MIA 116, CHI 113: Jr.'s 57 ESPN FP Eruption
Hiro Tanaka
Physical Therapy Assistant · Los Angeles Lakers fan
Heat Survive Late Bulls Push, But the Real Story Is Who Showed Up
Heat 116, Bulls 113. Three points. Could've gone either way in the final seconds, but Miami's depth won out when Chicago needed someone to step up. This is the kind of game where fantasy teams either cashback or get exposed depending on who you had rostered.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaime Jaquez Jr. | 57.0 | 49.0 | 19/10/6 | 15.3/5.3/4.7 | +3.7 |
| Kevin Huerter | 44.0 | 40.5 | 15/10/3 | 10.9/3.8/2.6 | +4.1 |
| Matas Buzelis | 37.0 | 37.8 | 16/9/4 | 14.9/5.4/2.0 | +1.1 |
| Bam Adebayo | 31.0 | 36.4 | 20/12/2 | 18.0/9.8/2.8 | +2.0 |
| Ayo Dosunmu | 33.0 | 34.9 | 23/7/5 | 14.8/2.8/3.5 | +8.2 |
| Coby White | 29.0 | 33.8 | 14/4/8 | 18.6/3.5/4.8 | -4.6 |
| Dru Smith | 38.0 | 32.5 | 11/5/5 | 6.4/2.6/2.7 | +4.6 |
| Pelle Larsson | 33.0 | 31.7 | 15/6/3 | 9.8/3.2/3.2 | +5.2 |
| Nikola Vučević | 22.0 | 29.5 | 15/10/3 | 17.0/9.1/3.8 | -2.0 |
| Kel'el Ware | 32.0 | 25.8 | 12/4/2 | 11.5/9.5/0.6 | +0.5 |
Jaime Jaquez Jr. Is Basically a Free 49 Yahoo Points
Look, Jaime Jaquez Jr. went off for 49 Yahoo FP and nobody's talking about it loud enough. 19 points on 8-13 shooting, 10 boards, 6 assists in 32 minutes. That's +3.7 from his season average, which sounds small until you realize he just did it efficiently. This isn't noise. He's been consistently good all season (15.3/5.3/4.7), and when he hits his rhythm like this, he's putting up near-50 floor performances. If he's still available in your league, grab him. He's not going to give you monster stat lines, but he's going to be reliable.
Ayo Dosunmu Put the Team on His Back
Ayo Dosunmu dropped 23 points on 8-16 shooting and that's the real story from Chicago's bench. +8.2 from his season average is massive. The Bulls got outmatched in the starting lineup but Dosunmu stayed aggressive, got to the line (6-6 FT), and kept Chicago in it. Problem is this feels like a one-off performance spike. His season average is 14.8/2.8/3.5, so 23 points is him playing out of his mind. Don't flip out and pay a premium for him thinking this is sustainable. This is a good sell-high moment if someone in your league is hyped on what he did tonight.
The Kevin Huerter and Matas Buzelis Connection
Chicago's young wings both had solid nights. Kevin Huerter went 5-12 from three (okay, not great) but still landed 40.5 Yahoo FP with 15/10/3. He was getting those extra boards and didn't hurt you in the turnover department. Matas Buzelis was steadier, 6-15 from the field, 16/9/4 in 33 minutes. Both exceeded their season norms by a bit, and both are the type of secondary options that'll put up 25-35 on any given night. If you're punting elite scoring, these are low-key valuable bench guys in deeper leagues.
Bam Adebayo Did Bam Things, Then Hit a Wall
Here's the thing about Bam Adebayo (36.4 Yahoo FP): he was the only reliable Heat option for most of this game. 20 points, 12 boards, 4-4 from the line. Solid. But look closer, he also shot 7-19, only had 2 assists, and never really dictated tempo the way Miami needs him to in close games. He's still a must-own (98% owned for a reason), but tonight showed the floor of what happens when your other stars don't show up. Don't panic on Bam, but understand that when Norman Powell (21 points on 7-16) and the rest of the supporting cast aren't clicking, even a dominant Bam performance only gets you a close W.
The Depth Win
Miami won this with contributions from role players. Dru Smith off the bench (32.5 Yahoo FP, 11/5/5/3), Pelle Larsson (31.7 FP, 15/6/3 in 28 min), and even Kel'el Ware in limited action (25.8 FP, 3-3 from deep). That's the Heat story. They're not relying on one star; they're loading up on versatile wings and bigs who can all contribute. Pelle Larsson in particular is someone to watch if Tyler Herro continues to miss time. He shot 6-7 from the line and got meaningful minutes. That's real.
Coby White and Nikola Vučević Left Meat on the Bone
Coby White shot 2-11. I'm not saying he cooked, but he was gassed out there. Yeah, he hit his free throws (8-10) and got 33.8 Yahoo FP, but that's propped up by getting to the line. If he's not hitting his threes on okay volume, he's not the weapon Chicago needs him to be. He's still a starter everywhere, but a night like this (off shooting night, bailed out by FT volume) is exactly the kind of performance that's replaceable.
Nikola Vučević is in the same boat. 6-18 from the field, 37 minutes, only 15/10/3. That's 29.5 Yahoo FP that feels heavier than it is because of minutes. He's been solid most of the season (17.0/9.1), but when he's not falling and he's that inefficient, Chicago's offense stalls. He's still your C1 or backup C everywhere, but nights like tonight remind you why you can't fully trust him as a bell-cow.
The Real Takeaway
This was a Heat win where depth and role players beat Chicago's reliance on secondary scorers. If you own Miami players, you're fine, mostly. If you own Bulls rotation guys expecting consistency, nights like this are the reminder that they're volatile. Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White can both go off or lay eggs. That's the Chicago experience right now.
For your waiver moves, Pelle Larsson is worth a look in 12+ team leagues if he's free. He's getting real minutes and he can stroke it. Otherwise, stay the course. This was tight but boring from a fantasy perspective.