De'Anthony Melton returned to action for the first time in over a year on Thursday, logging 21 minutes in a loss to the 76ers after recovering from a torn ACL. The guard wasted little time making an impact, registering 14 points (5-of-11 FG, 4-4 FT), three assists, two steals, and one block.
Fantasy Impact: Golden State is currently navigating significant roster issues, with Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler out and Draymond Green battling a foot injury. This depletion creates a clear lane for Melton to contribute on both ends of the floor. While the upcoming back-to-back schedule poses a risk for a player just returning from a major injury, his multi-category production makes him an intriguing addition for deep-league managers.
With Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler unavailable, Pat Spencer has emerged as a viable deep-league streaming option, a status he reinforced with a strong performance in Thursday's loss to the 76ers. The two-way guard finished with 16 points on efficient 5-of-8 shooting, adding four rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two three-pointers.
Fantasy Impact: Spencer nearly played the hero for Golden State, knocking down a go-ahead triple with 1:12 remaining to give his team a four-point cushion before Philadelphia closed the game on a 5-0 run. This effort comes on the heels of a career-high scoring performance against the Thunder on Tuesday, suggesting he could continue to hold value for the final two games of the Warriors' road trip.
