NBA Winners From Downtown: 2-25-16

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

- This is the fifth game in seven days for the Warriors, so if you are curious as to why the spread is just 7.5 points, that's it. This serves us well tonight because Orlando are in play with a 108 team total. There is a 223.5 point total in that game, just ousting Pelicans-Thunder (220.5).

- Nets-Suns is a great source for value plays tonight with a 208 total, and really only Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young are the higher priced players. Everyone else is below about $6,000.

- This is a six game slate, but I am treating in like five. Spurs-Jazz have a 195.5 total tonight, and two of the slower - top defensive teams in the league squaring off against each other mean a lack of fantasy production. There is a significant difference from that game and the other five tonight.

Top Picks

Salary: FD: $7,700 DK: $7,500

Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, and Damian Lillard are your top options, and are pretty self-explanatory picks. I will be going down a price tier to help round out a possible balanced lineup approach for tonight's slate of superstars. Oklahoma City has allowed the seventh most fantasy points per game to opposing point guards this season, and that is an area to attack in this fast tempo matchup. He has scored 20 or more real points in seven of the last ten games, and is averaging seven assists per game in that span. I love the price tag and matchup for him, and he is a more economical play for tonight's slate.

Salary: FD: $10,900 DK: $10,500

James Harden is the superstar I am paying up for in cash games tonight, and that is because shooting guard is the weakest position. Especially if Victor Oladipo sits out tonight. Harden has torched Portland this season, and historically throughout his career. He averaged 58.5 DK points last season in three games, and 52.9 DK points in four games the year before that. This year... A whopping 67.3 DK points on average in three games. I will take that at the weakest position on the board. Portland ranks in the middle of the league in fantasy points allowed to opposing shooting guards, which should trend down in the rankings after tonight. Harden is averaging 30-6-7 in the last ten games.

Salary: FD: $6,200 DK: $6,000

After dropping off a little bit there before the break, Jae Crowder has bounced back with some solid production. He has a nice track record against Milwaukee this season, averaging 29 DK points in two games. Crowder is a solid producer all-around, especially on the defensive side, averaging nearly two steals a game this season. Crowder has six steals in two games against the Bucks, who have allowed the fourth most steals per game to opposing SF. Milwaukee has struggled against the three this season, allowing the seventh most fantasy points per game allowed. Price considered he is a top option at SF tonight, but of course you know Kevin Durant has the honorable mention as well.

Salary: FD: $6,700 DK: $6,700

Phoenix has allowed the 11th most fantasy points per game to opposing power forwards this season, and Thaddeus Young is my favorite Brooklyn player to nab tonight. He is averaging 14-9-3 in the last ten games, shooting 52% from the field. Forget the last time these two teams met, when Young went for just 15 fantasy points in 35 minutes. Phoenix rank in the bottom half in rebounding, and opponents are shooting 47% from the field against them. He will not go 3-14 from the field against them tonight, with just four boards.

Salary: FD: $8,500 DK: $7,600

I will be getting some Magic exposure tonight, and it starts with Nikola Vucevic. He is averaging 21-10-3 in the last ten games, shooting 49% from the field. With a big 108 team total on the board tonight, Vuc is the guy to lead the way. The Warriors have allowed the fifth most fantasy points per game to opposing centers this season, and playing their fifth game in seven days is a rough one for them. Look for this game to stay close for the most part, and count on Vuc to lock up another game around 35 minutes. He has been lights out since the break, and should continue tonight.

Value Plays

Donald Sloan (PG - BKN) FD: $4,600 DK: $4,600

To get some of the bigger names you are going to have to go cheap somewhere, and Donald Sloan has seen 30 minutes or more in each game since the break. He draws a very favorable matchup against the Suns, who have allowed the second most fantasy points per game to opposing point guards. If Oladipo sits out as I mentioned earlier, Jennings would be safer than originally coming into the slate.

Evan Turner (SG/SF - BOS) FD: $5,700 DK: $5,200

Evan Turner is a great value option on DK, and while on FanDuel he is a safe play as well. You have your pick however on him and Crowder. Turner is averaging 12-6-5 in the last ten games, playing right around 28 minutes. He will be relied on tonight against a bigger Milwaukee backcourt, and he has played well against them in the past. He has averaged 32 DK points in two games against them this season.

Jabari Parker (PF - MIL) FD: $5,600 DK: $6,200

Jabari Parker has come out of the break firing (35, 48, 40) DK points in the last three games. He gets a great matchup against Boston to continue his streak, as they rank 21st in rebounding, and have allowed the 7th most fantasy points per game to opposing power forwards. Him and Young are the ideal power forward duo for tonight's slate.