Hornets 119, Wizards 115: Justin Champagnie posts 45.7 fantasy points
Tyler Okonkwo
Student & Retail Associate · Houston Rockets fan
Hornets Survive Wizards Shootout But This Ain't a Championship Roster Problem
Charlotte just barely held off Washington 119-115, and while W's are W's, the fantasy story here is wild. The Wizards had THREE guys go absolutely berserk against their season averages, yet still lost. That's what happens when your role players are carrying and your stars are just okay. Meanwhile, the Hornets' depth saved them. This game is a masterclass in "narrative doesn't always match the box score."
Tonight's Top Performers
| Player | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | vs Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Champagnie (WAS) | 45.7 | 15/11/3/3/2 | 7.3/5.7/1.1 | +7.7/+5.3/+1.9 |
| Jamir Watkins (WAS) | 43.7 | 11/6/3/5/2 | 3.4/3.1/0.6 | +7.6/+2.9/+2.4 |
| Brandon Miller (CHA) | 42.7 | 21/11/7/1/0 | 20.0/4.4/3.5 | +1.0/+6.6/+3.5 |
| LaMelo Ball (CHA) | 38.9 | 20/2/11/1/0 | 19.3/5.0/7.6 | +0.7/-3.0/+3.4 |
| Kyshawn George (WAS) | 38.1 | 11/8/7/2/1 | 15.5/5.8/5.1 | -4.5/+2.2/+1.9 |
| Alex Sarr (WAS) | 34.3 | 24/4/1/1/1 | 17.4/7.3/2.7 | +6.6/-3.3/-1.7 |
Tonight's Top Performers Breakdown
Okay so here's the chaos. Champagnie came out of NOWHERE. I'm talking 7.7 points above his season average on a game where Charlotte had no answer for his activity level. 32 minutes of floor time, efficient 7-9 shooting, and he was crashing boards like his rent was due. This is the kind of breakout that makes you check the injury report for his normal starters. Watkins was similar, a +7.6 in points off a 3.4 average. Both Wizards role players just feasted.
But here's the thing, right? Brandon Miller kept Charlotte alive. He's hitting his spots (+6.6 boards above average), and while his scoring was basically in line (20 vs 19.3 season avg), the board work and assist volume (7) elevated him. LaMelo did his thing, popping off 11 dimes while chucking from deep. Alex Sarr went for 24 points, +6.6 above his average, but lost the rebounding battle big time (4 boards vs 7.3 avg, so -3.3). That's the Wizards' issue in a nutshell. They got scoring from everywhere but still took the L because they couldn't protect the paint consistently.
The Winners
Justin Champagnie dropped 45.7 Yahoo points, absolutely towering over his 7.3 PPG average. The man was in everything, 11 boards, 3 steals in 32 minutes. He's suddenly a waiver wire priority if he keeps getting this kind of usage.
Brandon Miller stayed true to form with 42.7 FP, riding that elite efficiency while doing damage on the glass. The +6.6 rebound spike is legit and shows the Hornets are trusting him in key situations. He's locked and loaded for fantasy purposes.
Alex Sarr put up 34.3 FP with a 24-point line, though the rebounding miss (-3.3) kept it from being a truly dominant night. Still, 11-19 from the field is elite work.
The Letdowns
Kyshawn George was supposed to be the third guy and instead went -4.5 in scoring (11 vs 15.5 avg) while shooting 4-15. Rough look. He did chip in 7 dimes so there's depth there, but this is a "relax, it happens" situation rather than panic. One bad shooting night doesn't undo his season.
The Trends
LaMelo's 11 assists on a night where he only grabbed 2 boards tells you everything. Charlotte needed his playmaking. He's averaging 7.6 dimes on the season and went off tonight, so expect more of this run-and-gun energy. Moussa Diabaté had one of his better nights (11 boards, 7-8 from the line) and played 32 minutes, so he's locked in as the primary big.
On the Wizards side, Tre Johnson absolutely went OFF with 26 points on 8-22 shooting (6 threes). That's a +13.1 point swing above his 12.9 average. If he's getting 36 minutes in a losing effort, DC might be shifting usage around.
The Moves
Add: Jamir Watkins (WAS). Dude just put up 43.7 Yahoo points off a 3.4 average. Is it sustainable? Maybe not fully, but 28 minutes of work with 5 assists and 2 steals suggests the Wizards are testing him out in the rotation. At 2.9% ownership, this is a zero-cost lottery ticket.
Drop: Marvin Bagley III (WAS). Didn't play and got dropped 0.1% ownership for a reason. He's rotting on the bench.
Trade Target: Brandon Miller. If someone in your league is panicking over the Hornets' close loss, sell them on Miller's consistency. He hit his season average in scoring while adding elite boards and passes. That's championship-caliber role player stability.
Next Up
Charlotte hosts the next one with Miller and LaMelo humming. The Wizards need to figure out if Champagnie is a real rotation piece or if tonight was a mirage. If he gets 20+ minutes again, he's worth stashing. If he drops back to 10, he's irrelevant. The key is watching starter minutes across both squads over the next week. Someone's role is about to shift based on this competitive level we just saw.