Suns 106, Knicks 99: OG Anunoby posts 46.1 fantasy points
Kwame Asante
Junior Accountant ยท Oklahoma City Thunder fan
Miles McBride's Breakout Game Saves Knicks from Complete Disaster
The Knicks got absolutely cooked tonight, 106-99, but at least they had Miles McBride going absolutely mental to make it respectable. Without his 23 points on 5 threes, this would've been a complete washout. OG Anunoby showed up big too, but the absence of Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart basically made this a pickup squad versus a real NBA team. Fantasy managers need to pay close attention here because the waiver wire chaos is about to hit.
Tonight's Top Performers
| Player | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | vs Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OG Anunoby | 46.1 | 21/8/5/4 | 15.9/5.4/2.1 | +5.1 pts, +2.6 reb, +2.9 ast |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 39.2 | 23/11/2/0 | 20.9/11.5/2.9 | +2.1 pts, -0.5 reb, -0.9 ast |
| Miles McBride | 38.9 | 23/2/5/2 | 13.0/2.6/2.7 | +10.0 pts, -0.6 reb, +2.3 ast |
| Devin Booker | 36.8 | 27/4/4/1 | 25.2/4.1/6.5 | +1.8 pts, -0.1 reb, -2.5 ast |
| Mark Williams | 27.3 | 14/9/1/0 | 12.2/8.3/1.1 | +1.8 pts, +0.7 reb, -0.1 ast |
| Jordan Goodwin | 27.1 | 13/3/3/2 | 8.8/4.8/2.2 | +4.2 pts, -1.8 reb, +0.8 ast |
Tonight's Top Performers
OG Anunoby absolutely carried the Knicks' offense with 46.1 Yahoo points, smashing his season average by 5.1 points. He was efficient as well, 6-17 from the field but perfect from the line at 8-10. The steals were there (4), the rebounds jumped out (+2.6 vs average), and he played all 38 minutes. This is the kind of game that makes you wonder if he's about to break out.
Miles McBride had the most ridiculous performance relative to expectations. 38.9 Yahoo points when he's averaging 13.0 points per game? That's a +10.0 point swing. Five threes on 9-18 shooting. The kid went absolutely mental in a game where the Knicks desperately needed someone to step up with Brunson out. This is the kind of performance that gets him noticed on waiver wires, and honestly, it should.
Karl-Anthony Towns stayed steady with 39.2 Yahoo points, basically right on his season pace with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Nothing flashy but reliable as always. 7-16 from the field, made his threes, didn't hurt you.
On the Suns side, Devin Booker led them to the W with 36.8 Yahoo points. 27 points on 7-18 shooting, but he got to the line 14 times and made 12. That's championship-level execution when you need it. His assist numbers were actually down compared to his 6.5 average, so the Knicks were able to game plan him a bit.
The Winners
Miles McBride deserves his own paragraph. 38.9 Yahoo points versus a 14.2 average (using his typical output) is absolutely massive. The Knicks need a secondary scorer with Brunson out, and McBride essentially said "fine, I'll do it." Whether this is a one-game flash or the start of something real remains to be seen, but he's worth adding in deeper leagues right now. The 5 threes suggest he's willing to take the shot when it matters.
OG Anunoby continuing his excellent campaign with 46.1 Yahoo points. He's been All-NBA level defense all year, and on a night when the Knicks got blown out of the building, he was the only guy consistently doing something right on offense. The +5.1 point increase suggests he's getting more aggressive looks, which is exactly what you want to see.
The Letdowns
Dillon Brooks absolutely stunk for Phoenix. 16.7 Yahoo points on 2-13 shooting is criminal for a guy averaging 21.1 points. That's -16.1 points versus his season average. He played 29 minutes, so it wasn't a DNP situation. The Knicks' defense managed to take him out of the game, and if that's repeatable, other teams are going to hunt him. If you've got Brooks, you're not panicking but you're definitely watching his next few games.
Mikal Bridges (note: the box score shows this player but lists him under "undefined" in the Knicks data) dropped 26.1 Yahoo points on a 16.1 average, so technically he didn't flop, but he wasn't at his best either. 6-12 from the field, which is decent efficiency, but the 1 assist on 37 minutes played is basically useless for a wing. He was probably being overloaded by the McBride-Anunoby offense taking pressure off him.
The Trends
The biggest story here is the absence of Brunson and Josh Hart. That completely reshuffled the Knicks' rotation, which is why McBride saw 36 minutes and got so many offensive touches. If those guys return, McBride's usage goes right back down. Don't get too excited thinking you've found a league winner here.
For Phoenix, Grayson Allen is being added at a 2.7% ownership clip (now 45.4% owned). He went 4-14 from the field but made 4 threes for 23.5 Yahoo points. He's averaging 16.4 points, so this is right around his norm. The ownership bump suggests people think he's solidifying as a starter in this Suns offense, which is reasonable given the minutes (26) and opportunities.
The Moves
Add: Miles McBride in anything deeper than 12 teams. Yes, he might regress when Brunson returns, but at 13.0 PPG average, he's been undervalued. One game doesn't make a trend, but a guy who can pop for 23 points and 5 threes on efficient shooting is worth a bench spot.
Add: Grayson Allen if he's still available in your league. 45% owned means plenty of people are still sleeping on him. He's a three-point specialist who's locked into rotation minutes for a team that just beat the Knicks. That's reliable upside.
Drop: Precious Achiuwa across the board if you've got him. He's getting dropped league-wide (-0.4% ownership) for a reason. Bench him or cut him, don't waste a roster spot on someone who isn't getting consistent run.
Next Up
Watch for updates on Brunson and Hart for the Knicks. If they return, McBride becomes a waiver wire commodity again. Phoenix plays next with the same core intact, so Booker and that squad should be fine going forward. The Suns' win here was clean despite Brooks struggling, which tells you their depth is real.