NBA Winners From Downtown: 12-18-15

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

- Suns-Pelicans is tied for the highest total of the night, and if it is anything like the first two games, fire away. Kings-Wolves is the other game with the same total.

- Warriors-Bucks has a 209 total, but Golden State is favored by 19. Blowout concern is there, but I love Draymond Green still.

- Clippers, Raptors, and 76ers have team totals under 95. Toronto would be the only team to take a gamble on, Spurs have an elite defense right now.

Top Picks

Salary: FD: $7,600 DK: $7,400

This game has the highest total the slate, and with both of the first two matchups going for exactly 234 combined points, this should be a fantasy hotbed again. New Orleans is allowing the 4th most fantasy points per game to opposing PG, and the 3rd most to opposing SG. Regardless of where Knight sees minutes tonight, both him and Eric Bledsoe are in great spots. Knight is averaging 20-5-4 this season, and has averaged 24-8-3 in the two games against New Orleans. Knight is coming off two disappointing games, but look for him to bounce back.

Salary: FD: $7,300 DK: $6,800

C.J. McCollum has modeled consistency this season, averaging 19-3-3. He is shooting 45% from the field in the last six games, and 44% from three. McCollum logs 35 minutes per game, and is a high volume shooter, averaging 17 attempts per game. Orlando has allowed the 9th most fantasy points per game to opposing shooting guards in the last ten. He has scored 20+ real points in five of the last six games. He is the safest point guard in this price range, and I rather pay up elsewhere if I am reaching for elite tier players.

Salary: FD: $7,000 DK: $7,300

Anyone playing Kawhi Leonard gets a pass from me, making Gordon Hayward one of the top cash game SF plays over the last few weeks. He is averaging 18-5-3, shooting 46% in the last six games. He is also shooting 57% from three in that span. You have to go back to the end of November when Hayward had a game with less than 30 fantasy points, of course outside of his matchup against Kawhi. Denver is allowing the 14th most fantasy points per game to opposing SF, which is certainly not keeping me off Hayward. Utah has a decent team total tonight, and Hayward is one of my favorite options.

Salary: FD: $10,500 DK: $10,500

So back to the highest scoring game of the night, why not grab one of the better fantasy points per minute plays on the slate? Anthony Davis is averaging 20 and 10, with 2.6 blocks per game in the last five games. Davis has sprinkled in the occasional game in the 30's for fantasy points which frustrates us, but he has averaged 29 and 18 in two games against Phoenix this season. Phoenix has allowed the 9th most fantasy points per game to opposing power forwards, with a 49% field goal percentage. Davis is the superstar I am paying up for tonight.

Salary: FD: $7,300 DK: $6,800

Portland has absolutely been trounced by opposing centers this season, allowing the most fantasy points per game in the league. They are also allowing a 57% field goal percentage. Sheesh. Nikola Vucevic is averaging 17-3-8 in the last five games. He is averaging just 29 minutes per game this season, which bothers me a bit, but his price and matchup keeps him in play. He is shooting 56% in the last five games, and has been a steady cash game play in the last few weeks.

Value Plays

Jrue Holiday (PG - NOP) FD: $5,300 DK: $5,100

Jrue Holiday's price is going to rise soon, so get him at this price while you can. He is averaging 25 minutes in the last five games, and if we are lucky he can sneak closer to 30. Even if he sees around 25 minutes, he is averaging 17-4-2 in that span. He has a 26% usage rate this season, and is a safe bet right now for around 30 fantasy points.

Kent Bazemore (SG/SF - ATL) FD: $5,500 DK: $5,700

Kent Bazemore's price is a little higher than I would like, but options at SG/SF are a little weak for value. Bazemore has been averaging 15-2-5 in the last five games, shooting 51% from the field. Boston has allowed the 9th most fantasy points to opposing SF this season. Bazemore had some Kawhi Leonard treatment, but has posted 27, 41, 18, 31, and 27 DK point games. I am sure you can pinpoint the game against Kawhi.

Unfortunately with many of the value power forwards, they carry some risk, and Booker is no different. He has averaged 24 minutes in the last six games, averaging just seven and six. He is shooting 56% in that span however. Denver struggles against opposing PF, allowing the 4th most fantasy points per game. Booker has run into a tough stretch of opponents, so I am looking for him to bounce back against a weak Denver front court.

Gorgui Dieng (C - MIN) FD: $4,800 DK: $5,300

Minnesota has been running one of the deeper benches in the NBA, but Gorgui Dieng has seen 28 minutes on average in the last six, and saw 36 last game. He is averaging 9 and 8 in the last six, with 2.2 blocks+steals per game. This is another high scoring game to target, but the scoring can be spread out sometimes for Minnesota. I know we might be bias against Joakim Noah, with his last performance, but he has been a solid value option as well.