PHI 109, POR 103: Grimes Drops 31 in PHI Win
Tyler Okonkwo
Student & Retail Associate ยท Houston Rockets fan
76ers Survive Shorthanded Night Behind Grimes Explosion and Drummond's Glass Work
Yo, this one was weird. The 76ers just beat the Blazers 109-103, but like, it felt like they won with half their rotation missing. Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George all out. Your star trio just vanished from the stat sheet, and Philly still found a way to close it out. That's either the most copium "we won" or actually kind of impressive depending on how you look at it.
Here's who actually showed up:
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quentin Grimes | 53.0 | 48.6 | 31/3/2 | 13.5/3.7/3.4 | +17.5 |
| Donovan Clingan | 46.0 | 45.5 | 11/15/5 | 11.9/11.6/2.2 | -0.9 |
| Deni Avdija | 38.0 | 44.7 | 25/6/9 | 24.1/6.9/6.7 | +0.9 |
| VJ Edgecombe | 41.0 | 41.9 | 18/12/3 | 15.4/5.6/3.9 | +2.6 |
| Andre Drummond | 30.0 | 35.4 | 6/17/4 | 6.5/8.6/1.0 | -0.5 |
| Justin Edwards | 38.0 | 30.4 | 21/2/2 | 5.5/1.6/1.3 | +15.5 |
| Robert Williams III | 31.0 | 29.4 | 6/12/0 | 6.9/6.9/1.0 | -0.9 |
| Dominick Barlow | 31.0 | 25.6 | 11/3/2 | 8.2/4.7/1.1 | +2.8 |
| Scoot Henderson | 22.0 | 25.6 | 11/3/2 | 13.8/2.9/4.0 | -2.8 |
| Jerami Grant | 29.0 | 24.9 | 20/2/1 | 18.8/3.5/2.2 | +1.2 |
Quentin Grimes Just Went Supernova
Look, Quentin Grimes went absolutely off. 31 points on 11-22 shooting with 8-8 from the line. That's 48.6 Yahoo points, which is basically "I carried you through the playoffs" type performance. He was +17.5 from his season average, meaning this wasn't him having a normal game and getting lucky. This was him playing at an entirely different level.
But here's the thing, and I say this with love because I watched the whole game. He was open because everyone was literally just leaving him to attack Deni Avdija or drive into the paint. This was a role expansion born out of necessity, not some secret the Sixers found. When Embiid and Maxey come back, Grimes doesn't get 39 minutes or hunting looks. So yeah, own him if you have him, but don't panic-trade for him thinking this is the new baseline. This is the ceiling while the stars are out.
Andre Drummond's Boards Were Filthy
Andre Drummond went 17 rebounds in 34 minutes. That's a 35.5 rebound pace for the full game, which is absolutely unhinged. Yahoo gave him 35.4 points off that alone.
But same caveat, different flavor. Without Embiid clogging the middle, Drummond got free reign on the glass. When the MVP candidate comes back, Drummond's role tightens up. He's still rosterable, still valuable, but nights like this are "feast or famine" situation where you're gonna see 6 rebound games mixed in.
The Blazers Frontcourt Showed Up (Just Didn't Matter)
Donovan Clingan went 11/15/5 blocks in just 27 minutes. That's 45.5 Yahoo, basically elite center production from a third overall pick learning on the job. Robert Williams III added 29.4 Yahoo points off 12 rebounds too. Portland's bigs were not the problem.
The issue? Scoot Henderson went 4-14 from the field. Jrue Holiday, who's supposed to be one of the All-Defensive guys, checked in for 12 Yahoo points on 2-9 shooting. Portland brought enough to compete but couldn't execute when it mattered. That's the inverse of the Sixers' story, which is wild given how the rosters are built.
Who Actually Won This
Deni Avdija was the best Trail Blazer on the court, 25/6/9 with two steals, filling basically the entire stat sheet. 44.7 Yahoo points. He's been quietly solid all year (24.1 ppg, 6.7 apg season average), but this game proved he can step up when literally anyone else is available.
On Philly's side, VJ Edgecombe hitting 41.9 Yahoo was the real MVP energy. 18/12/3, solid all-around game. Justin Edwards came off the bench and went 21/2/2 on 9-14 shooting for 30.4 Yahoo. That's exactly what you need when your stars are out.
The Actual Takeaway
This game doesn't tell us much about what happens when these teams are healthy. Portland's got pieces but couldn't get the W. Philly proved depth wins games when stars can't play. For fantasy purposes, that means:
- Grimes was a one-night rental. Great for tonight, don't get attached.
- Drummond stays on rosters, but manage expectations for when Embiid returns.
- Clingan remains the play at center for Portland. Dude is gonna be special.
- Edgecombe is getting real run as a secondary ballhandler and proved he can string together quality games.
This was a weird one. Philly escaped, but we'll know way more when the real players suit up again.