Young Scorers Shine as Cooper Flagg Reaches Historic Milestone; Bub Carrington Becomes Low-Roster Fantasy Target
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Nearly two months into the 2025-26 NBA season, several marquee performances are reshaping both the league’s narrative and fantasy-basketball strategies.
Nikola Jokić Moves Closer to Oscar Robertson
On Monday, Denver center Nikola Jokić piled up 39 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in an overtime victory against Houston, recording his 12th triple-double of the season and 176th of his career. He now sits five shy of Oscar Robertson for second place on the all-time list.
Alperen Şengün Matches the Moment
Rockets big man Alperen Şengün answered with a 33-point triple-double, but Houston fell to 1-6 in clutch games, underscoring the club’s late-game struggles.
Cade Cunningham Continues Hot Streak
Detroit guard Cade Cunningham delivered 32 points and 10 assists against Boston, rallying the Pistons once again.
Cooper Flagg Becomes Youngest 40-Point Scorer
Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg, who turns 19 on Dec. 21, erupted for 42 points in a loss to Utah, passing LeBron James and Kobe Bryant to become the youngest player ever to reach the 40-point plateau. Twenty-one of those points came in isolation—the highest single-game isolation total by a rookie since tracking began in 2013-14. Flagg went 15-for-20 at the line and is averaging 24.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.3 steals on 53.7% shooting over his last eight outings. His 479 career points before age 19 trail only James and Bryant.
Keyonte George Thrives at the Stripe
Utah guard Keyonte George ranks seventh in free-throw attempts, sitting behind only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, James Harden, Austin Reaves, Devin Booker and Jaylen Brown. Over his past 13 games the third-year pro is averaging 25.5 points, 6.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 2.9 three-pointers and nearly 1.0 steal while converting 89.1% of 7.1 free-throw attempts per contest. He has reached 30 points six times this season—matching his total from his first two years combined—and recently delivered back-to-back performances of 39 and 37 points, the latter coming against Dallas.
Paul George Logs Heavy Minutes Again
Paul George has played at least 30 minutes in four consecutive games for the first time this season. The Philadelphia wing posted a season-high 35 points and seven threes Sunday versus Atlanta and is averaging 20.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists on 46.5% shooting (54.8% from deep) during this stretch while remaining perfect at the foul line.
Russell Westbrook Sparks Kings Despite Team Woes
Sacramento, ranked 29th in offensive rating and 27th in defensive rating, is weighing trade options ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline, yet Russell Westbrook has emerged as a bright spot. Over his last 10 games the veteran guard is producing 13.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 1.9 steals in 29.7 minutes, ranking fifth on ESPN’s Player Rater for the past week. Efficiency remains an issue (43.1% shooting, 3.5 turnovers), but the all-around numbers give him top-40 fantasy potential.
Bub Carrington Turns Bench Assignment into Opportunity
Washington rookie Bub Carrington has flourished since moving to a reserve point-guard role in December, averaging 38.3 fantasy points over his last three games. With the Wizards holding the league’s worst record and potentially shifting minutes toward younger talent, Carrington’s 11.3% roster rate in ESPN leagues suggests a low-risk stash ahead of Thursday’s road matchup with San Antonio.
As the season approaches its third month, emerging stars and resurgent veterans alike are offering fantasy managers fresh avenues for value.
Source: ESPN
