POR 92, PHX 77: Donovan Clingan Hyper-Efficient With 51.9 Yahoo FP
Jake Morrison
Computer Science Student ยท Dallas Mavericks fan
Trail Blazers Flipped the Script on the Suns and Your Waiver Wire Just Changed
Listen, I'm not gonna pretend to understand what happened in Phoenix tonight, but I'm also not about to miss the fantasy implications. The Trail Blazers walked into Footprint Center and dropped 92 on a Suns team that looked completely disoriented. This wasn't close. This was a wire-to-wire beatdown, and if you're sitting on certain Suns pieces, we need to talk.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donovan Clingan | 57.0 | 51.9 | 23/12/3 | 11.7/11.4/2.1 | +11.3 |
| Toumani Camara | 38.0 | 34.2 | 12/11/2 | 13.1/5.3/2.5 | -1.1 |
| Jerami Grant | 42.0 | 32.9 | 23/2/1 | 18.4/3.5/2.3 | +4.6 |
| Jalen Green | 25.0 | 26.1 | 13/3/1 | 13.3/2.8/2.6 | -0.3 |
| Amir Coffey | 27.0 | 24.8 | 8/4/4 | 2.6/1.0/0.5 | +5.4 |
| Scoot Henderson | 18.0 | 23.8 | 11/4/6 | 13.4/2.6/5.0 | -2.4 |
| Collin Gillespie | 24.0 | 23.1 | 18/3/3 | 13.3/4.1/4.8 | +4.7 |
| Jamaree Bouyea | 24.0 | 22.9 | 8/2/3 | 6.6/1.9/1.8 | +1.4 |
| Jrue Holiday | 11.0 | 19.5 | 6/5/7 | 15.8/4.6/6.3 | -9.8 |
| Robert Williams III | 18.0 | 18.0 | 4/5/0 | 6.3/6.4/1.1 | -2.3 |
The Blazers Are Built Different Right Now
Donovan Clingan put the entire internet on notice with a 51.9 Yahoo performance. 23 points on 9-13 shooting, 12 boards, 4 blocks in 31 minutes. This wasn't some random game-script thing either. He was a +11.3 above his season average and completely dominated inside. For context, Clingan's averaging 11.7/11.4 this season, so tonight was basically him flipping a switch and deciding the paint was his. If you've got him, you're holding. Period.
Jerami Grant put up 23 points on 9-13 from the field with three triples. That's a 32.9 Yahoo night, and it actually matters because his season average is 18.4 PPG. He went off, but he's not some unknown. Grant's been All-NBA caliber the last couple years, so performances like this are more "confirmation" than "breakout." Still, massive W for Blazers owners.
Toumani Camara had a weird line. 12 points, 11 boards on 5-9 shooting sounds fine on paper, but here's the thing: he grabbed 5.7 more rebounds than his season average (5.3). That's not sustainable. He's a decent player but not a consistent rebounder at this rate. If someone in your league is panicking to add him after tonight, pump the brakes.
The Suns Got Cooked and It Wasn't Pretty
Without Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Jordan Goodwin, and Grayson Allen in the lineup, the Suns looked like a G League squad. I'm not being hyperbolic. They scored 77 points. Seventy. Seven.
Jalen Green led the way with 26.1 Yahoo FP on 13 points, but he was 6-16 from the field. That's not good. His -0.3 vs season average tells you he was basically replacement level in a blowout. Collin Gillespie had the best night for Phoenix with 18 points on 4 threes, but 33 minutes in a loss this lopsided means the rotation got blown to hell.
Here's the painful part: Jrue Holiday, the two-time All-Defensive guy, put up just 19.5 Yahoo FP on 6 points and 3-12 shooting. That's a -9.8 from his season average (15.8 PPG). When your two-way anchor is shooting like that, the entire team is cooked.
What This Means for Your Roster
The Suns missing their primary scorers was always going to tank them. That's not a revelation. But Amir Coffey quietly putting up 24.8 Yahoo FP in 23 minutes should catch your attention. He's been a 2.6 PPG player, and tonight he went off for 8 points with 4 assists and 2 steals in limited run. He's currently owned in 50.5% of Yahoo leagues, so the add train is moving. Don't chase this one. He got run because the game was a blowout and Phoenix was experimenting. Once Booker and Brooks are back, Coffey's back to the bench.
Scoot Henderson for Portland went 4-14 but had 6 assists and 23.8 Yahoo FP. His shooting was rough, but the playmaking kept him afloat. He's not someone you're trading for based on this, but if he's available in deeper leagues, he's got upside when the Blazers stay healthy.
The ownership moves tell you everything. Grayson Allen is getting added with a +3.2% bump (now at 50.5% owned), even though he didn't play. That's panic buying in case he's ruled out longer term. Don't overreact. Deni Avdija got dropped by 0.1% despite sitting out. He's still 97.9% owned because everyone knows he's a star when healthy.
Bottom Line
The Blazers are legit contenders when they're whole. Clingan is a top-50 asset when he's running like that. Grant is a buy-low candidate if anyone's gotten impatient with him. The Suns? We'll learn a lot more when their roster is back together. This game tells us nothing about them at full strength, so don't panic on any Phoenix pieces. Just ride out the losses until they're healthy.
If you're in a league with some panic sellers today, check your waivers. But don't add someone just because they had a line in a 15-point blowout. That's how you tank your team by March.