Jalen Brunson vs Kevin Durant: who to start in Week 3
Jalen Brunson plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Kevin Durant 3. For that week alone, start Kevin Durant: 120.5 projected fantasy points to 120.2 for Jalen Brunson. Over the season, Kevin Durant leads in both formats: 40.2 fantasy points a game to 40.1, and 17th against 64th in 9-cat. The two go close together on our board, which is our own ranking order from 2025-26 and 2026-27 box scores, not ADP.
Updated Nov 3, 12:36 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #26
- 40.1 FP/G, slot 3.02, $26
- 9-cat leagues
- #64
- -0.2 z, slot 6.04, $14
- Points leagues
- #25
- 40.2 FP/G, slot 3.01, $26
- 9-cat leagues
- #17
- +2.8 z, slot 2.05, $32
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Kevin Durant. 40.2 fantasy points per game against 40.1, 25th on our board to 26th.
9-cat leagues: Kevin Durant again, +2.8 in summed z-scores against -0.2 (17th to 64th).
Category by category, Jalen Brunson is ahead in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and TO) and Kevin Durant in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, Jalen Brunson produces more: 41.2 fantasy points to 40.7, on 35.0 minutes a night against 35.6. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Jalen Brunson plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Kevin Durant 3. For that week alone, start Kevin Durant: 120.5 projected fantasy points to 120.2 for Jalen Brunson.
Slots are where our board's order lands in a 12-team snake draft (round.pick), and dollars are auction value over replacement for 12 teams with $200 each. Neither is ADP: no free draft-position feed lets us republish it.
Per game, side by side
| Per game | Jalen Brunson | Kevin Durant |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 40.1 | 40.2 |
| Minutes | 35.0 | 35.6 |
| PointsPTS | 25.9 | 24.7 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.2 | 5.5 |
| AssistsAST | 6.3 | 4.3 |
| StealsSTL | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.2 | 1.2 |
| Threes3PM | 2.5 | 2.1 |
| Field goal %FG% | 44.5% | 51.8% |
| Free throw %FT% | 81.1% | 86.2% |
| TurnoversTO | 2.3 | 3.1 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 74 | 78 |
Bold is the better number. The line blends 2025-26 with 2026-27 games as they are played, the same numbers the rankings use.
Per 36 minutes
| Per 36 | Jalen Brunson | Kevin Durant |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 41.2 | 40.7 |
| Points | 26.6 | 25.0 |
| Rebounds | 3.3 | 5.6 |
| Assists | 6.5 | 4.3 |
| Steals | 0.9 | 0.7 |
| Blocks | 0.2 | 1.2 |
| Threes | 2.6 | 2.2 |
| Turnovers | 2.4 | 3.1 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Jalen Brunson | Kevin Durant |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +1.7 | +1.5 |
| ReboundsREB | -1.1 | -0.1 |
| AssistsAST | +1.3 | +0.2 |
| StealsSTL | -0.6 | -1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.9 | +1.0 |
| Threes3PM | +0.8 | +0.5 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -1.2 | +0.9 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.2 | +1.3 |
| TurnoversTO | -0.4 | -1.4 |
| Total | -0.2 | +2.8 |
Each number is standard deviations above or below the top 156 players (a 12-team league's rosters). Field goal and free throw percentage are weighted by attempts, and turnovers count against.
If you punt a category
No punt changes the answer: Kevin Durant stays ahead whichever category you give up.
| Punt | Jalen Brunson | Kevin Durant |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -2.0 (#168) | +1.3 (#25) |
| REB | +0.8 (#35) | +2.9 (#15) |
| AST | -1.7 (#139) | +2.5 (#18) |
| STL | +0.3 (#53) | +3.7 (#11) |
| BLK | +0.7 (#41) | +1.8 (#26) |
| 3PM | -1.3 (#108) | +2.1 (#22) |
| FG% | +0.8 (#45) | +1.9 (#32) |
| FT% | -0.7 (#79) | +1.3 (#36) |
| TO | +0.3 (#58) | +4.1 (#15) |
Value is the sum of the other eight z-scores, recomputed with the punted category left out of the pool that sets them; the rank is among all 432 ranked players.
Week 3 (Nov 2-8)
- Jalen Brunson: 3 games (Mon BKN, Wed CHI, Sat @CLE).
- Kevin Durant: 3 games (Mon BOS, Wed MIN, Sat @PHX).
Recent games
- Jalen Brunson: 37.6 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 40.1 on the board.
- Kevin Durant: 35.7 fantasy points a game over his last 8 of 2026-27, against 40.2 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Jalen Brunson playing tonight? · Is Kevin Durant playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Jalen Brunson, Kevin Durant
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Jalen Brunson or Kevin Durant?
Points leagues: Kevin Durant. 40.2 fantasy points per game against 40.1, 25th on our board to 26th. 9-cat leagues: Kevin Durant again, +2.8 in summed z-scores against -0.2 (17th to 64th).
Who wins more categories, Jalen Brunson or Kevin Durant?
Category by category, Jalen Brunson is ahead in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and TO) and Kevin Durant in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 3, Jalen Brunson or Kevin Durant?
Jalen Brunson plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Kevin Durant 3. For that week alone, start Kevin Durant: 120.5 projected fantasy points to 120.2 for Jalen Brunson.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 12:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number