PHI 109, PHX 103: Embiid Scores 33 Points
Tommy Flanagan
Journeyman Electrician ยท Boston Celtics fan
76ers Steal One in Phoenix as Embiid and Maxey Remind Everyone Who's Boss
Final: 76ers 109, Suns 103
Look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. The Suns had this game. They were playing at home, they had everything set up right, and then Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey basically said "nah, we're taking this one anyway."
This wasn't pretty basketball. It was gritty, it was competitive, and it was exactly the kind of win that keeps contenders alive when things get weird. And for fantasy purposes, it was an absolute goldmine if you had the right guys.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joel Embiid | 49.0 | 49.3 | 33/9/3 | 26.6/7.5/3.9 | +6.4 |
| Tyrese Maxey | 45.0 | 48.8 | 29/9/6 | 28.8/4.2/6.9 | +0.2 |
| Dillon Brooks | 39.0 | 36.4 | 28/2/2 | 21.1/3.6/1.8 | +6.9 |
| Royce O'Neale | 37.0 | 34.7 | 14/11/3 | 10.3/4.9/2.9 | +3.7 |
| Mark Williams | 33.0 | 33.2 | 11/11/2 | 12.2/8.2/1.1 | -1.2 |
| Kelly Oubre Jr. | 34.0 | 33.2 | 18/6/2 | 14.1/4.7/1.5 | +3.9 |
| Devin Booker | 31.0 | 32.9 | 21/2/9 | 25.3/4.0/6.3 | -4.3 |
| Trendon Watford | 19.0 | 20.4 | 6/7/2 | 6.0/3.5/2.6 | +0.0 |
| Collin Gillespie | 15.0 | 18.8 | 6/4/2 | 13.6/4.1/4.7 | -7.6 |
| Jalen Green | 13.0 | 15.1 | 8/3/3 | 11.0/2.3/2.0 | -3.0 |
The 76ers Duo Did What They Needed To Do
Embiid putting up 49.3 Yahoo points on 33/9/3 isn't exactly a shock when the guy just won MVP last year. What matters is that he went for +6.4 over his season average in scoring while being efficient as hell (9-19 FG, 11-13 FT). Dude was in attack mode and the Suns couldn't stop him. That's the version of Embiid you're rostering him for. Not 32 minutes though, which is worth keeping an eye on. Limited usage could mean load management is back on the menu.
Maxey is the real story here. 48.8 Yahoo points, but the wild part is he was basically at his season average in scoring (+0.2 pts). This was a win by committee game where he got his 9 rebounds and 6 assists, which is way above his 4.2 rebound average. That's the kind of stat stuffing that makes the difference in close games. He took 39 minutes to do it though, which is fine for a road win but something to monitor if the 76ers ever get healthy at full strength.
The Suns Role Players Actually Had Good Nights (Doesn't Matter)
Here's the thing about this game. Dillon Brooks was the leading fantasy scorer overall with 36.4 Yahoo points. He went 11-23 from the field and dropped 28 points. That's +6.9 over his season average. If Brooks had been this volume all year, people would be talking about him way different. But one night of efficiency in a loss doesn't change his floor.
Royce O'Neale put up 34.7 Yahoo points with some real value shooting (5-10 FG, 4 threes). The rebounds were up too at 11, which beat his season average by 6.1. Both these guys showed up. Doesn't matter because the Suns lost anyway.
Where The Suns Actually Got Cooked
Devin Booker dropped 21 points with 9 assists and looked fine on the surface. But 32.9 Yahoo points is well below his normal output. He was down -4.3 in scoring and -2.0 in rebounds. More importantly, 5-12 from the field in a close game when you're the star is the real problem. The assist numbers were elevated but not enough to save the night. This is what a loss looks like for Booker in fantasy terms.
Collin Gillespie went full dust mode. 6 points on 2-11 shooting, and that's -7.6 from his season average. In a game the Suns needed to win, their backup guard checked in and did absolutely nothing. Not a concern for fantasy purposes but definitely explains why Phoenix couldn't pull this one out down the stretch.
The Bench Guys Who Mattered
Mark Williams for the 76ers was quietly one of the best values of the night. 11 rebounds, 11 points, 33.2 Yahoo points in just 30 minutes. He was basically at his season average (-1.2 pts) but the rebounding upside is there. That's a guy who could have a game like this any night depending on who's healthy.
Kelly Oubre Jr. did his job off the bench, 33.2 Yahoo points on solid efficiency. Nothing wild, just professional work against a tough opponent.
Trendon Watford got 26 minutes and flashed something with 7 rebounds in limited time. Worth noting if rotation minutes keep expanding for him.
Waiver Wire Reality Check
Grayson Allen dropped 3.0% ownership and didn't play in this game. People are bailing. If he's been dealing with something, wait for clarity before panicking. If it's just a night off, hold tight because that's Phoenix's guy when healthy.
The league-wide most-added list is basically telling you nothing matters right now. Jarrett Allen at 87.3% owned, Nickeil Alexander-Walker at 83.4% owned, Deni Avdija at 96.8% owned. Those aren't moves, those are just waiver wire maintenance. Nobody got actually added from this game.
Bottom Line
This was the 76ers' game to steal and they stole it. Embiid and Maxey did their job on the road, and that's all you need in fantasy. The Suns had four guys put up solid numbers and still lost, which tells you how narrow these margins are. If you had the Philly stack, you won the night. If you had the Suns, you're not mad at the individual performances, but you're frustrated at the result.