TOR 122, MIL 94: Fantasy Fireworks: Quickley vs Jr.
Sarah Kowalski
Orthopedic Nurse ยท Milwaukee Bucks fan
Raptors Expose the Bucks Without Their Stars, and Your Waiver Wire is About to Pop
Look, I'm going to be real with you because I'm a Bucks fan and it hurts to say this: Toronto just walked into Milwaukee and reminded us what happens when two All-NBA guys don't show up. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Taurean Prince both sat this one out, and the Raptors took full advantage in a 122-94 blowout that was basically over by halftime.
But here's the thing, your fantasy team doesn't care about your feelings. So let's talk about who actually showed up to work and what this means for your lineups going forward.
Top Performers
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immanuel Quickley | 63.0 | 51.1 | 32/3/9 | 17.2/4.3/6.1 | +14.8 |
| Kevin Porter Jr. | 57.0 | 46.4 | 21/2/10 | 17.7/5.0/7.7 | +3.3 |
| Brandon Ingram | 39.0 | 37.4 | 22/2/6 | 22.0/5.7/3.7 | +0.0 |
| Ryan Rollins | 28.0 | 34.3 | 21/9/1 | 17.1/4.6/5.4 | +3.9 |
| Jamal Shead | 39.0 | 34.2 | 12/6/6 | 6.9/2.0/5.4 | +5.1 |
| Sandro Mamukelashvili | 34.0 | 28.8 | 15/4/4 | 11.4/5.0/1.9 | +3.6 |
| Jakob Poeltl | 28.0 | 24.6 | 6/8/2 | 9.2/7.3/2.0 | -3.2 |
| Myles Turner | 27.0 | 24.3 | 14/4/1 | 12.7/5.7/1.6 | +1.3 |
| RJ Barrett | 18.0 | 23.7 | 7/6/3 | 18.0/5.3/3.5 | -11.0 |
| Ja'Kobe Walter | 20.0 | 20.7 | 9/6/3 | 6.4/2.3/1.0 | +2.6 |
The Quickley Show Was Absolutely Special
Immanuel Quickley went nuclear. Thirty-two points on 11-19 shooting with five treys and a perfect 5-5 from the line? That's not just a good night, that's the kind of performance you circle on your calendar. The +14.8 versus his season average tells you everything: he was operating in another stratosphere tonight.
Here's what matters for fantasy: this wasn't just volume. His efficiency was elite. 11-19 is 57.9% from the field, and he was getting to his spots all night against a Bucks team that had defensive depth issues without their stars. Nine assists on only three turnovers means he was in complete control. If you've got him on your bench or in a trade discussion, pump the brakes. Quickley is a keep-and-start guy heading forward, especially if Toronto keeps playing like this.
The Bucks Role Players Got Minutes, Not Dominance
Without Giannis and Prince, I expected a bigger opportunity for guys like Ryan Rollins and Myles Turner to eat. Rollins did his part with 21 points and nine rebounds on 6-17 shooting. He hit four threes, which kept Milwaukee in the conversation for a half. But here's the issue: he needed 17 shots to get there, and his overall efficiency wasn't special enough to justify riding him in a full roster.
Myles Turner put up 14 points with two blocks in 24 minutes, which is fine but not the kind of breakout you'd hope for when the offense is wide open. He's still worth having in deeper leagues, but I'm not getting excited about him as a trade target based on this game.
Kevin Porter Jr. was actually Milwaukee's best player. Twenty-one points, ten assists, three steals on 8-11 shooting. That's a solid floor game, and he's meeting his season averages while the team is decimated. If you can grab him on waivers in your 10-12 team league, he's the kind of depth piece that wins playoff matchups.
The Raptors' Bench Went Off
Brandon Ingram did his thing with 22 points on 8-17 shooting. Nothing crazy, but reliable. More interesting is what happened with their role guys. Jamal Shead with 12/6/6 is a season-high assist game for him (+5.1 vs average), and Sandro Mamukelashvili put in 15 points with four threes off the bench. These are the kinds of performances that make you look at acquisition opportunities.
Shead's passing was the story. He only had two possessions end in turnovers despite running offense, which is what you want to see from a backup guard. In PPR formats, that 34.2 Yahoo FP is the kind of line that gets him added in deeper leagues.
What You Should Actually Do
Add territory: If Ryan Rollins is available in your league, grab him. He's showing he can carry offensive load when needed, and even in a blowout where Milwaukee got embarrassed, he still hit four threes. That's the kind of floor I can live with from a waiver wire pickup.
Hold tight: Don't panic on Giannis. One game without him doesn't change anything. He's All-NBA for a reason, and Milwaukee gets healthy soon. This was a tuneup game disguised as a regular season matchup.
Monitor: Kevin Porter Jr. deserves your attention if he's available. He's consistent, efficient, and in a position where he's going to get minutes all season long.
The real story here isn't that the Raptors won or that Milwaukee got smoked. It's that depth matters in fantasy basketball, and tonight proved that the teams who can get contributions from role players in blowout situations are the ones building real rosters. Get comfortable with the guys off the bench because they're about to get your league-mates some fantasy points whether we like it or not.