HOU 102, LAC 95: Sheppard Tops All Fantasy Scorers With 40 ESPN FP
Tyler Okonkwo
Student & Retail Associate ยท Houston Rockets fan
Rockets Take Down Clippers Behind Durant's Steadiness and a Reed Sheppard Statement
Look, I'm not gonna lie. Watching the Rockets beat the Clippers at home hits different when you're from Houston. But this wasn't just a W for the city, this was a masterclass in balanced scoring when it mattered most. The Rockets won 102-95, and the fantasy breakdown tells you exactly why.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kawhi Leonard | 36.0 | 40.1 | 24/8/3 | 27.9/6.3/3.7 | -3.9 |
| Kevin Durant | 33.0 | 38.7 | 26/6/3 | 25.9/5.3/4.4 | +0.1 |
| Alperen Sengun | 37.0 | 34.9 | 22/7/5 | 20.8/9.4/6.3 | +1.2 |
| Jabari Smith Jr. | 34.0 | 34.5 | 13/10/3 | 15.2/7.0/1.9 | -2.2 |
| Reed Sheppard | 40.0 | 34.2 | 16/6/4 | 12.6/2.6/3.0 | +3.4 |
| Bennedict Mathurin | 31.0 | 32.4 | 9/7/4 | 17.4/5.4/2.3 | -8.4 |
| Amen Thompson | 34.0 | 30.7 | 16/6/1 | 17.7/7.6/5.4 | -1.7 |
| Kris Dunn | 37.0 | 29.9 | 6/2/7 | 7.8/2.9/3.4 | -1.8 |
| John Collins | 26.0 | 27.1 | 17/8/1 | 13.9/5.1/0.9 | +3.1 |
| Tari Eason | 9.0 | 14.5 | 6/5/1 | 12.2/6.3/1.4 | -6.2 |
The Rockets Got What They Needed
Kevin Durant didn't have to go off. That's the thing about having real scorers. He dropped 26/6/3 on his normal efficiency (8-22 FG, but 7-7 from the stripe), good for 38.7 Yahoo points. He was basically Durant Standard, which in a seven-point win at home is exactly what you want. The dude keeps his scoring within normal range and lets teammates eat. That's veteran basketball right there.
Alperen Sengun did his job too. 22/7/5 on clean 9-14 shooting, 34.7 Yahoo FP. Sengun's the engine for this team when it matters, and he didn't force anything. Stayed disciplined, let the game come to him, no turnovers. Season avg was 20.8 PPG so he's basically right where you'd expect him, maybe a hair down on boards but that's noise.
The real story though? Reed Sheppard put on a shooting clinic. 16 points, 4 threes on 6-10 shooting in just 29 minutes. The kid was +3.4 from his season average and his ESPN score (40.0) actually beat his Yahoo output (34.2) because he was so efficient and didn't take any FTs. At 12.6 PPG season average, seeing him hit 16 with this kind of volume and accuracy? That's not a fluke, that's a kid finding his rhythm. He also had 6 boards and 4 assists, ran the offense when asked. If you grabbed him off waivers, you're looking at a guy who might actually stay relevant going forward.
Jabari Smith Jr. bounced back hard. After underperforming recently, he grabbed 10 boards and had a steal against a physical Clippers squad. 13 points on 4-11 might not sound amazing, but he was doing the dirty work, and in fantasy, 34.5 Yahoo FP gets the job done.
Kawhi Put On a Show But Still Lost
Here's what's wild: Kawhi Leonard had 40.1 Yahoo FP and the Clippers still lost by seven. Dude went 24/8/3 with a steal, and it wasn't enough. The free throw shooting was immaculate (8-9), but he needed more help and the role players just couldn't match what Houston threw at them.
Bennedict Mathurin was a huge letdown for LA. Came in averaging 17.4 PPG but only managed 9 points on 4-13 shooting with 7 boards in 25 minutes. That's -8.4 from season average, which for a scoring-dependent player is brutal. He had 4 assists and 3 steals so it wasn't a complete disaster, but 32.4 Yahoo FP when you're supposed to be one of the secondary scorers? Not good enough.
Kris Dunn had his best all-around game, dropping 37.0 ESPN FP with 7 assists and 4 steals off the bench. But he only scored 6 points, so if your league values assists heavy, you're happy. If not, it's a cautionary tale about role players on losing teams.
The Amen Thompson Question
Amen Thompson logged 37 minutes and finished with 16/6/1 plus a steal. Here's the problem: his assists are down from his season average (5.4) and only had 1 tonight. That -1.7 from season average doesn't sound like much, but when you're running the offense, you need playmaking. He was efficient (6-10 FG), but the assist numbers are a red flag if this keeps happening. Still got 30.7 Yahoo FP, so he stayed fantasy-viable, but monitor the assist totals going forward.
The Waiver Wire Reality
Tari Eason should probably be dropped in most leagues at this point. 6/5/1 on 2-10 shooting is rough, especially at 12.2 PPG season average (that's -6.2). He's been trending down hard and this game confirmed what we've been seeing. If you own him, sell for anything you can get or just cut him loose. Bench him until he shows something.
Steven Adams is already dropping in ownership (that -0.0% makes sense), and rightfully so. If he's getting 0 points in game where Houston had a +7 victory margin, he's not part of the rotation anymore. Drop him straight up in 12-team leagues and under.
The Bottom Line
The Rockets just showed you what a balanced attack looks like. No one guy had to carry them, everyone contributed, and they took care of business against a team with arguably a top-10 all-time scorer. That's sustainable. If you own Durant, Sengun, or Smith Jr., you're good. Reed Sheppard is a legit add if he's available. And if you're holding Eason or Adams, use the waiver wire on literally anyone else.