MIL 118, CLE 116: Kevin Porter Jr. Holds Nerve in Down-to-Wire Finish
Sarah Kowalski
Orthopedic Nurse · Milwaukee Bucks fan
Cavaliers Get Punched in the Mouth, Miss Elite Talent in Close Loss to Bucks
This one stings. The Milwaukee Bucks just knocked off the Cleveland Cavaliers 118-116 in a game that should've gone the Cavs' way, and the absence of their two best players made all the difference. When you're missing Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley (the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, by the way), you can't afford to leave two points on the table.
But here's what matters for your fantasy teams: some serious performances came through in the gaps, and there are moves to make based on what we saw.
Top Performers
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Porter Jr. | 60.0 | 52.1 | 20/8/5 | 18.2/5.2/7.6 | +1.8 |
| Jarrett Allen | 54.0 | 49.7 | 27/11/1 | 15.1/8.6/1.9 | +11.9 |
| Jaylon Tyson | 33.0 | 36.5 | 14/10/3 | 13.5/5.4/2.2 | +0.5 |
| Dennis Schröder | 39.0 | 35.9 | 26/2/5 | 12.2/2.9/5.1 | +13.8 |
| Kyle Kuzma | 38.0 | 32.3 | 17/4/5 | 12.9/4.9/2.5 | +4.1 |
| Ryan Rollins | 36.0 | 31.1 | 18/3/9 | 17.2/4.6/5.4 | +0.8 |
| Keon Ellis | 37.0 | 30.3 | 14/4/3 | 5.7/1.5/0.8 | +8.3 |
| Jericho Sims | 25.0 | 25.2 | 11/11/2 | 4.0/4.7/1.0 | +7.0 |
| Myles Turner | 31.0 | 24.6 | 15/3/0 | 12.6/5.6/1.5 | +2.4 |
| Craig Porter Jr. | 31.0 | 23.9 | 8/2/9 | 4.6/3.3/3.2 | +3.4 |
The Real Story: Depth Save the Day for Milwaukee
Look, I'm a Bucks lifer. Born and raised in Milwaukee, and let me tell you, watching your team win a game without your All-NBA guy on the floor hits different. But this wasn't about Giannis carrying the load (he was out). This was about role guys stepping up when it mattered most.
Kevin Porter Jr. led the way with 52.1 Yahoo FP, and yeah, he hit expectations, but the volume was there. 20 points on 10-16 shooting with 8 rebounds and 5 assists in 37 minutes. That's floor time you pay attention to. He's been flirting with consistency all season at 18.2 PPG, and nights like this remind you why he's worth having on a bench that can wait for the explosion.
The real story from a Bucks perspective? Kyle Kuzma (32.3 Yahoo FP) and Ryan Rollins (31.1 Yahoo FP) hitting together. Kuzma went 5-for-5 from three and Rollins orchestrated the offense with 9 assists. That's the kind of complementary scoring depth that wins close games. Myles Turner chipping in 24.6 Yahoo FP with three threes in limited minutes (24 min) is the cherry on top. The Bucks' bench outscored their absence perfectly.
Dennis Schröder Went Full Point Guard Mode
Schröder for Cleveland put up 35.9 Yahoo FP with 26 points and 5 assists. That's a +13.8 points above his season average, and it wasn't fluky. 8-14 shooting with 7-9 from the line. The guy took over when he had to, and without Mitchell, somebody had to. That's the play you love to see in DFS and dynasty builds, but here's the thing: can he replicate this without the Cavs getting Mitchell back? Probably not at this volume. He'll settle back to role player numbers.
Jarrett Allen's Validation Game
Now Jarrett Allen. Here's where I need to put my orthopedic nurse hat on for a second. I watched him come back from injury concerns earlier in the season, and nights like this, where he puts up 49.7 Yahoo FP (27/11 with 7-8 from the free throw line), that's the "I'm healthy and I'm here" announcement. +11.9 points above average is exactly the kind of performance that gets added to waiver wires, and he's already at 91.5% ownership. If you don't have him, honestly, you're out on the waiver wire luck. But if you do, hold tight. This is who he is when he's clicking.
Jaylon Tyson (36.5 Yahoo FP) also deserves the mention. 14 and 10 with limited touches, and he grabbed a full 10 boards in 35 minutes. He exceeded expectations with that rebounding total, and that floor time tells me the Cavs trust him to play real minutes. In deeper leagues, he's a bench guy worth keeping.
The Bench Mob That Nobody Talks About
Here's something spicy: Keon Ellis (30.3 Yahoo FP) went off for 14 points on 4-9 shooting with 4 threes in 28 minutes. That's +8.3 points above his season average. This is a guy who normally lives at 5.7 PPG, and suddenly he's got shot volume. League-wide most added this week is Precious Achiuwa (4.0% uptick), but Ellis just proved he's got some heat if the opportunity is there. Keep him on your radar.
Jericho Sims was another one. 11 points and 11 boards in 28 minutes (25.2 Yahoo FP, +7.0 above average). That's the kind of big man performance that gets drafted in April when you need volume at the position. Craig Porter Jr. added 23.9 Yahoo FP with 9 assists on limited touches (21 min). If either of these guys gets real rotation time, you look smart picking them up now.
What It Means Moving Forward
The Cavs are banged up, and you felt it tonight. Mitchell and Mobley out is not a small thing, and while Schröder and Allen carried the load, this team needs their stars back. If you have any of them stashed in an IL spot, keep them there. This isn't sustainable depth basketball.
For the Bucks, this is the kind of win that matters. Role flexibility. Deep rotations. That's what wins playoff games, and as much as it pains me to admit it as a homer, this team just showed they can grind without their centerpiece.
Bottom line: grab Keon Ellis and Craig Porter Jr. in 12+ team leagues if they're available. Hold Jarrett Allen if you have him. Don't panic trade Kevin Porter Jr. just because he hit season average, he's still got elite upside. And monitor those Cavs when Mitchell and Mobley come back, because the depth minutes are about to get shredded.