NYK 121, NOP 116: Anunoby Delivers 43.8 Yahoo FP in Nail-Biter
Kwame Asante
Junior Accountant ยท Oklahoma City Thunder fan
Knicks Edge Pelicans in Close One, Brunson and OG Lead the Way
New York 121, New Orleans 116
Right, so this was the kind of game that separates the fantasy wheat from the chaff. Five-point margin, plenty of lead changes, and the difference between winning your week and wondering where it all went wrong. The Knicks held on at home, and their top three guys absolutely showed up when it mattered.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OG Anunoby | 52.0 | 43.8 | 21/4/4 | 16.7/5.2/2.2 | +4.3 |
| Jalen Brunson | 47.0 | 41.7 | 32/1/7 | 26.1/3.4/6.6 | +5.9 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 34.0 | 37.3 | 21/14/1 | 20.2/12.0/2.9 | +0.8 |
| Zion Williamson | 40.0 | 34.8 | 22/4/2 | 21.3/5.8/3.3 | +0.7 |
| Dejounte Murray | 31.0 | 33.0 | 7/5/12 | 18.7/5.1/6.2 | -11.7 |
| Jeremiah Fears | 41.0 | 30.7 | 21/1/3 | 13.0/3.6/3.2 | +8.0 |
| Trey Murphy III | 31.0 | 29.2 | 16/6/2 | 21.8/5.7/3.8 | -5.8 |
| Mikal Bridges | 34.0 | 28.9 | 14/2/7 | 14.7/4.1/3.9 | -0.7 |
| Mitchell Robinson | 34.0 | 28.6 | 11/8/0 | 5.4/8.9/0.9 | +5.6 |
| Herbert Jones | 34.0 | 26.4 | 13/2/6 | 9.0/3.6/2.8 | +4.0 |
The Knicks' Big Three Delivered
Jalen Brunson was the MVP of this one, full stop. 32 points on 11-19 shooting, 8-9 from the line, and 7 assists in 38 minutes. That's 41.7 Yahoo FP and he beat his season average by 5.9 points. The reigning All-NBA first team guard looked every bit the part tonight, especially down the stretch when the Pelicans were scratching and clawing their way back. ESPN gave him 47 FP because of the volume, but the efficiency is what matters. 58% FG, 89% FT, minimal turnovers on decent playmaking numbers. That's exactly what you're paying for with him.
OG Anunoby went absolutely nuclear from three. 21 points, 5 threes on 7-16 shooting, 39 minutes, and most importantly 3 steals. He finished with 43.8 Yahoo FP, crushing his season average by 4.3 points. The thing that stands out is the threes. He's usually a 1.2 three-pointer per game guy, so hitting 5 in one night is unsustainable variance, but his overall offensive game looked sharper than his season average suggests. He's worth holding unless you're desperately chasing steals at another position.
Karl-Anthony Towns had an interesting role in just 24 minutes. 21 points and 14 rebounds is a quality line by any measure, and 37.3 Yahoo FP is solid night work. The rebound total especially stands out, plus 2.0 vs his season average. He's a All-NBA third teamer, so when he actually gets volume he produces, but that minutes cap is worth monitoring. If the Knicks start giving him 32 minutes per night, he becomes a league-winning bench asset. Right now he's more of a "play him when the matchup is good" guy.
The Pelicans' Problem Child
Look, Dejounte Murray put up a 5-assist, 12-assist stat line which sounds fine until you realize it came on 2-12 shooting. That's the definition of a game where he filled the stat sheet without actually playing well. 7 points, 33 Yahoo FP, and a staggering -11.7 vs his season average. He's a All-Defensive first teamer who can play, but when the jumper isn't falling and he's forcing playmaking, fantasy doesn't reward the effort. Worth monitoring his efficiency going forward, especially since that's a brutal night even for an off game.
Zion Williamson was mostly fine. 22 points on 8-10 shooting is efficient as they come, but the rebounds and assists were both down slightly. 34.8 Yahoo FP with just +0.7 vs average suggests a solid, unspectacular performance. The thing to watch is his minutes cap continues to be his real ceiling. 33 minutes last night is decent volume, but until he plays 36-38 consistently, he'll always feel like he has a lower ceiling than the workload suggests.
Jeremiah Fears put in serious work off the bench. 21 points on 9-12 shooting, 3 threes, +8.0 vs his season average. He's only averaging 13.0 points per game for the year, so this is a significant spike. The efficiency is real though. He nailed 75% of his field goals and stayed on the floor for only 19 minutes. Kid can score. The question is whether this was a good matchup or if he's genuinely stepped up. Monitor his next few games closely.
The Cleanup Details
Herbert Jones turned in 26.4 Yahoo FP with 13 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, and a block in 37 minutes. He's a All-Defensive first teamer and that playmaking line is exactly what you want from a wing defender. Job well done.
Mikal Bridges was quiet by his standards but added 4 threes for 28.9 Yahoo FP. Not a dud, just not the explosion you'd hope for, especially after he hit 3.1 threes per game for his season average.
Mitchell Robinson absolutely feasted in limited minutes. 11 points, 8 boards, 2 blocks in just 20 minutes on a perfect 5-5 shooting. He's averaging 5.4 points and 8.9 rebounds for the season, so this is volume-dependent, but when Robinson gets run, he's a legitimate rebounder and rim-runner. 28.6 Yahoo FP on those minutes is excellent value and worth remembering if he keeps getting 20-minute slots.
The Waiver Wire Move
Jose Alvarado is getting added to waiver wires across the country after picking up 1.7 Yahoo FP in 9 minutes. Look, I get it. A player trending up is exciting. But he averaged 7.3 points and 3.4 assists for the season and had basically nothing tonight. This is panic adding and you should not be doing it. He's a defensive specialist without the actual defensive stats to back it up in this format. Let this one pass.
Bottom Line
The Knicks' trio of Brunson, Anunoby, and Towns delivered when it mattered. If you have all three, you had an excellent night. The Pelicans showed they can compete but leaned heavily on role players stepping up. Fears looked genuinely good, but don't assume it's a permanent shift. Standard close game, standard results. Knicks' guys proved they're worth the price, Pelicans need better efficiency from their stars.