CHA 127, PHX 107: CHA Runs Away as Jalen Green Posts 53 ESPN FP
Sarah Kowalski
Orthopedic Nurse ยท Milwaukee Bucks fan
Hornets Wire Charlotte's Second Win Over Phoenix, Led by Miles Bridges' Scoring Burst
The Charlotte Hornets handled the Phoenix Suns 127-107 last night, and if you own anyone not named Jalen Green on Phoenix, you're probably still wincing. Meanwhile, the Hornets' role players showed up in a big way, creating some real waiver wire noise you need to pay attention to.
Top Performers
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Green | 53.0 | 46.3 | 25/4/7 | 18.2/3.7/3.0 | +6.8 |
| Devin Booker | 38.0 | 38.0 | 22/5/6 | 25.7/3.9/6.0 | -3.7 |
| LaMelo Ball | 44.0 | 36.9 | 15/2/11 | 19.6/4.8/7.1 | -4.6 |
| Miles Bridges | 40.0 | 33.8 | 25/4/2 | 17.2/5.8/3.2 | +7.8 |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | 40.0 | 32.9 | 8/7/1 | 7.7/5.5/0.8 | +0.3 |
| Mark Williams | 37.0 | 29.3 | 12/4/1 | 11.6/8.0/1.0 | +0.4 |
| Brandon Miller | 30.0 | 26.8 | 17/4/4 | 20.4/5.0/3.5 | -3.4 |
| Kon Knueppel | 29.0 | 25.6 | 20/3/2 | 18.8/5.4/3.4 | +1.2 |
| Coby White | 24.0 | 25.3 | 19/4/3 | 17.6/3.6/4.2 | +1.4 |
| Sion James | 25.0 | 23.5 | 7/5/1 | 5.3/3.4/2.0 | +1.7 |
The Green Light Worked
Jalen Green was absolutely insane last night. 46.3 Yahoo FP on 34 minutes, hitting 10-19 from the floor and going off for 25 points with 7 assists. That's a +6.8 from his season average, and honestly, it makes sense. When a team gets blown out like Phoenix did, role players get extended minutes and more shot attempts. Green looked like a bonafide scorer last night, not a role player. The question now is whether this was a one-game spike or if the Suns are finally letting him eat. I'd lean toward caution given his season usage patterns, but if he's sitting on your waiver wire in a 12-team league, grab him. Just don't expect 46 Yahoo FP every night.
Devin Booker finished with 38 Yahoo FP on 9-22 shooting. That's down 3.7 from his season average, which tells you everything about how the Suns got rolled. When your best player shoots under 41% in a 20-point loss, you're getting punished, not winning. He's still the guy you want in a vacuum, but this game showed he can't do it alone against a team that's firing on all cylinders.
Charlotte's Role Players Were Everywhere
This is where it gets interesting. The Hornets didn't just win, they had balanced scoring that spread the wealth across the roster. Look at Miles Bridges going nuclear with 25 points on 10-16 shooting with 4 threes. That's +7.8 from his season average, and he did it efficiently. If Bridges is available in your league, someone dropped the ball because he's been solid all season.
But here's the sneaky part: Ryan Kalkbrenner put up 32.9 Yahoo FP on just 23 minutes. Eight points, 7 boards, a block, and a steal on perfect 3-3 shooting. He's averaging 7.7 PPG on the season but was getting significant run last night. In standard leagues, this probably doesn't move the needle yet. In deeper formats (14-team plus), he's worth a speculative add if he's still available. Centers with 5.5 rebound average don't grow on trees, and if he's getting 20+ minutes, that's valuable.
Kon Knueppel also cracked 25 Yahoo FP with 20 points on 7-14 shooting. He's a volume shooter on a good offense, so nights like this happen. Nothing to panic about if you own him, nothing to chase either.
The Bench Depth Story
What really jumped out was how many Hornets got run. Coby White with 25.3 Yahoo FP, Grant Williams hitting 20 Yahoo FP, Sion James chipping in 23.5 Yahoo FP on limited minutes. This isn't a one-man show in Charlotte. It's actually a functional offense, which is exactly what you want to see before making waiver claims.
The Phoenix side? Grayson Allen with 16.9 Yahoo FP is the only bench piece who showed up. He's up to 44.6% ownership league-wide and seeing a slight uptick, but last night proved the Suns needed more from everybody to stay competitive. If you're thinking about adding him for consistency, just remember this: blowout losses are outliers.
What Actually Matters Going Forward
LaMelo Ball hit 36.9 Yahoo FP with 15 points and 11 assists. That's -4.6 from his season average on the scoreboard, but the assists are real. He controlled the game and didn't force anything, which is the mature play from a star guard. He's 99.4% owned so this isn't a waiver wire situation, but if he's on your bench, feel good about him.
The Suns got humbled, plain and simple. They shot poorly as a team, got out-rebounded, and had no answer for Charlotte's balance. It's one game, but if you're holding Phoenix pieces, watch the next matchup carefully. Devin Booker is still a hold, but if the Suns start trending down in the loss column, you might need to reassess.
Charlotte showed they can play complete basketball. That's fantasy gold because it means minutes are more predictable and usage is spread enough that one player's bad night doesn't tank your lineup. That's a team to trust for streaming purposes over the next few weeks.