NBA Winners From Downtown: 12-26-15

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

- Seven of the ten Christmas day teams are on the second night of a back-to-back, which means more for the older guys on the team if anything.

- Phoenix is the highest projected scoring team tonight. (108) They are also the second largest favorites on the board. (-11.5)

- Spurs are 14 point favorites against Denver, and I would not be surprised to see Pop rest some players tonight.

- Pelicans-Rockets has the looks of the highest scoring game on the night, sitting at a 211 total.

Top Picks

Salary: FD: $9,000 DK: $8,700

You might be thinking it is Christmas again by these picks, but they are on the back-to-back in great spots. Utah have not been the defensive juggernauts this season that they were last. Utah is allowing the 11th highest FG% to opposing PG this season. Paul is averaging 23-8-4 in the last five games, and he is finally putting up some consistent fantasy numbers this season. He is shooting 52% in that span, and is averaging 3.4 steals per game. With no point guard over $9,500 tonight, we can grab Paul without hesitation. He dropped a 24-5-8 game against Utah already this season.

Salary: FD: $10,600 DK: $10,400

I will not be forcing James Harden into my lineups, because Eric Bledsoe, C.J. McCollum, and Jimmy Butler are all cheaper cash game options, but Harden does have the highest floor/ceiling of any of these names. Mentioned above this is what Vegas believes to be the highest scoring game of the night. Harden is a terrific fantasy points per minute player, and even when he is not shooting well (like last night), he can still rack up fantasy points. He is averaging 27-7-5 in the last six games, logging 36 minutes per game. New Orleans has the worst defense in the league, and are allowing the second most fantasy points per game to opposing SG.

Salary: FD: $8,900 DK: $8,600

Kawhi Leonard might be your possible league MVP if it wasn't for Steph Curry. He has upped his offensive production this campaign, averaging 21 points per game, shooting 50% from the field. Leonard's defensive presence also ups his floor, averaging 3.1 blocks+steals per game. Denver is a poor defensive team, allowing the 10th most fantasy points per game to opposing SF. Leonard has averaged 51 DK points in two games against Denver this season, averaging 6.0 blocks+steals. I am never worried about Pop resting Leonard, but if he rests other players, Leonard's usage goes up.

Salary: FD: $10,400 DK: 10,200

Merry Christmas Anthony Davis. The Brow put up over 60 fantasy points yesterday, in a tough matchup against the Heat. He now gets the Rockets, who have allowed the second most fantasy points per game to opposing PF. This game is a battle of two of the poorer defensive teams in the league, so no shocker this is the highest scoring total on the slate. Davis is averaging 23 and 12 in the last five games, shooting 51%. He is averaging 4.2 blocks+steals in that span as well. Davis had a 29 and 13 line against Houston earlier this season, and should be in line for similar numbers.

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

If I am paying down at a position tonight, it is going to be center in cash games. I do like Hassan Whiteside and Nikola Vucevic if you have some extra cash. Indiana ranks 21st in rebound differential, and have allowed the 7th most fantasy points per game to opposing centers. Dieng has logged 30 minutes on average in the last six games, as he is a featured player in this Minnesota rotation. He is averaging 29 fantasy points per game in the last six games, continuing to be one of the more popular value plays. If you want to land some bigger names in those lineups, Dieng is a good fit.

Value Plays

With Joakim Noah out, Taj Gibson has played over 30 minutes in three of the last four games. He has averaged 10 and 8 in the last five games, shooting 61% from the field. Dallas has allowed the 14th most fantasy points per game to opposing PF this season, and rank 19th in rebound differential.