ORL 121, SAC 117: DeMar DeRozan Explodes for 60 ESPN FP
Kwame Asante
Junior Accountant ยท Oklahoma City Thunder fan
Magic Edge Kings in Close One, DeRozan Goes Nuclear But It's Not Enough
Final: Magic 121, Kings 117
Right then, let's get straight into it. This was the kind of game that reminds you why fantasy basketball matters. One team absolutely needed this win, the other came up just short despite an individual performance that genuinely belonged on a highlight reel. The Orlando Magic scraped past Sacramento 121-117 in a tight affair, but the real story here is DeMar DeRozan nearly willed his Kings to victory single-handedly.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeMar DeRozan | 60.0 | 56.7 | 33/6/11 | 18.2/3.0/4.1 | +14.8 |
| Paolo Banchero | 51.0 | 50.3 | 30/9/7 | 22.7/8.4/5.1 | +7.3 |
| Precious Achiuwa | 41.0 | 37.8 | 14/9/2 | 9.3/6.5/1.3 | +4.7 |
| Maxime Raynaud | 32.0 | 30.9 | 10/7/3 | 11.9/7.3/1.3 | -1.9 |
| Desmond Bane | 35.0 | 30.0 | 23/0/6 | 20.3/4.2/4.2 | +2.7 |
| Malik Monk | 34.0 | 28.9 | 13/2/5 | 12.7/1.9/3.0 | +0.3 |
| Wendell Carter Jr. | 21.0 | 27.2 | 10/11/0 | 11.9/7.5/2.1 | -1.9 |
| Daeqwon Plowden | 35.0 | 26.6 | 23/3/0 | 9.7/3.1/1.1 | +13.3 |
| Devin Carter | 19.0 | 21.6 | 14/3/4 | 7.5/2.7/2.2 | +6.5 |
| Tristan da Silva | 25.0 | 21.4 | 18/2/2 | 9.8/3.7/1.5 | +8.2 |
DeRozan's Night Was Absolutely Ridiculous
Let me be clear: DeMar DeRozan put on one of the best individual performances of the season here. 33 points on 12-24 shooting, 6 rebounds, 11 assists, and he shot 9-10 from the free throw line. That's 56.7 Yahoo fantasy points and a +14.8 performance against his season average. This wasn't some empty calorie night either. He was running the offense, hitting tough mid-range shots, getting to the line, and setting teammates up all night.
The thing is, even 57 fantasy points wasn't enough to drag Sacramento across the finish line. That's the brutal reality of fantasy basketball sometimes. You get a genuinely elite performance and your team still takes the L. For anyone considering DeRozan as a trade target or looking to add him off waivers, this is exactly the kind of night that should have you reaching. This is who he is when he's locked in.
Banchero Showed Up When It Mattered
Paolo Banchero didn't have the gaudy scoring nights of DeRozan, but 30 points on 11-22 shooting with 9 rebounds and 7 assists in a winning effort is precisely the kind of performance that moves the needle. He was +7.3 from his season average, which is solid without being extraordinary. More importantly for Magic fantasy managers, he was efficient when Orlando needed him most down the stretch.
The difference between these two performances is instructive. DeRozan was better individually. Banchero was better when it mattered. Both landed in the 50-point range on Yahoo, but the context matters massively.
The Surprise Performer: Precious Achiuwa Is Making Noise
Here's where the real value play is hiding. Precious Achiuwa went 14/9/2 with 2 steals in 33 minutes for Sacramento, putting up 37.8 Yahoo points and earning +0.6% ownership spike. His season average sits at 9.3 points and 6.5 rebounds, so this was a +4.7 point, +2.5 rebound night. More importantly, he's getting meaningful minutes and he's hitting shots consistently (7-12 FG).
If Achiuwa is available in your league, he's a legitimate add in 12-team formats. The ownership is only at 32.5%, which means he's still overlooked. He's not a world-beater, but he's a reliable double-digit contributor who chips in defensive stats. That's exactly the kind of depth piece that wins fantasy championships in March.
The Orlando Role Players Stepped Up
Desmond Bane hitting 3-of-8 from three and finishing with 23 points is baseline efficiency work, nothing flashy. Wendell Carter Jr. grabbed 11 rebounds despite only playing 35 minutes and scoring 10 points, which is the kind of specialist contribution that sneaks into your box score and adds up over time.
But the real standout here was Tristan da Silva, who went 18 points on 5-7 shooting with 3 threes. That's +8.2 from his season average in just 32 minutes. If he's getting this kind of efficiency off the bench, he's worth tracking moving forward.
Bottom Line
This was a quality win for Orlando, built on balanced contributions and holding Sacramento's role players in check despite DeRozan's masterclass. For your fantasy teams, the actionable takeaway is simple: DeRozan owners should feel great about what they have (even though it stings they lost), Banchero proved he can deliver in tight spots, and Achiuwa is screaming add if he's still on the wire. The Magic's depth is legitimate, and that matters in playoff matchups.