NBA Winners from Downtown 12-17-15

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

- Rockets-Lakers has the highest total on the slate at 213.5, with the Rockets listed as 6-point road favorites.

-Thunder-Cavaliers may just be the most fun game to watch tonight, as the Cavs are -3 favorites at home with a total of 205 (and contrary to reports, we will NOT see Kyrie Irving suiting up for this one. Bummer.)

- Raptors-Hornets (+1,196) is the other game on tap, which may be a sneaky source of GPP targets as most players will be flocking toward the two higher totals.

Top Picks

Salary: FD: $10,800 DK: $10,300

The battle of the second-tier heavyweights (Yes, the Warriors and Spurs are the top-tier) should be a fun one tonight. In two games against the Cavaliers last season, Westy nearly averaged a triple-double with 24/8/9.5 per game in two contests. Kyrie Irving also suited up for both of those contests, while LeBron sat out the first meeting. As I'm sure you're aware by now, Westbrook continues to lead the NBA in usage rate, and should see little resistance from Matthew Dellavedova and Mo Williams on the defensive end tonight. He should be well rested as well, having played just 27 minutes in a blowout win over the Blazers last night. Expect him to dominate the Cavs' backcourt en route to a big game.

Salary: FD: $10,300 DK: $9,900

LeBron and Kevin Durant have had some epic battles over the years, including last year's game in Cleveland where Bron posted a 34/7/5 line against KD's 32/9/6. Obviously you won't be able to fit both guys along with Westbrook tonight, but I'm giving LeBron the slight edge here. He has a usage rate that is 4% higher, and with Kyrie Irving nearing a return, this may be the last marquee game for LeBron to take over. Both teams are in the top 10 in defensive efficiency, but I see LeBron having no issues with getting to the rim at will tonight. This is the game I'll be watching, and LeBron's price tag on DK is still much lower than I would expect. Look for Bron to meet and exceed his 48.9 DK FP average tonight.

Salary: FD: $6,800 DK: $6,100

My disdain for Kobe Bryant is well-documented, but much of it is in jest. Bryant is on the tail end of one of the best NBA careers of all time, and tonight will face off against a Houston team that ranks 26th in the NBA in defensive efficiency. I'm not a huge fan of his price tag on FD, but on this slate, I'm looking for mid-range upside. Bryant has a usage rate of nearly 30%, and although his minutes are likely capped at around 30, he could easily reach and exceed value if he continues his solid play. Over his last 9 games, he has reached 31 DK points 6 times, including 50.75 against this same Rockets team last week. Rostering him makes me cringe a little, but he has big upside at a discounted rate from the elite players on this slate.

Salary: FD: $5,600 DK: $5,700

While James Harden is the obvious top play from the Rockets side, I can't in good conscious just sit here and list only elite-level players that you can't fit into your lineups. I'll roll with Ariza, who just continues to be a consistent option for the Rockets at the 3. If you take out the 2-minute performance against the Nets where he left with a back injury, his last 5 games are 37.5, 31.5, 25.75, 35.25, and 27.5. He's a solid bet for around 5X value, with upside for even more. He has at least 3 steals in 5 straight (excluding the Nets game) games, which raises his floor even more.

Salary: FD: $4,000 DK: $4,800

While he isn't the top option at the position, he is the top option when you factor in price. He is about a low-usage of a player as you'll find, but he has been productive filling in for Jonas Valanciunas down low. The Hornets are allowing the 8th-most fantasy points to opposing C, and while Biyombo doesn't possess a big ceiling, he does have a decent floor. Expect him to fall between 18-28 FP tonight, which is more than enough for his cheap price tag at a very weak position tonight.

Value Plays

Louis Williams (PG/SG - LAL) FD (SG): $5,200 DK (PG): $5,200

"Sweet Lou" has been a solid option lately for the Lakers, posting at least 27 DK points in 6 of his last 8 contests. As mentioned above, the Rockets are near the bottom of the barrel in the NBA in defensive efficiency, and Williams has been seeing just over 30 minutes of court time per game recently. He's a solid value once again tonight.

Patrick Beverley (PG - HOU) FD: $4,200 DK: $5,000

While he is never a fun player to roster, you know what you're getting from PatBev on a nightly basis. 28+ minutes and 20-28 FP. He is a great cash game option tonight against the 29th ranked defense in the NBA if you're looking to fit in some studs.

The Ex-Buckeye has been electric recently, posting totals of 29+ in 5 of his last 8 games, including a pair of 40+ games against San Antonio and Milwaukee. As mentioned repeatedly, both of these teams are near the bottom in defensive efficiency. If you're going with a balanced approach, I'm a big fan of Russell tonight.

Cody Zeller (PF - CHA) FD: $3,900 DK: $4,700

Zeller is one of the few values at any "F" position you can feel OK about tonight. He has 22+ minutes in 6 straight games, and while his floor is around 15 FP, he has shown the potential to creep into the mid-to-upper 20s. He isn't a sexy option, but he is likely your safest bet for cheap down low.