DET 115, GSW 101: Daniss Jenkins Goes for 46 ESPN FP
Maya Chen
UX Designer ยท Golden State Warriors fan
Daniss Jenkins Went NUCLEAR, but the Warriors Got Cooked
Look, I'm not happy about this one. Warriors got absolutely worked 115-101 by Detroit, and it stings worse because Stephen Curry didn't even play. That's the real headline here, not the box score disaster. But since we're talking fantasy, let's break down what actually happened on the court.
The Pistons came to play, and their offense was clicking in ways that punished Golden State's thin rotation. Here's who ate:
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniss Jenkins | 46.0 | 42.4 | 22/7/8 | 7.7/1.9/3.2 | +14.3 |
| Ausar Thompson | 38.0 | 36.6 | 8/3/4 | 10.0/5.9/2.9 | -2.0 |
| Paul Reed | 36.0 | 35.7 | 15/6/3 | 6.9/4.4/1.1 | +8.1 |
| Jalen Duren | 33.0 | 32.7 | 23/6/1 | 19.1/10.6/1.7 | +3.9 |
| Brandin Podziemski | 30.0 | 30.7 | 15/6/3 | 12.9/5.2/3.8 | +2.1 |
| Tobias Harris | 34.0 | 29.7 | 13/6/5 | 13.1/5.2/2.3 | -0.1 |
| Gary Payton II | 29.0 | 24.1 | 14/3/3 | 6.8/3.5/1.7 | +7.2 |
| Gui Santos | 21.0 | 23.5 | 13/5/5 | 8.2/3.8/2.1 | +4.8 |
| Duncan Robinson | 24.0 | 21.2 | 11/1/2 | 11.9/2.7/2.0 | -0.9 |
| Caris LeVert | 18.0 | 19.9 | 5/2/5 | 7.4/1.9/2.7 | -2.4 |
Daniss Jenkins Just Announced Himself
Okay, Daniss Jenkins with 42.4 Yahoo points is legitimately wild. 22 points on 7-12 shooting, 7 boards, 8 dimes in 38 minutes. That's a +14.3 point bump over his season average. The kid was running the offense like he had something to prove, and honestly, he did.
But here's the thing: I need to see this one more time before I'm adding him in my 10-team league. His season average is 7.7 PPG, 3.2 APG. Those are deep bench numbers. One incredible game doesn't erase a year of being a role player. That said, if the Pistons are giving him 38 minutes and he's staying in that rotation, there's sneaky upside here in 12+ team leagues. He's not waivers material, but he's on my watch list now.
Paul Reed and Gary Payton II Deserve Your Attention
Paul Reed punching in 35.7 Yahoo points off the bench with 15 boards, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists in just 22 minutes is exactly the kind of efficiency that wins you weeks. Plus-8.1 on his season average means he's getting opportunities and capitalizing. If he keeps getting 20+ minutes, he's a solid source of steals and blocks in deeper leagues.
Gary Payton II exploded for 24.1 Yahoo points with 14 points and 3 steals in 24 minutes. His season average is 6.8 PPG, so +7.2 is massive. The Warriors have been running a weird rotation without Curry, and GP2 was basically their primary ball handler at times. This might not be repeatable once Steph returns, so don't overpay on him in trades.
The Warriors Problem (and Why You Should Care)
Without Curry (27.2 PPG season average), the Warriors had to cobble together a roster around role players. Brandin Podziemski (30.7 Yahoo FP) was actually their most consistent option, which tells you everything. Podziemski is a nice floor player but not a ceiling raiser.
Draymond Green (All-Defensive Second Team, remember) put up 0 points on 0-2 shooting with 6 assists in 22 minutes. That's a 17.0 Yahoo point line that says "weird game, weird minutes." I'm not worried about Draymond long-term, but nights like this remind you he's not a primary ball handler.
The scary part? We don't know why Curry sat. If it's injury-related and he's out for multiple games, Warriors role players might see a bump in usage. But Golden State's roster construction doesn't really have a secondary star to pivot to. Watch for injury reports obsessively over the next 48 hours.
Pistons' Role Guys Had a Field Day
Jalen Duren (32.7 Yahoo FP) with 23/6/1 in just 21 minutes is exactly what you want from a young big man. He's -4.6 rebounds vs his season average though, which is the only red flag here. The Pistons were blowing out Golden State, so Duren didn't need to hunt for boards. Expect regression on that line if Detroit's facing better competition.
Tobias Harris (29.7 Yahoo FP) with a solid 13/6/5 in 25 minutes was consistent, which is his baseline. Not exciting, but reliable.
The Waiver Wire Move You Actually Need to Make
Look at the league-wide adds: Precious Achiuwa (SAC) is getting dropped at a -3.0% clip. I'm not touching him, but if he clears waivers in your league, that's a league problem, not a you problem.
OG Anunoby (NYK) staying at 90.5% owned is probably where he should be. Don't waste a claim on him unless your league is somehow sleeping.
The real play? If Gary Payton II is sitting in your league's waivers because nobody panicked about Curry, snag him in 12+ team leagues. One game, sure, but he's got sneaky upside in that Warriors role.
Bottom Line
Pistons are legit this year. Jenkins is worth monitoring. Warriors looked disorganized without their engine, and that matters for everyone rostering them not named Brandin Podziemski.
I'm telling you to check your injury reports before your next waiver claim. If Curry is healthy, this game means nothing. If he's dealing with something, Warriors role players just got a lot more interesting.