PHI 115, MIN 103: Embiid and Paul George Combine for 98 Yahoo FP
Kwame Asante
Junior Accountant ยท Oklahoma City Thunder fan
76ers Hold Off Wolves in Philly Thriller: Embiid's Rebound Game Masks Maxey's Quiet Night
Final: 76ers 115, Timberwolves 103
Right, so the 76ers got the job done at home last night, but this wasn't exactly a coronation. Philly's supposed to be cruising through April, and instead they're grinding out four-point wins against a Wolves team missing Anthony Edwards. That's the story nobody's talking about, but for fantasy purposes, it matters. Let me break down who showed up and who didn't.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joel Embiid | 51.0 | 53.1 | 19/13/7 | 26.9/7.4/3.9 | -7.9 |
| Paul George | 43.0 | 45.2 | 23/6/6 | 17.5/5.4/3.7 | +5.5 |
| Tyrese Maxey | 47.0 | 43.2 | 21/6/8 | 28.8/4.2/6.8 | -7.8 |
| Bones Hyland | 42.0 | 36.5 | 21/5/3 | 8.0/1.7/2.6 | +13.0 |
| Julius Randle | 34.0 | 35.9 | 21/7/3 | 21.1/6.8/5.1 | -0.1 |
| Ayo Dosunmu | 36.0 | 34.5 | 19/5/3 | 14.6/3.4/3.7 | +4.4 |
| Dominick Barlow | 31.0 | 29.5 | 7/10/1 | 7.9/4.7/1.3 | -0.9 |
| Kelly Oubre Jr. | 36.0 | 28.5 | 21/5/1 | 14.4/5.0/1.7 | +6.6 |
| Naz Reid | 24.0 | 27.9 | 12/7/1 | 13.6/6.2/2.3 | -1.6 |
| Rudy Gobert | 17.0 | 24.7 | 5/16/1 | 11.1/11.4/1.7 | -6.1 |
Paul George Actually Showed Up (Finally)
Paul George was the real difference maker here, and I'll say it straight, his ownership is criminally low given the role he's playing. He dropped 23 points on solid efficiency (6-15 FG, 8-10 FT), added six assists and three steals, and was +5.5 compared to his season average. That's the kind of night you actually expect from a max contract player. He played 38 minutes, which tells you Philly wasn't comfortable coasting.
The thing about George is he's been frustratingly inconsistent all season, but when he locks in defensively and stays aggressive on offense, he's a top-40 player. Last night he was both. If you've got him benched or considering dropping him after a rough stretch, tonight's your reminder to hold. He's got the tools.
Embiid Delivered the Points, But Something's Off
Joel Embiid is still the reigning MVP, and he went 19/13/7 for 53.1 Yahoo points. That's solid. But here's what's bugging me: he shot 6-17 from the field and needed six free throws to get his. He's averaging 26.9 PPG on the season, so -7.9 against that is a noticeable dip, even with the efficiency on free throws.
The rebounds were elite (13 is vintage Embiid), and the seven assists mean he was facilitating, which is fine. But if Philly's going to make a run, they need him closer to 28-30 PPG in these moments. He looked a bit labored at times, and I'm wondering if load management is starting to creep into April. Monitor his minutes going forward.
Maxey the Letdown You Didn't Expect
Here's the one that stings for fantasy managers: Tyrese Maxey dropped 21 points and eight assists, which looks fine on paper. Except his season average is 28.8 PPG and 6.8 APG. So yes, he went -7.8 on points despite putting up 21. He shot 7-13, which is decent, but he only played 34 minutes. The All-NBA second teamer is underperforming at the worst time of the season.
I don't think it's panic time, but Maxey's been up and down lately. If you've got him, you need him closer to his season average. His ownership is absurdly high (obviously), so the whole league is counting on him to bounce back.
Bones Hyland Is Real and the Wolves Are in Trouble
Bones Hyland went nuclear off the bench for Minnesota: 21 points on 7-14 shooting with five threes and 36.5 Yahoo points. He's +13.0 against his measly 8.0 PPG season average. Look, Bones was never going to sustain this all season, but tonight he was the most important player on the floor for the Wolves, which is absolutely a problem when Anthony Edwards is out.
Without Ant, Minnesota needed someone to create, and Bones stepped up. But this isn't repeatable every night. He's owned in just 2.5% of leagues, which means there's value on the wire if you need scoring depth, but don't mortgage your future for a 30-minute spark plug who won't get this many touches when Edwards returns.
Julius Randle Quietly Kept the Wolves Close
Julius Randle went 21/7/3 on efficient 9-15 shooting for 35.9 Yahoo points. He was flat against his season average (-0.1), which is honestly the perfect playoff game from a role player. Randle's not going to win you your league, but he's not losing it either. Steady, reliable, exactly what you need when your All-NBA wing is out.
The Rudy Gobert Paradox
Rudy Gobert put up a quiet 5/16/1 line that still got 24.7 Yahoo points because defensive big men are just built different. He grabbed 16 boards on 29 minutes, which is absolutely mad. His rebounding average is 11.4, so +4.6 there. The issue is his scoring is non-existent (5 points on 2-8 shooting), which brings his floor down despite the assist usage.
For fantasy purposes, Gobert is a specialist who helps you in one category. If you need boards and blocks, he's your guy. If you need balanced production, he's borderline unplayable in leagues that weight scoring. His 85.6% ownership means most of you are stuck with him anyway.
The Real Story: Minnesota's Depth Vanished
The Wolves were missing Anthony Edwards (who knows exactly what happened there, but he went 0 for 15 in 26 minutes, which tracks to 8 points on a night they lost by 12), and their depth crumbled. Ayo Dosunmu had to go off for 19 points just to keep it competitive. That's not sustainable.
Donte DiVincenzo was mostly nonexistent (11 points), and Naz Reid came off the bench as the second big (12/7/1, 27.9 Yahoo FP) when they really needed rim protection without Gobert getting into foul trouble.
What's Next
For you fantasy managers, here's what matters: Paul George is worth holding if he's available. Bones Hyland is a speculative add if he keeps getting run. Rudy Gobert is what he is. And Tyrese Maxey needs to snap out of it quick. The season's still got time, but April is when consistency matters most.
Philly ground out a win without playing their best basketball. That's actually more worrying than if they'd blown out Minnesota. In fantasy, that usually means regression coming.