SAS 145, HOU 120: Victor Wembanyama Breaks Out for 69 ESPN FP
Tyler Okonkwo
Student & Retail Associate ยท Houston Rockets fan
Victor Wembanyama Put the Rockets Away, But Amen Thompson Kept It Respectable
Look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. My Rockets got worked today. Victor Wembanyama came to play and basically said "not today, Houston" for a full 30 minutes. But before you panic sell your entire Rockets roster, there's actually some encouraging stuff in this loss worth knowing about.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama | 69.0 | 58.1 | 29/8/1 | 23.9/11.1/2.9 | +5.1 |
| Amen Thompson | 46.0 | 43.4 | 23/7/6 | 17.6/7.7/5.3 | +5.4 |
| Kevin Durant | 44.0 | 40.0 | 23/5/4 | 26.1/5.5/4.5 | -3.1 |
| De'Aaron Fox | 41.0 | 35.4 | 20/2/10 | 18.9/3.7/6.3 | +1.1 |
| Stephon Castle | 35.0 | 32.1 | 23/3/5 | 16.4/4.9/6.9 | +6.6 |
| Julian Champagnie | 40.0 | 32.0 | 11/5/4 | 11.4/5.8/1.5 | -0.4 |
| Dylan Harper | 38.0 | 29.4 | 19/2/6 | 11.2/3.2/3.7 | +7.8 |
| Jabari Smith Jr. | 30.0 | 27.5 | 17/5/3 | 15.3/6.9/1.8 | +1.7 |
| Reed Sheppard | 26.0 | 27.1 | 17/3/3 | 13.6/2.7/3.3 | +3.4 |
| Keldon Johnson | 32.0 | 24.2 | 20/1/2 | 13.0/5.5/1.3 | +7.0 |
The Wembanyama Show (What Did We Even Expect?)
Real talk, the All-Defensive guy put on a clinic. Wembanyama dropped 29 points, grabbed 8 boards, and hit 9 of 10 free throws in 30 minutes. That 58.1 Yahoo FP game is exactly what you get when a generational defender decides he's also gonna go off on offense. The +5.1 points over his season average wasn't even wild considering the blowout gave him exit ramp minutes.
What matters for your fantasy teams: if you're facing Wembanyama in playoffs and he's healthy, you're just gonna take the L sometimes. This is who he is. Don't panic about his numbers going forward, just respect the matchup.
Why Amen Thompson Is The Story Here
Amen Thompson is the guy I'm actually talking about this week. 23 points, 7 boards, 6 assists, 1 steal on 8-15 shooting in 35 minutes. That 43.4 Yahoo points is +5.4 over his season average, and he did it while his team got run off the court. When your team loses by 25 and your backup point guard is still putting up efficiency numbers like that, something's cooking.
The Houston faithful know what he can do, but if he's still available in your league past this week, that's a mistake. He's getting 35 minutes of run, the scoring is there, the playmaking is there (that +0.7 assists bump over his average while the Rockets got destroyed tells you he wasn't forcing), and the efficiency is real. Add him now in any 12-team league where he's not rostered.
Kevin Durant's Down Night (Don't Panic Yet)
Kevin Durant went 23/5/4 on 7-12 shooting. Normally that's a great night. But he was -3.1 points from his season average and only logged 33 minutes. In a blowout, that's what happens when your team gets outpaced early. This isn't a trend, it's a matchup problem. The Spurs' defense is legit, and when you're down 20 in the third quarter, your star player gets rest.
Hold him. This game doesn't change anything about what KD is.
The Role Players Who Stepped Up (And One Who Disappointed)
Jabari Smith Jr. was fine, 27.5 Yahoo FP on solid efficiency. Reed Sheppard staying productive with 27.1 Yahoo FP keeps him relevant in deeper formats. Nothing flashy, but nothing scary either.
Alperen Sengun is the one I'm watching. Down to 22.7 Yahoo FP with only 27 minutes played. His season averages are 20.4/9.0/6.1, and tonight he was -4.4 points and -3.0 rebounds. In a blowout where your team loses by 25, backup centers get pulled. But Sengun being out of the game in garbage time is worth noting if the Rockets' record keeps sliding. Playoff rotations punish teams that are struggling.
The San Antonio Side (Rookies Are Here)
Real quick on the Spurs because they crushed it. Stephon Castle (Rookie of the Year last season, remember) went 23/3/5 on 7-13 with three threes. That's 32.1 Yahoo FP, +6.6 over his average. He's still hitting his shots and the offense flows through him. Nothing changes.
Dylan Harper had a huge night at 29.4 Yahoo FP off the bench, but here's the real talk: he went 8-12 and got 25 minutes in a blowout where his team was never in danger. That's a great game but not necessarily repeatable. Keep an eye on his minutes when games are close.
What I'm Doing Monday
I'm adding Amen Thompson everywhere I can. I'm holding KD and everyone else on Houston because one bad matchup against a defense like San Antonio isn't a trend. I'm not selling anyone Rockets-side just because of the loss.
And I'm staying away from Dylan Harper in waiver claims until I see consistent 25-plus minutes in competitive games. Great night doesn't always mean great player yet.
This loss stings as a Rockets fan, but fantasy-wise it's just one game. We move.