MIN 131, MEM 114: MIN's Reid-Randle Tandem Delivers
Marcus Thompson Jr.
Fire Lieutenant ยท Golden State Warriors fan
Wolves Depth Cooked Memphis in a Blowout That Matters for Your Bench
Minnesota 131, Memphis 114
Listen, this game looked like a blowout on the scoreboard (17 points), but the fantasy story underneath is way more interesting than the final margin. The Timberwolves didn't just beat the Grizzlies, they exposed how thin Memphis is right now with their rotation guys getting legitimate run. And for fantasy purposes, that means some names just became league-winners off the waiver wire.
Let me break down who went off:
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naz Reid | 55.0 | 46.3 | 20/9/5 | 14.7/6.4/2.5 | +5.3 |
| Julius Randle | 53.0 | 44.9 | 27/7/7 | 22.3/6.9/5.4 | +4.7 |
| Anthony Edwards | 43.0 | 44.9 | 33/2/3 | 29.4/5.2/3.7 | +3.6 |
| Rudy Gobert | 38.0 | 40.2 | 9/16/0 | 10.8/11.3/1.7 | -1.8 |
| GG Jackson | 39.0 | 32.3 | 19/4/5 | 7.9/3.1/1.0 | +11.1 |
| Ty Jerome | 34.0 | 31.2 | 20/1/6 | 20.0/1.0/6.0 | +0.0 |
| Cedric Coward | 23.0 | 25.7 | 8/6/3 | 13.8/6.3/2.9 | -5.8 |
| Jaden McDaniels | 27.0 | 24.8 | 20/4/2 | 14.9/4.4/2.9 | +5.1 |
| Olivier-Maxence Prosper | 28.0 | 24.0 | 13/5/0 | 5.1/2.3/0.6 | +7.9 |
| Javon Small | 23.0 | 23.8 | 7/4/6 | 4.6/1.5/3.4 | +2.4 |
The Wolves Built Different Tonight
Naz Reid came out of nowhere. 46.3 Yahoo, 7-14 shooting with six threes? This dude is supposed to be a role guy getting 14 points on the season. Instead he dropped 20 on efficient looks and ran the offense from the mid-post. Reid's already at 30 minutes, which tells you the Wolves trust him in big moments. If this run continues, he's a legitimate plug-and-play option in deeper leagues.
Julius Randle did what he's supposed to do but better. 27 points on 11-17 shooting is All-NBA selection-level efficiency. The thing that jumped out to me was the seven assists on a 35-minute workload. That's not a one-game fluke for a guy averaging 5.4 dimes, so either the spacing is better or he's taking on more playmaking load. Either way, he's locked in right now.
Anthony Edwards put up 33 points but scored it in a way that feels unsustainable. 9-21 from the field, 1-21 from three, but he was 14-16 from the line. That's classic Edwards doing Edwards things, but it's not the cleanest path to 44 fantasy points. The 38 minutes also suggest the Wolves were grinding this out, not cruising. I'd keep him on the roster obviously (he's shai's running mate), but this isn't the most repeatable performance.
Rudy Gobert reminded everybody why he's one of the best fantasy centers even on off nights. 9 points but 16 boards, 2 steals, 2 blocks in 30 minutes. That's 40.2 Yahoo FP for a guy who barely scored. Gobert is the definition of consistent, and when he gets 30 minutes in a blowout, he's basically always doing damage in rebounds and defense.
Memphis Got Exposed (But Weird in a Good Way)
Here's the thing that caught me: Memphis's depth guys actually went off, but it didn't matter because the Wolves' depth was deeper. That's almost like the consolation prize.
GG Jackson is the name to watch. +11.1 points vs his average (19 on the night, season average is 7.9). That's a 140% jump in production. 8-11 shooting, five assists from a guy who averages 1 assist per game. If Jackson gets real run with the injuries or lineup changes, he's a fast track to wire adds in 12-team leagues. The efficiency is real, not just a hot shooting night.
Ty Jerome did exactly what's on his resume (20 points, 6 assists), but it came at 19 minutes. That's a tight window for 31.2 Yahoo, which means he's probably a game-specific play unless Memphis makes changes to their guard rotation.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper jumped out at +7.9 vs his season average. Only 21 minutes, but 6-9 shooting tells you something clicked. This is one of those "don't get cute with the waiver wire" names, but if Memphis starts getting desperate minutes, he could be there.
What This Means for Your Team
Add Naz Reid in anything 12-team or deeper. The efficient shooting, the 30-minute floor, the touches off the dribble. If the Wolves are gonna ride him, you want him.
Cedric Coward is droppable. -5.8 vs average, 3-9 shooting. That's not noise on a night when his team scored 131 points. If he's been eating space on your bench, there are better bets.
Julius Randle looks locked in for the stretch run. 27 points, good ball movement, solid efficiency. He's not going anywhere and neither should your hold on him.
Don't get cute on the Memphis guys. GG Jackson looked good tonight, but one game against a Wolves team that just cooked them doesn't make him a core guy. Keep an eye on him, add him in deep PPR leagues if he gets another 25+ minute workload, but don't blow your waiver priority here.
The Grizzlies looked outmatched tonight, period. Their depth couldn't hang with Minnesota's, and that showed up in the final score. For your fantasy roster, the takeaway is simple: the Wolves are proving they have viable rotation guys beyond the big names, and Memphis might need to get creative with minutes. That creates opportunities, but be selective about which ones you chase.