Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Scores 42 Against Cleveland Again, the Knicks Pour In 84 in a Half and Jonathan Kuminga Closes Out Houston: Wednesday NBA Fantasy Notes

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 42 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 124-116 on Wednesday night, completing a sweep of a two-game set against Cleveland in three days and giving him back-to-back 40-point games against the Cavaliers. Elsewhere, the New York Knicks scored 84 first-half points in a 135-105 rout of Chicago, and Jonathan Kuminga powered a fourth-quarter surge as Minnesota won in Houston without Anthony Edwards. Here is what fantasy managers need from Wednesday's slate.

The night's top fantasy lines

Thunder 124, Cavaliers 116: SGA keeps the Thunder afloat

Two nights after beating the Cavaliers 117-112 in Cleveland, Oklahoma City did it again at home. Gilgeous-Alexander's 42 points came with eight assists and an elite 15 of 19 at the free-throw line, the kind of foul-drawing volume that keeps his floor sky-high in every category format. With Chet Holmgren out 8 to 10 weeks with a patellar tendon tear, the Thunder (6-2) are leaning on their superstar even more heavily, and his usage is likely to stay at a career-high level until Holmgren returns.

Ajay Mitchell is the other fantasy takeaway. His 23 points underline that he has moved from an interesting bench piece to a legitimate scoring option in the Holmgren-less rotation. If he is still on your waiver wire in a 12-team league, add him. He is a points and assists contributor with steals upside.

For Cleveland (4-4), Donovan Mitchell scored 27 and hit three straight 3-pointers to cut a 13-point deficit to six with under a minute left, but the rally fell short. Mitchell remains a first-round fantasy value; the Cavaliers' .500 start is a team concern, not a fantasy one.

Knicks 135, Bulls 105: an 84-point half

The Knicks scored 84 points in the first half, tying a franchise record set on Nov. 18, 1988, against the 76ers, and led by as many as 44. Brunson needed only 28 minutes for 33 points on 10 of 17 shooting, and New York got back to .500.

The fantasy note is minutes. Blowouts cap Brunson's playing time, which is a concern for managers in head-to-head categories leagues who need volume. Josh Hart sat out with right ankle soreness, which opened up rebounds and minutes for the second unit. If Hart misses more time, the Knicks' wing depth gets a short-term bump in deeper leagues.

Chicago has now lost six straight. Bulls players with heavy minutes stay in lineups for volume, but the team's struggles raise the risk of rotation changes as the losses pile up.

Timberwolves 117, Rockets 107: Kuminga and Dosunmu step up without Edwards

Minnesota won in Houston without Anthony Edwards, who is expected to miss up to two months after an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee. Ayo Dosunmu led the Wolves with 21 points, and Kuminga added 16 points and eight rebounds while leading a fourth-quarter surge. Jaden McDaniels chipped in 14 points and eight rebounds. Terrence Shannon Jr. missed his second straight game with a bruised hip.

With Edwards out, Dosunmu and Kuminga are the two Wolves to roster in standard leagues. Dosunmu is a points and assists play, and Kuminga provides scoring and rebounding with some defensive stats. Both should hold value through December.

For Houston, Sengun posted a triple-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists and three blocks in 39 minutes in the loss. He remains a top-tier fantasy center, and the Rockets' frontcourt absences (Steven Adams has a soleus strain that could cost him a week or two, and Clint Capela was out with an ankle sprain) mean Sengun's minutes and rebounding should stay elevated. Kevin Durant scored 21 and Fred VanVleet added 18.

Celtics 109, Bucks 102: Paul George and Derrick White carry Boston

With Jayson Tatum resting, Boston leaned on Paul George, who scored 25 with five 3-pointers, and Derrick White, who added 24 points and seven assists. George's role in Boston's offense makes him a reliable mid-round value, especially in 3-point-heavy category leagues. White's line is a reminder that his value spikes when Tatum sits.

Milwaukee dropped to 1-7. Tyler Herro scored 25 and continues to be a strong points and assists play in a high-usage role, but the Bucks' struggles under new coach Taylor Jenkins make the rest of the roster hard to trust.

Elsewhere

The 76ers beat the Pistons, the Nets rallied past the Hornets and the Pacers beat the Grizzlies. In Utah, the Jazz played without Jaren Jackson Jr., who is out with a right MCL tear, and Jusuf Nurkic, who is out with a right plantar tear.

What to do in your league

Add Ajay Mitchell if he is available. Hold Dosunmu and Kuminga through Edwards' absence. Keep Sengun locked in as a top-tier big while Houston's frontcourt is depleted. Be cautious with Knicks starters in blowout-prone matchups, and keep an eye on Josh Hart's ankle. For tonight's slate and the model's view, see /nba/predictions and the daily picks pages at /blog/nba-picks-2026-11-05 once posted.