DEN 107, BKN 103: DEN Survives, Jr. Leads With 73 ESPN FP
Destiny Williams
Math Teacher & Basketball Coach · Atlanta Hawks fan
Nuggets Survive Late Scare: MPJ Goes Ballistic, But Denver's Depth Carries The Day
This one came down to the wire, but Denver's balanced attack outlasted Brooklyn's one-man show. Final score 107-103, and if you had Michael Porter Jr. in your lineup, congrats, you're eating well. If you didn't, well, that's what waivers are for.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Porter Jr. | 73.0 | 65.5 | 38/10/3 | 25.2/7.2/3.2 | +12.8 |
| Jamal Murray | 51.0 | 44.8 | 27/4/6 | 25.9/4.4/7.4 | +1.1 |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | 52.0 | 42.1 | 25/8/3 | 13.7/2.4/1.4 | +11.3 |
| Peyton Watson | 33.0 | 31.9 | 19/2/3 | 14.4/5.0/1.9 | +4.6 |
| Nic Claxton | 33.0 | 31.1 | 10/8/7 | 12.5/7.4/4.0 | -2.5 |
| Jonas Valančiūnas | 28.0 | 30.3 | 12/9/3 | 8.9/5.1/1.3 | +3.1 |
| Day'Ron Sharpe | 24.0 | 24.3 | 7/9/1 | 7.8/6.2/2.3 | -0.8 |
| Nolan Traore | 23.0 | 20.4 | 9/2/4 | 5.8/1.2/2.7 | +3.2 |
| Danny Wolf | 21.0 | 19.3 | 7/4/3 | 7.6/4.3/1.8 | -0.6 |
| Zeke Nnaji | 19.0 | 18.9 | 4/7/1 | 4.6/2.9/0.6 | -0.6 |
MPJ's 38-Point Explosion: Real or One-Game Wonder?
Look, Michael Porter Jr. just dropped 65.5 Yahoo points on efficiency that would make my math students weep with joy. 38 points on 13-28 shooting with 7 threes and a clean 5-5 from the line? That's not lucky. That's not noise. He was +12.8 from his season average in scoring alone.
But here's the thing: he's not getting 37 minutes every night. Brooklyn's defense was scrambled without their usual rotation, and MPJ took advantage of every opening. This was his ceiling performance, not his floor. Don't panic-add him in 10-team leagues where he's probably taken. In 12-team and deeper? Yeah, grab him if he's sitting. He's been solid all year (25.2 ppg), but tonight he went supernova.
The real story is how Denver won without Nikola Jokic in the lineup. That's what I'm tracking here, because it changes everything about Nuggets workload going forward.
Tim Hardaway Jr.'s Quiet 42.1: The Best Waiver Add You're About To Miss
This one flew under the radar because MPJ was dunking on everyone, but Tim Hardaway Jr. put up 25 points on 9-15 shooting with 7 threes in just 27 minutes. That's 42.1 Yahoo points and he was +11.3 from his season average.
Here's why this matters: he's averaging 13.7 ppg usually. Tonight he almost doubled that on elite efficiency. Check your waiver wires. In leagues under 14 teams, he might still be sitting there. He's a low-usage role player who can explode on any given night when shots fall. Not a league-winner, but a solid flex in 14+ team leagues if you need shooting.
Jamal Murray Stays Steady, Nets' Role Players Get Exposed
Jamal Murray had a solid night, 44.8 Yahoo points on 27 points with 6 assists and perfect free throw shooting (7-7). But here's what I notice: he was only +1.1 from his season average. That tells me he did his job, kept the team in it, but wasn't the difference-maker tonight.
Brooklyn's bench was cooked. Day'Ron Sharpe and Nolan Traore combined for 44.7 Yahoo points, which sounds good until you realize that's mostly scraps. Nic Claxton chipped in 31.1 but was actually -2.5 from his season average. When your starter underperforms and your bench has to do heavy lifting, that's a recipe for losing close games, which is exactly what happened.
Denver's depth was the play. Jonas Valančiūnas with 30.3 Yahoo points, Peyton Watson adding 31.9, Bruce Brown contributing 18.1, and Julian Strawther getting his minutes in with 15.7. Five different guys in double-digit Yahoo points. That's how you win games without your MVP-caliber center.
The Numbers That Matter
Denver shot 52% from three as a team. Brooklyn couldn't get into rhythm defensively. When Denver went without Jokic, the Nets didn't have the defensive length to stop MPJ from hunting shots. That's the scouting report moving forward.
From a fantasy standpoint: if Jokic's absence becomes a pattern, this could change how Denver's scoring gets distributed. Watch for that. If he's back next game, ignore tonight's bench performances and go back to chasing Jokic-centric builds.
Bottom Line
Michael Porter Jr. had the game of his life and won your week if you own him. Tim Hardaway Jr. is a sneaky add. Jamal Murray did enough to win the game, nothing more. Brooklyn's depth can't carry them if they're trailing. Denver survived without their star because their system is deeper than one name.
Add Hardaway Jr. if he's available in your league. Don't panic-sell Nic Claxton just because he underperformed once. And if you own MPJ, enjoy the ride but don't expect 38 points every night. Even good players have ceiling games.
This is why depth matters in fantasy basketball. One-man shows don't win championships. Teams do.