Andrew Nembhard dishes out seven assists vs. Bucks

The offseason changes in Minnesota may not have pushed Dosunmu into the starting lineup, but he still has a more prominent role than he did in the immediate aftermath of his move there at the February trade deadline. He had the third-most shots against the Heat, and Ayo also posted solid numbers in rebounds and assists. With Naz Reid no longer in the fold, the Timberwolves will need bench scoring, and Dosunmu is best equipped to step up.

Gobert took just two field-goal attempts on Wednesday, and his fantasy value came from his rebounding. One would hope the 7-footer gets more lob opportunities as the season progresses, since one of Gobert’s fantasy selling points is his high field-goal percentage. That wasn’t the case against the Heat, but that can be a challenging matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo on the other side. Gobert will look to be more involved offensively in Friday’s game against the Magic.

In 62 games last year, Williamson was just 1-of-4 from behind the three-point line. He made two three-pointers Wednesday, giving him more than he had all of last season. With the Pelicans trailing by three and the shot clock off at the end of the fourth quarter, Williamson corralled a rebound and proceeded to attempt another three-pointer in hopes of tying the game. Unfortunately, after getting a defender to leave his feet with a pump fake, Williamson shot an air ball. Still, the fact that he’s taking more three-pointers and even making some will likely prove to be a boon to his fantasy value this season.

After agreeing to a two-year deal with the Timberwolves in late August, Kuminga started on Wednesday. He wasn’t a reliable fantasy option with the Warriors or Hawks, but that may change in Minnesota. Kuminga took 10 shots against the Heat and recorded a complete stat line in 30 minutes. Given the role, he’s worth a look in 12-team leagues if on the waiver wire.

While Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball will take the most shots most nights, McDaniels should benefit from Julius Randle and Naz Reid’s departures. He took 11 shots, the third most among Timberwolves starters on Wednesday, and the 6-foot-9 forward was highly efficient. Add in the rebounds and steals, and this was a good night for those rostering McDaniels.

Siakam had a career-high 24 points per game last year, which was understandable with Tyrese Haliburton on the shelf with a torn Achilles. Siakam leading the Pacers with 30 points in Haliburton’s first game back is bullish for his fantasy value. Haliburton’s return just opened up the floor even more for Siakam, who took 23 attempts from the field. If this continues, Siakam could set a new career-high scoring average this year.

Ball looked comfortable with his new team, pairing with Anthony Edwards to hit 14-of-30 from the arc. Just as big for fantasy managers, especially those in category leagues, was Ball’s single turnover in 28 minutes. Expecting him to do that consistently would be greedy, but Minnesota’s lineup should keep Ball from feeling like he has to do too much offensively. Which would be great for his fantasy outlook.

Haliburton was overcome with emotion in the postgame interview after he had 23 points and the Pacers won the first game he’s played since he suffered a torn Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. It was certainly a meaningful milestone for the 26-year-old point guard, who was also diagnosed with shingles while recovering from his torn Achilles. Haliburton was sharp in the preseason and in the regular season opener he looked ready to deliver first-round fantasy value once again.

Despite all the attention on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s official Heat debut, Edwards stole the show on Wednesday. The Timberwolves’ star guard scored at least nine points in each quarter, including 15 in the third. Edwards and LaMelo Ball became the first Timberwolves tandem to hit at least five three-pointers in the same season opener. Also, he’s the first player in franchise history to score 30 or more in consecutive openers. This was a great start for Edwards and those who have him rostered.

Keyonte George continued right where he left off last season and continued to get buckets. He will need to do more than score if he’s going to help lead the Jazz to the playoffs. He will likely continue to put up numbers throughout the year.