DEN 136, SAS 134: Wembanyama Wreaks Havoc With 83.1 Yahoo FP
Maya Chen
UX Designer · Golden State Warriors fan
Nuggets Survive a Wembanyama Masterclass in Denver Thriller
Okay, so this game was chaos. Victor Wembanyama put on an absolute clinic, Nikola Jokic stayed Jokic, and somehow Denver still pulled it out 136-134. If you own either of these guys, you're eating well. If you don't, we need to talk about your draft strategy.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama | 88.0 | 83.1 | 34/18/7 | 24.9/11.6/3.1 | +9.1 |
| Nikola Jokić | 86.0 | 78.1 | 40/8/13 | 27.9/12.9/10.9 | +12.1 |
| Christian Braun | 44.0 | 39.6 | 21/8/4 | 12.0/4.8/2.8 | +9.0 |
| Cameron Johnson | 45.0 | 37.9 | 17/7/1 | 12.0/3.8/2.4 | +5.0 |
| Jamal Murray | 41.0 | 35.8 | 15/4/10 | 25.5/4.4/7.2 | -10.5 |
| Stephon Castle | 36.0 | 35.5 | 20/5/9 | 16.7/5.2/7.3 | +3.3 |
| Devin Vassell | 32.0 | 30.0 | 18/5/2 | 14.0/4.0/2.5 | +4.0 |
| Julian Champagnie | 33.0 | 27.0 | 18/5/2 | 11.3/5.8/1.5 | +6.7 |
| De'Aaron Fox | 21.0 | 25.8 | 14/4/4 | 18.5/3.8/6.2 | -4.5 |
| Aaron Gordon | 26.0 | 24.7 | 15/6/3 | 16.3/5.8/2.5 | -1.3 |
Jokic Showed Up When It Mattered
Let's start here: Jokic dropped 40 points and 13 assists on 13-25 shooting in 43 minutes. That's a +12.1 scoring night against his season average. He was efficient at the line (13-15 FT) and orchestrated the offense even when Denver looked shaky. The reigning All-NBA guy did his job.
But here's the thing that's gonna haunt Denver fans, and should make Spurs owners smile, Wembanyama might've been the better player tonight. I know, I know. 34 points, 18 rebounds, 7 assists on 8-17 shooting from a dude who's basically a cheat code defensively. He also went 16-17 from the line. That's not just a big game, that's a statement.
Wembanyama is third-team All-NBA for a reason, and this performance proved he belongs in the conversation with the elite wings. +6.4 rebounds, +3.9 assists above his season average. He was everywhere.
The Supporting Cast Actually Worked
This is where it gets interesting for fantasy purposes. Christian Braun went nuclear for 21 points on 7-16 shooting with 5 threes. That's +9.0 scoring above his average. He got 39 minutes and looked comfortable out there. If Braun's getting this kind of run consistently, he's a pickup in deeper leagues. Right now he's at 5.4% ownership on ESPN, which feels low for someone putting up 39.6 Yahoo FP.
Cameron Johnson added 17 and 7 on solid efficiency (6-11, 4 threes). Nothing flashy, but he's been steady for Denver and tonight was no exception. Julian Champagnie for San Antonio also hit some big threes (18 points, 6 threes) and is creeping into relevance. He's not a must-have guy yet, but in a close game like this where he gets 33 minutes, he's worth monitoring.
Murray's the One Real Concern Here
Jamal Murray dropping 15/4/10 sounds fine until you remember his season average is 25.5 PPG. He shot 6-13 and played 45 minutes. That's -10.5 points below his average in a game where Denver needed everything. He wasn't bad, but in a two-point game, those missing 10 points matter.
This isn't panic time yet. One off night doesn't destroy Murray's value, especially when he's racking up assists. But if this becomes a pattern in close games, that's worth watching. For now, hold if you own him.
Spurs Role Players Had Their Moments
Stephon Castle, the Rookie of the Year from last season, was solid with 20/5/9. That's +1.7 assists above his season average and he played 40 minutes in a game Denver almost closed out. He's not gonna carry a team, but he's reliable. Devin Vassell chipped in 18 and 5, solid depth piece stuff. Nothing crazy.
De'Aaron Fox was honestly the most interesting name on the Spurs. He shot 7-19 from the field and scored 14. That's a rough night for a guy who averages 18.5. Fox was probably dealing with some defensive attention from Denver, but -4.5 scoring is a red flag if it happens again.
Real Talk on the Waiver Wire
Harrison Barnes is getting added at 5.4% ownership after getting 16 minutes and hitting two threes. Don't overreact. He's 16 minutes deep into a loss when the Spurs needed everything. That's not a trend yet.
More interesting is that Nickeil Alexander-Walker is getting dropped league-wide (down 5.3%). I don't have him in the box score, so something's clearly shifted with his role or availability. If you own him, check the injury report before your next game. Could be an opportunity if he's healthy and just fell out of favor.
The Bottom Line
Denver wins a game they probably should've lost, Jokic stays elite, and Wembanyama reminded everyone why he's a top-10 asset despite the loss. If you're in a league where Braun's available, he's worth a stash. If you own Wembanyama, you're sleeping well tonight.
For the Nuggets side, this is the kind of game that matters in April. Close wins build character. But Murray's gonna need to show up bigger in these moments if Denver wants to make noise.