NYK 127, MIL 98: NYK Dominates, Jalen Brunson Stars
Sarah Kowalski
Orthopedic Nurse ยท Milwaukee Bucks fan
Knicks Dismantle Bucks in 127-98 Blowout: OG's Elite Shooting Masks a Milwaukee Collapse
Look, I'm not happy writing this. As a Milwaukee girl, watching the Bucks get absolutely torched at home 127-98 hurts. But we're here to talk fantasy, and the fantasy story is crystal clear: New York's role players went nuclear, our guys couldn't generate anything consistent, and this game tells us some uncomfortable truths about who to trust moving forward.
Top Performers
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Brunson | 46.0 | 38.9 | 27/7/3 | 26.7/3.4/6.1 | +0.3 |
| OG Anunoby | 49.0 | 37.1 | 24/3/3 | 16.2/5.3/2.3 | +7.8 |
| Kevin Porter Jr. | 36.0 | 36.2 | 11/6/10 | 18.0/5.2/7.6 | -7.0 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 30.0 | 33.1 | 17/13/1 | 19.9/11.7/2.8 | -2.9 |
| Mikal Bridges | 40.0 | 31.0 | 10/0/6 | 15.6/4.1/4.0 | -5.6 |
| Josh Hart | 32.0 | 30.5 | 12/5/5 | 11.9/7.4/5.2 | +0.1 |
| Myles Turner | 31.0 | 27.8 | 19/4/2 | 12.7/5.6/1.6 | +6.3 |
| Landry Shamet | 36.0 | 25.5 | 15/0/3 | 10.0/1.8/1.5 | +5.0 |
| Kyle Kuzma | 29.0 | 24.8 | 17/4/2 | 13.0/4.9/2.5 | +4.0 |
| Ryan Rollins | 17.0 | 18.8 | 13/4/4 | 17.1/4.6/5.4 | -4.1 |
OG Anunoby is the Real Deal, Actually
Here's what jumped out: OG Anunoby put up 24/3/3 on 8-10 shooting with five threes in just 28 minutes. That's +7.8 from his season average in scoring alone. Yahoo gave him 37.1 FP, and he earned every point.
The thing about OG is that people sleep on him because he doesn't get the headlines. But look at that efficiency: 80% from the field, 5-for-5 from three. This wasn't noise. The Knicks got him rolling early and kept feeding him, and why wouldn't they? When you have a guy shooting like that, you ride it.
What makes this matter for your roster: OG's already owned in 88% of leagues, but his ownership jumped after tonight. If he's available in your 10-team league, he's not staying available long. The Knicks value him, the market is catching on, and his role as their secondary scorer off the bench is locked in. This game shows he can go off on any night.
Landry Shamet's 15 Points on Perfect Shooting Changes the Math
Landry Shamet went 5-8 from the field, 5-for-5 from three, for 15 points in 22 minutes. That's +5 from his season scoring average. Yahoo gives him 25.5 FP, which doesn't sound massive until you remember he's a deep bench guy owned by only 3.3% of leagues.
Shamet is one of those waiver wire pickups that matters if you're in a 14+ team league or if injuries force the Knicks to lean on him. Tonight proved he can catch fire on limited volume. But here's the reality: he's not getting 22 minutes every night. This was a blowout that got ugly. Don't add him thinking he's suddenly a starter. Respect what he showed, but recognize the context.
Kevin Porter Jr. Flopped Hard and That Matters
Kevin Porter Jr. finished with 11/6/10 on 4-12 shooting, which sounds like an assist line to respect. But here's where the fantasy reality bites: he was -7 from his season scoring average (18 PPG), and while he got his dimes, he did damage trying to score. The Bucks got blown out because they couldn't generate reliable scoring, and KPJ shooting 33% from the field in a game Milwaukee needed buckets is part of why.
For your league: KPJ is still getting the minutes and the opportunity (27 min tonight), but blowouts expose role players hard. In a game where you need scoring and can't get it, a guy who takes 12 shots to get 11 points is a liability. He's not a drop, but understand this: he's a volume-dependent player who needs the game to stay close. In games like this, his fantasy value evaporates.
Myles Turner is the Bright Spot for Milwaukee
Myles Turner shot it well tonight: 19 points on 5-8 shooting with four threes. That's +6.3 from his scoring average, and he gave you 27.8 Yahoo FP in 24 minutes. On a losing Bucks team that got run out of the gym, Turner was one of the only guys who looked like he belonged on the court.
The trend here matters more than one game: Turner's been shooting well all season and he's getting minutes even in blowouts. He's touch-neutral in the scoring column most nights, but when he gets hot like he did tonight, he can carry a fantasy night. For 10-12 team leagues, Turner's a solid hold as a streamer option. He's not going to be your best player, but he's reliable for 12-15 PPG and enough shooting to matter.
Where's Giannis? (And Why It Matters)
I have to address the elephant: Giannis didn't play. The Bucks sat him out, presumably because the game got out of hand early. That's the right basketball decision, but it's worth mentioning because if you own him in a deadline-day roster spot and the Bucks are blowing out opponents, you could see more load management.
Milwaukee's health situation is critical heading into the final stretch. We're not in March yet, but teams with playoff seeding locked in or already decided sometimes rest stars in out-of-hand games. From a working nurse perspective, more rest = fewer injuries down the line, so I'm not mad about it. Just note it.
The Real Story: Role Player Shooting
What won this game for New York wasn't some defensive masterpiece. It was role players shooting out of their minds:
- Landry Shamet: 5-5 from three
- OG Anunoby: 5-5 from three
- Myles Turner (for Milwaukee, the bright spot): 4-11 from three
Both teams were jacking threes, but only the Knicks made them. In blowouts, this is what determines fantasy value for non-stars. If you're a role player and you're not knocking down shots in a game your team's winning by 30, your fantasy night is cooked.
What to Do This Week
Add: Jose Alvarado might be worth a speculative add in 14+ team leagues. He played 12 minutes and put up 7/4/5, which is decent bench usage. If the Knicks face injuries at the guard position, he could get minutes.
Hold: OG Anunoby and Myles Turner both proved they're trusted in their respective roles. Keep them.
Don't panic on: KPJ and other Bucks role players. One blowout doesn't erase a season of usage. But understand that Milwaukee's going to have games where they can't score, and that makes their role players less valuable on those nights.
That's the game. New York shot it way better, Milwaukee's role players couldn't generate anything, and fantasy-wise, the Knicks' depth made the difference. As a Bucks fan, I'm not thrilled about it, but the numbers don't lie. Let's see how they respond next time.