CHA 130, PHI 93: CHA Rolls Behind Brandon Miller's 61 ESPN FP
Destiny Williams
Math Teacher & Basketball Coach ยท Atlanta Hawks fan
Charlotte Destroys Philly 130-93: Brandon Miller Went Full Superstar Mode
Alright, let's be real, this wasn't a game. This was a clinic. The Hornets came into Philadelphia and absolutely cooked the 76ers 130-93, and if you had Brandon Miller on your roster, you just won your week. If you didn't, we need to talk about why.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Miller | 61.0 | 47.6 | 30/8/2 | 20.4/4.5/3.5 | +9.6 |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | 39.0 | 37.3 | 13/9/3 | 8.8/6.3/0.7 | +4.2 |
| Kon Knueppel | 35.0 | 32.6 | 12/8/6 | 18.7/5.5/3.6 | -6.7 |
| Quentin Grimes | 25.0 | 26.1 | 14/3/5 | 13.3/3.8/3.7 | +0.7 |
| LaMelo Ball | 23.0 | 24.4 | 11/2/8 | 19.1/4.9/7.6 | -8.1 |
| Jared McCain | 26.0 | 24.1 | 16/3/3 | 6.4/2.2/1.6 | +9.6 |
| Kelly Oubre Jr. | 26.0 | 23.4 | 17/2/0 | 14.7/4.5/1.4 | +2.3 |
| Josh Green | 23.0 | 21.4 | 12/2/4 | 4.8/2.1/1.1 | +7.2 |
| Miles Bridges | 25.0 | 21.1 | 10/3/3 | 18.5/6.1/3.5 | -8.5 |
| Jabari Walker | 24.0 | 20.4 | 9/2/0 | 4.0/3.3/0.5 | +5.0 |
Brandon Miller is a Fantasy Cheat Code Right Now
Brandon Miller dropped 30 points on 9-11 shooting with 6 threes made, 8 boards, and went 6-for-6 from the free throw line. That's 47.6 Yahoo FP and it wasn't even close. He was +9.6 points above his season average, and honestly, this feels like the version of Miller that's actually going to show up consistently going forward. Kid can flat out score, and when he gets a rhythm like this against a depleted 76ers defense, he punishes you.
The thing that matters here is the efficiency. 9-11 is not a fluke night. This is a player working within the offense, getting clean looks, and converting them. If you can trade for him right now, do it. He's going to be a top-50 fantasy asset the rest of the season.
The Hornets Role Players Actually Made Noise
Ryan Kalkbrenner had the kind of game that makes you remember why he gets minutes. 13 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks in 25 minutes. That's 37.3 Yahoo FP, and yeah, he was +4.2 from his season average. Kalkbrenner isn't going to excite you most nights, but he's the kind of dude who quietly pads your rebounding and blocks without hurting you elsewhere. In deeper leagues, he's worth a flyer.
Josh Green is straight up underrated by fantasy managers. 12 points on 3-6 shooting, 4 assists, 5-5 from the line. That's 21.4 Yahoo, and he was +7.2 from his season average. This is the kind of glue guy I'm always looking for, the one who does everything a little bit and nothing flashy, but wins you weeks without making you sweat. Green's in basically nobody's league right now and he should be.
The Philly Squad Had No Answers
Look, without Joel Embiid and Paul George in the lineup, the 76ers had no shot. This was basically a G-League squad against Charlotte and it showed. But what's interesting for fantasy purposes is who stepped up.
Quentin Grimes put up 26.1 Yahoo FP with 14 points, 5 assists, and a 4-5 night from the free throw line. He's the closest thing to a real player the 76ers had on the court, and he came through. Jared McCain went off for 24.1 Yahoo with 16 points on 6-13 shooting and 4 threes. When the tank is on, guys like McCain get minutes, and yeah, that led to a solid fantasy night. But this isn't sustainable. Once Embiid comes back, McCain's back on the bench.
Kelly Oubre Jr. did his thing with 23.4 Yahoo, 17 points on 7-12 shooting, and 2 steals. Oubre doesn't need much to be fantasy relevant, just playing time and shots. He had both tonight.
LaMelo's Night Was a Letdown (But Don't Panic)
Here's the thing about LaMelo Ball going 11/2/8 in just 20 minutes: he didn't get to play. The game was a blowout early, so the Hornets sat him down. That's actually a positive sign. Kid was -8.1 from his season average, but when your team is up 40 with five minutes left, you're hitting the bench. This isn't a sign he's falling off. This is just game management.
Miles Bridges was similarly limited with 10 points on 4-7 shooting. Again, blowout game, limited minutes, and he came out in the third quarter. These guys will bounce back in competitive games.
The Bottom Line
The Hornets blew out a depleted 76ers team, and that created some fantasy value for Charlotte role players who won't maintain this. Brandon Miller though? That's the real deal. That's a dude you want going forward. Everyone else on Charlotte had a nice night but they're not getting 47 fantasy points again soon because the matchups won't be this easy.
On the Philly side, you've learned that McCain and Oubre will eat when the starters are gone, but we all knew that. Nobody's trading their first rounder for these guys. Just know for when injuries happen or rest days come up.
This was the kind of game that clears out some dead weight from rosters and reminds you that blowouts don't always tell the real fantasy story. Charlotte looked great. Philly looked, well, like they were missing their two best players. Wait for competitive matchups before you overreact to any of this.