Grizzlies 103, Nets 98: Santi Aldama posts 40.1 fantasy points
Tyler Okonkwo
Student & Retail Associate ยท Houston Rockets fan
Grizzlies Survive Nets Upset Bid, Cedric Coward Goes Absolutely Nuclear
Memphis barely escaped Brooklyn 103-98, but here's the fantasy gold: Cedric Coward just turned into a different player. The dude dropped 21 points on 8-15 shooting in 26 minutes, hitting 5 threes, and he did it while going +7.0 above his season average. That's not noise. That's a guy who might've just unlocked something, and your league mates are sleeping on it.
The real story though? The Grizzlies got carried by role players going absolutely berserk while Brooklyn's stars underperformed. Santi Aldama was solid. Cam Spencer went full orchestrator with 13 assists. But Coward is the one who actually exceeded. Meanwhile, Cam Thomas limped through with just 9 points, and even the Nets' role guys couldn't save them.
Tonight's Top Performers
| Player | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | vs Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santi Aldama | 40.1 | 15/8/3 | 14.1/6.7/3.0 | +0.9/+1.3 |
| Noah Clowney | 35.7 | 17/6/1 | 13.3/4.1/1.9 | +3.7/+1.9 |
| Day'Ron Sharpe | 35.1 | 8/13/3 | 8.0/6.3/2.3 | +6.7 reb |
| Jock Landale | 33.3 | 16/9/1 | 11.0/6.2/1.7 | +5.0/+2.8 |
| Cam Spencer | 33.3 | 12/4/13 | 11.8/2.7/5.5 | +7.5 ast |
| Cedric Coward | 33.1 | 21/8/1 | 14.0/6.6/2.9 | +7.0 pts |
Aldama did what Aldama does, staying steady. But here's what jumped: Noah Clowney actually looked like he belonged on an NBA floor. 17 points on solid efficiency, grabbed six boards, hit three steals. That's +3.7 over his season average in a smaller sample. The Nets are playing him 30 minutes now. That means something.
Cam Spencer orchestrated like a vet, dishing out 13 assists in 29 minutes. That's insane for a pass-first guard. If Memphis keeps giving him run, he's a sneaky add for assists.
But real talk, Cedric Coward is the one you need to get ahead of. 21 points, 5 threes, +7 above his season average. He's at 14.0 PPG on the year but just showed he can go off on good efficiency. He was getting 26 minutes. That workload is expanding.
The Winners
Cedric Coward just turned into a viable DFS/streaming option. 33.1 Yahoo FP with +7 above average. Dude went 8-15 from the field and drilled five threes. His season average is 14.0 PPG but he just proved he can hit 21 with decent volume. Watch his role going forward, because if Memphis keeps trusting him with 26+ minutes, you're looking at a late-round sleeper turning real.
Cam Spencer dropping 33.3 Yahoo FP on a 5.5 assist season average is exactly the kind of outlier that wins championships. 13 dimes in 29 minutes is elite facilitation. If he's getting this kind of usage, he's got league winner upside in deeper leagues.
Day'Ron Sharpe grabbed 13 boards in 20 minutes against Memphis' interior. That's not sustainable, but it shows the Nets are playing him for rebounding. +6.7 above his season average on the glass means he's getting good positioning.
The Letdowns
Jaren Jackson Jr. put up 14 points on 3-11 shooting. That's -4.8 from his season average. Dude's supposed to be a 18.8 PPG guy but he completely stalled tonight. JJJ owners should chill though. One bad shooting night against a solid defense doesn't flip the script. He still got 29 minutes and finished 8-8 from the line, so the volume was there.
Cam Thomas is the real concern. 9 points on 4-12 shooting in 23 minutes is rough for a guy averaging 18.1. -9.1 from his season average hurts. If Brooklyn keeps feeding him like this when he's not clicking, that's a red flag for offense flow issues, not necessarily Thomas' talent.
The Trends
Memphis is spreading the wealth. Aldama, Coward, Spencer, and Landale all hit 30+ Yahoo FP. That's a balanced attack that's harder to rely on for consistent fantasy scoring, but it's dangerous in playoffs when anyone could go off.
The Nets are playing Day'Ron Sharpe heavy minutes (20) even with bodies available. That's a role expansion worth tracking. If he keeps getting reps, he's a depth piece worth stashing in 12+ team leagues.
Clowney hitting 30 minutes and putting up 35.7 Yahoo FP suggests Brooklyn might be done experimenting. If he stays locked into a consistent role, he's an underowned upside play.
The Moves
Add Cedric Coward if he's available. Dude just proved he can score 20+ efficiently. 26 minutes of runway, expanding role, and he's probably under 30% owned league-wide. Grab him now before people notice.
Trade for Cam Spencer if you're in a deep league. 13 assists is elite, and if Memphis keeps this passing attack flowing, he's a top-100 value for the rest of the season. His usage is climbing.
Stream Day'Ron Sharpe's next game. 20 minutes, 35.1 Yahoo FP, and elite rebounding numbers. If Brooklyn keeps this up, he's a waiver wire gem against smaller frontcourts.
Next Up
Watch Memphis' rotation closely. If Coward stays at 26+ minutes with this efficiency, he flips from deep league flier to must-own. Same with Spencer if those assist numbers hold.
Brooklyn needs Cam Thomas to find rhythm. One bad game is normal, but if it becomes a trend, the Nets' offensive flow is broken. That hurts everyone on that roster.