CHI 125, MIA 118: Fantasy Fireworks: Dosunmu vs Larsson
Jake Morrison
Computer Science Student ยท Dallas Mavericks fan
Ayo Dosunmu Goes Full Supernova, Bulls Sneak Past Heat in Upset Win
Chicago pulled off the upset 125-118, and honestly, it's because one guy decided to become a different player for one night. Ayo Dosunmu dropped 53.1 Yahoo fantasy points on a night when the Heat looked like they had this locked. That's not a fluke stat line. That's a man going off.
Let me break down what actually happened here.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ayo Dosunmu | 63.0 | 53.1 | 29/8/9 | 15.1/2.9/3.6 | +13.9 |
| Pelle Larsson | 57.0 | 49.4 | 22/7/4 | 10.1/3.3/3.2 | +11.9 |
| Jaime Jaquez Jr. | 44.0 | 42.7 | 20/6/7 | 15.4/5.4/4.8 | +4.6 |
| Bam Adebayo | 26.0 | 35.7 | 21/11/1 | 18.1/9.8/2.8 | +2.9 |
| Matas Buzelis | 27.0 | 31.6 | 21/8/4 | 15.1/5.4/2.0 | +5.9 |
| Myron Gardner | 31.0 | 30.2 | 12/11/0 | 3.6/2.4/0.8 | +8.4 |
| Dru Smith | 36.0 | 29.6 | 8/3/6 | 6.4/2.6/2.7 | +1.6 |
| Kevin Huerter | 27.0 | 27.9 | 9/7/5 | 10.9/3.8/2.6 | -1.9 |
| Andrew Wiggins | 26.0 | 27.7 | 17/1/1 | 15.7/4.9/2.8 | +1.3 |
| Isaac Okoro | 31.0 | 27.7 | 20/1/3 | 8.7/2.7/1.5 | +11.3 |
The Guy Who Actually Won This Game
Dosunmu is putting up 15.1 PPG this season. Tonight he dropped 29. That's a +13.9 point difference. He hit 11-16 from the field, knocked down 5 threes, and dished out 9 assists in 36 minutes. This isn't just a good night, this is the kind of performance that wins games outright.
Here's the thing though, and I'm gonna be real with you: this doesn't change his season trajectory. He's still a mid-tier scorer who probably won't replicate this. But for tonight, for your lineup, he was the difference maker. If you had him, you're celebrating. If you didn't, you're wondering why.
The Heat's Role Players Actually Showed Up (But Still Lost)
Pelle Larsson went absolutely nuclear from deep, hitting 7-11 from the field including 2 threes. 49.4 Yahoo points on a night when his team lost. That's the fantasy paradox right there. Myron Gardner also exceeded expectations by like 8+ points, hitting 12/11 on limited minutes. These guys stepped up, but it wasn't enough.
Bam Adebayo did Bam things, 21/11/1 on 36 minutes, but here's the issue: he shot 7-18. That's not efficient enough against a team that's gonna win if you're not playing perfect basketball. For a guy putting up 18.1 PPG normally, being just +2.9 on the scoring end while losing tells you the role players had to carry more weight than they should have.
The Bulls' Depth Won This
This is what's crazy. Isaac Okoro dropped 20 points, +11.3 above his season average. Matas Buzelis had 21/8/4. Kevin Huerter chipped in 27.9 Yahoo points. Patrick Williams went for 23.8. The Bulls didn't need a superstar night, they just needed like six guys to all show up at the same time.
That's not sustainable fantasy-wise. Okoro isn't dropping 20 again next week. Huerter isn't gonna keep this pace. But tonight, the depth was real and it was enough.
The Heat Just Got Out-Executioned
No injuries torpedoed Miami here. They just got beat by a team that played better. Jaime Jaquez Jr. had a solid 20/6/7 but needed more support. Dru Smith was fine but limited to 19 minutes. The role players couldn't sustain the load that Dosunmu and the Bulls' bench crew brought.
What This Means for Your Lineups
If you own Dosunmu, don't get cocky. One 50-point fantasy game doesn't make him a locked-in starter. But if he's on waivers in your 12-team league and you've got roster space, throw in a claim. Something shifted tonight and his usage got elevated. Could be a blip, could be an adjustment.
Larsson looked legit from deep. If he continues to get 32 minutes and shoot this well, he's worth a roster spot in deeper leagues.
Okoro is interesting but I'm not chasing him. That's not who he is normally. The +11.3 is the story, not the new baseline.
The Heat aren't broken or anything. One loss to a deep Bulls squad that went off doesn't tank your season. But they probably needed this loss less than the Bulls needed this win.