The NBA (per usual) brought the drama! Luka Dončić’s first game in Lakers colors had fans buzzing while standout performances from DeMar DeRozan, Anthony Edwards and Steph Curry lit up the scoreboard. But it wasn’t all highlights — key injuries to a couple of players could shake up fantasy lineups, so let’s unpack the main storylines from last night in the Association.

Luka Dončić’s Lakers debut

 Wearing purple and gold for the first time, Dončić played 23 minutes, finishing with 14 points (5-for-14 FG), 5 rebounds, 4 assists and a lone turnover. The Jazz were blown out in considerable fashion, losing 132-113.

Fantasy Takeaway

Dončić was rusty, shooting just 1-for-7 on 3s, but he did have a handful of signature lobs and impressive passes, giving a glimpse of how good he and LeBron can be. Dončić had a minutes cap of 30 minutes, but he didn’t play the entire fourth quarter with the game out of reach. It’ll be a cheat code for JJ Redick to be able to stagger LeBron and Luka’s minutes, leaving an elite scoring facilitator on the court at all times.

Still, we can expect they’ll play plenty together, so they’ll both be able to generate a high volume of counting stats. Austin Reaves had another exceptional game, and with so much attention going to LeBron and Luka, Reaves will continue to thrive as a third-scoring option for the Lakers. Also, Jaxson Hayes is about to become the new Daniel Gafford.

Deandre Ayton leaves early with injury

The Blazers were dealt a significant blow when center Deandre Ayton left the game against the Nuggets with what appeared to be a non-contact injury. He had to be helped to the locker room and the Mavs ruled him out for the remainder of the game. Ayton’s night ended after 19 minutes, scoring 10 points (5-9 FG) with one block.

Fantasy Takeaway

Like my man D-Mac said, pick up Donovon Clingan expeditiously. In relief of Ayton, Clingan put up a career-high 21 points (8-8 FG, 1-1 3PT, 4-4 FT) with 7 rebounds and a block. Granted, this was another blowout, but with no clear timeline or update on the severity of Ayton’s injury, Clingan will get a sizeable minutes boost for the Blazers. Robert Williams III receives his fair share of rest days, too, so if you need a big man, Clingan is a good bet for rebounds and blocks while shooting a high percentage from the field.

The Warriors are cookin’

The Warriors defeated the Bucks (without Giannis Antetekoumpo) 125-111, thanks to Stephen Curry’s fourth consecutive 30+ point night. Jimmy Butler continued to be just as impactful, scoring 20 points with 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals and just 1 turnover in 31 minutes.

Fantasy Takeaway

Butler has been uber-aggressive since joining the Warriors, going 23-28 from the line in his past two games. He’s bringing it on both ends, and his presence has helped Curry operate with more space and role players like Brandin Podziemski (10 points, 9 boards) and Buddy Hield (16 points, 7 rebounds) produce. Butler’s playmaking and defense have ignited the Warriors, and a move to the Bay looks like a positive development for Butler’s fantasy value and that of the Warriors as well.

The Kings win in an OT thriller against Mavericks

The Sacramento Kings came out victorious in a 129-128 win over the Dallas Mavericks, with DeMar DeRozan hitting a game-winner at the buzzer in overtime. With De’Aaron Fox gone, DeRozan looked comfortable taking over in the clutch, scoring 19 points in the fourth quarter and OT. DeRozan finished with a season-high 42 points, while Kyrie Irving led the way for the Mavericks, scoring 30 points with 9 boards, 7 assists and 3 steals.

Fantasy Takeaway

Zach LaVine is starting to integrate well with his new team, averaging 18 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists across four contests. Still, barring an injury, it’ll be tough for LaVine to replicate the output we saw from his days in Chicago.

The biggest takeaway from this game was Daniel Gafford leaving the game with a knee injury. It didn’t look good and he needed to be helped off the court and was immediately ruled out for the contest. Mavs HC Jason Kidd didn’t speak with the media post-game, and with so much investment in Dallas’ frontcourt, they can ill-afford another injury. Two players who will become even more vital are Max Christie and Naji Marshall. If neither is available, Olivier-Maxence Prosper played 33 minutes and will be in the rotation should Gafford miss games.

Other Noteworthy Performances

• Victor Wembanyama became the first player in NBA history to amass at least 31 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks and 5 3s in a single game. He finished with 69 fantasy points. De’Aaron Fox also scored 30 points in a decisive win over the Washington Wizards.
• The Magic continued their struggle to win ball games, but Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero did their best to help fantasy managers by scoring 53.9 and 43.2 fantasy points, respectively.
• Jayson Tatum scored 48.6 fantasy points in a dominant win over the Heat.