NYK 93, BKN 92: Minott Tops Fantasy Charts With 46 ESPN FP
Kwame Asante
Junior Accountant ยท Oklahoma City Thunder fan
Knicks Edge Nets 93-92: KAT Goes Nuclear, Josh Minott Steals the Show
Right, so this was genuinely one of the most chaotic one-point finishes I've seen all season. Knicks sneak past the Nets 93-92 in a game that felt like watching two teams actively try to lose down the stretch. But for fantasy purposes, it was absolutely brilliant. Let me break down who actually mattered.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 36.0 | 44.5 | 26/15/1 | 20.1/11.9/2.9 | +5.9 |
| Jalen Brunson | 34.0 | 38.0 | 17/5/8 | 26.2/3.5/6.6 | -9.2 |
| Josh Minott | 46.0 | 37.0 | 22/5/2 | 6.6/3.2/1.0 | +15.4 |
| Chaney Johnson | 34.0 | 31.8 | 4/4/6 | 7.3/5.0/2.1 | -3.3 |
| Nolan Traore | 27.0 | 28.9 | 11/2/7 | 8.3/1.6/3.7 | +2.7 |
| Ziaire Williams | 31.0 | 26.3 | 17/4/1 | 9.7/2.4/1.0 | +7.3 |
| OG Anunoby | 26.0 | 26.1 | 16/3/1 | 16.8/5.3/2.2 | -0.8 |
| Mitchell Robinson | 21.0 | 25.0 | 3/10/0 | 5.3/8.9/0.9 | -2.3 |
| Mohamed Diawara | 25.0 | 22.9 | 8/7/5 | 3.5/1.4/0.7 | +4.5 |
| Danny Wolf | 16.0 | 20.2 | 8/6/2 | 8.9/4.9/2.3 | -0.9 |
KAT's Big Man Masterclass
Karl-Anthony Towns absolutely went to work here, and this is exactly what you hope to see from a player of his caliber. 26 points on 7-16 shooting, 15 rebounds, and most importantly, 11-13 from the stripe. That's nearly perfect free throw shooting when it mattered most in a one-point game.
The thing is, Towns was +5.9 points above his season average while only playing 28 minutes. That's efficient. He's averaging 20.1 PPG for the season, so 26 in 28 minutes with zero turnovers tells you he was sharp, not volume-based. The 15 rebounds were the real story though. His season average sits at 11.9, so he crushed the glass by 3.1. In a close game like this, that's the kind of board work that wins one-pointers.
If Towns keeps getting 28 minutes and stays this efficient, he's a top-25 fantasy player. Don't sell after one game, but if someone panic-drops him thinking this is a flash in the pan, scoop him immediately. This is who he is when locked in.
Josh Minott: The Breakout Nobody Saw Coming
This is the wildcard nobody expects. Josh Minott came off the bench and absolutely cooked for 22 points on 8-13 shooting with 6 threes in just 25 minutes. That's +15.4 above his season average of 6.6 PPG. Mate, that's not sustainable, but it's also not nothing.
He's owned in only 2.7% of ESPN leagues, which is criminal. Look at his shooting line: 8-13 from the field, 6-of-however-many from three. That's 46% overall, 60% from deep. For a bench player, those are rotation minutes, not garbage time.
Here's my take, and I'm being careful because I've been burned by deep bench guys before: Minott is a must-add in 12-team leagues and deeper. The Nets are clearly giving him runway. If he shoots like this again, he's getting more minutes. If he doesn't, you drop him with no harm done. But tonight proved the opportunity is real.
Brunson's Off Night Matters Less Than You Think
Jalen Brunson had a rough one by his standards: 17 points on 7-19 shooting with 8 assists in 40 minutes. That's -9.2 versus his 26.2 PPG average. Looks terrible on paper, right?
Wrong. He was still your second-best fantasy performer at 38 Yahoo FP. The assists kept him afloat when his shot wasn't falling. Plus, he played 40 minutes in a one-point game, meaning he was trusted down the stretch when it mattered. The coaching staff still believes in him.
This happens to guards sometimes. One off shooting night doesn't crater your week if the rest of your lineup showed up. Brunson is fine. Hold him.
The Nets' Young Guys Showed Life
Ziaire Williams went 17 points on 6-10 shooting with 2 threes, and honestly, he looked like he belonged on the court. +7.3 versus his average isn't massive, but the efficiency was there. For a bench scorer, that's a reliable floor.
Nolan Traore chipped in 11 points and 7 assists in 23 minutes, which tells me the Nets are actually developing their young guys. He's still only owned in 2.7% of leagues, but the assist production (7 in 23 minutes) is real. If he continues getting 20+ minutes, he's a league-winner in deep leagues.
But here's where I'm being honest: neither of these guys is a must-add unless you're in a 16+ team league or playing for next season. The Nets are still a mess, and we don't know if this role sticks.
OG's Quiet Efficiency
OG Anunoby was basically exactly what you expect: 16 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal in 35 minutes. 7-13 from the field. That's your guy doing his job without going crazy. Ownership bumped up 0.4%, which makes sense because he was stable when others flopped.
He's 90.5% owned now, so if you don't have him, you're not getting him. If you do, you hold.
The Mitchell Robinson Anomaly
Mitchell Robinson grabbed 10 rebounds in 23 minutes with 3 blocks. His rebounding was +1.1 above average in less than half the normal minutes. That screams efficiency and opportunity. Only problem? 1-2 from the field, 1-5 from the line. He got his boards but didn't score, which limits his upside.
He's still 84% owned, which is fair for a rim-runner in the right system. But if you're looking at him as a scoring option, recalibrate expectations. He's a boards and blocks guy.
What This Means Going Forward
The Knicks won a one-pointer without playing their best basketball. That's a good sign for the team, not necessarily for fantasy. Close games are unpredictable. Towns was the only one who looked unstoppable.
The Nets showed some young talent, particularly Minott, but don't get overzealous. The Knicks' depth is what won this game. If you're streaming for playoffs, the Knicks are becoming dangerous. The Nets? Still a rebuild, though the young guys are worth monitoring.
Action items: Add Minott if you're in a deep league and have a bench spot. Hold everything on the Knicks. Let Brunson's off night roll off your back. The Nets' young guys aren't adds yet, but they're names to know.
Right then, back to watching the Thunder highlights at 3am with cold coffee. At least my boys actually know how to execute down the stretch.