POR 122, MEM 115: Donovan Clingan Tops Fantasy Charts With 54.3 Yahoo FP
Destiny Williams
Math Teacher & Basketball Coach ยท Atlanta Hawks fan
Portland Survives Memphis Chaos: Clingan Goes Nuclear, Memphis Role Players Can't Carry Load
Portland 122, Memphis 115. That's the final, and yeah, it's another close one, but here's what matters for your lineups: the Trail Blazers' depth actually showed up when it counted, while Memphis got some absolutely elite performances from guys who won't repeat them next Tuesday.
Let's start with who actually went off:
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donovan Clingan | 56.0 | 54.3 | 20/19/3 | 11.4/11.5/2.0 | +8.6 |
| Javon Small | 46.0 | 38.2 | 22/6/4 | 5.9/2.2/3.3 | +16.1 |
| Jerami Grant | 41.0 | 36.5 | 29/5/3 | 19.1/3.5/2.5 | +9.9 |
| GG Jackson | 34.0 | 32.6 | 11/8/2 | 8.7/3.5/1.1 | +2.3 |
| Kyle Anderson | 37.0 | 32.2 | 11/6/2 | 7.3/3.4/3.0 | +3.7 |
| Walter Clayton Jr. | 32.0 | 30.3 | 8/4/7 | 6.9/2.0/3.3 | +1.1 |
| Olivier-Maxence Prosper | 40.0 | 30.0 | 25/5/0 | 6.1/2.8/0.7 | +18.9 |
| Sidy Cissoko | 26.0 | 29.0 | 7/10/4 | 6.6/2.5/1.6 | +0.4 |
| Caleb Love | 28.0 | 28.0 | 17/0/8 | 11.3/2.6/2.7 | +5.7 |
| Jahmai Mashack | 30.0 | 26.7 | 8/1/1 | 2.1/1.1/0.9 | +5.9 |
The Real Story: Clingan Actually Looked Like a Center Tonight
Donovan Clingan put up 54.3 Yahoo FP with 20 points, 19 rebounds, and 3 assists in 36 minutes. That's not just a good night. That's a +8.6 point performance versus his season average, and the rebounds are the thing that jumps out. Going 19 boards is the kind of workload you see from a guy actually fighting for position, and 8-15 FG with 2 threes means he wasn't jacking up junk either.
Here's the thing about Clingan though: he's a rookie (actually, no, scratch that, he's not marked as a rookie in the system, so scratch that take). But he's been inconsistent all season. Tonight felt like the version of him that made Portland believe in drafting him early. If he can consistently grab 16+ boards and shoot respectable percentages, he's a top-100 asset. But I'm not betting on it yet.
Jerami Grant going 29 points on 10-17 FG with 6 threes is exactly the kind of night that makes sense for a scorer like him, but it's also the exact performance that gets people to overpay in trades. He's a 19.1 PPG guy on the season. Tonight he was 9.9 points above that. Don't panic if he scores 18 next game.
Memphis's Bench Went Absolutely Bonkers (And It Didn't Matter)
This is where things get interesting for waiver strategy. Javon Small dropped 38.2 Yahoo FP with 22 points, 6 boards, and 4 assists. That's a +16.1 point performance. He's a 5.9 PPG guy normally. Tonight he looked like he was trying to keep Memphis in the game solo.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper went 25 points on 9-13 shooting with 7 threes. That's 30 Yahoo FP. His season average is 6.1 PPG. The +18.9 spread tells you everything: this was an outlier night from a bench player who probably won't see 25 minutes or take 13 shots in most games.
Walter Clayton Jr. had a solid line too, 30.3 Yahoo FP with 8/4/7. That's real value, and the 7 assists suggest he at least had some playmaking involved. This is the kind of performance that could be repeatable if he's getting consistent run.
Here's the reality though: Memphis lost. These guys went off and it wasn't enough. That tells me Memphis's core rotation is missing something, and bringing a bench player up on a couple of strong games is a trap. Javon Small and Olivier-Maxence Prosper are waiver-wire desperation plays, not adds you make expecting consistency. In deeper leagues, sure, you eye them. But this was a game where role players had to carry the load because the starters couldn't, and that usually doesn't end in wins.
Portland's "Glue Guy" Performance Actually Won Them The Game
Sidy Cissoko went 7/10/4 on decent shooting. He's +0.4 points versus his season average, so it wasn't a breakout, but it was exactly what you need from a wing defender who can space the floor a bit. That's the kind of consistency that wins weeks, not flashy points.
Caleb Love had 17 points and 8 assists (28 Yahoo FP, +5.7 vs avg). For a backup point guard, that's useful. He took 18 shots and only made 7, but his assist rate kept him relevant. This is a guy I'm not banking on as a starter anywhere, but if your PG gets injured, Love on the wire is a real option in 14+ team leagues.
The Ownership Moves That Matter
Santi Aldama is getting dropped (down 0.4% in ownership, still at 65.7% owned). He didn't play. If he's dealing with an injury issue or Memphis's rotation tightened, that's worth monitoring. Don't drop him yet, but check the injury report before Sunday.
Deni Avdija is also showing slight drops (-0.1%, 96.8% owned). He didn't play either. Same situation. If he's healthy and just got benched, that's concerning. If he's injured, hold.
The league-wide action is interesting: Grayson Allen is tanking (-3.0% ownership, down to 49.8%). That's a real shift. He might be dealing with something, or Phoenix's offense just moved away from him. Worth checking on.
The Bottom Line
This was a game where Portland's depth and ball movement beat Memphis's individual performances. You won't have to worry about Javon Small or Olivier-Maxence Prosper having nights like this regularly, but Donovan Clingan looked legitimate, and Jerami Grant reminded you he's a solid scoring option when hot. For Memphis, you got exposed: your depth isn't closing out games, which means your stars are going to get chased harder down the stretch, and that usually means more volume but less efficiency.
If you're looking to add, Caleb Love is a sneaky depth play in 14+ team leagues. If you're looking to drop, Javon Small and Olivier-Maxence Prosper are exactly the kind of one-game wonders that blow up rosters. Don't get cute.