NYK 112, BOS 106: Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns Combine for 89 ESPN FP
Tommy Flanagan
Journeyman Electrician ยท Boston Celtics fan
Celtics Get Cooked in MSG, But Your Waiver Wire Just Popped Off
Boston lost 112-106 last night in New York, which means I'm in a mood. But here's the thing, this loss is actually a fantasy goldmine if you know what to grab. Let's break it down.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jayson Tatum | 41.0 | 51.6 | 24/13/8 | 21.6/9.8/5.1 | +2.4 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 43.0 | 41.4 | 16/12/4 | 20.1/11.9/3.0 | -4.1 |
| Jalen Brunson | 46.0 | 40.2 | 25/1/10 | 26.0/3.4/6.8 | -1.0 |
| Payton Pritchard | 37.0 | 33.6 | 23/3/6 | 16.9/4.0/5.1 | +6.1 |
| Josh Hart | 40.0 | 31.7 | 26/1/3 | 11.9/7.5/4.9 | +14.1 |
| Neemias Queta | 34.0 | 31.0 | 10/10/2 | 10.3/8.3/1.6 | -0.3 |
| Mitchell Robinson | 31.0 | 27.4 | 7/7/0 | 5.6/8.8/0.9 | +1.4 |
| Baylor Scheierman | 36.0 | 24.8 | 20/4/0 | 5.0/3.5/1.4 | +15.0 |
| OG Anunoby | 26.0 | 24.3 | 13/4/1 | 17.0/5.3/2.2 | -4.0 |
| Mikal Bridges | 30.0 | 21.4 | 10/2/6 | 14.7/3.9/3.7 | -4.7 |
Tatum Did His Job, But It Wasn't Enough
Jayson Tatum put up 51.6 Yahoo points on 24/13/8 shooting. That's him being All-NBA level, which he is. He went 8-10 from the line and picked up the rebounds when it mattered. The thing is, he shot 7-22 from the field, which tells you everything about how physical this game got. He was still +2.4 from his season average despite the rough looks, which means the free throw volume saved his line.
For fantasy purposes, Tatum's your guy. You can't predict the L's sometimes. What you can predict is that he's going to keep putting up 50+ Yahoo points. That's cash.
The real problem? The Celtics offense got stagnant without enough playmaking, and that's where this game gets interesting for your league.
Payton Pritchard Just Became Your Waiver Wire Target
Listen, I'm not even mad about the loss because Payton Pritchard just showed up with 33.6 Yahoo points on 10-20 shooting with three threes. That's +6.1 from his season average. The Sixth Man of the Year isn't getting this kind of run in Boston by accident, and last night showed why. He played 35 minutes, which is huge. If he continues to see that much volume off the bench, he's a league winner in 12-team formats.
Most of your leaguemates probably slept on him. If he's under 20% owned, grab him now before everyone catches up. The Celtics clearly wanted him in rhythm last night, and it showed.
Josh Hart Just Had a CAREER Night
Josh Hart exploded for 31.7 Yahoo points with 26 points and five threes on 10-15 shooting. That's +14.1 from his season average. This is the kind of game that gets league group chats heated because nobody predicted it. He was only getting 11.9 PPG before last night, and now he just showed he can go nuclear.
Here's the thing though, don't panic buy him. Hart's a role player who had the perfect game. He hit everything, played 34 minutes, and the Knicks didn't need him to do anything else. That's not sustainable. But if your league has any hope, someone's about to overpay for him on the trade market. Sell high if you own him and someone bites.
Baylor Scheierman Is a Real Sleeper Now
Baylor Scheierman dropping 24.8 Yahoo points with 20 points on 7-8 shooting and six threes is genuinely worth paying attention to. That's +15.0 from his 5.0 PPG season average. He played 30 minutes. The kid went off.
This is a depth guy who just proved he can hurt you if the Celtics keep feeding him. I'm not saying grab him everywhere, but in deeper leagues where you need shooters, he's worth a lottery ticket. One game doesn't make a season, but if he gets consistent run, that shooting percentage is elite-level.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson Held It Together
Karl-Anthony Towns put up 41.4 Yahoo points despite being -4.1 from his season average. 16/12/4 with solid efficiency kept the Knicks in it. That's the All-NBA caliber play where he doesn't go off but he's still getting you 40+ Yahoo points. He's locked in your lineup every single night.
Jalen Brunson was -1.0 from his average but still posted 40.2 Yahoo points with 25 points and 10 assists. The playmaking was there even if the rebounds didn't come. That's All-NBA Second Team stuff. Keep rolling with him.
OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges Didn't Have It
OG Anunoby went 4-10 and the fantasy world noticed. 24.3 Yahoo points with 13 points is -4.0 from his average. Not terrible, but not what you draft him for. Same story with Mikal Bridges at 21.4 Yahoo points with only 10 points. Both underperformed, but neither flopped hard enough to panic. Sometimes great players have off nights.
The Real Takeaway
The Celtics lost, which stings as a Boston guy. But fantasy-wise, you got a roadmap. Pritchard is your waiver move, Hart is your sell-high target, and Scheierman is your lottery ticket in deeper formats. The stars still showed up, which means this was just a bad Celtics night, not a Bad Tatum or Bad Brunson night.
Keep your studs. Take your shots on the role guys who just proved they can produce. And if someone wants to trade you for Hart after this performance, absolutely take it.