ATL 124, DAL 112: Jalen Johnson Finishes With 55.4 Yahoo FP
Jake Morrison
Computer Science Student ยท Dallas Mavericks fan
Hawks Survive Sloppy Mavs in Close One, NAW Steals the Show
Hawks 124, Mavericks 112
Alright, so this one hurt. And I'm not even trying to hide it. As a Mavs guy, watching Dallas lose at home by 12 to Atlanta stings, especially when you see the talent on this roster and know we should be running this league. But look, sometimes the Hawks just execute better, and last night was one of those nights. Let me break down what actually happened.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Johnson | 62.0 | 55.4 | 27/7/8 | 22.9/10.5/7.9 | +4.1 |
| Dyson Daniels | 54.0 | 46.4 | 14/7/10 | 11.5/6.6/6.1 | +2.5 |
| Onyeka Okongwu | 53.0 | 45.8 | 18/9/2 | 16.1/7.8/3.3 | +1.9 |
| Nickeil Alexander-Walker | 51.0 | 40.9 | 29/2/3 | 19.9/3.5/3.8 | +9.1 |
| Cooper Flagg | 28.0 | 33.9 | 14/12/5 | 20.2/6.6/4.2 | -6.2 |
| Klay Thompson | 37.0 | 29.7 | 21/1/1 | 11.7/2.3/1.4 | +9.3 |
| Daniel Gafford | 29.0 | 29.5 | 14/10/1 | 8.6/6.6/1.0 | +5.4 |
| CJ McCollum | 21.0 | 27.8 | 13/9/4 | 18.7/3.4/3.7 | -5.7 |
| Marvin Bagley III | 25.0 | 23.2 | 7/6/6 | 10.5/6.2/1.4 | -3.5 |
| Naji Marshall | 25.0 | 22.4 | 14/2/4 | 15.0/4.8/3.1 | -1.0 |
The Hawks Got Exactly What They Needed
This wasn't some crazy explosion night for Atlanta. This was just professional basketball. Jalen Johnson led the way with 27/7/8 on clean 10-18 shooting, exactly the kind of consistent mid-range dominance that's been fueling his season. He was +4.1 points above his 22.9 average, which tells you he showed up but didn't go absolutely nuclear. That's almost scarier because it means the Hawks can beat you with their normal ceiling.
Dyson Daniels was the real story for Atlanta though. That 10-assist night against a Mavs defense that's supposed to be competitive? That's a All-Defensive guy running your offense and getting everyone involved. He was only +2.5 from his average scoring-wise but when you're getting 10 dimes in 35 minutes, you're doing your job. The Daniels acquisition last offseason looking better and better.
But real talk, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is the one we gotta talk about. 29 points on 12-19 shooting with 5 threes? That's a +9.1 from his season average. That's the kind of night that gets guys added in waiver pools. He's already at 84% ownership on ESPN but if you're in a deeper league and someone dropped him thinking he's just a role guy, grab him immediately. He just showed he can carry offense when the Hawks need it.
Onyeka Okongwu chipped in 18/9/4 blocks on solid efficiency. Nothing flashy, just doing the big man things that win games. He's a top-100 guy this season and performances like this are why.
Dallas Got Cooked By Everyone
Look, Cooper Flagg tried. 14/12/5 in 32 minutes isn't terrible, and 33.9 Yahoo points keeps him in the "had a decent game" category. But he was -6.2 from his season average, which means the perimeter defense held him to below expectation. When your best player isn't at his ceiling, you gotta have help. Dallas didn't have it.
Klay Thompson was probably the brightest spot for Dallas with 21/1/1 on 8-16 shooting, 5 threes. That's a +9.3 from his average! In a loss! If everyone else had shown up like Klay, this is a different game. But again, one guy going off doesn't win you games when your offense is this scattered.
Daniel Gafford had a fine game, 14/10/1 with 29.5 Yahoo points, but he needed more minutes. 25 minutes for a guy who's supposed to be anchoring your defense? That feels like Dallas was just trying to survive rather than impose their will. CJ McCollum was brutal, 5-15 from the field with 13/9/4. That -5.7 from his 18.7 average? That's the killer stat line. When your secondary ball handler is shooting 33%, you're not winning road games against Atlanta.
The Bad Beat Award Goes To...
Okay, so Marvin Bagley III only played 20 minutes and put up 7/6/6 for 23.2 Yahoo points. He's being dropped 0.1% in ownership leagues. That's brutal because the game script had him as a potential rebounder and he actually got decent looks. But limited minutes will kill your fantasy value faster than anything. He got -0.1 dropped off waivers, which means someone's giving up on the Dallas frontcourt depth. Smart move honestly. At 5.8% ownership, there's better upside elsewhere.
The Real Problem
Dallas shot 42 FG% as a team. That's not winning basketball. You can't beat Atlanta at home playing that sloppy. This felt like a game where the Mavs just went through the motions and Atlanta took advantage. Not some epic performance, just Dallas being lazy.
For fantasy purposes, that means this game is more of a warning sign than a reset button. If you have Mavs players, you're gonna have nights like this where the team just doesn't execute. Flagg especially is someone who's gonna need better teammates to perform consistently at the level his season average suggests.
Move This Up Your Watchlist
Alexander-Walker is the add. I know he's already 84% owned in ESPN leagues, but if your league is deeper or has more casual owners, he just showed he can be a 25+ point scorer when called upon. The Hawks apparently trust him more than I thought coming into the season.
On the flip side, anything on the Mavs bench is a hold-and-pray situation. This team is too talented to stay this sloppy, but one bad loss can spiral if chemistry isn't there. Flagg is still your guy, but manage expectations on "ceiling" nights for the next few games.
Alright, my whiteboard just got updated. Hawks move to X-X, Mavs stay in limbo. Back at it tomorrow.