Hawks 124, Warriors 111: Jalen Johnson posts 54.2 fantasy points
Maya Chen
UX Designer ยท Golden State Warriors fan
Jimmy Butler Reminds Everyone He's Still Nasty, But the Warriors Got Cooked at Home
Alright, let's not sugarcoat this. The Hawks came into Chase and absolutely bullied the Warriors 124-111, and while Steph was out here putting on a clinic, it wasn't enough to save the home loss. But here's the thing that actually matters for your fantasy team: Jimmy Butler showed up like he had something to prove, and that's the story we need to talk about.
Butler dropped 30 points on 51.4 Yahoo FP, crushing his 20.1 PPG average by nearly 10 points. That's not noise. That's a guy who was engaged from tip-off. The problem for Warriors believers? This loss is going to sting the entire ecosystem. Curry had a solid game, but it didn't matter. And that matters for your waiver wire decisions this week.
Tonight's Top Performers
| Player | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | vs Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Johnson (ATL) | 54.2 | 23/11/6 | 23.1/10.1/8.1 | -0.1/+0.9/-2.1 |
| Jimmy Butler (GSW) | 51.4 | 30/7/6 | 20.1/5.6/4.9 | +9.9/+1.4/+1.1 |
| Onyeka Okongwu (ATL) | 49.4 | 18/12/8 | 16.3/7.9/3.4 | +1.7/+4.1/+4.6 |
| Stephen Curry (GSW) | 39.1 | 31/3/5 | 28.1/3.8/4.9 | +2.9/-0.8/+0.1 |
| Nickeil Alexander-Walker (ATL) | 37.4 | 24/2/2 | 20.5/3.6/3.4 | +3.5/-1.6/-1.4 |
| Dyson Daniels (ATL) | 32.9 | 11/7/9 | 11.7/6.6/6.1 | -0.7/+0.4/+2.9 |
The Winners
Jimmy Butler went absolutely nuclear. 51.4 FP, 30 points on 10-19 shooting, perfect from the line (8-8). He's a +9.9 from his scoring average and that's the kind of performance that makes you remember why he's still dangerous even after all these years. He was hunting mismatches all night and the Warriors couldn't stay in front of him. This isn't a fluke either, he was engaged defensively too (2 steals). If you can trade for Butler before the deadline, do it.
Jalen Johnson did his thing as usual, dropping 54.2 FP without being a volume hog. 23/11/6 is basically his floor at this point. The dude is Mr. Consistent for Atlanta. He hit his shots (9-16 FG), grabbed boards, and facilitated. Nothing flashy, everything effective. He's a borderline All-NBA candidate this season and that should tell you everything about his floor. Own him with confidence.
Onyeka Okongwu was the real surprise here. 49.4 FP with 18/12/8 in 33 minutes, and here's the thing that slaps: he hit 3 threes on 6-14 shooting. He's +4.1 rebounds and +4.6 assists vs his season average. The Warriors couldn't match him on the perimeter defensively and Atlanta weaponized that. He's a league-wide pickup candidate this week if he's sitting on your wire.
Stephen Curry put up 31 points on 11-21 shooting, which is solid Steph. But here's the issue: 39.1 FP is basically his floor. He's only +2.9 from his season average, and in a game where his team lost by 13 at home, that's not going to cut it. He needs more help and the offense looked stagnant at times. This is a guy owners are trusting to carry, but tonight he was just good, not great.
The Letdowns
Moses Moody and Buddy Hield completely disappeared. Moody played 16 minutes and went 0-3 from the field for 4.7 FP. That's brutal when you're counting on wing depth on the Warriors. Hield didn't even get run, 7 minutes, 0-1 FG. If Steph is going off and the team is losing at home, something is deeply wrong with the rotations or the fit.
De'Anthony Melton was a non-factor (24.5 FP). He played 23 minutes but on a Warriors team that got blown out, you need more from your secondary playmaker. When role players fade like this, it compounds the issue. This game showed the Warriors might have some depth problems on the perimeter.
The Trends
Here's what jumped out: Nickeil Alexander-Walker went from role player to scoring threat, dropping 37.4 FP off the bench. He's +3.5 from his scoring average and hit shots when it mattered. Hawks bench is starting to look dangerous. If you're shallow at SG depth, Alexander-Walker is now trending up and worth an add on the waiver wire.
Luke Kennard going 6-for-11 from three in just 19 minutes is wild. 24.7 FP, but that's probably a one-game spike. Don't overreact to this one.
The Warriors looked thin at wing depth tonight. Gary Payton II and Gui Santos had to eat minutes, which isn't ideal for either's fantasy value long-term. The team's shooting was gassed late.
The Moves
ADD: Onyeka Okongwu - If he's on your wire, grab him now. He's showing real offensive versatility and the Hawks are going to ride him into the playoffs. The 49.4 FP game proves he can carry a night.
ADD: Nickeil Alexander-Walker - League-wide he's only owned at 78.6%. This game proved he can score when needed. He's a 37.4 FP night on the board. Fliers on guys proving it deserve roster spots.
DROP: Moses Moody - Unless you're super deep and can absorb the variance, let someone else suffer through his 16-minute nights. The Warriors' wing rotation is a mess right now and he's the odd man out.
Next Up
Warriors host the Raptors next. They need a bounce-back game. If Curry doesn't get more scoring support, that's a problem heading into crunch time. Okongwu and the Hawks have been trending up hard, so keep him on your watch list heading into their next game.