NBA Winners from Downtown: 11-8-15

By: Spencer Limbach, Updated November 08, 2015

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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

- Phoenix and Oklahoma City have easily the highest projected scoring game of the day, as these two fast-paced teams check in with a 218 over/under (OKC favored by 8).

- The Lakers and Knicks have the next highest total (205), in a game that presents some nice individual matchups all around.

Top Picks

Russell Westbrook (PG), Thunder
Opponent	Minutes	Fantasy Points Per Minute	Defensive Efficiency Rating	Usage Rate	Opposing Fantasy Points Allowed	Vegas Team Total	Projection
vs PHX	36	1.51	18.6	28.1	43	111	54.36

Salary: FD: $10,800 DK: $10,800

The Thunder are the highest projected scoring team of the day - by far. That means you'll certainly want some exposure to Westbrook and Durant, especially Russ in this fast paced matchup. He is the most expensive player in the pool today, but he also has the best floor/upside combination. He could easily hit value in this matchup, and we'll be outlining some value plays below to help you work him in - which is a preferred strategy in this game set.

Eric Bledsoe (SG), Suns
Opponent	Minutes	Fantasy Points Per Minute	Defensive Efficiency Rating	Usage Rate	Opposing Fantasy Points Allowed	Vegas Team Total	Projection
at OKC	37	1.00	19.6	24.3	37	102	35.0

Salary: FD: $8,000 DK: $7,800

Bledsoe is the obvious top play at shooting guard tonight, but he is not necessarily 100% essential as lineup configuration plays out. A better strategy would be to snag Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, then load up on value at the SG position. However, you can't deny Bledsoe's upside, given his high usage in a fast paced, high-scoring game.

Kevin Durant (SF), Thunder
Opponent	Minutes	Fantasy Points Per Minute	Defensive Efficiency Rating	Usage Rate	Opposing Fantasy Points Allowed	Vegas Team Total	Projection
vs PHX	36	1.24	18.6	25.3	36.53	111	44.64

Salary: FD: $10,100 DK: $9,600

As mentioned above, the Westbrook-Durant combination is highly recommended tonight, as the Thunder check in as the highest scoring team (by far). Durant and Westbrook have proven the ability to coexist, and it's a near-lock that one of them will have a breakout performance against the fast-paced Suns. On a short-slate, you'll want to load up on studs in favorable situations, and I believe there is enough value available to make it happen.

Chris Bosh (PF), Heat
Opponent	Minutes	Fantasy Points Per Minute	Defensive Efficiency Rating	Usage Rate	Opposing Fantasy Points Allowed	Vegas Team Total	Projection
vs TOR	33	.99	17	21.2	43.94	97	31.67

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

Bosh is a fine pick at a power forward position that is otherwise uninspiring. Toronto plays solid team defense, but Bosh has one of the better individual matchups against Luis Scola, who has been known as a notoriously bad defender for years. Bosh's inability to rack up peripheral stats outside of points and rebounds somewhat limits his upside. He has a nice price on DraftKings, where he's easier to fit in, but consider Bosh more of a secondary cash game play after working in the top picks (Durant, Westbrook).

Enes Kanter (C), Thunder
Opponent	Minutes	Fantasy Points Per Minute	Defensive Efficiency Rating	Usage Rate	Opposing Fantasy Points Allowed	Vegas Team Total	Projection
vs PHX	18	.99	18.6	18.6	42.21	112	18.81

Salary: FD: $6,500 DK: $5,300

We'll need to monitor some injury news to make this one happen. Oklahoma City starting center, Steven Adams, is highly questionable for tonight's game, and his absence would promote Kanter into the starting role. Kanter is a proven per-minute contributor, who would thrive when given 30+ minutes in a fast-paced matchup. He looks to be the best value play of the day if the injury news breaks in his favor.

Value Plays

Brandon Knight (PG - PHX) FD: $7000 DK: $7300

There isn't much in terms of value point guards tonight, so on a site like FanDuel (which requires you to roster two point guards), going with Knight and Westbrook (then loading up on value elsewhere) seems to be the best route. The Suns could get caught in a high-scoring tilt tonight at OKC, which would greatly benefit Knight and the quick-strike Phoenix backcourt.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (SG - DET) FD: $5,000 DK: $5,000

Pope doesn't offer much in the peripheral categories, but he has been playing a ton of minutes and shooting plenty of shots over the past few games. The matchup against Portland is good, as Pope will have a chance to knock down shots in transition, as the Blazers will try to promote the pace in this game. On a short slate where you are looking to pay up at other positions, Pope is a fine solution to the SG problem.

Luis Scola (PF - TOR) FD: $4400 DK: $4100

Scola has been borderline playable even on large slates. Now that we have a reduced slate, you can go ahead and take a chance on his cheap salary. He has actually flexed some pretty respectable upside, despite not playing many minutes. The high scoring nature of this game could help his cause, and he is probably the best cheap power forward to target within this slate.

Terrence Ross (SG - TOR) FD: $3500 DK: $3000

We are waiting for some injury news here, as Toronto starting SF, DeMarre Carroll, is currently listed as questionable. If he's out, Ross will get promoted to a starting role, seeing majority of Carroll's minutes in the process. He's not necessarily a high FP/min producer, but seeing 30+ minutes in a high-scoring game for minimum salary would be worth the gamble in this short-slate.

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