NBA Winners from Downtown: 12-06-15

By: Zach Qualtieri, Updated December 06, 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

- The Kings-Thunder game has the highest point total at 227.5 with the Thunder being huge 11 point home favorites.

- Three out of the four games have point totals over 207 with only the Lakers-Pistons game below at 197.0

- The closest projected game is the Mavericks-Wizards game with Dallas as 2 point road favorites. This is the only game that has a spread under 9.

Top Picks

Reggie Jackson (PG), Pistons
Opponent	Minutes	Fantasy Points Per Minute	Defensive Efficiency Rating	Usage Rate	Opposing Fantasy Points Allowed	Vegas Team Total	Projection
Lakers	33	1.16	99.1	31.0%	58	103.00	38.28

Salary: FD: $7,900 DK: $7,700

Point guard is deep tonight with the likes of Russell Westbrook, John Wall and Stephen Curry taking the court but Mr. Jackson is my favorite of the group. Jackson has an elite usage rate of 31% which is tied with Damian Lillard for 6th in the NBA. He has a great match-up against the Lakers who allow the most fantasy points per game to point guards at 58 and is hot. Over his past three games Jackson is averaging 29.3 points and 9.67 assists. He is averaging over 50 DraftKings points in that time frame. At almost $3000 less than the likes of Westbrook and Curry, Jackson has the same upside but allows you to fit some of the other studs in your lineup.

Klay Thompson (SG), Warriors
Opponent	Minutes	Fantasy Points Per Minute	Defensive Efficiency Rating	Usage Rate	Opposing Fantasy Points Allowed	Vegas Team Total	Projection
@Nets	31	0.86	97.0	21.5%	41.7	110.25	26.66

Salary: FD: $5,900 DK: $6,300

Shooting guard is really thin on this four game slate and Thompson is the best of the bunch. Don't look now but the other half of the Splash Brothers is starting to heat up. Thompson has 3 straight games over 20 points scored and is shooting 54% from three point range. Thompson is averaging 33.83 DraftKings points in that time frame and with the Warriors having a high point total of 110.25 is one of your safest options with the way he is shooting.

Kevin Durant (SF), Thunder
Opponent	Minutes	Fantasy Points Per Minute	Defensive Efficiency Rating	Usage Rate	Opposing Fantasy Points Allowed	Vegas Team Total	Projection
Kings	37	1.41	100.6	28.7%	32.9	115.75	52.17

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

Since coming back from injury 5 games ago Durant has been his normal self. He is averaging 28.2 points in 35.8 minutes. What has been even more impressive than Durant's scoring has been his ability to rack up the rebounds and assists. He is averaging 8 rebounds a game and has not had a game below 6 since returning. He also has at least 5 assists in 4 straight games and has 11 blocks in that time frame. He has not scored below 40 DraftKings points and seems like a lock to hit that number tonight.

DeMarcus Cousins (C/FD PF/DK), Kings
Opponent	Minutes	Fantasy Points Per Minute	Defensive Efficiency Rating	Usage Rate	Opposing Fantasy Points Allowed	Vegas Team Total	Projection
@Thunder	34	1.43	93.4	34.1%	45.6	104.75	48.62

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

Cousins has struggled his past two games due to foul trouble and has played less than 30 minutes in each of those games. Those games seem to be an outlier as Cousins had played at least 30 minutes in his previous 7 games. Cousins is one of the best big men in the NBA and is averaging 26 points and over 10 boards a game. He has the second highest usage rate in the NBA and should continue to put up huge numbers nightly. In a game that has the highest point total of the night, the Kings are going to need Cousins to be his normal dominate self.

Andre Drummond (C), Pistons
Opponent	Minutes	Fantasy Points Per Minute	Defensive Efficiency Rating	Usage Rate	Opposing Fantasy Points Allowed	Vegas Team Total	Projection
Lakers	37	1.34	99.1	23.9%	52.7	103.00	49.58

Salary: FD: $9,600 DK: $9,300

Drummond is a cash game lock for me every time he plays especially on a short slate facing a weak Lakers team. The Lakers rank 29th in allowing fantasy points to centers at 52.7 per game and Drummond has been consistent all season. He has only one game without double-digit rebounds and only two games without a double-double. Drummond had 17 points and 23 rebounds in his last game and those numbers are not out of the question tonight.

Value Plays

Raymond Felton (PG - DAL) FD: $3,900 DK: $4,000

Felton is not a name that jumps out at you but he is starting for the Mavericks with Chandler Parsons moving to the bench and playing heavy minutes. Felton is averaging 32.6 minutes over his past 5 games and has a 8.6/3.4/4.6 line in that time frame. He has at least 19 DraftKings points in his past 6 games which is good for 6x value at his price. I expect similar production tonight and at his price point Felton allows you to get some of the studs in your lineup.

Omri Casspi (SF - SAC) FD: $4,200 DK: $4,700

Casspi has worked his way into the starting lineup with the injury to Willie Cauley-Stein and is taking advantage of it. Casspi has played 33 minutes his past two games and is averaging 30.3 over his past 5. In those 5 games Casspi is averaging 14 points and 5.6 rebounds for 26.2 DraftKings points. Casspi is a great cash game value on this small slate.

Thaddeus Young (PF - BKN) FD: $6,600 DK: $6,900

Young has been consistent this season. Young is averaging 15.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 31.9 DraftKings points per game. Young has 9 out of 10 games above 30 DK points and had a huge game against the Warriors in their only other meeting this season. In that game, Young had 26 points and 10 rebounds for 50 DK points. While we can not expect another outing like that game since it went into overtime the 30 DK points he is averaging this season is not out of the question.

Festus Ezeli (C - GS) FD: $4,400 DK: $4,300

Festus Ezeli should get another start tonight with Andrew Bogut missing last game with back spasms. Ezeli played 27 minutes yesterday and went for 24.5 DraftKings points on 8 points,10 rebounds and a block. Those numbers are right in line with what Ezeli has averaged in his starts this season. In 11 starts Ezeli is averaging 8.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. On a small four game slate Ezeli offers perfect value if he gets another start.

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