SAS 127, MIL 95: Victor Wembanyama Explodes for 56 Yahoo FP
Sarah Kowalski
Orthopedic Nurse ยท Milwaukee Bucks fan
Spurs Dismantle Bucks: Wembanyama Dominates, Castle Runs the Show
Look, sometimes you need to just accept that one team showed up and the other... didn't. Spurs 127, Bucks 95 wasn't a game, it was a statement. And if you had the right guys in your lineup, you're feeling pretty good right now.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama | 48.0 | 56.0 | 23/15/6 | 24.2/11.3/3.0 | -1.2 |
| Stephon Castle | 52.0 | 46.0 | 22/10/10 | 16.6/5.1/7.2 | +5.4 |
| Ousmane Dieng | 33.0 | 34.7 | 12/6/5 | 6.3/2.6/1.7 | +5.7 |
| Devin Vassell | 43.0 | 34.3 | 16/4/1 | 14.2/3.8/2.5 | +1.8 |
| Myles Turner | 36.0 | 32.7 | 15/6/1 | 11.9/5.3/1.5 | +3.1 |
| Keldon Johnson | 36.0 | 26.5 | 16/0/5 | 13.0/5.4/1.4 | +3.0 |
| Gary Trent Jr. | 34.0 | 26.2 | 18/1/2 | 7.8/1.0/1.2 | +10.2 |
| De'Aaron Fox | 30.0 | 25.4 | 12/2/6 | 18.8/3.8/6.3 | -6.8 |
| Jericho Sims | 23.0 | 23.0 | 10/10/2 | 4.3/5.0/1.2 | +5.7 |
| Julian Champagnie | 26.0 | 21.8 | 11/4/0 | 11.1/5.7/1.5 | -0.1 |
The Spurs' Offensive Clinic
Victor Wembanyama did what the reigning All-NBA and All-Defensive guy is supposed to do: dominate. 56 Yahoo points on 23/15/6 looks clean on paper, but here's what's wild, the man went 9-10 from the line while shooting just 7-21 overall. That's not sustainable shooting, but it is absolutely sustainable dominance. He was getting to the basket whenever he wanted because Milwaukee had zero answer for his length and footwork. Season average is 24.2/11.3/3.0, so the rebounding bump (+3.7) and assist bump (+3.0) matter more than the points being down a tick. This is peak Wembanyama, and if you own him, you're not selling.
Stephon Castle was the game's real story though. 52 ESPN, 46 Yahoo on 22/10/10, and more importantly, he was efficient as hell. 9-13 from the field, 2-3 from three, 2-3 from the line in 29 minutes. The Rookie of the Year is averaging 16.6/5.1/7.2, and he added nearly 3 more assists than usual while bumping rebounds by almost 5. This is the kind of game that makes you want to believe Castle is the real deal, because he's running a 32-point Spurs offense like he owns it. The concern? Spurs were up big the whole way, which inflates assist totals. Still, a 46-point Yahoo night is a 46-point Yahoo night.
Devin Vassell went 6-11 with four threes. 34 Yahoo points. Not flashy, just efficient and consistent.
Milwaukee's Nightmare
I'm going to be honest with you because that's what I do. This was a disaster for the Bucks and a worse disaster for their fantasy assets.
Here's what happened: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, Kyle Kuzma, and Kevin Porter Jr. didn't play. All of them. That right there explains a 32-point home loss. When your MVP-caliber player is out, everything breaks. And before you ask, no, nothing in my medical background gives me confidence this is just a maintenance day. Losing all four rotation guys in a home game against a West-leading Spurs team? Something's off. I'm not going to speculate on specifics, but monitor this closely before your next waiver decision.
The few Bucks who actually played got exposed. Ousmane Dieng led Milwaukee with 35 Yahoo points (12/6/5/4), which sounds okay until you realize it was 80% of the Bucks' contribution to their bench. That's not a win, that's a cry for help. He did exceed his season average by almost 6 points, which is the only bright spot here, but one guy isn't winning a 32-point blowout.
Myles Turner finished with 33 Yahoo points (15/6/1/1/2). Solid floor game, four threes, but again, doesn't matter when your team scores 95 at home.
Gary Trent Jr. was the statistical darling, crushing expectations with +10.2 points vs season average. 18/1/2 on 8-11 shooting is exactly the kind of efficient shooting night you love to see. But he got 26 minutes in a blowout. Expect regression when games are competitive.
Jericho Sims quietly had a huge night off the bench, 10/10 on 5-7 shooting with 23 Yahoo points, nearly six points above his usual output. If the Bucks are running him more, he's worth a look in deeper leagues.
The Cleanup Aisle
Harrison Barnes picked up 0.1% ownership for going 1-3 with one three in 18 minutes. Don't chase this. He finished with 6 Yahoo points. Nothing there.
De'Aaron Fox came off the bench and disappointed hard. 12/2/6 on 6-9 shooting should be solid, but he only played 20 minutes and finished -6.8 vs his season average. Limited minutes in a blowout aren't a reason to panic, but they're also not a reason to start him against the East's better defenses.
The Bottom Line
If you had Spurs assets, you won the lottery. If you had Bucks assets, you got wrecked. The bigger picture? Milwaukee's injury situation just became your priority. Until we know what's going on with Giannis, Portis, Kuzma, and KPJ, I'm not plugging those guys into any lineups. The Bucks looked broken tonight, and I say that as someone who bled green and cream.
The Spurs are legit. Wembanyama and Castle are both legitimate fantasy plays moving forward, and Vassell's efficiency is building a case for consistent minutes. If you can grab any of them off waivers (unlikely, but stranger things happen), do it immediately.