The second evening of the 2026-27 NBA season gave us an 11-game slate, 22 groups and a complete lot of basketball on a Wednesday evening. Listed below are the 5 fantasy takeaways from evening 2 of opening week within the Affiliation:
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Finest performances: Anthony Edwards and Ty Jerome
Edwards placed on a present in his season opener, lighting up Miami for 45 factors on 16-of-29 taking pictures with 9 3s in 33 minutes. He added 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block for 66.5 fantasy factors, probably the most on the slate. Ant-Man was in assault mode all evening. He scored 23 of his 45 factors unassisted and he completed the competition with an absurd 40.2% utilization price. That's the quantity I used to be betting on e and end top-12 in 9-cat codecs.
Jerome was the evening's shock star. He went nuclear, posting 64.4 fantasy factors after s on an uber-efficient 17-of-25 taking pictures in z. The shot-making was unbelievable — hitting from all three ranges and placing on a clinic of powerful >. He added 7 boards and 6 assists, 5 3s and a block in 32 minutes. Fourteen of his 17 area targets had been self-created, showcasing how dynamic he was as the first scorer for the Grizz. Congrats in the event you landed Jerome at his wildly low ADP after choose 100 on Yahoo. If he can keep wholesome, we could possibly be trying on the worth of the season.
Welcome again, Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard
Haliburton scored 23 factors on 8-of-15 taking pictures and went 5-of-5 on the line, with 12 assists, a steal and three turnovers in 34 minutes. That's 43.4 fantasy factors in a s. He was the engine of the offense, with 7 of his 8 made baskets unassisted, and his 12 assists led to 26 factors for Indy.
He was clutch too, making two driving floaters within the last 2 minutes to assist seal the win. Pascal Siakam (30 factors) and Ivica Zubac (16 factors, 15 rebounds, 2 blocks) each delivered, whereas Obi Toppin scored 20 off the bench with 4 3s. That is the model of Haliburton we wished to see. He seemed each bit value a late-first, early-second-round choose.
Lillard led the Blazers' rout of the Suns with 25 factors on 7-of-12 taking pictures, 6-of-10 from past the arc, plus 6 assists, 3 rebounds and a steal in simply 23 minutes. The blowout stored his minutes down, however his effectivity and playmaking had been on level. Like many, I doubted how Dame and Ja Morant would match collectively. On Wednesday evening, it seemed seamless. With so many ball-handlers and creators on the ground, Portland always pressured the Suns' protection in and out. They dominated the paint and hit 19 3s at a 40% clip. Jrue Vacation would be the odd man out, however Lillard's position seems safe and he’s poised to place up the numbers we're used to seeing earlier than his Achilles damage.
Walker Kessler was excellent in his Lakers debut
The prized free-agent middle proved his value in his first evening as a Laker towards a brilliant mild Golden State frontcourt. Kessler went 12-of-12 from the sphere for 26 factors, 9 rebounds and a couple of blocks in 29 minutes in a s. These had been the simplest seems Kessler's obtained, with 8 of his 12 baskets coming from both Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves within the paint.
The Warriors seemed terrible, however the best way Kessler migrated and hovered across the paint has me pondering he may push for the league's highest FG% this season. It could possibly be an overreaction, but when Shaq believes he's the most effective true large man within the sport, I'm taking some inventory in that (he not often says something complimentary about any large man, even Dwight Howard). The Lakers paid Kessler to be that man to carry down the paint and he greater than checked the field in his debut.
Dončić (28 factors on 7-of-18, 5-of-12 from 3, 9-of-9 on the line, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and three steals) and Reaves (23 factors, 6 assists, 10-of-10 on the line) did the remaining. The loudest a part of Luka's sport was chirping at Yaxel Lendeborg all sport. Golden State by no means received going. Stephen Curry scored 23 in 21 minutes on 7-of-15 taking pictures, however the remainder of the Dubs seemed mediocre. The Warriors face an extended season. Fantasy managers higher hope Curry can final.
Worst efficiency: the Phoenix Suns
Portland jumped out to a 21-0 lead within the opening body and didn't look again; the Suns didn't rating till 5:54 left within the quarter, and three, trailing by as many as 52. The Suns shot 36% and went 6-of-31 from 3. Devin Booker was the lone vivid spot (if we even need to name it that), scoring 34.8 fantasy factors. He went for 23 factors, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, with a steal and block in 29 minutes. All seven of his area targets had been unassisted and he completed -43. That's a priority: no person was setting him up. Dillon Brooks (10 factors on 4-of-11), Miles Bridges (8 factors on 3-of-11, 0-of-5 from 3) and Jalen Inexperienced (10 factors on 4-of-12) all shot poorly, and Collin Gillespie went 0-of-8 from 3. Blowout minutes make everybody's line look worse than it’s. However this crew struggled to attain towards a Portland group led by Lillard and Morant, large yikes.
Honorable mentions: Two rookies had debuts to neglect. Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson completed -45, tied for the second-worst in >. Sixteen factors on 7-of-21 taking pictures with 9 turnovers is a line you anticipate to see in Summer season League, not an NBA sport.
Kings rookie Darius Acuff Jr. shot 5-of-24 (20.8%) and 0-of-7 from 3, the second-lowest area purpose share in a rookie debut in NBA historical past amongst gamers with at the very least 20 makes an attempt, in line with Underdog NBA. Solely Sidney Wicks (18.5% in 1971) was worse. He did add three steals and three assists for 25.1 fantasy factors. Not all hope is misplaced; they'll be wonderful — most likely simply nerves from their respective debuts.
Late-round bigs make an influence: Missi, Diabaté and Hayes
Yves Missi had 13 factors, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and three blocks in half-hour in s. Missi scored 51.3 fantasy factors and he’s nonetheless obtainable within the majority of leagues. Shallow league managers, you realize what to do.
Like Missi, Moussa Diabaté's ADP was round 115 in Yahoo drafts, however he overdelivered in his season opener. Popping out to 17 factors, 8 boards and 5 steals, tallying 42.1 fantasy factors.
Jaxson Hayes got here out of nowhere, swatting 6 pictures in 26 minutes because the Jazz starter. With that sort of rim safety, he'll proceed to start out instead of the injured Jusuf Nurkić.
I feel Diabaté (33% rostered) is the most effective add of the group, adopted by Missi (31% rostered) and Hayes (3% rostered). The trio of facilities is rangy and athletic bigs who get shares. That's what you need out of your late-round gamers.
Fast hits
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Anthony Davis and Trae Younger (Wizards) each had double-doubles. Davis put up 34 factors and 12 rebounds in his debut (60.4 fantasy factors), and Trae had 20 factors and 13 assists for 44.5 fantasy factors.
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Darius Garland (Clippers) scored 30 factors on 11-of-19 taking pictures with 4 assists in 32 minutes, 37.2 fantasy factors in a o. He's the alpha of the Clips.
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Cooper Flagg scored 32 factors on 11-of-13 free throws with 4 turnovers: 49 fantasy factors.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 35 factors with 9-of-14 free throws and a 40% utilization price earlier than fouling out in half-hour, 43.7 fantasy factors. Seven of his 13 made baskets had been assisted.
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Julius Randle scored 33 factors with 7 assists for Brooklyn e: 52.1 fantasy factors.
