ORL 112, NOP 108: Banchero Cleans Up With 16 Boards
'">
Jasmine "Jazz" Porter
University Student ยท Oklahoma City Thunder fan
Magic Steal One in New Orleans, But the Real Story is Who Went Off
Orlando edged out New Orleans 112-108 in a game that came down to execution in crunch time, but for fantasy purposes, this was a tale of two very different performances. The Magic won, but the Pelicans had individual monsters. Let's break it down.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paolo Banchero | 47.0 | 55.2 | 23/16/6 | 22.2/8.4/5.1 | +0.8 |
| Yves Missi | 52.0 | 47.1 | 18/13/3 | 5.7/5.8/1.3 | +12.3 |
| Saddiq Bey | 43.0 | 45.7 | 32/6/1 | 17.7/5.6/2.5 | +14.3 |
| Desmond Bane | 42.0 | 44.2 | 27/6/4 | 20.4/4.2/4.2 | +6.6 |
| Jeremiah Fears | 36.0 | 39.1 | 19/3/7 | 13.4/3.6/3.3 | +5.6 |
| Zion Williamson | 27.0 | 30.4 | 17/7/2 | 21.0/5.7/3.2 | -4.0 |
| Jalen Suggs | 25.0 | 29.8 | 11/4/8 | 13.7/3.9/5.5 | -2.7 |
| Goga Bitadze | 26.0 | 24.1 | 6/8/1 | 5.5/4.7/1.3 | +0.5 |
| Franz Wagner | 21.0 | 23.0 | 11/5/2 | 20.5/5.5/3.4 | -9.5 |
| Wendell Carter Jr. | 20.0 | 19.5 | 13/5/1 | 12.1/7.5/2.0 | +0.9 |
The Pelicans Bench Mob Actually Went Nuclear
Let's get real, Saddiq Bey was an absolute problem last night. 32 points on 10-24 shooting with perfect free throw discipline (9-11) is the kind of game that makes you wonder why he wasn't getting this volume all season. He's +14.3 points above his season average, and while one game doesn't make a trend, this is the dude you want on your bench in close games. If he starts eating minutes like this consistently, he's a sneaky add in 12-team leagues.
Even more mad is Yves Missi. Look, a backup center putting up 18/13 with 4 blocks is basically running people's fantasy nights. He's usually averaging like 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds, so +12.3 points is HUGE. The problem is this screams opportunity-based game where the Pelicans got desperate down the stretch and needed boards. Don't get attached to this as his new floor, but if he keeps seeing 39-minute games, he's definitely worth stashing.
Jeremiah Fears also chipped in 19/3/7 with solid free throw shooting, and that +5.6 points above his average suggests the Pelicans might be leaning on him more in close situations. Still, he shot 4-14 from the field, which is rough. High volume off a bench guard isn't always sustainable.
Paolo Was Exactly Paolo, and That's the Win Here
Paolo Banchero put up 23/16/6 on decent efficiency (6-14 FG but 11-15 FT), and that's basically his baseline at this point. Reigning MVP conversation material last season, and he's still doing his thing. The 16 rebounds are the real highlight here, especially for a perimeter player. This is the kind of night where he doesn't necessarily blow his season average out of the water, but he's reliable as hell. If you have him, you're sleeping fine.
The issue is Desmond Bane, who stepped up huge for Orlando. 27 points with 8-11 free throws and three threes made him a league winner for anyone who had him. +6.6 above his season average isn't life-changing, but it's solid. The 34 minutes suggest he's getting solid run, so he's not a wire pickup, but he's worth a look if you're punting threes and need volume scoring.
The Deflating Performances
Zion Williamson played just 27 minutes and went for 17/7/2. He's -4.0 points above his season average, which isn't disastrous, but it's the minutes that matter here. If Zion keeps getting limited to under 30 minutes, his ceiling gets real low real fast. Monitor his workload, because when he gets to 35+ minutes, he's a carry.
Franz Wagner getting only 20 minutes is weird. 11/5/2 is nothing special on that volume, and he's -9.5 points above his average. Either he was in foul trouble or the Magic just didn't need him down the stretch. Either way, if you're relying on Franz, this is the kind of game that's stressful because you genuinely don't know if it's injury, role change, or just one of those nights.
What This Means for Your Roster
The Pelicans bench proved they can contribute, which is good for their chances but doesn't necessarily translate to fantasy consistency. Bey and Fears might be worth streaming or adding in deeper leagues if you need scoring punch off the bench, but I'm not banking on 45 fantasy points from a bench player as the norm.
For the Magic, Banchero remains your anchor, and Bane looks locked into solid volume. The real question is depth scoring. If Goga Bitadze (6/8/1 in 16 minutes) keeps getting those bench minutes, he's got upside, but again, opportunity-based.
This was a tight game decided by execution, not fantasy dominance. Neither team absolutely exploded. The Pelicans had individual nights that exceeded expectations, but the Magic still got the W. For fantasy purposes, hold what you have, don't panic any drops, and keep an eye on Saddiq Bey because that scoring burst might stick around.