ATL 135, POR 101: Okongwu Hyper-Efficient With 54 Yahoo FP
Destiny Williams
Math Teacher & Basketball Coach ยท Atlanta Hawks fan
Hawks 135, Trail Blazers 101: Okongwu Goes Supernova, Jalen Johnson Completely Disappears
Look, I'm gonna need a minute to process what I just watched. My Hawks absolutely demolished Portland last night, and while I should be thriving in victory, there's some weird stuff buried in this box score that's got me concerned heading into our next matchup.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onyeka Okongwu | 67.0 | 54.0 | 25/10/6 | 16.1/7.9/3.3 | +8.9 |
| Donovan Clingan | 30.0 | 37.5 | 15/15/5 | 11.8/11.5/2.2 | +3.2 |
| Jonathan Kuminga | 38.0 | 35.9 | 20/7/3 | 13.3/6.1/2.6 | +6.7 |
| Dyson Daniels | 43.0 | 35.7 | 12/6/7 | 11.4/6.5/6.2 | +0.6 |
| Jrue Holiday | 38.0 | 35.2 | 23/6/4 | 16.0/4.6/6.2 | +7.0 |
| CJ McCollum | 33.0 | 30.9 | 19/2/5 | 18.7/3.4/3.5 | +0.3 |
| Jalen Johnson | 25.0 | 29.6 | 8/8/8 | 22.7/10.6/7.9 | -14.7 |
| Zaccharie Risacher | 30.0 | 25.7 | 5/6/1 | 10.1/3.7/1.3 | -5.1 |
| Nickeil Alexander-Walker | 28.0 | 25.6 | 15/3/4 | 19.8/3.6/3.8 | -4.8 |
| Matisse Thybulle | 29.0 | 23.7 | 7/1/1 | 5.5/1.7/0.8 | +1.5 |
Okongwu Just Issued a Fantasy Wake-Up Call
Real talk: Onyeka Okongwu had the game of his life and we need to talk about what that means. 54 Yahoo points on just 26 minutes is absolutely nuclear. The 25 points on 9-15 shooting (60% FG) is nice, but the real damage came from seven made 3-pointers. SEVEN. On a center. That's not sustainable and honestly, that's not even normal.
Here's the thing though, and this matters for anyone holding him: the 10 rebounds and 6 assists are real skills he brings. He's a glue guy who normally gives you 16 and 8 with decent playmaking for his position. The three-ball explosion was peak circumstance, but the guy went off. He exceeded his season scoring average by 8.9 points. That's the kind of performance that makes you want to trade him while his value is sky-high if you're thin at another position.
For my math students back home, this is what we call an outlier. Beautiful to watch, but don't project it forward.
Jrue Holiday Reminds Us Why He's All-Defensive
Jrue Holiday put up 35.2 Yahoo points (23/6/4/1) and barely broke a sweat. This is what consistency looks like. He was plus-7.0 from his season average, which might not sound like his 54-point explosion, but it's the kind of reliable night that wins you weeks. The All-Defensive selection last year wasn't a fluke, and neither are these numbers.
If you're looking at the trade deadline, Holiday is exactly the kind of guy you DON'T sell. He's a third-round fantasy asset who plays like a second-rounder most nights.
The Jalen Johnson Disaster We Need to Address
This is where I get uncomfortable, even as a Hawks fan. Jalen Johnson put up just 8 points on 3-9 shooting. He grabbed 8 rebounds and dished 8 assists, which sounds great on paper, but he was minus-14.7 points from his season average. That's not a bad night. That's a complete non-factor game for a guy averaging 22.7 PPG.
Three questions: Is Portland's defense that much better? Did the blowout pace limit his volume? Or is this an early sign that something's off with his game? I'm not in panic mode yet, but if he lays another egg in your next matchup, it's time to ask whether he's dealing with something minor or whether he's just been a volume fraud against bad defenses.
Watch the film. Don't just check the box score.
Donovan Clingan Proves He's A Real Board Guy
The Trail Blazers' rookie center grabbed 15 boards to go with 15 points and 5 assists. That's plus-3.5 rebounds versus his season average, which is the kind of performance that gets overlooked because his team got blown out. But here's what matters for fantasy: Clingan's a lock for double-double potential on most nights, and last night proved his floor is higher than people thought.
If he's available in 12-team leagues, you're looking at a guy who scores 37.5 Yahoo points with decent efficiency. That's a streaming candidate for rebounding-heavy weeks.
CJ McCollum Stays Steady
19 points and 5 assists on 6-13 shooting. McCollum was basically right on his season average (plus-0.3 PPG), which tells you everything you need to know. He's reliable. He's not going to blow up your fantasy week. He's also not going to wreck it. In a league full of boom-or-bust guys, that's underrated.
What This Means For Your Roster
Okongwu had a historic night fueled by unsustainable shooting. Treat it like what it is: a nice win, not a sign he's the second coming of Jokic. Jrue and Clingan had the kinds of nights that fit their established patterns. Johnson had the kind of game that makes you nervous if you're counting on him for scoring.
Atlanta's depth was on full display. When Portland plays the Hawks without going nuclear from three, it usually looks like this.