PHX 113, ORL 110: Desmond Bane and Paolo Banchero Combine for 117 ESPN FP
Sarah Kowalski
Orthopedic Nurse ยท Milwaukee Bucks fan
Suns Barely Escape Magic in a Game That Matters Way More Than the Final Score
Final: Suns 113, Magic 110
This one stings for Magic backers because it absolutely should've gone the other way. Orlando had every opportunity to win a game they controlled for stretches, but the Suns found just enough in crunch time to escape with a 3-point W. From a fantasy perspective though, this game was a gift to several depth guys and a reminder that sometimes the best performances come from the most unexpected places.
Let's talk about what actually went down.
Top Performers
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paolo Banchero | 54.0 | 60.8 | 26/14/8 | 21.6/8.5/4.9 | +4.4 |
| Desmond Bane | 63.0 | 50.3 | 34/4/3 | 19.8/4.2/4.1 | +14.2 |
| Grayson Allen | 40.0 | 42.4 | 27/7/2 | 17.3/3.1/3.9 | +9.7 |
| Jalen Green | 27.0 | 39.9 | 16/7/5 | 13.3/2.8/2.6 | +2.7 |
| Collin Gillespie | 35.0 | 36.0 | 19/5/6 | 13.3/4.1/4.8 | +5.7 |
| Jordan Goodwin | 38.0 | 31.7 | 17/6/1 | 8.9/4.7/2.2 | +8.1 |
| Royce O'Neale | 31.0 | 31.4 | 6/7/4 | 10.2/4.9/2.9 | -4.2 |
| Oso Ighodaro | 32.0 | 30.9 | 11/12/1 | 5.7/4.6/1.8 | +5.3 |
| Jevon Carter | 32.0 | 29.4 | 15/2/2 | 5.9/1.2/1.0 | +9.1 |
| Tristan da Silva | 27.0 | 29.3 | 5/9/3 | 8.6/3.4/1.2 | -3.6 |
The Winner's Circle Actually Got Results From Bench Guys
Here's what you need to know about Phoenix winning this: it didn't come from a star being elite. Grayson Allen went off for 27/7/2 on 42 minutes and earned 42.4 Yahoo FP, crushing his season average by nearly 10 points. That's the kind of night where a role player becomes your best friend if you grabbed him off waivers. Allen shot 8-22 from the field but stayed aggressive, going 7-7 from the stripe. This is the floor raiser you hope for in tight games.
Jordan Goodwin had the kind of game that makes you text the league chat. 17/6/1 on just 24 minutes? That's 31.7 Yahoo FP when his season average says he should give you 8.9. This dude is getting real rotation time now, and against a decent opponent, he showed up.
Jalen Green posted 39.9 Yahoo FP (27 ESPN) but honestly? This was volume without efficiency. 6-26 from the field is ugly, even with 5 assists and 3 steals. He beat his season scoring average by only 2.7 points. Don't let the fantasy score trick you, that was a brick-laying performance from Green that Phoenix survived, not thrived with.
Orlando's Stars Showed Up, Bench Didn't
Desmond Bane absolutely cooked the Suns with 34/4/3 on 12-18 shooting. This is 50.3 Yahoo FP and a +14.2 points vs. his season average. That's not fluky, that's a player punishing a defense. Bane was 5-5 from three at one point and looked unstoppable. If you own him, nights like this are why you drafted him. The ownership trending shows why people are adding him too, but he was already at 96.9% owned so this doesn't change your roster calculus much.
Paolo Banchero had a solid outing with 26/14/8 for 60.8 Yahoo FP. He was +4.4 from his season average, which means he performed, but not explosively. 11-28 from the field is a lot of work for that output, though the 14 boards and 8 assists show he impacted the game beyond scoring. As an All-NBA caliber player, this is a respectable night without being special.
The problem for Orlando wasn't their stars, it was everyone else. Anthony Black dropped to 24.8 Yahoo FP. Wendell Carter Jr. managed just 19.7 Yahoo FP on limited minutes. The bench rotation outside of Black didn't have much juice, and that's why a 3-point loss happened instead of a W.
The Waiver Move You Actually Care About
Collin Gillespie finished with 36.0 Yahoo FP on 44 minutes of floor time. 19/5/6 with solid efficiency (6-17 FG, 4-5 FT). This guy is getting real minutes and showing he can run the offense. He's currently at unknown ownership because he's a depth piece, but if your league sleeps on him and he keeps getting 40+ minute nights, that's a pickup in 12-team leagues. Not a league winner, but a solid depth add for playoff push.
Jevon Carter was another bright spot from the Orlando bench, dropping 29.4 Yahoo FP with 15/2/2/2 steals on 33 minutes. The +9.1 from his season average is real production. Carter's got that defensive upside (2 steals) that makes him valuable in certain league formats, especially once the playoffs hit.
Bottom Line
The Suns escaped, Orlando left points on the court. From a fantasy angle, if you own Bane you're happy. If you own Banchero, it was fine but not special. The bench guys from Phoenix who stepped up? Useful reminders that sometimes the W comes from committee, not stars.
Nobody in this game posted a legitimate "oh no" performance, which means there's not much panic selling to do. Just ride your studs and keep an eye on Gillespie if he's sitting in free agency in your league.