Spurs 100, Celtics 95: Derrick White posts 55.3 fantasy points
Tommy Flanagan
Journeyman Electrician ยท Boston Celtics fan
Derrick White Carried the Load, But the Celtics Still Got Cooked at Home
Look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. The Celtics lost to San Antonio 100-95 at home, and yeah, I'm still mad about it. But here's what actually matters for your lineup: Derrick White went absolutely nuclear, dropping 55.3 Yahoo points on a 18.4 ppg average. That's a +10.6 explosion. Problem is, it wasn't enough. When your All-NBA point guard needs to go that hard just to keep it close, something's broken. And for fantasy purposes, that something is the Celtics' inconsistency right now.
This wasn't a Celtics clinic. This was San Antonio coming to Boston and stealing one. De'Aaron Fox led the charge with 41.8 Yahoo points, Victor Wembanyama anchored the defense, and Julian Champagnie had a monster game off the bench (35.1 FP). Meanwhile, half the Celtics roster checked out or got minutes limits. If you own these guys, we need to talk strategy shifts.
Tonight's Top Performers
| Player | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | vs Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derrick White | 55.3 | 29/9/3/2/2 | 18.4/4.5/5.2 | +10.6 pts |
| Jaylen Brown | 42.1 | 27/8/7/0/0 | 29.4/6.5/4.9 | -2.4 pts |
| De'Aaron Fox | 41.8 | 21/9/6/1/0 | 20.4/4.2/5.8 | +0.6 pts |
| Victor Wembanyama | 38.7 | 21/6/1/0/3 | 23.9/10.9/3.0 | -2.9 pts |
| Julian Champagnie | 35.1 | 12/13/3/0/1 | 11.3/6.3/1.5 | +0.7 pts |
| Keldon Johnson | 32.5 | 18/10/1/1/0 | 13.4/6.3/1.2 | +4.6 pts |
The Winners
Derrick White absolutely carried the load. 55.3 Yahoo points, 29 points on 11-26 shooting with five threes. That's a +10.6 night versus his average. Here's the thing though, and I say this as a Celtics lifer: White went nuclear and the Celtics still lost. That tells you everything about how the rest of the roster performed. He's not sustainable at this volume, but he's clearly a first option when things get tight. If you have him and he's on your bench, get him in the lineup immediately.
Jaylen Brown put up 27/8/7 with five threes and did his thing, but he came in -2.4 versus his 29.4 average. That's the story here. Brown had a decent game statistically, but he was minus on the night compared to what he usually gives you. He played 43 minutes and still didn't have his full juice. The man looked tired, and honestly, the whole team looked flat.
The Letdowns
Payton Pritchard absolutely flopped. 4 points on 2-9 shooting, 19 Yahoo FP versus his 16.6 ppg average. That's -12.6 on a night his team desperately needed scoring. For a sixth man of the year candidate (yes, he won that last year), that's unacceptable. He got 28 minutes and couldn't get anything to fall. If you're holding Pritchard banking on consistency, tonight is a reality check.
Stephon Castle came off the bench for the Spurs and put up 22.9 Yahoo points on just 9 points scored. Sounds weird, right? Well, he had 5 assists and 2 steals with low usage (3-16 FG). He's the rookie who had the year last season, but he's coming off a down performance here (-8.3 versus his 17.3 ppg average). The minutes are still there (26), but the shot-making isn't clicking.
The Trends
Here's what I'm watching: Neemias Queta got real minutes (23) and put up 32.6 Yahoo points. That's legit. The Celtics are using him as a reliable big, and he's performing at season average with room to grow if minutes stay consistent. Baylor Scheierman got unexpected run (26 minutes) and produced 17.4 Yahoo points. Don't get cute here, this is garbage time value. He averaged 2.7 ppg all season.
On the Spurs side, Julian Champagnie went off the bench for 35.1 Yahoo points. That's a +0.7 night against his average, which sounds small until you realize he just proved he can be a consistent scorer. He's owned in only 7% of leagues according to trends, which is criminal if San Antonio keeps running him out there.
The Moves
Add: Julian Champagnie (7% owned). The dude just showed he can step up in a road game and put 12 points with 13 rebounds on the bench. In deeper leagues, this is a no-brainer. Spurs have been looking for rotation depth all year.
Drop: Payton Pritchard (if you need room). Look, he won sixth man last year, but the shot's not falling and you need points in fantasy. If he's been riding your bench, cut him. The volume is there but the results aren't.
Trade target: Derrick White. If someone in your league panicked and has him, send over a mid-tier offer immediately. One monster game against a depleted Celtics squad doesn't make him a first-round pick, but it reminds people why Boston drafted him high. He's got star potential when the offense needs a jolt.
Next Up
The Celtics host their next matchup with questions. Jaylen Brown needs to get back to form. The supporting cast outside Derrick White has to step up, or this is gonna be a long stretch. For Spurs, De'Aaron Fox proved he can lead them to road wins. Keep Fox in your lineups, watch what Champagnie does with another game of run, and monitor whether Castle's minutes keep happening or if it was a one-night thing.