Lakers 110, Raptors 93: Brandon Ingram posts 45.7 fantasy points
Hiro Tanaka
Physical Therapy Assistant · Los Angeles Lakers fan
Deandre Ayton Finally Showed Up and the Lakers Remembered How to Win
Look, I'm biased because the Lakers are my team, but last night was exactly what we needed to see. The Raptors came into Crypto.com Arena and got schooled 110-93, and the story that matters for fantasy is simple: Deandre Ayton woke up from a two-month nap and dropped 25/13 on perfect shooting. This isn't about the W. This is about whether Ayton owners should panic sell or if this was the reset button getting pressed.
Tonight's Top Performers
| Player | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | vs Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Ingram | 45.7 | 19/6/7/3/1 | 21.7/6.0/3.8 | -2.7 pts, +3.2 ast |
| Deandre Ayton | 45.1 | 25/13/1/0/1 | 14.2/8.8/0.9 | +10.8 pts, +4.2 reb |
| LeBron James | 42.3 | 24/4/7/0/2 | 22.6/5.9/6.9 | +1.4 pts, +0.1 ast |
| Luka Dončić | 39.9 | 25/2/7/1/1 | 33.3/7.5/8.6 | -8.3 pts, -5.5 reb |
| Scottie Barnes | 38.3 | 22/9/3/1/0 | 19.6/8.3/5.4 | +2.4 pts, +0.7 reb |
| Sandro Mamukelashvili | 36.2 | 20/6/2/1/1 | 10.6/4.8/1.9 | +9.4 pts, +1.2 reb |
The Winners
Deandre Ayton dropped 45.1 Yahoo FP on 10-10 shooting (unreal), +10.8 above his season average. This is the dude we thought we drafted. He wasn't getting run before, wasn't clicking, but last night he looked like a center who actually belonged on a contender. He hit his spots, finished decisively, and the Lakers clearly made an adjustment to get him more involved. The question now: was this a one-game thing or the start of a trend? I'm cautiously optimistic because from a PT perspective, he's been dealing with some soft tissue stuff that finally seems resolved. Monitor his next two games closely.
Brandon Ingram went 45.7 (7-19 shooting, so volume wasn't pretty), but he distributed the rock beautifully with 7 assists, +3.2 above his season average there. He was still -2.7 on scoring but made up for it with playmaking. Raptors got outrun and he was trying to do too much. Not a disaster, just not a W for him.
Scottie Barnes was steady at 38.3 FP, +2.4 above average. He's getting his 9 rebounds and 3 assists like clockwork. The dude is a floor with a ceiling, and that floor kept him relevant even on a losing night.
The Letdowns
Luka Dončić shot 8-23 from the field and finished 39.9 FP, down 8.3 points from his season average. Not catastrophic because he still had 7 assists and hit five threes, but this is why you can't rely solely on him in PPR. Some nights his shot isn't falling and the volume can't save you. His owners should chill though, cold shooting happens. One bad night doesn't undo an MVP-caliber season.
Immanuel Quickley was pretty quiet at 25.1 FP, -7.3 from his 16.3 point average. The Raptors' offensive rhythm was off and he bore some of that burden. Nothing scary, just a mismatch game.
The Trends
The big one here is Ayton's minutes and role expanding. He played 32 minutes last night, which is solid, and got 10 FGA. That's the kind of usage that makes him useful. If the Lakers keep running him like this, he's a low-to-mid tier center you can feel good about rostering.
Jarred Vanderbilt only played 21 minutes despite grabbing 9 boards. He's still getting work on the glass but his role seems limited when the game gets out of hand. Won't be touching him in fantasy unless there's an injury.
Rui Hachimura was a ghost (10 pts on 4-10 shooting). He's dealing with some nagging stuff from earlier in the season and doesn't seem to be fully rolling yet. Give it another week.
The Moves
Add: Deandre Ayton if he's still available in your league, which honestly feels unlikely. But if you're punting assists and need a big who can genuinely give you 15-18 pts and 8-10 boards, he's back. The 74.2% ownership drop this week tells me some panic sellers got shook. Don't be that guy.
Drop: Ochai Agbaji went 0-5 and is getting added up 0.1% league-wide for a reason, not a good one. He's a roster filler and last night confirmed it. The ownership bump tells me somebody saw the name and got excited. Don't do that.
Watch: Scottie Barnes for a trade target. He's doing exactly what he's supposed to do (19-20 pts, 8-9 reb, 5 ast range) with consistency. If someone in your league is panicking after one loss, he's the kind of "boring but reliable" guy you can flip for an underperformer or use to consolidate talent.
Next Up
The Lakers host the next team, and I need to see if Ayton's explosion was real or a mirage against a backup-heavy Raptors lineup. If he gets 30+ minutes again and stays aggressive, we're talking about him differently. For the Raptors, that's a tough stretch ahead, and Ingram's playmaking will need to shine through more as they adjust. Watch his assist rate next game, it's the surest path to consistent scoring nights for him.