NYK 127, POR 97: Josh Hart Leads NYK Rout
Kwame Asante
Junior Accountant ยท Oklahoma City Thunder fan
Knicks Roll Past Blazers: Hart and KAT Lead the Charge, But the Real Story is OG's Breakout
The Knicks absolutely demolished Portland 127-97, and honestly, it wasn't even that close. This was the kind of game where you look at the final score and think "yeah, that tracks." New York's depth showed up in a major way, with four players cracking 35+ Yahoo Fantasy points. Portland got some solid individual performances buried under a team that just couldn't keep pace.
Let me break down what actually matters for your roster.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 42.0 | 45.5 | 14/20/3 | 20.0/11.8/2.9 | -6.0 |
| Josh Hart | 45.0 | 41.7 | 20/6/5 | 12.3/7.7/5.2 | +7.7 |
| Robert Williams III | 44.0 | 37.9 | 4/12/3 | 5.9/6.3/1.0 | -1.9 |
| Jalen Brunson | 40.0 | 36.7 | 26/1/3 | 27.6/3.1/5.9 | -1.6 |
| OG Anunoby | 41.0 | 35.7 | 24/6/3 | 16.2/5.4/2.3 | +7.8 |
| Shaedon Sharpe | 39.0 | 34.1 | 26/3/3 | 21.9/4.6/2.7 | +4.1 |
| Mikal Bridges | 29.0 | 27.9 | 10/2/5 | 15.9/4.3/4.2 | -5.9 |
| Sidy Cissoko | 34.0 | 25.2 | 15/1/2 | 6.2/2.3/1.4 | +8.8 |
| Caleb Love | 22.0 | 23.6 | 12/3/4 | 11.2/2.7/2.7 | +0.8 |
| Deni Avdija | 16.0 | 23.5 | 11/5/3 | 25.5/7.2/6.7 | -14.5 |
Josh Hart: The Real MVP of This Game
Listen, Josh Hart is getting added across the league right now and for good reason. He dropped 41.7 Yahoo points on just 29 minutes, going 9-17 from the floor with solid all-around production. That's +7.7 above his season average, and it's the kind of efficient night that actually means something. He's not some random mid-tier guy either. At 12.3 PPG with 5.2 AST per game, he's already a useful player, and when the Knicks go small, he becomes a legitimate fantasy asset.
The ownership bump is tiny at the moment (+0.4% to 87.4%), but I'd expect more action if he keeps playing like this. He's essentially a flier on increased role definition.
OG Anunoby: The Breakout No One Expected
OG Anunoby went absolutely off. 24 points on 10-17 shooting, 4 threes, 6 boards in 30 minutes. That's +7.8 above his season average, and he's now at 87.4% ownership so the market's already clued in. This wasn't a one-off either. He's been trending up for weeks, and tonight he showed why he belongs in that 16+ PPG range consistently.
For fantasy purposes, he's past the waiver wire stage in most leagues, but if he somehow slipped through the cracks in your 8-team league, act immediately. This is a player who actually plays All-NBA defense and is starting to deliver scoring. Rare combo.
Karl-Anthony Towns: The Paradox
Here's what's annoying about Karl-Anthony Towns: He put up 45.5 Yahoo points, which is elite, but he actually underperformed his season average by 6 points because he's usually giving you 20.0 PPG and 11.8 RPG. Tonight he got 14/20, which is still excellent, but for KAT standards it's a step down.
The efficiency was there though, 5-12 from the field with 3 makes from three. The rebounds were massive at 20, so he clearly dominated the glass against Portland. If he maintains this floor-stretching center role with league-leading rebounding, he's still a first-round caliber guy. But I'm watching to see if the scoring rebounds next time out.
The Portland Nightmare: Deni Avdija's Complete Meltdown
I genuinely feel bad for Deni Avdija owners. This is a guy averaging 25.5 PPG with 7.2 RPG and 6.7 APG, and tonight he put up 11/5/3 on 4-14 shooting. That's -14.5 below his season average. The worst part? He played 28 minutes. This wasn't a benching situation. He just got cooked by the Knicks' perimeter defense.
Mikal Bridges wasn't great either, -5.9 from his average, though his 3 steals kept the damage limited to 27.9 Yahoo points. But Deni? This is the kind of game that makes you nervous about a player's consistency, even when he's been producing all season.
Blazers' Bright Spots (In a Losing Effort)
Shaedon Sharpe was the one Portland bright spot, dropping 26 points on 10-16 with 4 threes. That's +4.1 above his average and solid execution. Sidy Cissoko also went crazy at 15 points on 5-5 shooting, though he's not really a fantasy factor most nights (+8.8 above a 6.2 PPG average).
Robert Williams III grabbed 12 boards with 2 steals in 20 minutes, posting 37.9 Yahoo points. That's the kind of per-minute efficiency that matters. If he stays healthy, he's a decent bench option in deep leagues.
What This Means Going Forward
The Knicks are absolutely stacked when their role players are clicking. Hart, OG, and the bench mob all showed up tonight. Jalen Brunson had an okay night (26 points, -1.6 from average), which is fine. The depth is real, and it makes everyone a bit riskier because the scoring gets spread around.
Portland needs to figure out their offensive rhythm. Avdija's struggles tonight looked more like a bad matchup than a trend, but keep monitoring him. If the Knicks' defense exposes him again soon, there might be sell-low opportunities.
For waiver moves, Hart's the only realistic add depending on league size. Everyone else worth having is already rostered. Don't overthink this one.