Bosh is shooting lights out over the last six games. He has hit 51% of his threes, and 49% from the field. He is averaging 24-2-8 in the last six games, and the guy just doesn't turn the ball over. He has scored 20+ real points in nine of the last ten games. Phoenix ranks in the middle of the league in fantasy points per game allowed to opposing power forwards. (14th) They have also allowed the 5th highest FG%, making Bosh an easy target tonight.

Salary: FD: $8,700 DK: $7,900

I believe you can pay down at center for guys like Zaza Pachulia, and Marcin Gortat in cash games on FanDuel. $8,700 is a little steep there. On DraftKings, he finally received a price bump, but it is not one to scare me off him in cash. Brook Lopez has been phenomenal this season, averaging 20 and 8. In the last five games, he has averaged 24 and 11, with 3.6 blocks+steals per game. Lopez has averaged 40 DK points in two matchups against Orlando this season, as they possess a weaker front court. Lopez has the highest usage rate of any center on the board tonight.

Value Plays

Mario Chalmers (PG - MEM) FD: $4,900 DK: $4,600

It looks like Mike Conley is going to be out again tonight, but continue to monitor the situation anyway. He is listed as doubtful as of 11:00 AM. Mario Chalmers filled in the last game, packing a 23-9-8 line, with two steals. This was against Russell Westbrook, who does not seem to be too concerned with defense these days. Chalmers gets an excellent matchup tonight, as Denver has allowed the 6th most fantasy points per game to opposing PG.

Evan Fournier (SG/SF - ORL) FD: (SG) $5,100 DK: (SF) $5,300

If Payton sits, I like Evan Fournier even more, but either way he has a nice matchup against Brooklyn. He has 30+ DK points in five of the last ten games, and then ran into a tough stretch of opponents lately. I am looking for him to bounce back here tonight, as Brooklyn has allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing SG. Averaging 12-3-2 against some tough teams in the last ten days isn't a knock against him.

Zaza Pachuilia (C - DAL) FD: $6,700 DK: $6,000

After Dallas rested their entire team last game, they should be rested for their game with the Bucks. Zaza Pachulia continues to be a double-double machine, averaging 13 and 12 in the last five games. He also has ten steals in the last three games. Milwaukee ranks 26th in rebounding differential, and Zaza went 17 and 8 against them earlier this season, with two steals. Milwaukee has allowed the 5th most fantasy points per game to opposing centers in the last ten games.