ATL 107, NYK 106: ATL Escapes, McCollum Posts 58 ESPN FP
Destiny Williams
Math Teacher & Basketball Coach ยท Atlanta Hawks fan
Hawks Steal One: CJ McCollum Goes Nuclear in Clutch W
One point. That's all Atlanta needed. One point separated the Hawks from walking out of Madison Square Garden empty-handed, and CJ McCollum made sure his team left with the dub.
Look, I'm not gonna pretend I'm not hyped my Hawks pulled this off. That's a statement win in a building that's been tough for us all year. But from a fantasy standpoint, this game was a masterclass in why you can't just look at stat lines. This was a 107-106 thriller that came down to execution, and the fantasy winners and losers tell you exactly why Atlanta closed it out.
Top Performers
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CJ McCollum | 58.0 | 51.6 | 32/3/6 | 18.7/3.3/3.9 | +13.3 |
| Josh Hart | 40.0 | 41.6 | 15/13/6 | 12.0/7.4/4.8 | +3.0 |
| Jalen Brunson | 35.0 | 38.9 | 29/2/7 | 26.0/3.3/6.8 | +3.0 |
| OG Anunoby | 33.0 | 34.6 | 14/8/2 | 16.7/5.2/2.2 | -2.7 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 38.0 | 33.6 | 18/8/2 | 20.1/11.9/3.0 | -2.1 |
| Jonathan Kuminga | 36.0 | 33.3 | 19/4/1 | 12.2/5.6/2.3 | +6.8 |
| Jalen Johnson | 29.0 | 31.1 | 17/8/3 | 22.5/10.3/7.9 | -5.5 |
| Nickeil Alexander-Walker | 30.0 | 31.0 | 9/5/6 | 20.8/3.4/3.7 | -11.8 |
| Mitchell Robinson | 31.0 | 26.4 | 13/7/0 | 5.7/8.8/0.9 | +7.3 |
| Onyeka Okongwu | 27.0 | 25.1 | 15/8/1 | 15.2/7.6/3.1 | -0.2 |
CJ McCollum Was Absolutely Different Tonight
CJ dropped 51.6 Yahoo FP on efficient basketball. 12-22 from the field, 5-7 from free throw, and those six assists in 35 minutes showed he wasn't just chucking. He was +13.3 points vs season average on 32 points.
This is what happens when your best player just decides to will you to a W. CJ hasn't been a top-tier fantasy contributor all season (18.7 PPG is solid but not spectacular for your lead ball handler), so this explosion matters contextually. In a one-point game, that's the difference. For fantasy, this is the version of CJ you're betting on when you draft him: clutch, efficient, closing games. Not every night looks like this, but when it does, it's 50+ Yahoo FP territory.
If you grabbed him in the offseason hoping for breakout potential, tonight validated that bet. Don't get cute and sell low after one great game, but also don't expect this 58 ESPN/51.6 Yahoo line every time out.
Jonathan Kuminga Is Becoming a Real Closer
Kuminga put up 19 points on 7-12 shooting in 34 minutes. +6.8 vs his season average of 12.2 PPG. Here's the thing: he's been improving as the season goes on, and in crunch time, CJ trusts him. That's real.
He's 33.3 Yahoo FP is respectable but not earth-shattering on its own. But look at the efficiency (58% FG) and the fact that he's carving out minutes in closing situations. For a guy averaging 12.2 PPG, that's upside worth monitoring. In deeper leagues, Kuminga is a hold. He's not your fantasy savior, but he's a solid complimentary piece when he's getting used down the stretch.
The Nickeil Alexander-Walker Collapse Is Real
I gotta be straight with you: NAW is getting added and dropped this week, and I get it. He put up 31 Yahoo FP (9 points on 3-12 shooting, 5 boards, 6 dimes, 3 steals), but that -11.8 from his season average of 20.8 PPG tells the story. He was out there for 38 minutes and couldn't find his shot at all.
Historically he's been a volume scorer (20.8 PPG this season), so a night where he only gets nine feels like a bust even if the assists and steals look decent. He's currently at 82% ownership and getting dropped after this game. Don't panic sell if you own him, but definitely don't reach to grab him back. This was just a bad shooting night in a tight contest. He'll bounce back.
Mitchell Robinson Made His Minutes Count
Mitchell Robinson only played 18 minutes but went 6-6 from the field with 13 points, 7 boards, and a block. That's +7.3 vs his measly 5.7 PPG season average. He hit 26.4 Yahoo FP in limited time, which tells you the Knicks were hunting him when he was available.
This is a cautionary tale: limited minutes can still produce fantasy value if efficiency is there. But don't go chasing this. Robinson is still a part-time player, and getting 18 minutes of playing time isn't a pattern we can bank on. His season average is what it is for a reason.
Josh Hart Did His Thing
Hart put up 41.6 Yahoo FP with 15/13/6 on solid shooting (5-11 FG, 4-6 FT). That's exactly what you expect from him: grinding rebounder, secondary playmaker, gets his buckets in rhythm. +3.0 vs season average means he was right in his wheelhouse.
He's a glue guy who's owned in 85%+ of leagues and for good reason. Not flashy, but reliable. Tonight was a perfect Hart line, nothing more, nothing less.
Jalen Brunson Did Brunson Things
Brunson went 29 points, 7 assists, 2 boards, but on 10-26 shooting. He got you 38.9 Yahoo FP and he was only +3.0 vs season average. That tells you something important: he had a mediocre night and still put up solid fantasy numbers because of volume and free throw rate. He took 26 shots and still only hit 10. In a one-point game where every possession mattered, that inefficiency hurt New York.
As a fantasy asset, Brunson is elite (26 PPG season average), but efficiency matters. Tonight he ate shots and got bailed out by hitting enough of them late. Don't overreact to one off-shooting game from an All-NBA Second Team guy, but do note that when CJ and Kuminga are clicking, there's less room for Brunson to operate.
Bottom Line
Atlanta's clutch execution beat New York's star power, and from fantasy you can see it in the table. CJ went supernova, Kuminga showed up, and NAW couldn't find rhythm. New York's stars (Brunson 38.9 FP, Hart 41.6 FP, KAT 33.6 FP) put up numbers but it wasn't enough.
In playoff-push stretches like this, efficiency and clutch performers separate winning lineups from losing ones. CJ reminded everyone why he's a franchise closer. Kuminga proved he belongs in closing lineups. And NAW got his wake-up call.