CLE 132, SAC 126: Clifford's 63 ESPN FP Not Enough for SAC
Sarah Kowalski
Orthopedic Nurse ยท Milwaukee Bucks fan
Cavaliers Steal One in Sacramento, But the Real Story is the Kings' Depth Eruption
Final: Cavaliers 132, Kings 126
Listen, I'm going to level with you. This game looked like it should've been a blowout for Cleveland, but Sacramento had other plans. The Cavs won a close one, but if you're paying attention to waiver wire movement, the Kings' bench mob just sent out a flare signal you can't ignore.
Here's the top 10:
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donovan Mitchell | 59.0 | 52.4 | 35/2/4 | 28.8/4.6/5.9 | +6.2 |
| Nique Clifford | 63.0 | 50.8 | 30/4/4 | 6.0/3.0/1.4 | +24.0 |
| Jarrett Allen | 48.0 | 41.5 | 29/10/1 | 13.9/8.1/2.1 | +15.1 |
| James Harden | 45.0 | 37.4 | 23/2/8 | 25.4/4.8/8.1 | -2.4 |
| Dylan Cardwell | 40.0 | 36.2 | 12/11/4 | 5.1/7.3/1.1 | +6.9 |
| Devin Carter | 36.0 | 33.8 | 18/4/4 | 4.3/1.9/1.5 | +13.7 |
| Russell Westbrook | 35.0 | 33.5 | 21/5/9 | 15.2/5.8/6.6 | +5.8 |
| Daeqwon Plowden | 33.0 | 30.2 | 16/6/4 | 3.0/2.0/0.3 | +13.0 |
| Maxime Raynaud | 27.0 | 26.4 | 14/7/0 | 9.6/6.4/1.0 | +4.4 |
| Keon Ellis | 33.0 | 26.1 | 6/3/3 | 5.6/1.3/0.6 | +0.4 |
The Cavs Did What They Had To Do
Donovan Mitchell was exactly what an All-NBA first-team selection should look like in a close game. 35 points on 13-24 shooting with perfect free throw shooting (7-7)? That's a guy taking over. The +6.2 over his season average isn't crazy, but it's meaningful when you need it most.
But here's the thing that should get your attention: Jarrett Allen dropped 29/10 on 11-12 shooting. That's not a fluke stat line, that's a man who got the matchup he wanted. He was +15.1 on points alone, and in a 6-point game, that's the difference. The ownership bump to 87.3% is deserved. If you somehow don't have him, that's a mistake at this point in the season.
James Harden disappointed a bit at 23/2/8. That -2.4 on points isn't terrible given the assists, but for a reigning All-NBA guy, you want more punch. Still, 8 dimes is 8 dimes, and the 5 threes helped. He's fine. Not exciting tonight, but fine.
The Kings' Bench Just Announced Itself
Here's where this gets interesting. Nique Clifford put up 30 points on 12-19 shooting with 5 threes. He's averaging 6 points a game. That's a +24.0 point swing. Now, I need you to understand something from my orthopedics background: sometimes guys have one career night and never sniff it again. Sometimes it's the first sign of a role expansion. I'd need to see this twice before I'm convinced, but he's getting added in 12-team leagues right now. Don't chase it yet.
Daeqwon Plowden is more interesting to me. 16/6/4 on 39 minutes with a +13.0 point bump from his 3.0 average? That's not a one-night thing. That's a guy getting real minutes and proving he can contribute. If Sacramento's rotation is shifting and Plowden is getting consistent run, he's a real waiver add.
Devin Carter went 18/4/4 (6-13 FG, 2 3PM, 4-5 FT) and +13.7 on his season average. Another bench piece getting significant playing time and paying off. The Kings' depth is suddenly looking dangerous.
Dylan Cardwell chipped in 12/11/4 on 6-9 shooting. He's not blowing anyone away, but in a game where Sacramento was feeding multiple guys and staying competitive, his 25 minutes and solid rebounding work were part of the story.
The Ownership Moves Say Everything
Jarrett Allen is +0.4% and sitting at 87.3% owned. That's it. He's essentially universally rostered now, and rightfully so. He just gave you a 41-point night on 11-12 shooting. Lock him in.
The Kings' rotation guys are where things are moving. Nique Clifford, Daeqwon Plowden, and Devin Carter all crushed their season averages hard. Before you panic-add them, I'd want to see if this is a one-time explosion or a sign that Sacramento is leaning harder on depth due to injuries or matchups. One game doesn't make a waiver add. Two games? That's when we talk.
What's Actually Important Here
Cleveland got the win at home, which is fine. But Sacramento proved they can hang without their usual starters showing up. This feels like a learning tape for the Cavs entering the stretch run. For fantasy purposes, lock in Jarrett Allen, don't overreact to the Kings' bench explosion, and keep Russell Westbrook (33.5 Yahoo FP, +5.8 vs avg) on your radar as a consistent contributor off the bench.