LAC 119, CHI 108: Josh Giddey Tops All Fantasy Scorers With 55.2 Yahoo FP
Tyler Okonkwo
Student & Retail Associate ยท Houston Rockets fan
Clippers Survive Bulls Scare: Kawhi Steady, But Bench Stepped Up Big
The Clippers squeezed out a 119-108 win over the Bulls on the road, and while it doesn't feel like a statement victory, it matters for fantasy because the depth guys went absolutely nuclear. This wasn't Kawhi carrying the load. This was a balanced attack that's got some serious implications for your roster decisions.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Giddey | 59.0 | 55.2 | 20/11/10 | 18.0/8.4/8.8 | +2.0 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 32.0 | 38.3 | 28/4/3 | 28.3/6.3/3.8 | -0.3 |
| Brook Lopez | 43.0 | 37.4 | 11/7/2 | 7.8/3.1/1.1 | +3.2 |
| Bennedict Mathurin | 37.0 | 37.2 | 26/6/2 | 18.5/5.6/2.3 | +7.5 |
| Derrick Jones Jr. | 45.0 | 36.7 | 10/6/3 | 11.2/3.1/1.3 | -1.2 |
| Leonard Miller | 34.0 | 34.1 | 14/8/3 | 4.6/2.5/0.5 | +9.4 |
| Matas Buzelis | 25.0 | 32.2 | 18/11/2 | 15.9/5.6/2.1 | +2.1 |
| Nick Richards | 26.0 | 29.1 | 10/8/1 | 5.5/4.9/0.3 | +4.5 |
| Kris Dunn | 29.0 | 27.8 | 8/4/6 | 7.8/3.3/3.7 | +0.2 |
| Jordan Miller | 28.0 | 27.1 | 14/3/3 | 9.5/2.9/2.1 | +4.5 |
Josh Giddey Put on a Show (55.2 Yahoo FP)
Look, I'm not saying this is the real Giddey we're gonna get for the rest of the season, but damn if it wasn't beautiful to watch. Twenty points, 11 boards, 10 dimes, 2 steals on 38 minutes. That's a triple double from a guard who came in averaging 18.0/8.4/8.8, so he basically hit his ceiling and then some.
The thing is, Giddey only shot 8-20 from the field but went 4-for-8 from three. That's the efficiency bump that makes this game special. He wasn't forcing, and the Clippers' defense gave him lanes to operate. If he can maintain that three-point volume and keep getting minutes in the high 30s, he's locked into your lineup every night. But real talk, this feels like a ceiling game. Don't go selling all your assets for Giddey thinking this is the new normal. This is peak Giddey performance territory.
Kawhi Stayed Kawhi (38.3 Yahoo FP)
Kawhi Leonard went 28 points and met his season average almost exactly. 8-22 shooting, which sounds rough, but he got to the line 12 times and went 10-12. That's the difference maker. Clippers needed buckets, and even when his shot wasn't there, he found a way to get 28 on a decent efficiency line.
The problem for fantasy is he only grabbed 4 boards and 3 assists. Down 2.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists from his season average. This is what happens when your best player gets contested all night. The Clippers still won, but it wasn't because Kawhi was dropping 35. It was because everyone else showed up.
Bennedict Mathurin Was the Real Story (37.2 Yahoo FP)
Here's who actually cooked: Bennedict Mathurin dropped 26 points on 10-19 shooting plus 5 free throws made. That's +7.5 points versus his season average in just 27 minutes. Dude was efficient as hell, and this feels like a sign that he's clicking in the offense right now.
The Clippers needed scoring outside of Kawhi, and Mathurin delivered. 27 minutes is a reasonable workload, not some crazy extended minutes situation. If he's in the 25-30 minute range and staying hot like this, he's a must-add in 12-team leagues. Check the waiver wire, because ownership on him might still be low after one good game.
The Bench Collective: DJJ, Brook, Jordan Miller
Derrick Jones Jr. only scored 10, but he gave you 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks, and he played both ways. That's 36.7 Yahoo points in 33 minutes. This guy is living in your defensive stats with elite blocks and steals combined with low volume scoring. Honestly a perfect fantasy role player.
Brook Lopez grabbed 5 blocks, 7 boards, 11 points. That's +3.2 points versus his season average, and the blocks are always gonna be there for him. 31 minutes and clean activity. He's a reliable deep-league center pickup if you're short on big men.
Jordan Miller went 14 points on 6-13 shooting with solid peripheral stats. Not world-changing, but solid production off the bench.
Leonard Miller's Breakout (34.1 Yahoo FP)
Leonard Miller from the Bulls had 14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists in 35 minutes. That's +9.4 points versus his 4.6 season average and +5.5 boards versus his 2.5 average. This is a guy who's been buried all year, and for one night he got run and produced.
Don't overreact here. The Bulls were chasing a game, they needed scoring, and Miller got minutes. If he stays in the rotation at 30+ minutes regularly, yeah he's worth a flier. But this feels like a one-game spike. Watch his role over the next few games before you burn a waiver claim.
The Takeaway
This was a solid Clippers win that masked some depth scoring rather than a dominant performance. Mathurin looked dangerous, Giddey was special, and Kawhi stayed steady without needing to go nuclear. If you own any of the Clippers bench guys, don't sell the farm on one good game, but also don't sleep on Mathurin's upside moving forward.
For the Bulls, they got decent production across the lineup but couldn't hang with the Clippers' balance. Giddey put up video game numbers, but sometimes one guy going off just isn't enough on the road against a West team.