Mavericks 123, Warriors 115: Naji Marshall posts 47.9 fantasy points
Marcus Thompson Jr.
Fire Lieutenant ยท Golden State Warriors fan
Naji Marshall Saves Dallas While Steph Goes Nuclear in 8-Point Loss
Listen, this one stings for my Warriors but I gotta give it up to what I saw. The Mavericks walked out of Chase with a 123-115 W, and honestly, if it wasn't for Naji Marshall going absolutely nuclear, we're talking about a completely different narrative. Steph dropped 38 on legitimate efficiency and it still wasn't enough. That's the story right there, and it should scare every fantasy owner who's been sleeping on Dallas's depth.
Tonight's Top Performers
| Player | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | vs Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naji Marshall | 47.9 | 30/7/9 | 14.5/4.7/3.0 | +15.5 pts, +2.3 reb, +6.0 ast |
| Stephen Curry | 42.3 | 38/4/1 | 27.4/3.7/4.9 | +10.6 pts, +0.3 reb, -3.9 ast |
| De'Anthony Melton | 36.6 | 22/3/2 | 11.3/2.7/2.0 | +10.7 pts, +0.3 reb |
| Cooper Flagg | 36.2 | 21/11/2 | 18.8/6.4/4.1 | +2.2 pts, +4.6 reb |
| Max Christie | 29.8 | 21/4/2 | 13.0/3.5/2.2 | +8.0 pts, +0.5 reb |
| Brandin Podziemski | 33.8 | 9/4/10 | 12.2/4.4/3.4 | -3.2 pts, +6.6 ast |
The Winners
Naji Marshall absolutely owned the fourth quarter and pulled off the performance of the night with 47.9 Yahoo points. The man finished 10-12 from the field, went 8-8 from the stripe, and distributed 9 dimes while dropping 30. That's +15.5 from his season average. Look, Marshall's been solid all year, but he was never supposed to be a 30-point guy. This is the kind of game that makes you pause and ask questions. He played 33 minutes and looked like a different player out there. For fantasy purposes, I'm not overreacting to one game, but if this is a sign that Dallas is giving him more offensive looks down the stretch, he's a serious waiver wire target.
Stephen Curry did Stephen Curry things and still lost. 38 points, 8 threes, 14-27 shooting, and +10.6 above his season average. As a Warriors fan, I'm furious we couldn't get him more help, but as a fantasy guy, I'm here to tell you Steph is playing at an All-NBA level right now. The 42.3 Yahoo points shows he's a league-winner. He's been All-NBA Second Team and he's living up to it every single night. This game doesn't change anything, it just confirms what we already knew.
De'Anthony Melton came off the bench and dropped 36.6 Yahoo points on 22 points, 3 boards, and 2 steals in just 23 minutes. That's him showing up +10.7 from his season average. Melton's been playing limited minutes most of the year, but tonight he got his shot and he converted. This is a guy worth monitoring on the wire if he's available in your league.
The Letdowns
Brandin Podziemski put up 33.8 Yahoo points but the story is his assist total. He dropped 10 dimes to go with 9 points and 4 boards, which is solid depth stuff, but he's down 3.2 from his season average in scoring. The Warriors needed more scoring tonight and Podzz couldn't find his stroke (4-13 FG). Don't panic, he's still doing his job, but in a loss like this, the role players needed to step up harder.
The Trends
Here's what I'm tracking. The Warriors looked desperate out there, and that usually means more minutes for their rotation guys. Kuminga got 9 minutes and Buddy Hield got 14, which tells me Steve Kerr is still tinkering with the lineup. Draymond played 23 minutes and looked like classic Draymond with 5 assists, 4 boards, 2 steals on limited scoring (4 points), which is exactly what you want from your defensive anchor.
For Dallas, this is a complete roster game. Marshall was the star, but Max Christie added 29.8 Yahoo points on 21 points and went 5-for-9 from three. Cooper Flagg grabbed 11 boards with 21 points, and P.J. Washington came off the bench with 2 steals and 3 blocks in limited time. This isn't luck, this is depth.
The Moves
Add Naji Marshall if he's sitting in free agency. I know I just said not to overreact to one game, but the usage is real here. 33 minutes, dominant efficiency, 9 assists. This is a pattern-setter if it continues.
Don't panic sell Brandin Podziemski. One bad shooting night doesn't erase what he's done for Golden State. He's still doing the dirty work, especially on the glass and in playmaking.
Grab De'Anthony Melton if he's available. The Warriors clearly want to get him more involved, and 23 minutes of bench time is the entry point. If he's getting this many looks off the pine, he's valuable in deeper leagues.
Next Up
Warriors go back to the lab. Steph played lights out and they still lost, so something's gotta give with the supporting cast. Dallas proved tonight they've got multiple weapons, and if Marshall keeps getting these opportunities, he could be a steal down the stretch. Watch the next Warriors game for role clarity.