Pistons 104, Celtics 103: Cade Cunningham posts 49.6 fantasy points
Tommy Flanagan
Journeyman Electrician ยท Boston Celtics fan
Cade's 14 Dimes Can't Hide the Celtics' Disaster in Detroit
Look, I'm gonna say it: the Celtics got punked in Detroit. We lost by a point to a Pistons team that's not even in the conversation, and the fantasy fallout is going to mess with a lot of your lineups. But here's the thing, the All-NBA First Teamer Jaylen Brown still put up 32 and saved a lot of people's nights, while Cade Cunningham ran the offense like a maestro despite shooting 4-17. This is a game where the box score tells two totally different stories depending on who you own.
Tonight's Top Performers
| Player | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | vs Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cade Cunningham | 49.6 | 16/3/14/1/2 | 25.9/6.0/9.6 | -9.9 pts, +4.4 ast |
| Jaylen Brown | 47.2 | 32/11/2/0/1 | 29.7/6.4/4.8 | +2.3 pts, +4.6 reb |
| Ausar Thompson | 32.4 | 7/7/2/4/1 | 10.9/5.8/2.6 | +1.2 reb, +4 stl |
| Jalen Duren | 32.3 | 18/9/1/1/0 | 17.8/10.8/1.8 | +0.2 pts |
| Tobias Harris | 32.1 | 25/3/1/0/1 | 13.3/4.7/2.5 | +11.7 pts |
| Neemias Queta | 31.1 | 10/8/1/3/1 | 10.2/8.2/1.4 | -0.2 pts |
The Winners
Jaylen Brown went absolutely nuclear, dropping 32 on 11-28 shooting with 11 boards and 8-10 from the line. That's 47.2 Yahoo, only +2.3 above his season average of 29.7, but the rebounds are the play here. He pulled down 11, which crushes his 6.4 average. This is the All-NBA caliber production you drafted him for. Brown's going to feast against anyone, and tonight was proof.
Tobias Harris is the sneaky winner here. 25 points on 11-20 shooting, 5 threes made, and it's +11.7 above his 13.3 season average. This is NOT a mirage. Harris went off because the Celtics couldn't stay in front of him, and he got clean looks all night. If he's available in your league, he's worth a look off the wire, but don't overpay in a trade.
Cade Cunningham is the weird case. He shot 4-17 (yikes), but still dropped 49.6 Yahoo FP because of 14 dimes and 8-10 free throws. His point total was 9.9 below average, but the assists were +4.4. This is what you get with a lead guard: fantasy floor because the scoring's not there, but the playmaking keeps the lights on. Don't panic if you own Cade, but know his ceiling is the assist line, not bucket-getting.
The Letdowns
Derrick White absolutely stunk it up. 4 points on 1-11 shooting? That's a -14.1 versus his 18.1 season average. White still scraped together 27.3 Yahoo FP because of 9 rebounds and 5 assists in 37 minutes, but this is what happens when the Celtics get punked. White's role is a complementary scorer, and when the offense breaks down like it did tonight, he's the first guy to disappear. He'll bounce back, but if you're thinking about trading him, tonight's not a good barometer.
The Trends
The biggest thing nobody's talking about is minutes management. Jaylen Brown played 38 minutes in a loss, which tells you the Celtics were desperately trying to grind their way back. That's not sustainable. Also, Duncan Robinson hit 5 threes off the bench for the Pistons and finished with 28.8 Yahoo FP, +2.9 above his average. Robinson's a 3-point specialist and Detroit got everything they needed from him. Watch if his role keeps expanding because Cade needs reliable shooters.
Neemias Queta got 28 minutes for Boston and dropped 31.1 Yahoo FP. That's solid, but his scoring was dead average. He got there on 8-10 free throws and rebounding, which means he was camping in the paint. If Boston keeps running pick and roll with Queta this much, his fantasy value is real, but it depends on game script.
The Moves
Add Tobias Harris immediately if he's free. The man just put up 25 on great efficiency, and the Celtics can't guard him. He's got juice, and at 32.1 Yahoo FP against a season average of around league-wide PF standards, he's worth the bench spot.
Drop Anfernee Simons. He got 24 minutes off the Boston bench and put up 13.6 Yahoo FP on 4-11 shooting. The Celtics aren't running Simons like they run their guys, and he's not getting the ball enough to be fantasy relevant. There are better fliers out there.
Trade Derrick White if you can swing it. Not because tonight was bad, but because the Celtics offense looked broken. White thrives when Boston's running clean sets and he's the fourth option. When they're scrambling, he disappears. I'm not saying sell low, but if someone overpays after his season numbers, take it.
Next Up
Boston's gotta figure out what went wrong, and fast. They're still loaded with All-NBA talent, but the Pistons just showed they can be beaten. Jaylen Brown's your ride-or-die, but watch if the Celtics adjust their offense to get him more touches. The rest of the rotation is too streaky to trust night-to-night unless Brown's going off. Detroit's going back to reality soon, but Harris showed up tonight, so keep an eye on that usage rate.