MIA 136, MEM 120: Andrew Wiggins and Powell Combine for 104 ESPN FP
Kwame Asante
Junior Accountant ยท Oklahoma City Thunder fan
Heat Survive Grizzlies Onslaught Behind Wiggins' Masterclass, But Don't Sleep on GG Jackson
Miami just held off Memphis 136-120, and yeah, the score looks comfortable, but this game was chaos in the best way for fantasy. The Heat got exactly what they needed when it mattered most, while the Grizzlies produced some genuinely exciting performances that got absolutely swallowed by a loss. Let's break what happened and what it means for your roster.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GG Jackson | 48.0 | 45.8 | 28/9/2 | 9.3/3.6/1.3 | +18.7 |
| Norman Powell | 49.0 | 43.4 | 25/2/6 | 22.8/3.6/2.6 | +2.2 |
| Andrew Wiggins | 55.0 | 42.9 | 28/7/3 | 15.9/5.0/2.7 | +12.1 |
| Scotty Pippen Jr. | 41.0 | 37.8 | 18/4/6 | 10.7/1.0/4.3 | +7.3 |
| Jaylen Wells | 45.0 | 34.4 | 25/2/2 | 12.1/3.4/1.7 | +12.9 |
| Ty Jerome | 34.0 | 34.2 | 17/6/4 | 19.7/2.2/6.0 | -2.7 |
| Kel'el Ware | 32.0 | 32.0 | 11/15/0 | 11.4/9.3/0.6 | -0.4 |
| Olivier-Maxence Prosper | 37.0 | 29.6 | 9/3/4 | 6.9/2.9/0.7 | +2.1 |
| Bam Adebayo | 28.0 | 26.7 | 13/6/5 | 18.4/9.9/2.8 | -5.4 |
| Tyler Herro | 19.0 | 25.0 | 14/5/6 | 22.1/4.7/2.8 | -8.1 |
Andrew Wiggins Is Playing Like a Top-25 Guy Right Now
Andrew Wiggins just put up 28/7/3 on absolutely ridiculous efficiency (9-10 FG, 6-6 FT, 4 threes in 28 minutes). That's 42.9 Yahoo points and 55 ESPN points. The most interesting part? He's +12.1 on his season average for scoring. This wasn't him having a career night, it was him playing significantly better than his normal self.
The thing about Wiggins is his season numbers (15.9/5.0/2.7) have looked a bit pedestrian at times, but nights like tonight show you what he's actually capable of when he gets into rhythm. In deep leagues, he's genuinely a target. The efficiency was unreal, and Heat games are good volume opportunities. If you can trade for him or pick him up off waivers (he's only at 6% added league-wide), do it.
GG Jackson Just Showed His Ceiling
GG Jackson went absolutely nuclear for Memphis. 28 points, 9 rebounds on 11-17 shooting in just 25 minutes. That's a +18.7 points above his season average. This is the kind of explosion that gets people excited about prospect depth, and for good reason, he was clearly the best Grizzlie on the floor.
Here's the real question: is this sustainable or a one-off? Jackson averages just 9.3 points, so this is a massive outlier. He's still taking limited minutes (25 tonight), which tells you Memphis isn't ready to give him a full-time role yet. But performances like this get noticed. In 12-team leagues, he's worth stashing if you have bench depth. The efficiency (65% FG, 63% FT) was legit, not just volume noise.
The Grizzlies Had Three Guys Go Off and Still Lost
Jaylen Wells (25/2/2), Scotty Pippen Jr. (18/4/6), and Ty Jerome (17/6/4) all went significantly above their season norms. Wells was +12.9 on scoring, Pippen Jr. was +7.3, and Jerome actually went -2.7 (his scoring is down, though his rebounds were way up). This is the Grizzlies problem right now, honestly. They can get multiple guys hot, but without a true primary ball handler in rhythm, they can't manufacture enough clean looks.
The positive for fantasy? Scotty Pippen Jr. is someone to watch. He dropped 18/4/6 in 20 minutes with clean efficiency (7-15 FG, 3 threes). That assist number is important, too. He's averaging 1.0 assists on the season but put up 6 tonight. If Memphis gives him more run, he's got genuine two-way appeal. The Grizzlies' guards are leaky, and Pippen Jr. can actually defend and create. Keep him on your radar.
The Heat's Role Players Did Enough While Stars Underperformed
Norman Powell posted 25/2/6 and 43.4 Yahoo points. That's a solid night but only +2.2 on his season average, which tells you he played about to expectation. The problem was Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.
Bam put up 13/6/5 in 26 minutes. That's genuinely disappointing for a guy averaging 18.4/9.9/2.8. He was -5.4 on his season scoring average and -3.9 on rebounds. Conversely, Herro went full ghost offensively (14/5/6 on 5-15 shooting, -8.1 on his scoring average). For a guy normally good for 22+ points, that's a dud.
The silver lining? Miami still won. Kel'el Ware actually had his moment, posting 11/15 in 18 minutes for 32 Yahoo points. That's almost exactly his season average (11.4/9.3), which is fine but not spectacular. He's a nice streaming option in certain matchups, but he's not a league-winner.
What This Means for Your Lineups
Add GG Jackson if you have bench space in 12+ team leagues. His upside tonight was real, even if minutes are limited.
Don't panic on Bam or Herro. One bad game doesn't redefine All-Stars. Herro in particular is still good value, and Bam's defensive stats don't always show up in box score anyway.
Wiggins is worth selling some depth for. Not saying trade your first-rounder, but if you can get him for a mid-tier asset, pull the trigger. His efficiency profile is elite when he gets going.
The Grizzlies had a moral victory here with three guys producing, but losses are losses in fantasy basketball. Just focus on whether your guys hit their value, and tonight they mostly did for Miami. Heat's depth won them this game, plain and simple.