POR 135, MEM 115: POR Rolls Behind Jrue Holiday's 46 ESPN FP
Tommy Flanagan
Journeyman Electrician ยท Boston Celtics fan
Trail Blazers Smoked the Grizzlies 135-115, and Your Waiver Wire is About to Get Ugly
Portland put on a clinic last night. Not a close game, not even really competitive after the third quarter. The Blazers just flexed on Memphis 135-115, and if you had the right guys on your roster, you're waking up feeling real good about your team today.
Here's the thing about blowouts: they tell you who actually contributes when the pressure's off. Let's dig in.
Top Fantasy Performers
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jrue Holiday | 46.0 | 41.5 | 20/5/7 | 14.6/4.5/6.6 | +5.4 |
| Cam Spencer | 46.0 | 33.5 | 18/0/5 | 12.0/2.7/5.6 | +6.0 |
| Jerami Grant | 39.0 | 33.4 | 23/2/2 | 18.8/3.5/2.4 | +4.2 |
| Donovan Clingan | 28.0 | 31.4 | 13/17/0 | 11.2/11.3/1.9 | +1.8 |
| Robert Williams III | 39.0 | 31.4 | 13/7/2 | 6.4/6.5/1.1 | +6.6 |
| Scoot Henderson | 27.0 | 28.5 | 11/5/9 | 11.0/5.0/9.0 | +0.0 |
| Cedric Coward | 28.0 | 27.1 | 11/8/1 | 13.6/6.3/2.9 | -2.6 |
| GG Jackson | 31.0 | 26.6 | 15/3/2 | 8.6/3.4/1.1 | +6.4 |
| Scotty Pippen Jr. | 29.0 | 26.6 | 13/3/6 | 13.0/3.0/6.0 | +0.0 |
| Toumani Camara | 31.0 | 26.3 | 15/4/3 | 12.9/5.3/2.6 | +2.1 |
Jrue Holiday Went Full All-NBA Mode
Jrue Holiday dropped 41.5 Yahoo points on a near-perfect night, shooting 6-12 from the field and going 7-7 from the line. That's the guy you drafted hoping for, right there. He was +5.4 on his season average which tells you everything, he wasn't just stat-padding in garbage time. He was dominant when it mattered.
Here's what's tricky though: Jrue is a secondary ball handler on this squad. When the offense flows and Portland gets comfortable, he eats. When they struggle, he doesn't. Last night they were never in trouble so he got to run. That's the Oscar Pistons playoff setup all over again, basically. If you own Jrue, you're not panicking. This is exactly what you're paying for.
Donovan Clingan is a Board-Clearing Machine
Look at Donovan Clingan's line: 13 points, 17 rebounds in 25 minutes. Yeah, 17 rebounds. He was +5.7 on his season rebounding average, which sounds small until you realize he grabbed more boards than some teams grab in a half. This is what happens when a 7-footer is actually willing to work on the glass. He's not a scoring center, never will be, but if rebounding and paint defense matter to your league scoring, Clingan is legit valuable.
The minutes are still the thing to watch here. 25 minutes is solid but not huge. Robert Williams III was also active (13/7 on 6-6 shooting, +6.6 vs avg), so there's some minute-sharing happening. But Clingan is getting his opportunities and punishing opponents when he does.
Robert Williams III is Back on the Menu
Speaking of Robert Williams, 6-6 shooting with 3 blocks in 19 minutes is the kind of efficient game that makes you forget about all his injury history. He came in fresh, stayed aggressive, didn't settle. That's a dude who could be a league winner if Portland keeps feeding him when he's locked in.
The problem is the sample size. One good game doesn't mean anything, but if he stays healthy and keeps getting 15-20 minutes a night, he's a must-add in deeper leagues. Right now he's under-owned and under-appreciated.
The Grizzlies Got Shredded, But Some Guys Still Produced
This is where it gets messy. Memphis lost by 20 but their guys still put up numbers because Portland was just that much better.
Cam Spencer had 33.5 Yahoo FP (18/0/5) despite the blowout. He went 7-8 from the field and didn't force it, which is the right move when your team is getting worked. He's a role player who plays his role, and that's worth noting. He's still available in a lot of leagues and could be a solid bench stash if you need shooting.
GG Jackson had another solid game, 15 points on 4-8 shooting with 3 threes. He's been the bright spot in Memphis lately. He's getting 25+ minutes a night and looks hungry. That's a buy-low candidate if someone got frustrated with the team's overall record.
The Real Story: Santi Aldama and Zach Edey Didn't Play
Santi Aldama (0 minutes, season average 14.0/6.7/2.9) and Zach Edey (0 minutes, season average 13.6/11.1/1.1) were totally absent. That's massive. Whatever's happening there, it's worth monitoring. If one of those guys gets healthy, Memphis's whole dynamic shifts and some of these bench players' minutes disappear.
That's why Santi is getting dropped everywhere (down 0.5% ownership to 66%, still incredibly high). People are bailing because they don't know when he's coming back or if he's in the doghouse. If you have a bench spot and believe in his talent, this could be the buylow moment. But we need clarity first.
Waiver Wire Take
Kyle Anderson was added despite going 0 for 0, which tells you everything you need to know about league panic. Ignore that noise.
Real adds: If Robert Williams is available in your league, grab him. 12+ team leagues should be looking at Cam Spencer as a reliable shooting fill-in. Toumani Camara (26.3 FP, 15/4/3) is getting consistent minutes for Portland and should be on everyone's radar in 14+ team leagues.
Real drop: If you own Grayson Allen and someone's hitting you up for a trade, at least consider it. He's bleeding ownership everywhere and for good reason.
Bottom Line
Portland showed they can beat good teams when everything's clicking. Jrue Holiday is a season-long hold if you have him. Clingan and Williams are becoming must-haves for next game if they keep getting minutes like this. Memphis needs their injury situation cleared up or they're gonna keep losing, which actually helps some of their role guys get stats but doesn't help your investment in their star power.
Check the injury report before your next waiver run. That's always where the real story is.