ORL 118, MIL 99: Jr. Posts 43.3 Yahoo FP Despite MIL Loss
Sarah Kowalski
Orthopedic Nurse ยท Milwaukee Bucks fan
Magic Bounce Back Behind Porter Jr.'s Takeover, Bucks Left Without Their Closer
Orlando just flexed on Milwaukee 118-99, and it wasn't even close. The Magic looked locked in from the jump, and the Bucks looked like they were playing without their best player. Which, spoiler, they were. But we'll get to that.
Here's what actually happened on the court, and what it means for your lineups going forward.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Porter Jr. | 46.0 | 43.3 | 28/4/7 | 17.5/5.1/7.5 | +10.5 |
| Anthony Black | 49.0 | 43.0 | 26/5/2 | 16.1/4.1/4.0 | +9.9 |
| Jalen Suggs | 50.0 | 41.6 | 7/3/10 | 14.0/4.1/5.4 | -7.0 |
| Myles Turner | 40.0 | 37.7 | 13/6/3 | 12.9/5.7/1.6 | +0.1 |
| Desmond Bane | 33.0 | 28.1 | 25/3/1 | 19.4/4.2/4.2 | +5.6 |
| Ryan Rollins | 20.0 | 25.7 | 14/6/3 | 16.9/4.6/5.5 | -2.9 |
| Paolo Banchero | 19.0 | 24.3 | 11/9/3 | 21.4/8.5/4.9 | -10.4 |
| Franz Wagner | 28.0 | 22.9 | 14/2/5 | 21.9/6.0/3.6 | -7.9 |
| AJ Green | 25.0 | 22.7 | 15/6/1 | 10.6/2.7/2.0 | +4.4 |
| Wendell Carter Jr. | 20.0 | 22.6 | 4/8/2 | 11.7/7.3/2.1 | -7.7 |
The Good: Kevin Porter Jr. Finally Showed Up
Look, I've been watching Porter Jr. all season, and this is the version we drafted for. 43.3 Yahoo FP on a 28/4/7 line is the ceiling game everyone's been waiting for. He went 10-19 from the field, 7-7 from the line, and ran the offense like he actually wanted to be there. The plus-10.5 on his scoring average tells you everything. This wasn't noise, this was a statement.
The problem is we've seen flashes of this all year without consistency. One 43-point night doesn't erase three weeks of "why did I draft this guy?" But in a league where guard scoring is volatile, Porter Jr. at his best is a solid weekly play. Just don't plan around it yet.
The Real Story: Anthony Black Took Over
Here's who actually cooked tonight. Anthony Black dropped 43 Yahoo FP with 26 points and 5 assists in 34 minutes, and he did it efficiently (8-13 from the floor, 8-9 from the line). The plus-9.9 on his scoring means he beat his season average by double digits in PPG alone.
This matters because Black has been a mid-tier guard all season, hovering around 16 PPG. If he's starting to find more offensive rhythm, he's a legitimate waiver wire stash in 12-team leagues. The efficiency is what gets me excited here, not just volume. He's shooting over 61% from the field. That's not luck.
The Concerning Part: The Orlando Role Players Fired Up
Desmond Bane went 8-11 from the floor with 25 points. Jalen Suggs added 41.6 Yahoo FP off 10 assists (yeah, he only scored 7, but that's what he does). Even Myles Turner was solid with 37.7 FP and 5 blocks in just 27 minutes.
But here's the thing that should worry Magic owners slightly, the role player explosion usually means someone took a backseat. Enter Paolo Banchero, who dropped 10.4 points below his season average on a 3-10 night. That's concerning for a guy who's supposed to be your second option.
Franz Wagner also disappointed, pulling minus-7.9 on his average with just 14 points in 16 minutes. He got limited run, which tracks with Orlando playing well without him on the floor tonight. Neither guy looked hurt, just off rhythm. I'd monitor Banchero especially given his season pedigree (21.4 PPG average).
The Bucks Side: This Explains Everything
Milwaukee was without Giannis Antetokounmpo tonight, which is the entire story here. You can't throw a dude who averaged 28/10/5.6 this season into the lineup and expect role players to fill a 19-point gap. Ryan Rollins played 32 minutes and managed 25.7 Yahoo FP with 14 points. That's respectable bench play, but he's not a 30-minute starter for a reason.
AJ Green actually came through with 22.7 Yahoo FP on 4-8 from three, so the perimeter was there. Myles Turner kept them in it with 37.7 Yahoo FP and those 5 blocks. But without your MVP-caliber player, this loss was baked in from tipoff.
The question isn't "should I trade anyone on the Bucks?" It's "when does Giannis come back?" Without that information, we're just managing a losing lineup.
Who Should You Move?
Add Anthony Black in any league under 80% ownership. He showed you something tonight with those splits and that efficiency.
Don't panic on Paolo or Franz. One bad game in a blowout loss is nothing. Banchero especially still has his season trajectory working in his favor, and limited minutes suggest it was just one of those nights, not a role change.
Kevin Porter Jr. is interesting but not a must-add. He was great tonight, but the consistency question is real. If he's on your waiver wire in a 10-team league, sure. But don't burn a high priority claim. Save that for Black.
Bottom line: Orlando is deeper than people thought, Black is a legitimately interesting player moving forward, and the Bucks are dead in the water without Giannis. If you needed a statement game from Porter Jr., you got it. Now show me it wasn't a one-off.