SAC 126, BKN 122: Monk Tops Scoring Fest
Destiny Williams
Math Teacher & Basketball Coach ยท Atlanta Hawks fan
Kings Edge Nets in Close One, But the Real Story is Monk's Career Night
Sacramento 126, Brooklyn 122. Four-point game. And before you get bored thinking this is just another mid-March matchup, let me tell you: this game had some legit fantasy consequences. Not because of the final score, but because of who showed up and who completely disappeared.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Monk | 48.0 | 42.4 | 32/2/6 | 12.8/1.9/2.8 | +19.2 |
| Maxime Raynaud | 45.0 | 41.0 | 22/10/2 | 11.9/7.3/1.3 | +10.1 |
| Malachi Smith | 48.0 | 35.4 | 18/2/4 | 6.4/2.2/2.6 | +11.6 |
| Ben Saraf | 35.0 | 34.1 | 22/3/5 | 6.3/1.6/3.1 | +15.7 |
| Precious Achiuwa | 26.0 | 33.0 | 14/15/0 | 9.3/6.5/1.3 | +4.7 |
| Ziaire Williams | 36.0 | 31.9 | 18/2/3 | 9.9/2.4/1.0 | +8.1 |
| Devin Carter | 21.0 | 26.5 | 16/5/3 | 7.1/2.7/2.1 | +8.9 |
| Nolan Traore | 29.0 | 26.4 | 17/2/4 | 8.5/1.6/3.7 | +8.5 |
| DeMar DeRozan | 25.0 | 23.0 | 10/0/8 | 18.4/2.9/4.1 | -8.4 |
| Patrick Baldwin Jr. | 26.0 | 22.2 | 9/6/2 | 3.5/2.4/0.5 | +5.5 |
Malik Monk Just Reminded Everyone Why You Can't Sleep on Bench Guys
Look, Malik Monk averaging 12.8 points usually doesn't get your heart racing. But 32 points, 7 threes, 9-for-9 from the stripe? That's 42.4 Yahoo points. That's not a good night, that's a career night. He hit +19.2 points versus his season average, which means he basically doubled what you'd normally get from him.
Here's what matters: this is the kind of game that gets guys like Monk added. He went from 41.7% owned to... well, let's see what the waiver wire looks like tomorrow. The shooting was there (8-17 FG, 7-9 from three), the volume was there, and critically, the minutes were managed at 29, so he stayed efficient. If he's under 50% owned in your league, you're making a mistake by not at least kicking the tires. Guards who can shoot and get 25-30 minutes don't grow on trees.
But real talk? One game doesn't make a trend. He's still a glue guy who won't win your week but won't lose it either. I've seen this movie before where a bench scorer has one huge night and then gets 14 minutes the next game because the rotation shifts. Don't panic-trade your studs for Monk. Just grab him if he's there.
The Bench Guys Actually Won This Game (And Your Waiver Adds)
This is what jumped out at me watching this one: Brooklyn's rotational depth tried to carry them, and Sacramento's deep bench saved them. Malachi Smith (18/2/4 on 7-9 shooting, 35.4 Yahoo FP, +11.6 vs avg), Ben Saraf (22/3/5, 34.1 Yahoo FP, +15.7 vs avg), and Ziaire Williams (18/2/3 with two steals, 31.9 Yahoo FP, +8.1 vs avg) all put in work for Brooklyn. These aren't your typical rotation guys. Smith's 29 minutes is notable. Saraf took 20 shots. Williams played 21 minutes and hit two threes.
On Sacramento's side, Precious Achiuwa is the real story. 14 points, 15 rebounds in 28 minutes. That's not a one-off. He's been added 2.3% today and he's now at 43.7% owned league-wide. For a guy who's only been owned by less than half the league, a 15-rebound night is huge. He came +4.7 points versus his average, but that's underselling it because his rebounding ceiling is way higher than his baseline.
Devin Carter with 16/5/3 (26.5 Yahoo FP, +8.9 vs avg) is another one worth monitoring. 27 minutes of run, solid shooting (5-12), perfect from the line (6-8). Kid's getting opportunities.
Bottom line: if you're scrolling the wire today and Achiuwa is still available, add him. In 12-team leagues he should already be gone, but if your league is sleeping, don't.
The Guys Who Should Have Done Better
DeMar DeRozan putting up 10/0/8 on 3-7 shooting is rough. Like, really rough. He came -8.4 points versus his season average of 18.4 PPG. That's not a simple off night, that's a complete disappearance. 31 minutes and he couldn't get anything going. No rebounds, nothing in the paint. I've got the reigning All-NBA guards on my Hawks' scouting reports and DeRozan's one of the cats you have to account for, so seeing him this quiet is genuinely surprising.
Here's what I'm NOT saying: panic trade DeRozan. One bad game doesn't break a player. But if you're trying to trade for him, this is your leverage moment. One stinker in a close game is your buy-low opportunity.
The One Thing That Matters Long Term
Sacramento's got some real rotation questions. Maxime Raynaud went 22/10/2 on 10-13 shooting (41 Yahoo FP) and played 36 minutes. That's your center playing heavy minutes in a four-point game. Meanwhile the Kings don't have a ton of size, and if Raynaud keeps getting this kind of opportunity, he's a consistent double-double candidate. Season average 11.9/7.3, tonight was +10.1 and +2.7. The workload is real.
For Brooklyn, the bench depth is keeping them alive but they've got some holes. Nolan Traore with 17/2/4 (26.4 Yahoo FP) is a name to know if he keeps getting 25+ minutes. Kid can score.
The Verdict
Sacramento wins a close one, but from a fantasy standpoint, this was a "deep bench guys prove their worth" game. Monk went off, Achiuwa proved he's more than just a rebounder, and a bunch of role players who don't get talked about actually made winning plays. That's the kind of game where your waiver wire work matters more than your studs.
If Achiuwa's still out there, move on him. If Monk's under 50% owned, grab him. And if you own DeRozan, don't panic, just use this as a selling point if you're trying to move him.
One last thing: that's what good fantasy analysis looks like. Not overreacting to one game, but noticing the minutes, the shooting efficiency, the rebounding ceiling, and knowing who's actually worth your roster spot come Wednesday morning.