MIN 138, ATL 116: Randle's Triple-Double Masterpiece
Destiny Williams
Math Teacher & Basketball Coach ยท Atlanta Hawks fan
Timberwolves Wire CJ McCollum for 51 Yahoo FP in 22-Point Beatdown of Hawks
Man, that was ugly. The Timberwolves rolled into State Farm Arena and straight up dismantled the Hawks 138-116, and I'm not even mad about the loss anymore, I'm just disappointed. As a Hawks fan, this one stings. But let's talk fantasy, because there were some real lessons here about what happens when your offense goes cold and the other team's role players actually show up.
Top Performers
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julius Randle | 58.0 | 52.4 | 18/12/10 | 22.1/6.9/5.4 | -4.1 |
| Anthony Edwards | 56.0 | 51.2 | 30/6/6 | 29.6/5.2/3.7 | +0.4 |
| CJ McCollum | 55.0 | 51.2 | 38/1/2 | 18.4/3.4/3.5 | +19.6 |
| Nickeil Alexander-Walker | 46.0 | 45.9 | 23/12/5 | 20.2/3.5/3.7 | +2.8 |
| Jaden McDaniels | 51.0 | 43.5 | 18/5/3 | 14.8/4.2/2.8 | +3.2 |
| Ayo Dosunmu | 41.0 | 31.7 | 21/1/3 | 15.0/3.0/3.6 | +6.0 |
| Corey Kispert | 26.0 | 28.4 | 12/7/4 | 9.7/2.2/1.6 | +2.3 |
| Donte DiVincenzo | 30.0 | 27.8 | 10/4/6 | 13.0/4.5/4.1 | -3.0 |
| Rudy Gobert | 28.0 | 27.7 | 18/6/1 | 10.7/11.3/1.7 | +7.3 |
| Onyeka Okongwu | 23.0 | 25.5 | 14/5/3 | 16.3/7.9/3.3 | -2.3 |
CJ McCollum Just Reminded Everyone He Can Go Absolutely Nuclear
Listen, CJ McCollum had 38 points in 32 minutes. That's 9-13 from the field, 5 threes, 9-11 from the stripe. He was +19.6 from his season average on scoring alone. 51.2 Yahoo FP. That's not a good night, that's a career night in a blowout where he checked out early.
Here's the thing though, and I'm gonna be real with you because that's what coaches do: don't get too hyped. This is vintage CJ in a get-right game. The Hawks' defense was toast tonight, and when the game got out of hand, he got to play hero ball. His rebounds (1) and assists (2) are still pedestrian. He's doing what he does, which is shoot the ball a lot and hit it at a high clip when the defense is scrambled.
Is he a sell-high candidate after this? Depends on your league, but if someone's ready to give you premium value thinking he's suddenly become a 40-point scorer, absolutely move him. Otherwise, he's still your guy at his season average. This was an outlier night in a 22-point loss.
Julius Randle Was the Timberwolves' Real Star
Julius Randle got a triple-double on 8-14 shooting. 18 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists. That rebound total (+5.1 vs season avg) is what matters here. He was actively rebounding on a night when Rudy Gobert (who went perfect 7-7 from the field, by the way) was handling a lot of the interior work. Randle's doing the glue guy thing and he did it well. 52.4 Yahoo FP is solid floor work that doesn't scream "buy this guy" but definitely keeps him useful in your lineup.
Anthony Edwards Stays Consistent, Ayo Dosunmu Comes Out of Nowhere
Anthony Edwards dropped 30 on 11-21 shooting with 4 threes. That's basically his season stat line, which tells you everything. He goes 30, he goes 25, he goes 28. He's reliable as they come. 51.2 Yahoo FP is your weekly confirmation he's worth the draft capital. No news here.
But Ayo Dosunmu? That's the interesting name. 21 points, 9-13 shooting, 2 threes. +6.0 from his season average on scoring. This is a guy who's been averaging 15 PPG but came in looking hungry in a blowout situation. He got 29 minutes, which is real playing time. If he's sitting at low ownership (which he probably is since he's not a primary ball handler), you should be adding him in deeper leagues. The Hawks got blown out but Dosunmu showed up. Watch his next few games to see if this is a role shift or just a good night.
The Role Players Who Mattered
Jaden McDaniels chipped in 18/5/3 with 4 blocks. That's a solid bench night that met expectations. Donte DiVincenzo went 10/4/6 in 25 minutes, which is fine, nothing special.
For the Hawks, Nickeil Alexander-Walker was carrying water early. 23/12/5 on 9-19 shooting tells you he was trying to create when the Hawks needed buckets. He's getting 35 minutes now, which is real volume. He's up to 83.7% ownership, so if you somehow don't have him already in a 12-team league, you're late but still grab him. That rebound total (+8.5 vs season avg) shows he was fighting for position. Corey Kispert had a quiet 12/7/4, decent bench contribution that you slot in and forget about.
The One Tough Look: Where Were The Hawks?
I'm gonna give you the real talk as a Hawks fan because that's what this coaching brain does. Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Buddy Hield, Jonathan Kuminga, Christian Koloko... none of these guys were in the box score. That means they either didn't play or played minimal minutes in garbage time. A 22-point loss doesn't get there without your top pieces either struggling or being unavailable. This was a bad night, and fantasy-wise, it means if you were counting on Hawks players, you got cooked.
The Bottom Line
The Timberwolves won because their role players (Dosunmu, McDaniels, DiVincenzo, Gobert) all showed up alongside their stars (Randle, Edwards). The Hawks got exposed. CJ McCollum had a career night in a loss, which is the definition of a get-right game that doesn't necessarily mean he's suddenly ascended his draft position.
Add Ayo Dosunmu if he's available in your league. Don't panic sell anyone from the Hawks yet, but understand that tonight looked like a team playing without full firepower. And if you had Timberwolves guys? You survived another week of solid baseline production.