Warriors 135, Heat 112: Brandin Podziemski posts 38.2 fantasy points
Marcus Thompson Jr.
Fire Lieutenant ยท Golden State Warriors fan
Steph Underperforms But Warriors Still Cook Heat, Podziemski Becomes Fantasy Closer
Golden State showed up ready to play tonight, and I'm not just saying that because I bleed blue and gold. Warriors hammered Miami 135-112, and while Steph didn't have his sharpest night, the depth on this roster is genuinely scary for fantasy purposes. Brandin Podziemski became the story you weren't expecting, Moses Moody kept it rolling, and bench guys like Quinten Post reminded everyone why this team's talent chart is deeper than the Mariana Trench.
Tonight's Top Performers
| Player | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | vs Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandin Podziemski | 38.2 | 24/6/4/1/0 | 12.3/4.5/3.3 | +11.7 pts |
| Stephen Curry | 36.1 | 19/3/11/0/0 | 27.4/3.7/5.1 | -8.4 pts |
| Quinten Post | 33.3 | 15/9/3/0/2 | 8.0/4.0/1.5 | +7.0 pts |
| Moses Moody | 29.8 | 13/4/2/3/0 | 10.7/3.0/1.5 | +2.3 pts |
| Jimmy Butler III | 30.6 | 17/3/4/2/0 | 20.0/5.6/4.9 | -3.0 pts |
| Simone Fontecchio | 32.6 | 13/8/2/2/1 | 8.2/2.9/1.4 | +4.8 pts |
The Winners
Brandin Podziemski is becoming that guy. Twenty-four points on 9-19 shooting with 6 boards in 29 minutes, scoring 11.7 above his season average. This isn't a fluke either. Podzz is getting consistent minutes and opportunities in a Warriors system that's finally clicking. He's shooting threes at volume (3 on the night) and staying active on the glass. In PPR leagues, he's a top-50 player right now, and if you're in a 10-team league, he's absolutely available somewhere. Grab him yesterday.
Quinten Post did Post things, which is to say he was efficient and weird at the same time. Fifteen points, 9 rebounds in 21 minutes. Four threes from a big man. That's +7.0 above his season average. Post is still a speculative piece because his minutes bounce around (21 tonight, could be 10 next game), but in deeper formats, he's got upside. The fact that he's shooting threes at a decent clip makes him more valuable than your typical backup center.
Moses Moody stays solid. Thirteen points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals in 29 minutes. Nothing flashy but +2.3 above average. He's the definition of a reliable mid-tier contributor who doesn't blow up your roster.
The Letdowns
Stephen Curry shot like he was thinking about something else. Nineteen points on 6-13 shooting with 5 threes is still respectable on paper, but he came in averaging 27.4 and tonight was -8.4 from that mark. The eleven assists were nice, but Steph's value comes from being a 25-30 point guy night in and out. This was an off night, plain and simple. Don't panic. This is one game. He'll be back to cooking tomorrow.
Bam Adebayo got straight cooked. One point on 1-13 shooting? That's not a bad night, that's a nightmare. Twelve rebounds kept it from being a total disaster, but 4 points on 1-13 is a -13.0 drop from his 17-point season average. He tried to be active with 3 assists, but this is the kind of game that makes you wonder if something's wrong. The Heat got punched in the mouth and Bam couldn't establish himself inside. Watch his next game closely before you worry too much.
The Trends
The Warriors are getting their depth reps in blowout situations, which is good news for value hunters. Podziemski is getting consistent 25+ minute slots. Post is seeing real time. Buddy Hield went for 16 in 23 minutes, adding +8.4 to his season average. This is what a healthy, confident Warriors roster looks like.
For Miami, the concern is real. They got outgunned at nearly every position. Norman Powell stayed solid with 21 on solid efficiency, but Jimmy Butler only managed 17 on a night when Miami needed everyone locked in. This wasn't a personnel issue, it was a performance issue.
The Moves
Add Brandin Podziemski if he's still sitting in your league. Immediately. He's playing real minutes in a real role, and the Warriors trust him.
Trade for Bam Adebayo if the owner is panicking after tonight. One terrible game doesn't erase his 17-point season average and elite rebounding. This is a bounce-back spot waiting to happen.
Monitor Quinten Post in deeper leagues. He's got a high ceiling in 12+ team formats, but his floor is too volatile for standard 10-teamers. If your league goes deep, stash him.
Next Up
Warriors host the next opponent and they're rolling. Podziemski should keep getting looks. Steph will bounce back hard. Heat need to regroup and figure out how to get Bam more involved in the offense. If Miami's role players don't step up next game, this team has real inconsistency issues to address.