PHX 113, LAL 110: Dončić Goes Supernova With 41 Points
Hiro Tanaka
Physical Therapy Assistant · Los Angeles Lakers fan
Luka Goes Nuclear, But the Lakers Still Lose, What This Means for Your Lineup
Phoenix just barely survived one of the most lopsided fantasy performances you'll see all season. Luka Dončić absolutely went off for 65.6 Yahoo FP (41/8/8), but it still wasn't enough to get the Lakers over the hump in a 113-110 heartbreaker. Let me break down what actually happened here and what it means for your roster.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Dončić | 75.0 | 65.6 | 41/8/8 | 32.7/7.8/8.6 | +8.3 |
| Grayson Allen | 47.0 | 43.2 | 28/1/6 | 17.5/3.1/3.9 | +10.5 |
| Collin Gillespie | 37.0 | 30.1 | 21/3/3 | 13.5/4.1/4.7 | +7.5 |
| LeBron James | 26.0 | 28.7 | 15/6/5 | 21.5/5.7/7.0 | -6.5 |
| Oso Ighodaro | 35.0 | 28.3 | 8/4/3 | 5.7/4.6/1.9 | +2.3 |
| Jake LaRavia | 27.0 | 24.5 | 11/5/1 | 9.2/3.9/1.9 | +1.8 |
| Royce O'Neale | 25.0 | 22.7 | 13/6/3 | 10.1/4.9/2.8 | +2.9 |
| Austin Reaves | 21.0 | 22.6 | 14/3/2 | 24.6/5.0/5.5 | -10.6 |
| Jamaree Bouyea | 22.0 | 21.9 | 6/2/3 | 6.5/1.9/1.8 | -0.5 |
| Jaxson Hayes | 21.0 | 20.1 | 6/8/1 | 6.8/3.9/0.9 | -0.8 |
Look, it hurts to say this as a Lakers guy, but Phoenix's bench completely took over this one. The Suns were basically running a skeleton crew and still found ways to win. That's the story.
Dončić's Monster Game Was Real, But...
Luka dropping 41 on 12-21 shooting with 11 makes from the line isn't a fluke. That's All-NBA Second Team basketball, the reigning MVP runner-up doing what he does. The +8.3 points above his season average tells you he was operating at an elite level even by his standards, and he was efficient doing it (7-13 from three, perfect free throw shooting down the stretch).
The problem? Everyone else on the Lakers got cooked defensively. LeBron James posting -6.5 against his average is the real stat line that matters here. He only dropped 15 points on 7-16 shooting, and his usage dropped because, frankly, Luka was carrying the entire offensive load. You can't have your best player generate 65 fantasy points and still lose by three at home. That's a roster depth issue, not a star player problem.
But for fantasy purposes, Luka owners are sitting pretty. This is what you drafted him for.
The Grayson Allen Explosion Isn't Going Away
Grayson Allen absolutely buried the Lakers for 28 points, hitting six threes and posting 43.2 Yahoo FP. That +10.5 above his season average is the single biggest surprise here. Allen has been solid all year (17.5 ppg) but he went full bucket mode tonight. 9-24 shooting might look ugly until you realize 6 of those were threes, and 4-4 from the line is money in the bank.
Here's the thing though, and I say this as someone who's seen a lot of role player performances: Allen's always capable of games like this. The Suns don't have their full lineup healthy, so when he gets 31 minutes against a Lakers defense that was scrambling, he eats. The question for your league is whether he's hitting waivers. If he is and you've got roster space, grab him. 47.5% owned means a quarter of leagues still don't have him, and tonight proved he can give you 40+ Yahoo FP on any given night.
The Phoenix Bench Carried Them
Beyond Allen, Phoenix got huge contributions from role players who shouldn't have been carrying this load. Collin Gillespie hit six threes for 30.1 Yahoo FP, Oso Ighodaro was efficient with 28.3 Yahoo FP despite limited shot attempts (4-5 FG), and Royce O'Neale added solid complementary stuff (13/6/3 on 4-7 shooting).
This feels like a "ride the hot hand" situation more than sustainable production. Gillespie went 7-13 from the field with all six makes being threes. That's variance. Ighodaro got 4 rebounds in just 34 minutes, which is actually solid, but his 8 points matters less than the role he's playing. O'Neale's 3-pointer shooting (3-3 tonight) is legit, though, and at his ownership rate (47.5%), more people should have him rostered.
Austin Reaves Got Mugged
This is the only real red flag I have for the Lakers. Austin Reaves was supposed to be the second star next to Luka, but he posted -10.6 against his season average on 5-12 shooting. Fourteen points in 36 minutes when you're averaging 24.6? That's a bad night, full stop. The defensive pressure Phoenix threw at him wore him down, and LeBron couldn't pick up the slack because he was also struggling.
For fantasy, don't panic on Reaves. This is one game where the matchup just didn't work. But monitor whether the Lakers adjust their offensive sets. Reaves going 5-12 means he's not getting clean looks, and that's something Ham needs to solve.
The Waiver Wire Picture
Deandre Ayton sneaking into the trending adds despite a quiet 9.8 Yahoo FP performance is wild. I get it, he's back and got 22 minutes, but 1-3 shooting and only 2 points tells you he's not ready to be a league winner yet. If he's in your waiver priority order, wait another game. See if he gets 25+ minutes consistently before pulling the trigger. At 71% owned, most of your league already has him anyway.
For drops, Austin Reaves is NOT someone to let go of, even after tonight. LeBron had an off night but he's LeBron, so same deal. Nobody here is getting cut except as depth moves in 8-team leagues.
The Real Takeaway
Phoenix just barely survived what should've been a blowout loss because they got elite three-point shooting and the Lakers couldn't put them away. Dončić had a monster game, Allen had a monster game, but so did half the Suns rotation. That's not sustainable. The Lakers had the talent to win this game and didn't. That's the part that stings for my team, and honestly, it matters for fantasy too.
Keep Dončić as your fantasy franchise player. Hold Reaves through the variance. Watch Allen in waivers. Everything else was just one team getting hot from three at the right time.