UTA 122, WAS 112: Filipowski's Efficient 58 ESPN FP Outing
Kwame Asante
Junior Accountant ยท Oklahoma City Thunder fan
Jazz Stun Wizards 122-112, But It's the Bench Production That Actually Matters
Look, Utah just beat Washington without half their rotation, and somehow that's the least interesting part of this result. Yeah, the Jazz won the game. But the fantasy story here? It's all about role players stepping into the spotlight and exactly one dude going absolutely nuclear from deep.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Filipowski | 58.0 | 51.3 | 20/14/3 | 10.3/6.8/2.2 | +9.7 |
| Julian Reese | 45.0 | 46.0 | 18/20/2 | 9.7/10.7/1.7 | +8.3 |
| Isaiah Collier | 49.0 | 44.1 | 27/3/11 | 11.4/2.5/7.3 | +15.6 |
| Ace Bailey | 57.0 | 43.4 | 32/2/0 | 12.4/4.0/1.7 | +19.6 |
| Cody Williams | 39.0 | 31.1 | 13/3/7 | 5.9/2.5/1.1 | +7.1 |
| Bilal Coulibaly | 33.0 | 29.6 | 17/3/2 | 10.5/4.3/2.5 | +6.5 |
| John Konchar | 30.0 | 28.0 | 0/5/4 | 3.1/3.2/1.5 | -3.1 |
| Tre Johnson | 27.0 | 27.6 | 15/8/2 | 12.4/2.8/2.1 | +2.6 |
| Trae Young | 25.0 | 26.4 | 12/2/6 | 18.6/1.5/8.6 | -6.6 |
| Brice Sensabaugh | 17.0 | 22.2 | 14/1/4 | 12.7/2.9/1.6 | +1.3 |
Ace Bailey Just Went Full Cheat Code
Ace Bailey dropped 32 points on 12-19 shooting with seven threes in 32 minutes. That's not a good game, that's a "why is this man not in my lineup" game. He's up 19.6 points from his season average. Seven made threes. His shot was pure, his volume was there, and honestly, I need to know if he's actually broken through or if this is just one of those nights.
The concern: he's averaging 1.7 assists and just took zero assists tonight. He's a bit of a black hole on offense when he gets hot. But 12-19 is 63% from the field. That's sustainable if Utah keeps feeding him the rock.
Isaiah Collier Reminded Everyone Why He's a Steal
Isaiah Collier went off for 27 points and 11 assists in just 29 minutes. That's 44.1 Yahoo points on a truly efficient night, 11-18 from the field. He's up 15.6 points from his season average and this feels like the performance everyone's been waiting for from him.
Here's the thing though, and I say this as someone who stays up until 3am for Jazz games: Utah's depth is completely wrecked right now. Collier's getting opportunities because the whole squad is running on fumes. Don't go max spending your FAAB on him just yet. But if you've got him on the bench? Start him confidently next game.
The Reese and Filipowski Show Won This Game
Julian Reese put up 18 points and 20 rebounds in 38 minutes for Washington. That's a +8.3 points from his average and honestly, the rebounding numbers are the real story. 20 boards is elite production. You're getting him off the waiver wire in most leagues and he's immediately becoming a no-drop. In ESPN scoring, that's 45 points, which is genuinely impressive.
Kyle Filipowski on the flip side absolutely dominated the glass for Utah with 20 points and 14 rebounds in 30 minutes. 51.3 Yahoo points. +9.7 from his season average. He went 9-14 from the field, picked up 2 steals, 2 blocks. This isn't a fluke, this is a young big man finding his role in a rotation that badly needs someone to just box out and work.
The concern with both these guys: they're getting volume because Utah and Washington are absolutely shorthanded. Once the rotation stabilizes, those minute totals and opportunity rates will shrink. Enjoy it while it lasts, but don't overvalue them long term.
Cody Williams Actually Looks Interesting Now
Cody Williams went 5-6 from the field with 7 assists. That's 31.1 Yahoo points, +7.1 from his season average. He's a forward who's finally starting to look like he's breaking into a playmaking role, and honestly, the shooting efficiency (5-6) is exactly what you want to see.
The thing about Williams is he's been waiting for minutes, and now he's getting them. 35 minutes tonight. If that holds, he becomes someone worth rostering in deeper leagues. Not a league winner, but a solid contributor. Keep an eye on his usage rate over the next few games.
Washington Got Absolutely Cooked Without Their Stars
Look, I won't pretend this was a competitive game. Trae Young went 4-9 with 12 points and 6 assists in 19 minutes. That's a minus-6.6 from his season average. The entire Wizards roster looked like they were playing on fumes because they literally are. The injury situation there is brutal.
Bilal Coulibaly tried to make something happen with 17 points and 3 steals, but even he knows this was basically the junior varsity squad trying to compete. He was +6.5 from his average, which is solid, but it's not enough when your entire supporting cast is either injured or completely checked out.
The Waiver Wire Takeaway
Mo Bamba is getting a tiny bump in ownership, but honestly, 17 minutes and 12 rebounds isn't a call to action. He's still a deep bench guy in Utah's rotation.
If you're looking at adds: Cody Williams is the only one I'd genuinely look at in deeper leagues (14+). His 35 minutes and playmaking role suggest the Jazz are testing him out in a bigger capacity. That's league dependent, but worth watching.
Don't panic on Trae Young. He was limited minutes and Washington is decimated. He'll bounce back when the Wizards get healthy.
Right, it's 3am here in London and I've got spreadsheets to update. But before I crash, genuinely hoping Utah can get some of their guys back healthy because watching role players cook is fun for like one game, then it just becomes depressing. Anyway, cheers.