Keyonte George finished with a season-high 34 points, 8 assists and 2 steals (60 fantasy points) against the Lakers.
LeBron James made his season debut for the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday and immediately reminded fantasy managers that he still moves the needle. In 30 minutes, he produced 11 points (4-7 FG) and 12 assists with 1 steal (41 fantasy points in High Score), showcasing a shift toward facilitator mode rather than the high-scoring engine of past seasons.
One-third of those assists — 4 out of 12 — found Deandre Ayton, highlighting a chemistry that elevates Ayton’s short- and long-term fantasy outlook. Ayton looked great thanks to a ton of easy looks near the rim. He finished with 20 points (10-13 FG), 14 boards and 2 stocks for 42 fantasy points.
After last night’s performance, I don’t want to overanalyze James taking just seven FG attempts. It felt like a combination of LBJ finding his place within the offense and still doing him. However, I’d expect his scoring to dip this year with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves ready to absorb much of the scoring duties.
On the flip side, Reaves’ assist volume will likely decline from over eight per game with another playmaker of LeBron’s stature reentering the lineup. Dončić (37 points and 10 assists for 74 fantasy points) and Reaves (26 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist for 36 fantasy points) both still thrived with James back, suggesting the offense has enough oxygen for multiple producers. Usage patterns may vary game to game, but Bron looked rejuvenated and provided a spark to one of the best teams in the Western Conference.
Though the Lakers ended up victorious, 140-126, over the Jazz, the dynamic duo of Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen did their best to keep the game close for two quarters. George finished with a season-high 34 points with 8 assists and 2 steals (60 fantasy points), while Makkannen continued his offensive onslaught, scoring 31 points (46 fantasy points).
Orlando’s balanced approach too much for Golden State
The Orlando Magic impressed with a textbook example of team basketball in a 121‑113 win over Golden State. Six Magic players scored 13+ points, led by Desmond Bane (23 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals for 54 fantasy points) with Franz Wagner adding 18 and 8 rebounds (38 fantasy points) and Anthony Black coming through with 21 points off the bench. Wendell Carter Jr. (my High Score pick up of the week) anchored the frontcourt, scoring 40 fantasy points.
This well-distributed attack overwhelmed a Warriors team leaning heavily on Stephen Curry (34 points, 9 assists for 64 fantasy points) and Jimmy Butler III (33 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals for 57 fantasy points). Outside of those two, the Warriors offense stalled. Also, pay close attention to Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody, both of whom could be decent streaming options on Wednesday if Curry misses time after tweaking his ankle in Tuesday’s game.
Pistons push win streak to 11 behind young core
The Detroit Pistons continue to ride their youth movement with confidence, notching their 11th straight win behind a dominant performance from their new big three. Cade Cunningham was clinical (25 points, 10 assists for 57 fantasy points), Jalen Duren continued brutalizing the paint with 24 points in 29 minutes, and Daniss Jenkins continued his waiver-wire surge with an efficient 14 points and 7 assists. Jenkins has been one of the best short-term pickups over the past two weeks and should remain rostered while the hot streak lasts.
Tuesday’s High‑Score standouts
The night’s top fantasy outputs came from the usual suspects:
Luka Dončić: 74 fantasy points
Stephen Curry: 64 fantasy points
Jalen Johnson: 63 fantasy points
Tuesday’s top streamers
Vince Williams Jr. – SG/SF, Memphis Grizzlies (12% rostered) — Showed near triple-double upside with 14 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds in 30 minutes Tuesday. With Ja Morant out and wing depth thin, he should be rostered in most leagues that can stomach his poor FG%.
Collin Gillespie – PG, Phoenix Suns (18% rostered) — Scored 19 points with 6 assists, 4 3s and 1 steal in a win over Portland. I’d continue to hold while Jalen Green is sidelined.
Giannis’ injury fallout: Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis, you’re up
With Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined for one to two weeks due to a groin strain, the next men up in the rotation — Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis — stand to benefit. While their minutes and touches will increase, both remain matchup-dependent streamers rather than must-add assets. Kuzma’s been a shell of himself since coming to Milwaukee; however, in seven games without Giannis last season, Kuzma averaged 16.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. He also shot 48% from the field in those games.
Portis saw a similar jump in production with Giannis out last year. In 11 games without The Greek Freak, Portis put up a robust 18.1 points, 11.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. With Myles Turner and Ryan Rollins likely seeing the biggest opportunity, I don’t anticipate we’ll see Portis put up those kinds of numbers. Either way, they’re worth a stream and if they stink, drop them.
