SAS 112, ORL 103: Wembanyama Breaks Out for 66 ESPN FP
Jake Morrison
Computer Science Student ยท Dallas Mavericks fan
Spurs Grind Out Win Over Magic, but the Fantasy Takeaways Are Messy
Final: Spurs 112, Magic 103
Alright, so the Spurs just beat the Magic by 9 and it looks like a normal W, but the fantasy landscape here is weird. You've got some guys who went absolutely off, some guys who laid absolute eggs, and one rookie who's making a case for serious minutes going forward. Let's break it down.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama | 66.0 | 62.6 | 25/8/2 | 24.1/11.1/2.7 | +0.9 |
| Desmond Bane | 41.0 | 36.8 | 25/4/4 | 19.3/4.4/4.3 | +5.7 |
| Paolo Banchero | 32.0 | 36.0 | 19/10/4 | 21.8/8.8/4.9 | -2.8 |
| Dylan Harper | 34.0 | 33.7 | 15/6/5 | 10.6/3.2/3.5 | +4.4 |
| De'Aaron Fox | 35.0 | 32.6 | 14/3/10 | 19.9/4.1/6.1 | -5.9 |
| Keldon Johnson | 21.0 | 24.5 | 14/10/1 | 13.4/5.9/1.4 | +0.6 |
| Jalen Suggs | 15.0 | 23.2 | 5/6/6 | 14.4/3.7/4.9 | -9.4 |
| Julian Champagnie | 22.0 | 22.1 | 11/8/1 | 11.6/6.1/1.4 | -0.6 |
| Devin Vassell | 23.0 | 20.9 | 16/2/3 | 14.6/3.9/2.3 | +1.4 |
| Tristan da Silva | 18.0 | 19.5 | 7/5/3 | 9.1/3.3/1.2 | -2.1 |
The Good: Wembanyama and Bane Both Went Stupid
Victor Wembanyama putting up 62.6 Yahoo points on a normal Tuesday is exactly what we drafted him for. 25 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, 5 steals in 27 minutes. He basically did his thing and didn't have to work hard for it. The All-NBA Defensive Player of the Year was All-NBA Defensive in this one, plus he was efficient as hell on offense (7-13 FG, 11-15 from the line). This is the baseline we're hoping for every night from him. Sustains his scoring? Absolutely. That +0.9 vs season average is because he usually boards more, but honestly who cares when you're getting steals and blocks like that.
Desmond Bane though? That's the one worth talking about. 25 points on 10-17 shooting is a whole different animal. The dude was +5.7 on his season average for scoring and finished with 36.8 Yahoo points. He's up to 95.5% ownership after this (basically locked in everywhere), but if you somehow don't have him yet, this game shows why he needs to be in your lineup. Magic needed him to show up without Paolo going full nuclear, and he delivered.
The Bad: De'Aaron Fox and Jalen Suggs Both Cooked Themselves
Here's where it gets ugly. De'Aaron Fox was -5.9 on his season average for points, which is a problem when his whole value is scoring volume. 14 points on 7-14 FG is just bad for a guy averaging 19.9. Yeah, he got 10 assists which was solid (and +3.9 vs avg), but when your scoring dips that hard, you're leaving 15+ points on the table.
Jalen Suggs though? This is the real downer. Minus 9.4 on his scoring average, 2-13 from the field, only 5 points. The 6 rebounds and 6 assists saved this from being a total disaster, but a -9.4 on scoring when you're a guard is basically saying "I didn't show up." Magic needed way more from him in a 9-point loss.
The Interesting: Dylan Harper Is Actually Playing Real Minutes
Dylan Harper got 27 minutes and didn't embarrass himself. 15 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists on 6-12 shooting. That's +4.4 on his scoring average and 33.7 Yahoo points. Look, I know the Spurs are a different team this year, but when rookies start getting legit rotation minutes and producing at his volume, you at least have to monitor it. He's not a waiver wire slam yet, but if he keeps getting 25+ minutes, he's a league minimum flier. Watch the next few games.
Keldon Johnson was efficient as hell (5-9 FG), and that 10 rebound night pushed him to +4.1 on the glass vs his average. 24.5 Yahoo points isn't huge, but it's solid depth scoring. He's basically the definition of "good if you need him, won't blow you away."
What Just Happened with the Spurs' Rotation
The main thing here is that Stephon Castle didn't play. He's averaging 16.6 points and 7.0 assists, so his absence is a big red flag. If he's hurt or there's something happening with the rotation, that's a major problem for the Spurs' fantasy outlook. Keep an eye on injury reports before the next game because a missing All-NBA Defensive player plus the Rookie of the Year being out is not normal.
Harrison Barnes got 28 minutes and was fine but not great (7 points, 5 rebounds). He's basically a hold and hope at this point unless he suddenly remembers how to shoot.
The Waiver Wire Picture
Desmond Bane is now up to 95.5% owned after being added, so unless you're in a super deep league or someone made a trade, you probably can't get him. But if someone in your league is panicking on Jalen Suggs after that stinker? Now's the time to try to buy low. One bad game doesn't break him, and the Magic still need his playmaking.
De'Aaron Fox had a down night but he's still a scoring monster averaging 19.9 PPG. This is literally the one time you could maybe trade for him if someone freaked out. Don't panic on elite scorers after one off night.
Bottom Line
Spurs win the game, Wembanyama does his thing and continues to be a fantasy machine, and the Magic got contributions from Bane but couldn't get enough from their other guys to close it out. The real story is probably Castle being missing, so make sure you check injury updates before your next set of games. And honestly? This game was exactly what it looked like on the surface. Spurs won, some guys were good, some guys were bad. No crazy league-altering moments, just basketball.