BKN 96, MIL 90: Prince Finishes With 35.2 Yahoo FP
Sarah Kowalski
Orthopedic Nurse ยท Milwaukee Bucks fan
Nets Survive Bucks in Low-Scoring Slugfest, But the Real Story is Who Showed Up When It Mattered
Okay, so this game was absolutely brutal to watch. 96-90 final. The Bucks brought the defense, the Nets survived it, and honestly, a lot of your fantasy stars just ghosted. But here's what matters: the role players who stepped up are suddenly on the waiver wire radar, and we need to talk about whether this is a sustainable shift or a one-game fluke.
Let me break down what actually happened and what you should do about it.
Tonight's Top Performers
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taurean Prince | 34.0 | 35.2 | 16/11/4 | 8.3/2.8/1.6 | +7.7 |
| Jericho Sims | 39.0 | 34.6 | 12/8/6 | 4.6/5.3/1.4 | +7.4 |
| Ben Saraf | 30.0 | 34.0 | 19/5/2 | 6.9/2.0/3.2 | +12.1 |
| AJ Green | 35.0 | 30.7 | 20/6/1 | 9.9/2.7/1.9 | +10.1 |
| E.J. Liddell | 38.0 | 30.3 | 21/4/1 | 4.0/2.1/0.8 | +17.0 |
| Trevon Scott | 33.0 | 28.8 | 8/4/2 | 6.0/4.7/2.0 | +2.0 |
| Pete Nance | 30.0 | 27.4 | 8/2/6 | 5.5/2.7/1.0 | +2.5 |
| Drake Powell | 20.0 | 25.3 | 11/4/1 | 6.5/1.8/1.5 | +4.5 |
| Malachi Smith | 30.0 | 25.0 | 11/5/4 | 7.2/2.5/2.3 | +3.8 |
| Ousmane Dieng | 15.0 | 21.9 | 10/7/3 | 7.2/3.0/2.1 | +2.8 |
The Elephant in the Room: Where Was Everyone?
Look at the Bucks box score. Giannis Antetokounmpo (All-NBA First Team, 27.6 ppg season average) didn't play. Kevin Porter Jr. (17.4 ppg) didn't play. Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, Ryan Rollins, Myles Turner, Gary Trent Jr. - all gone. This wasn't a normal game. This was a skeleton crew Bucks team, which completely changes how we evaluate what we're seeing.
The Nets had their own issues. Michael Porter Jr. (24.2 ppg) didn't suit up. Nic Claxton (11.7 ppg, their best rebounder) was out. Noah Clowney (12.3 ppg) nowhere to be found. This was basically a G-League game masquerading as an NBA matchup.
So before you get excited about anyone here, understand: this is what happens when both teams send out their B-squad. The stats look inflated because the actual talent level was way down.
Who Actually Cooked
Ben Saraf going for 19/5/2 on 9-10 free throws is legitimately interesting. He's a point guard averaging 6.9 ppg and 3.2 apg this season, so +12.1 points is real. He got 35 minutes and forced his way to the line. That's not random. If the Nets keep running him in the setup role, he could be a low-upside waiver grab in deep leagues. But here's the thing: he was also hoisting it (5-13 FG). He got to the line because he was aggressive, not because he was efficient. Don't overextend here.
E.J. Liddell is the one I'm actually watching. 21 points on 7-9 shooting in 21 minutes is absurd efficiency. He's averaging 4.0 ppg all season and just put up 21 in limited time. That's a +17.0 point swing. The issue? 21 minutes. The Nets have a crowded frontcourt when healthy, so this could evaporate once they get their full roster back. This is a "watch for next game" situation, not an add yet.
AJ Green (20 points, 6 threes in 38 minutes) and Jericho Sims (12/8/6 in 36 minutes for the Bucks) were the most consistent performers. Green was +10.1 on scoring and Sims was +7.4. Both got real minutes against a depleted defense. That's more sustainable than the outliers, but again, you're evaluating against a massively weakened Nets squad.
What About the Bucks Guys?
Taurean Prince led the Bucks with 35.2 Yahoo FP (16/11/4 in 36 minutes). That's a +7.7 points night for him. For a bench wing, that's solid work and worth noting. He got his minutes against a beat-up Nets team and contributed. If the Bucks are missing rotation players regularly, Prince is in line for consistent volume. Not a league-winner, but a viable streaming option.
Pete Nance (8/2/6 in 26 minutes) was interesting because of the assist total, but again, 26 minutes against a G-League Nets offense means don't read too much into it. Ousmane Dieng (10/7/3) at least played solid volume (31 minutes) and was +2.8, so he showed up without inflating his stats weirdly.
The Bottom Line
This game was a disaster for fantasy purposes because both rosters got absolutely decimated. You can't build a waiver strategy around a B-squad matchup. What you can do is file away some names for next time these teams are missing key guys.
Add these if you're in deep leagues and need short-term help:
- Ben Saraf in 12+ team leagues if your backup PG slot is empty. He'll get minutes and will attack.
- Taurean Prince if the Bucks are running without their full rotation. He proved he can contribute.
Don't panic drop anyone:
- The guys who didn't play for the Bucks (I'm looking at you, Giannis owners who freaked out and dropped him) - this was likely rest or injury management. Hold.
- AJ Green and Jericho Sims played well but against a crippled defense. Let this settle before making trades.
The real fantasy lesson here? When both teams are short-handed, the stat lines look weird and don't predict anything. Wait for the next game with actual rosters intact before making moves.
This one's filing cabinet material, not decision time.