CHI 130, GSW 124: Buzelis, Giddey Both Feast for CHI
Maya Chen
UX Designer · Golden State Warriors fan
Bulls Steal One in the Bay, But the Warriors' Role Players Save Fantasy Weeks
Look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. Watching the Warriors lose at home to the Bulls 130-124 stung. But here's what actually matters for your fantasy teams: the Warriors' bench went absolutely nuclear tonight, and the Bulls got exactly the performances they needed from their complementary pieces. This wasn't some random Tuesday. This was a win built on depth, and that changes everything about who you should be targeting this week.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matas Buzelis | 73.0 | 62.2 | 41/6/2 | 15.4/5.5/2.1 | +25.6 |
| Josh Giddey | 59.0 | 57.1 | 21/13/17 | 17.6/8.3/8.5 | +3.4 |
| Al Horford | 41.0 | 42.3 | 13/9/5 | 8.3/5.0/2.6 | +4.7 |
| Leonard Miller | 39.0 | 37.7 | 17/11/1 | 3.4/1.8/0.4 | +13.6 |
| Kristaps Porziņģis | 38.0 | 35.8 | 17/4/2 | 16.4/4.9/2.7 | +0.6 |
| Tre Jones | 40.0 | 35.3 | 22/4/5 | 12.3/2.9/5.5 | +9.7 |
| Draymond Green | 44.0 | 34.4 | 12/7/4 | 8.5/5.5/5.3 | +3.5 |
| Gary Payton II | 36.0 | 33.2 | 12/11/2 | 6.1/3.2/1.6 | +5.9 |
| Jalen Smith | 27.0 | 32.9 | 12/12/3 | 10.1/6.9/1.3 | +1.9 |
| Pat Spencer | 34.0 | 31.6 | 17/3/6 | 6.3/2.3/3.4 | +10.7 |
The Buzelis Show Came to Chase Center
Matas Buzelis absolutely unloaded on the Warriors, dropping 41 points on 16-28 shooting with 5 threes in 45 minutes for 62.2 Yahoo FP. That's not a "good game." That's a blowout performance where he was the most dominant player on the floor. The real story here is how sustainable this is. He's averaging 15.4 ppg this season, so this +25.6 explosion is a legitimate outlier. But he was efficient as hell tonight (57% FG, 55% from three), and the volume was there because Chicago rode him hard down the stretch. If he keeps getting 45 minutes and teams keep leaving him open from three, he's not a one-game wonder.
Josh Giddey (21/13/17 for 57.1 Yahoo FP) is the real conversation starter though. That triple-double with 17 assists is exactly +8.5 from his season average on assists alone. The Bulls needed playmaking tonight, and he delivered. He's been inconsistent all year (averaging 17.6 ppg), but when he gets into that facilitator mode with heavy minutes, he's a legitimate league winner. The 21 points were just gravy on top.
The Warriors' Bench Kept It Close
Here's what saved fantasy weeks on the Warriors' side, because yeah, I'm biased but I'm also objective: the role players showed up. Draymond Green (12/7/4/1/2 for 34.4 Yahoo FP) went back to All-Defensive form with four threes and hit his projections right on schedule. Al Horford (13/9/5 for 42.3 Yahoo FP) gave you everything you want from a center in 34 minutes, and Gary Payton II (12/11/2 for 33.2 Yahoo FP) posted a +5.9 game by crashing the boards (11 rebounds!).
Pat Spencer was the wildcard. 17 points and 6 assists in 30 minutes for 31.6 Yahoo FP and a +10.7 over his season average. I don't know if Spencer is suddenly relevant or if this was a one-off explosion, but if the Warriors get into a rhythm where he's seeing 30 minutes regularly, he's at least a sneaky waiver claim in deeper leagues. His shot creation and playmaking looked crisp.
The Leonard Miller Breakout
Leonard Miller (17/11/1 for 37.7 Yahoo FP) is the most interesting name here. He's been averaging 3.4 ppg but went off for 17 points and 11 rebounds in 37 minutes. That's a +13.6 on scoring, and the minutes suggest the Bulls gave him real responsibility. Is this sustainable? Probably not at the exact same usage level, but it signals that Chicago's willing to trust him in meaningful spots. If he carves out a consistent 25-30 minute role, he could become a valuable depth add.
Tre Jones Is the Assist King You Missed
Tre Jones (22/4/5 for 35.3 Yahoo FP) dropped 22 points but the real stat is those 5 assists and the fact he was +9.7 on scoring. He's supposed to be a point guard who averages 5.5 dimes and 12.3 ppg, and tonight he gave you both worlds without turning it over. That's a floor-raiser for a backup PG slot.
Jalen Smith (12/12/3 for 32.9 Yahoo FP) isn't flashy on the surface, but 12 rebounds while scoring 12 is exactly what you want from a PF in the modern game. He's been up and down all season (averaging 10.1/6.9), but tonight he hit the glass hard and stayed efficient on low volume. That's a player you can count on.
The Bottom Line
The Warriors lost a game they probably should've won, which means next time you see them, they're dangerous. But for fantasy, what matters is that Draymond Green and Al Horford are still doing their jobs, and Pat Spencer might be worth a look if he gets more runway. On the Bulls side, Buzelis is a star in the making, Giddey is back in facilitator mode, and Miller just cracked the rotation in a way that could matter down the stretch.
The Warriors' big names didn't show up tonight (0 minutes for multiple key pieces), and that's the real story. If that's an injury thing that lingers, the role players' fantasy value goes up significantly. Keep an eye on the health report.