ATL 115, BKN 104: Johnson Headlines With 45.4 Yahoo FP
Destiny Williams
Math Teacher & Basketball Coach ยท Atlanta Hawks fan
Hawks 115, Nets 104: Jalen Johnson Reminds Everyone He's a Top-20 Fantasy Asset
Look, I'm biased. I'm a Hawks fan, so beating Brooklyn on the road is always gonna hit different. But this game had some real fantasy implications that go way beyond my hometown pride.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Johnson | 41.0 | 45.4 | 26/12/4 | 23.4/10.8/8.1 | +2.6 |
| Dyson Daniels | 42.0 | 40.0 | 7/10/8 | 11.4/6.5/6.1 | -4.4 |
| Michael Porter Jr. | 35.0 | 35.4 | 18/7/6 | 24.5/7.2/3.3 | -6.5 |
| Nickeil Alexander-Walker | 37.0 | 34.6 | 17/3/6 | 19.9/3.6/3.7 | -2.9 |
| Nic Claxton | 34.0 | 34.1 | 15/8/5 | 12.6/7.3/4.0 | +2.4 |
| Onyeka Okongwu | 34.0 | 31.7 | 13/11/1 | 16.1/7.7/3.2 | -3.1 |
| CJ McCollum | 30.0 | 31.6 | 16/8/4 | 18.8/3.4/3.6 | -2.8 |
| Jock Landale | 35.0 | 30.7 | 17/6/1 | 11.4/6.4/1.6 | +5.6 |
| Day'Ron Sharpe | 27.0 | 26.0 | 11/5/2 | 8.5/6.7/2.3 | +2.5 |
| Noah Clowney | 27.0 | 25.5 | 12/5/1 | 12.8/4.2/1.8 | -0.8 |
Jalen Johnson Is Your New Buy-Low Candidate
Jalen Johnson didn't just have a good night, he reminded everyone why he's legitimately a top-20 guy when you need him. 26 points on 11-22 shooting with 12 rebounds and 4 assists in 37 minutes. That's 45.4 Yahoo FP, and honestly, it's not even a season high for him. This is just him being him when he gets the looks.
Here's what matters for your team: Johnson hit his season average plus 2.6 points. That's exactly on script. He's been hovering around 23.4 PPG all season, and people are still sleeping on his rebounding upside in deeper leagues. The thing coaches and fantasy nerds don't always talk about is consistency. Johnson doesn't go off for 40 and then put up 12 the next game. He's reliable. That's underrated.
If someone in your league dumped him after a slow week, now's the time to move. He's not a flashy trade target, but he's the type of guy who wins you the entire second half of the season while everyone's chasing Shai and Jokic.
Dyson Daniels Is The Glue Guy Your Team Needs
Dyson Daniels put up 7/10/8 with 3 steals. Yeah, his point total was down 4.4 from his average, but that's not the story. The All-Defensive selection is doing exactly what All-Defensive guys do. He was +37 when he was on the floor (I know, that's not an official stat, but trust me, you feel it). 10 rebounds from a 6'7" wing? That's your thief right there.
This is my teacher brain coming out, but Dyson is the kind of player who does the homework. He might not have the highlight reels, but he boxes out, he contests shots, he moves the ball. 8 assists from a secondary wing is 3.5 above his season average. That's the sign of a team clicking.
He's not winning you a week by himself. He's the player who saves you from losing one when your stars are injured or facing tough matchups. That's worth gold right now if you're looking to shore up your roster depth.
Brooklyn's Big Men Carried The Load (And Still Lost)
Nic Claxton put up 15/8/5 with 34 Yahoo FP. That's him being exactly who he is: a reliable double-double candidate who's gonna stay healthy and consistent. Day'Ron Sharpe off the bench was even better per-minute at 11/5/2 in just 17 minutes. Both guys have deep league value because Brooklyn keeps feeding them.
But here's the thing, and I hate being the dude who points out the obvious: they both came up short of their season averages. Claxton was +2.4, Sharpe was +2.5. These weren't blowout performances. And they still lost at home to a Hawks team that shot like they were at practice.
This matters because if you own Claxton thinking he's gonna go off every night, tonight showed the ceiling. It's solid, consistent production. Not transformative. If you can get him in the waiver wire after this game in a 10-team league, grab him. But he's not gonna win you a championship by himself.
The Real Story: Atlanta's Role Players Showed Up
Jock Landale with 17/6/1 in just 16 minutes was the surprise. That's +5.6 against his season average. This dude came off the bench and got to work. 6-11 shooting with three threes made is the kind of efficiency you build around. The concern is sustainability. 16 minutes is his assignment. Don't get cute and expect 25 minutes next week.
Onyeka Okongwu pulled down 11 boards with 13 points, but he was 3.1 below his point average. The rebounding numbers were there, the efficiency was there, but the scoring touch was off. That's fine for a center in 7-footer territory. He's still a league-winner if you need help on the boards.
CJ McCollum doing his thing with 16/8/4 and 4 three-pointers is exactly the kind of mid-tier guard you want down the stretch of a season. He's not flashy, but he's gonna give you 30+ Yahoo FP when you need it.
Who's Dropping? NAW Gets Benched
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is heading toward the waiver wire in a lot of leagues after going -0.4% in ownership. That's not because of tonight, that's the whole season narrative. He shot 4-12 and while he made his threes, 17 points just doesn't move the needle anymore. The Hawks have too many scoring options.
If you had him as a deep league flier, this is probably the week to cut him loose and grab someone with a clearer path to minutes.
Bottom Line
Atlanta won because they had more guns and better spacing. Brooklyn had solid individual efforts that just didn't stack up. For your team, this is a reminder that consistency beats explosions 80% of the time. Jalen Johnson is your buy-low guy. Dyson Daniels is your anchor. The role players showed up, and that's what beats you sometimes. Good luck out there.