TOR 119, NOP 106: Barnes Posts Double-Double, 59.2 Yahoo FP
Tommy Flanagan
Journeyman Electrician ยท Boston Celtics fan
Scottie Barnes Went Off, But Brandon Ingram's Disappearing Act Is the Real Story
Toronto 119, New Orleans 106. Not exactly a thriller, but that final score hides what actually went down here. The Raptors came out swinging and never let up, while the Pels got weird and disjointed. From a fantasy perspective, this game was basically split down the middle: Raptors players feasted, Pelicans role guys stepped up weird, and everyone's favorite All-NBA forward forgot how to get buckets.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottie Barnes | 71.0 | 59.2 | 23/6/12 | 18.5/7.8/5.5 | +4.5 |
| Jakob Poeltl | 48.0 | 40.7 | 18/11/3 | 10.4/7.5/2.1 | +7.6 |
| Sandro Mamukelashvili | 41.0 | 37.8 | 18/9/2 | 10.9/4.8/1.9 | +7.1 |
| Zion Williamson | 38.0 | 34.4 | 22/7/4 | 21.4/5.8/3.2 | +0.6 |
| RJ Barrett | 30.0 | 29.2 | 18/6/4 | 18.9/5.3/3.3 | -0.9 |
| Brandon Ingram | 26.0 | 28.2 | 13/6/2 | 21.5/5.6/3.7 | -8.5 |
| Saddiq Bey | 29.0 | 26.6 | 19/3/2 | 17.4/5.6/2.6 | +1.6 |
| Derik Queen | 22.0 | 26.6 | 13/8/0 | 11.3/6.8/3.7 | +1.7 |
| Ja'Kobe Walter | 25.0 | 24.2 | 18/1/4 | 7.0/2.4/1.1 | +11.0 |
| Herbert Jones | 20.0 | 21.4 | 2/2/2 | 9.2/3.5/2.9 | -7.2 |
Scottie Barnes Is Back Baby
Scottie Barnes dropped 59.2 Yahoo points tonight and that's not some fluky stat padding situation. The guy had a 12-assist night in just 36 minutes. That's 12 dimes. From the Raptors forward. He also shot 10-for-14 from the field, which for a guy who's not primarily a scorer is absolutely ridiculous.
Here's the thing: he was up 6.5 assists versus his season average (5.5), which tells you this wasn't just a volume thing. Toronto's offense ran through him. He was getting guys looks in rhythm, not just dumping them off. The 23 points and 6 rebounds are solid but it's that assist number that makes this game a statement.
If you have Scottie on your team, keep him locked in. That +4.5 points versus his season average is good, but the assists are where the real gold is. Yahoo rewards you 1.5 points per dime, so when he goes off like this, he's basically not hittable. The question is whether this was Toronto figuring something out or just one hot night. Either way, you ride it out.
Jakob Poeltl Ate
Jakob Poeltl had 40.7 Yahoo points on 9-for-11 shooting. Let me repeat that because it matters: nine for eleven. The dude was automatic. He finished with 18 and 11, which is +7.6 points above his season average of 10.4/7.5.
Here's why this matters for your fantasy squad: Poeltl doesn't always get featured in the scoring game. He's a pick-and-roll guy, a rebounder, a guy who benefits from good spacing around him. Tonight, Toronto's offense allowed him to operate in space and he took full advantage. Twenty-nine minutes, high efficiency, and he's racking up boards.
The concern is whether this is sustainable or if Toronto just schemed him open tonight. Poeltl isn't dropping 40+ points on the regular. But on nights when the offense is rolling? He's a sneaky get-right play for a big man slot. Keep that in your back pocket.
Sandro Mamukelashvili Came Off the Bench and Cooked
Sandro Mamukelashvili is averaging 10.9 points and tonight he went for 18/9/2 in 21 minutes. That's +7.1 points versus his season average. He was 7-for-14 from the field with three threes, so he wasn't just getting lucky inside. He was making shots from everywhere.
The minutes concern here is real, though. He played 21 minutes tonight, which is not a massive role. He's the fourth or fifth option on the Raptors, not some lock for consistent volume. But when he gets time and his shot is falling like this, he's a league winner off the bench. Not saying he's suddenly a must-own, but if you're streaming and he's available, get him in lineups when the Raptors are playing a team that lets them play pace-and-space basketball.
Ingram's Stinker and the Bigger Problem
Here's where I'm going to be real: Brandon Ingram was absolutely brutal tonight. Thirteen points on 5-for-13 shooting, 30 minutes, -8.5 from his season average. That's not just "off night," that's a problem.
Ingram is averaging 21.5 points and tonight he couldn't get anything going. The Raptors' defense clamped him down, but more than that, he just looked out of rhythm. Five turnovers would've made this worse if Toronto wasn't already up 20 by the fourth quarter.
The question isn't whether you panic trade him. No. But if you own Ingram, you need to understand that on nights when Toronto's defense is locked in, he's going to struggle. The Raptors are a top defensive unit and they sent multiple bodies at him all game. This is the kind of matchup where his floor is lower than you'd like.
Going forward, watch for that Raptors matchup specifically. Against mid-tier or worse defenses, he should bounce back. But understand that elite defenses with depth will mess with his scoring volume. Don't overreact, but don't ignore it either.
The Zion Thing Stayed The Zion Thing
Zion Williamson went 22/7/4 and got 34.4 Yahoo points. That's basically his season average, maybe slightly above. He shot 9-for-13 (great efficiency) but didn't do anything crazy outside that. He was just Zion being Zion.
The reason I'm mentioning this is because people keep waiting for a "Zion explosion" and it's probably not coming. He's what he is: a high-volume scorer who's efficient but doesn't need to explode to be valuable. He'll give you 20+ points and 5+ rebounds most nights. Tonight was no different. Solid, workmanlike, not fantasy-breaking but steady.
The Weird Depth Stuff
Ja'Kobe Walter dropped 24.2 Yahoo points on basically nothing. Six-for-14 shooting, 18 points, four threes. That's +11.0 from his season average of 7.0 ppg. This kid went completely off from three and suddenly he's a fantasy asset.
Here's my take: Walter is not a league winner. But he's exactly the type of deep bench guy who has games like this where he goes nuclear. If you're in a 14+ team league and he's available, you snag him for nights when the Raptors are playing bad defenses that let role guys eat. Don't start him thinking he's got 24 FP every night, but understand he's got upside.
Meanwhile Derik Queen from the Pelicans had 26.6 Yahoo points on 13/8/0 in 22 minutes. That's low-volume efficiency that doesn't really tell you anything about whether he's worth owning. One good game off the bench doesn't change the equation.
Herbert Jones was actually 3-for-8 shooting with steals and blocks (21.4 Yahoo FP despite the ugly shooting). If you have him, the steals and blocks are saving you from an even uglier game. That's the story there, not some secret breakout.
Bottom Line
The Raptors depth impressed tonight. Barnes and Poeltl led the way but Mamukelashvili also made a statement. On the Pelicans side, Zion was steady but Ingram vanished, which is the real takeaway from this game.
If you own Ingram and you're sweating, don't be. Elite defenses will give him trouble but the season is long. If you own Poeltl, you just watched a perfect game from him. If you have Barnes, you already know he's quality and this just reinforced it.
For waiver purposes, keep Walter on your radar for deep leagues and stream spots, but don't get cute. This wasn't a changing-of-the-guard moment, just a Tuesday where the Raptors' role guys had a good night.