DEN 128, POR 112: Nikola Jokić Facilitates With 14 Assists
Marcus Thompson Jr.
Fire Lieutenant · Golden State Warriors fan
Jokic Coasts to 64 Yahoo FP as Denver Cruises Past Portland, but the Real Fantasy Story is Avdija's Breakout
Nikola Jokic put up a stat line that looked dominant on the surface, 22/14/14 to lead Denver's 128-112 win over Portland. But here's the thing: the reigning MVP actually underperformed his season average by six points. That's the move that matters. When your best player isn't even close to 100% and you're still dropping 16 on a division opponent, the team's depth is doing real work.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokić | 70.0 | 63.8 | 22/14/14 | 28.0/12.6/10.6 | -6.0 |
| Deni Avdija | 49.0 | 48.2 | 23/6/14 | 24.2/7.0/6.8 | -1.2 |
| Jamal Murray | 42.0 | 35.9 | 22/2/7 | 25.1/4.4/7.1 | -3.1 |
| Donovan Clingan | 34.0 | 33.1 | 18/13/1 | 12.4/11.7/2.2 | +5.6 |
| Cameron Johnson | 44.0 | 31.9 | 19/2/3 | 11.8/3.7/2.3 | +7.2 |
| Peyton Watson | 25.0 | 25.7 | 14/6/3 | 14.9/4.9/2.0 | -0.9 |
| Christian Braun | 27.0 | 24.2 | 15/6/2 | 11.7/4.9/2.9 | +3.3 |
| Bruce Brown | 29.0 | 24.1 | 13/3/3 | 7.7/3.8/2.1 | +5.3 |
| Toumani Camara | 29.0 | 24.0 | 16/5/2 | 12.7/5.3/2.5 | +3.3 |
| Robert Williams III | 28.0 | 23.5 | 16/5/1 | 6.8/7.0/1.0 | +9.2 |
Deni Avdija: The Real MVP of This Game
Let's pump the brakes on everything else for a second, because Deni Avdija just put on a master class. 23/6/14 on 7-17 shooting with a 7-8 free throw line? That's 48.2 Yahoo FP and it's almost exactly his season average point production wise, but look at those assists. Plus 7.2 on the year for dimes. That's not fluky. That's a dude who came into this game ready to run the show.
Avdija is hitting 7/8 from the line. He went 0-0 most nights. Tonight he got to the basket and made Denver's defense uncomfortable. For fantasy purposes, if you're in a points league or you needed someone to ball out yesterday, you got it. He's been playing well all season at 24.2/6.8/7.0, but this is the kind of statement game where you see why the Blazers made the move to get him.
Cameron Johnson's Three-Ball Went Nuclear
Cameron Johnson putting up 19 points on 7-10 shooting with five threes? That's a classic role player explosion, but it matters. He ran a +7.2 against his season average. When a guy shooting 11.8 PPG gets you 19, you're looking at either perfect shooting volume or the defense game-planning wrong. He was 5-5 from deep tonight. That's sustainable talent you don't see every night, but it shows Denver can score from anywhere on the floor, and when role guys like CJ get rolling, this team is hard to guard.
The Bench Saved Denver's Offense
This is the thing nobody's talking about yet. Christian Braun, Bruce Brown, Peyton Watson all chipped in solid fantasy nights. Bruce Brown actually crushed his seasonal average by 5.3 points (13/3/3). Braun went 5-7 from the field. Even Robert Williams III for Portland, filling in off the bench, went 8-10 with 16 points in 18 minutes. That's a plus 9.2 against his season expectation.
When depth is hitting like this, it tells you the game was decided early and both teams' benches got comfortable minutes. Denver's not worried. Portland's not getting anything back from the starters being tired.
Jokic's Quiet Night, Explained
Look, 63.8 Yahoo FP is still elite territory. But that minus 6 is telling. Jokic took 18 shots, made 10, grabbed 14 boards (actually plus 1.4 there), and dished 14 dimes. He didn't need to go off because Murray (22 on 9-18, minus 3.1 against his average) took care of business. When you've got All-NBA talent like Jamal Murray playing well and role players knocking down shots, the MVP can coast. That's not a concern, that's luxury tax efficiency.
Portland's Collapse Was Real
Donovan Clingan had himself a night, plus 5.6 on his season average with 18/13. The big man showed out. But that doesn't matter when your backcourt gets exposed. Jrue Holiday went 3-12 from the field, 1-3 from deep. Minus 7 on points against his average. Scoot Henderson (13/3/2) couldn't carry the load. Portland just got beat by a more complete team playing with more rhythm.
Your Move
If you've got Jokic, relax. Underperforming against his averages in a blowout is exactly when you want your guy cruising. Add Cameron Johnson in 12-team leagues if he's somehow available, though he's probably already spoken for. Avdija is a must-have if you play in any competitive league. Don't get scared by Portland's loss, but understand their rotation needs work. Denver's just better right now, top to bottom.