The Bam Adebayo Game...

Bryson Akins and Henry Brown discuss THE GAME...you all know which one we are talking about Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

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SPEAKER_02 0:30

Welcome back to All Wizards Talk Podcasts on the All Sports Talk Network. I'm one of your co-hosts, Bress Nakins, Joan alongside, as always, by Henry Brown. And that that happened last night. We we all saw it.

SPEAKER_03 0:42

That really happened. I I I'm still dealing with it. I I I already posted a tech talk about this, I'm about to repeat myself a little bit. But I was I was at work, I was at my restaurant job, and um I hadn't watched any of the game. My TVs don't show Wizards games. I don't know why I wish they did. And I just I looked at my phone and I hadn't looked in hours, and I just saw that I knew Bim had 31 in the first or whatever it was, but then I saw he had like 70 something. I was like, what? And I just sat down, I watched him hit the last like four or six free throws, and I couldn't believe it. Like I just I didn't think you could have given me 150, 200 guesses. And I just when would I get to Bam out of bio? Like I I can't believe that. 36 for 43 from the biggest.

SPEAKER_02 1:21

There were like 50 other guys, I would think, that like even score more than 70 than him. Like it's like if you told me someone broke, you know, Kobe's place for second most points in a single game at 83. I would have thought, like, oh, did Luca go off last night? Did Wimby have a good game? Did did Shay finally unload the bag? Ant-Man, like who like who went off? Jalen Brown, even he's he's a good offensive talent. Like, there were so many other guys I would have thought of and been like, oh yeah, that I I could see that. Bam!

SPEAKER_03 1:53

I mean, this is this is gonna go down not just as a historic game, but an all-time like weird performance because I think I'm gonna recite some numbers. I don't know if they're right, but I think they are. I think he shot 20 for 43 from the field and seven for 22 from three. I think it was eight of twenty-two, which still isn't much better. I'm pretty sure it was seven. I like I just looked at that and I just ran through it. And I mean, he but they fouled him one million times. And it's funny, but did you see that? Did you see what was happening at the end of the game? Oh, I saw that.

SPEAKER_02 2:27

No, not that. The the fact that heat players were intentionally missing free throws just to get him the ball.

SPEAKER_03 2:34

Yeah, that was I've I I hadn't seen that before in one of these kind of games before. And the Wizards, they I feel like they were they were like not even trying to foul him towards the end, they just can't get out of their own way. Like that I think the last one when he already had like 79 or 81, these are just crazy numbers. Um, they fouled him one more time, and I just remember like seeing Bilal and Gil both put their hands on their head, they were like, Oh my god, we just did it again.

SPEAKER_02 2:55

Right, like it was just crazy kind of seeing the the kind of way that Bam got the 83. And of course, you can bring up the oh, it was an ethical, it was an unethical conversation. No matter what, 83 is impressive. We we have to admit that.

SPEAKER_03 3:12

Yeah, the last like few minutes got really weird, but I just went back and looked through all of his fouls. They were all real fouls. There were like no weird ticky tack. Like, he was really getting like he, I mean, it was it was he was smart enough to be the guy crashing into the wizard's defenders, but like they were hitting him, they couldn't hang. He was too physical and they just weren't disciplined enough.

SPEAKER_02 3:30

Oh, yeah. I mean, I'm not gonna lie. I mean, like I said, 83 is impressive, 36 of 43 at the line. He took the same amount of free throws as shot. That's kind of that's ugly to look at.

SPEAKER_03 3:42

It is really ugly. Yeah, yeah. I just good for him that he wasn't grifting, because at least that's that could be part of the legacy, it won't be as good as it would be from which it's funny because Kobe's 81 wasn't exactly pristine either. Um, but like people look at these games and they nitpick. Um, but I don't think you can say that he was manipulating anything. Like the wizards defenders, they just couldn't hang.

SPEAKER_02 4:02

Yeah, I mean, he also he played almost the entirety of the game, 42 minutes. I mean, in 42 minutes. Uh yeah, in 42 minutes and you take 43 shots. I hope you score over 50. I hope. I I I hope you do, or else that'd be really bad. I hope you score over 60 and you take 43 shots, 22 three-pointers. I hope you do in that amount of time. It's just, man, it was it was kind of like it, it's kind of an ugly stat line to look at. Like I said though, 83, no matter what, impressive. No matter who got it.

SPEAKER_03 4:34

Second most ever, and it's from a a guy who I swear averages like 10 points in like the Easter Camps finals and finals beyond after plenty of experience. Um, but yeah, I mean, he he he came ready to shoot. Again, like 30 in the first quarter, or whatever it was. Um he smelled blood in the water. He's played the Heat or the Wizards pretty well this season. I think he had like at least 30 in the visit to DC on Super Bowl Sunday. Um he had 22 that game. 22 that game. Okay, then they must hold this really, really fast. Another big first quarter, but he knows that whenever Star is not in the game, um, and even Sar, you know, couldn't deal with him all the time. Like Bam's first step is just really quick. Um He's quick. He's quick and he's and he's strong. He's decisive.

SPEAKER_02 5:19

He's 6'10, 260 pounds, and it's not a 260 pounds of like he's got some fat to him. He's he's a pretty like muscular 260.

SPEAKER_03 5:29

Absolutely, absolutely. He's he's thick, um, which is what makes the agility that much scarier. Like, Tristan couldn't hang with that at all. Whenever Bam had his you know his face up deep mid-range thing, that first step was gonna get him every time.

SPEAKER_02 5:40

I just I find it funny how he was averaging like 18.5 points a game going into the game, and now he's averaging 20 after that one performance. Like this this month alone, he was averaging, I think it was like 22 points a game, and now after that one game, he's now averaging 35 for the month of March. This month is a is a just a joke. Like, I it's it's you can't count March hoops. Everyone knows that. You can't count him. And my thing, I see a lot of people slandering Saar on the timeline right now. A lot of people. Let it be known, Saar played 19 minutes. Someone has to be the Jalen Rose. So someone has to, but like I said, let it be known Saar played 19 minutes. Did he struggle that first quarter? Yes, after that, he did really well against Bam.

SPEAKER_03 6:29

Yeah, I mean he finished the game 12 for 19, I believe. Um, four for seven from three. Um, he he also looked pretty decisive out there. But he I mean, just one guy's gonna get erased by history. But this is probably the best game he's played. I mean, it's his second game in a while. But even if you go back to before he was out, like this is his best game in a while. The step back threes were great. Um, he knows when to pop, and the ball handlers look more confident than they did when he was last playing. Um he got out a few blocks. I I love what I saw out of him. Unfortunately, it's just, you know, history will turn that page immediately.

SPEAKER_02 7:03

Well, like I said, he played 19 minutes. He didn't play at all that fourth quarter, which bam got a good amount in that fourth quarter, if I'm not mistaken. Yeah, a lot of gill. I think he shot 16 free throws in that fourth quarter. Well, like, let me, yeah, he shot 16 free throws that quarter. He got 14 points alone at the line. That fourth quarter alone, he had 21 points. So take 21 away from that. That's definitely not Saar. He played the entirety of the third quarter. Saar played the first half of it. And that the that third quarter, the third and second quarter were his worst. That first that first quarter was bad. Saar played the first six minutes of it, first six or seven minutes, something like that. Did he give up like 15 to him? Yes. Who were the other guys out on the court, though, that were guarding him at the time? Tristan Vuksevich. And we know Tristan Vuksevich is not a great defender. We know that poor guy. But that second quarter, when Saar was the guy guarding Bam there, Bam had 12 points, went three of eight, oh for three from three-point range. Did held him really well that second quarter. Even that third quarter, four of eleven from the field. He just shot 10, he shot 13 free throws and knocked 10 of them down. Like after that first quarter, Saar played good defense against him. But because he was the starting center and people and people, you know, it's all good. And people only look at, oh, he started, so he had to be the main defender the entire game. No, he wasn't. Not true.

SPEAKER_03 8:36

Not true. He shot Star defended him for NBA.com listed it as 13 different shots Star defended him against. Um and Bam shot seven for 13 on those looks. Um and besides that, it was like Gil and Balal both shared over two full minutes of game time on him. Um, those three combined for six shooting fouls. So yeah, I mean, this is just sort of what we've seen a lot of the season where they're they can defend him straight, they can defend most most any of their assignments straight up for a while, but uh, you know, they're just gonna give in and blow it towards the end. And again, the guy at 83, so this is not a great sample size for what it always is, but this is the worst case scenario of the kind of defense they've played. And this is why people are scared about whether or not they can translate into a team that can meaningfully depend uh defend when they're fully staffed next year.

SPEAKER_02 9:22

Well, I think so because like I said, context matters. Context matters when you look at this stuff, all right. Like I said, do you have the people that are the box score watchers and see Saar started? So obviously, Saar played 36 minutes of basketball that night, and Bam absolutely cooked him when he played 19 minutes, and he was cooking Bam when Bam was guarding him as well. Yeah, I mean, 28 points, 12 and 19 from the field, four of seven from deep. He didn't have a single free throw. And I was talking with people today. If Sar plays 42 minutes just like Bam, he might score 50, he might score 60.

SPEAKER_03 9:59

This is probably the most egregious coping we've done on this podcast. This is it might be I've had some buddies text me this, and they know who they are. This is probably like, you know, there's a humiliation ritual every now and then for the wizards. Um, people are comparing it to when they blew a 35-point lead to the Clippers like four years ago. That was way worse. This wasn't as bad. At least they were trying to move this time. It was embarrassing the way it went down, and I wish the Wizards weren't at the butt end of yet another historic performance. You know, they got 50 dropped in their head a million times last couple years. Um but this is just, you know, I mean, legit, you can say once in a generation because, you know, it hasn't been done in like 20 years.

SPEAKER_02 10:35

Yeah, and my thing is like people are gonna stop talking about it next week. No one's gonna talk about this next week. No one's gonna remember who the team was that Bam dropped 83 points on in five to ten years.

SPEAKER_03 10:46

I don't know, man. I still know the Raptors lost to Kobe that one time.

SPEAKER_02 10:49

I I don't I don't know the team he dropped 81 against. I don't know the team Wilk dropped 100 against, allegedly.

SPEAKER_03 10:56

Dang, I don't either. Shoot, you proved me right. I don't know that one.

SPEAKER_02 11:00

You see my point here where it's like we're gonna ever everyone's gonna remember the amount he scored. No one's gonna really remember the team he did it against, though. Yeah, yeah. All right, like that's and that's where like a lot of this historical stuff goes down. They remember like the margin. So, for example, the Thunder had the largest margin of loss in NBA history. Do people talk about that? Do they remember that? No, because it happened in 2021 when they first started their rebuild, and it was against the Grizzlies where they lost by 73. No one remembers that or talks about it.

SPEAKER_03 11:31

That's the thing. In a vacuum, they lost by 21 uh in a March game. So, like, you know, you wouldn't totally this is crazy coping we're doing. This is insane. This is don't get it.

SPEAKER_02 11:40

I I know it is, but like that's my point where it's like I understand people are upset, but like I said, in the grand scheme of things, did it affect anything? No, like so strangely enough, this helped the Wizards as now they are, I think, a game back from the worst record in the NBA.

SPEAKER_03 11:55

Oh no, I mean, it's definitely a wake-up call for some of their worst flaws on defense. It's like these won't go away if these won't go assessed, but generally you're right. Um, not a whole besides that, not a whole lot of long-term effects. Just you know, no, a nightly embarrassment, and uh hopefully they watch film in the morning.

SPEAKER_02 12:13

Hopefully they watch film in the morning they should be. I'm just like I said, it's I feel like people are overreacting to this. I say overreacting in a way of like I've seen people that are not fans of the Wizards that don't keep up with the Wizards are like you gotta cut Alex Sarr immediately, he can't be your center of the future when they didn't even watch the game and realize he actually was giving Bam the work on offense and he played 19 minutes.

SPEAKER_03 12:39

Like that's insane, that's insane. Which also means he shot he took a shot per minute, he took 19 shots, so he was aggressive too.

SPEAKER_02 12:45

Uh 17 or no, 19, yeah. He was aggressive too, but like that's my thing. It's like if Saur played 42 minutes, just like Bam, how much do you think he scores with the night he was having? What did I say, 40? Well, I think he had maintaining 19.

SPEAKER_03 13:02

28 and 19. That's true, but Bam also drew a record number of free throws and makes it.

SPEAKER_02 13:07

I know it's hard to maintain. That that is hard to maintain, but 12 and 19, 47 from 3. I think he gets 50.

SPEAKER_03 13:15

It's not it's not ridiculous. It's like 19 minutes, is that's crazy production to do in just 19 minutes.

SPEAKER_02 13:21

That and that's my point. It's like if if this team was actually, did it have players on minutes restrictions? Like, like I said, Sar, normally, how many minutes are is Sar gonna play? Usually like 32 to 34, right?

SPEAKER_03 13:33

It's around 30, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:34

Yeah, around that number. Do that. He's dropping, you know, close to 40 with this kind of night he was having. Okay. Same with Trey Johnson as a starter. Is he gonna be playing 20 minutes? No, he's probably gonna play 28. Yeah, all right. They didn't have Keyshawn George, he's also a character. No Trey Young either. Trey Young elevates this offense. Sure, he's a hull on defense. He's looked a little bit better with the Wizards. It feels like he's bought in a little bit more on that side in the first two games we saw.

SPEAKER_03 14:02

So it's funny. We haven't actually talked about this yet, but I'm wondering if this is where we transitioned into talking about some of Trey Young's early impact. Because I actually I don't, I don't, I don't have much hope of him being like a super, super helpful team defender, much less an individual defender. Um, but as long as he tries a little bit, you mentioned him giving a bit more effort. Um, I'm still trying to figure out how much he's trying to give. Um, but I'm not worried as much as some other fans. What's your what's your take on that?

SPEAKER_02 14:33

I'm not worried. Like, look, this team is gonna be good enough defensively to allow someone like Trey Young to have his, you know, guy he's defending give 20 points a game because Alex Tarr, especially the help of Anthony Davis, we've we've seen what Alex Sarr can do on defense this year. He's looked really good defensively. This game, this one game feels like it's a you know stain on his defense when re in reality. Was he the main defender on BAM that night? No, he wasn't. He wasn't, but people think he is because they look at starting lineup and that's all they care about. Um, but he's been a good defender. You add an Anthony Davis who can play help defense and not have as much of a load as he was carrying with LA or Dallas, and body up against Bam.

SPEAKER_03 15:14

That's not Sarr's skill set. Saar isn't a super physical guy.

SPEAKER_02 15:17

AD, those shoulders. AD is the perfect guy to guard a guy like Bam. Alex Sarr is the perfect guy to guard uh you know player like Chet Holmgren. Um, maybe even Wimby. I'd I'd rather Alex Sarr guard Wimby than Anthony Davis. I agree. And so like they each have their kind of like skill sets who they guard other guys well against the bigger bodies. Of course, you're gonna have Anthony Davis, you know, take the lead on that. The more agile guys that are more athletic, you're gonna have Alex Sarr take that role as well. You also have Keyshawn George potentially, you know, in that starting lineup as well. Next season, he's a good defender. But L, I mean, like, even though we, you know, people are saying it's a stain on him as well, he's a good defender. We we know he's a good perimeter defender, where it's like with Trey Young, if you just get him bought into where like he's still giving his all on defense and not letting his guy go by him, like we see some other superstars in the league do.

SPEAKER_03 16:08

Yeah, like and and bought in just means like you know, communicate as a as as a as a team defender, run around.

SPEAKER_02 16:14

Just if you see a loose ball, die for it. That's what I'm saying, bought in, where it's like, I'm not asking you to get three steals a game and limit your guy to 35% shooting. No, just if you see the opportunity to put your, you know, like just hustle a little bit, that's all we're asking.

SPEAKER_03 16:27

What was much more meaningful to me, and you know the play I'm talking about, where he and uh the other Trey, Trey Johnson, yes, um, Trey Johnson has the ball on the right wing, and uh Trey Young is like eight feet beyond the top of the key. He's asking how he is, and Trey Johnson sort of waves him off, yeah, he waves him off, and Trey Young runs in, gets the ball like around the elbow, um, and passes it back out to Trey Johnson because the defense collapsed in on Trey Young. He's a real to actually go into the paint. And open three for Trey Johnson, he hit it. And the off-ball movement on offense, I think, is a lot more of what you know the fans are interested in and what's there to be optimistic about.

SPEAKER_02 17:09

Yes, and that's uh I talked about it a little bit. I think the Wizards can have a top five offense next season with Trey Young.

SPEAKER_03 17:16

Interesting.

SPEAKER_02 17:17

You add you add in AJ DeBonsa potentially as well.

SPEAKER_03 17:22

That'll be big. I I worry about their spacing between AD and SAR. I just don't know how you do top five with that.

SPEAKER_02 17:28

I think I think you have AD play a little bit more perimeter action, where I feel like he's a little bit off the a little bit better off the dribble, if that makes sense. A D. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 17:38

No, I can see that. You're definitely right about that. He can create his own shot more efficiently, um, even if he isn't the shooter Saar is.

SPEAKER_02 17:44

Or um, you draft Cam Boozer, you trade Anthony Davis for another draft pick or so. All right, you just get him off the books, you go out there, sign a big man. Hmm, who's a good big man out there that's gonna be a free agent? Oh, Walker Kessler, he's after him. Or, or if you're looking for rebounders, if that's what you're looking for off the bench, you want more rebounders, there's a good rebounder who's gonna be really cheap out of Orlando and Mo Wagner. Bring him back for a year. Marvin Bagley's gonna be a free agent. You have these options to where you can do this, and then it frees you up the option of Cam, if Cam Boozer is your number one, you don't gotta worry about roster construction anymore and trying to see how he fits in and try to start him. You then do Sarr at the five, Boozer at the four, Keyshawn at the three, Trey at the two, and you know, ice tray at the one. That's like a pretty good plan. Did you just come up with that on the flat on the fly like that? I've thought about it for the past because I really like Boozer. I think Boozer is a great fit in Washington. I think I he I see him as a Kevin Love. I think the Wizards could really benefit from a big man that can facilitate.

SPEAKER_03 18:50

That's fascinating because I thought you because personally I've I've had my own separate voyage on this. I have reverted back to Boozer as the one. Um, I thought you said Boozer wasn't a Washington kind of guy, though. No, I said that about Flemings. No, no, no, when Greg Finnberg was on.

SPEAKER_02 19:06

What changed your mind? I I meant it, I meant that as like he's not the typical guy um Will Dawkins is like overly like excited about. He he really likes the athletic guys that are like you know athletic freaks, the Darren Petersons and AJ Devonsis. That's what he really likes.

SPEAKER_03 19:23

The long guys with uh like raw upside where Boozer is like sort of good at everything, and you and he's sort of a is a classic draft. He's a Kevin Love architect high floor, low ceiling kind of thing on the outset, but I think his ceiling's even higher than that.

SPEAKER_02 19:36

Yeah, I mean, like just if I think Kevin Love is the archetype right now for him where like that's comparison, and of course it can be higher than that. I think Boozer has the potential to be, you know, an all-NBA kind of player, even all defensive. I know people say he's not athletic, and that doesn't translate to the NBA. Do we watch Nicola Jokic on a daily basis? Have you seen what Jay Will has been doing for the Thunder lately? Like K Kevin Love, he were a way better uh passer and defender.

SPEAKER_03 20:04

That's what it is, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:05

And so that that's what I look at is like I think he fit in really well, and then with that AD contract, you don't have to worry about him picking up that player option, you don't have to worry about trying to sign him and get him bought in as well. I think you just move on from I have never viewed AD as a long-term move either. I just because personally, he's 34. He just turned 34 today. If I'm oh yeah, he did.

SPEAKER_03 20:28

He had Lucy both.

SPEAKER_02 20:30

Uh yeah, both had birthdays today, right?

SPEAKER_03 20:32

Yay.

SPEAKER_02 20:33

And so let me let me just double check, make sure.

SPEAKER_04 20:37

Um you don't wash your jersey during a win streak. You don't switch seats when your team's up big. And you definitely don't shave during the playoffs. When things are working, you don't change them. That's why when you drink Jaegermeister, you drink it ice cold. Anything else? Well, that'd just be bad luck. Drink it cold, or don't drink it at all. Jaegermeister. Damn, that's cold. Drink responsibly. Jaegermeister Lacor, 35% alcohol by volume. Imported by Mast Jaegermeister, U.S. White Plains, New York.

SPEAKER_02 21:09

Because, like, he's I know he's up there in age.

SPEAKER_03 21:12

You're right. Well, let's think. This is his 15th season, and he was a one and done, so 34 sounds right. Drafted it like that.

SPEAKER_02 21:19

33. He turned 33 today.

SPEAKER_03 21:22

Jesus, 33. He's lived like a thousand lives in the NBA. That's insane.

SPEAKER_02 21:26

But like being realistic, how much longer does he have?

SPEAKER_03 21:30

Again, 15 seasons with and he hasn't like missed a whole season like some other guy. Or, I mean, he did sort of he's missed a lot of time here and there, but that's 15 real seasons he's played. That's a lot of miles. So, probably not more. He's probably a lot of miles. Like, probably three seasons.

SPEAKER_02 21:44

That that's my point is like he has like three or four more seasons left. Do you really want to like extend him for another year or two on the tail end of his career where he's getting ready to retire? Or do you want to trade him and put your time and focus into this young guy in Cameron Boozer? Who could uh potentially can be a better player than Anthony Davis if all works out well.

SPEAKER_03 22:04

Wow, what a take. Um, I mean, yeah, we're gonna have to wait wait till draft day, see how uh the pick pans out. Because I I feel good about our Wizards pick, and I haven't in a while been paranoid, even though you know I've known the odds are probably for it happening. But after a game like that, you see the remaining schedule, and I I I feel good. They're probably gonna be above.

SPEAKER_02 22:24

I mean, there is now a four-game separation between Washington, which has the third worst record, and Utah, which has the fifth worst record. Now, now a four-game separation, which means like yeah, which means even if the Wizards win four games, they're still above Utah at fourth overall. So you still keep the pick. That and we we've looked at the record, you know, the remaining schedule left. They have what, I think 18 games now. That sounds correct. 18 games left, third hardest strength of schedule. Indiana has the hardest just because they have to play New York twice. They still have Cleveland, Detroit, San Antonio, but Washington, they got OKC, they got Detroit twice, they got Boston on Saturday with Jason Tatum back. Um, still got New York, still got Cleveland, still got the Lakers. And so, like, games like that. And granted, you know, they're saying they're, you know, some of their easiest opponents are like the Bulls, for example, where the Bulls are actively trying to make the playoffs, I feel like, or at least be back in that position. Of course they are. That's all they know. That's all they know. Same with Golden State. I feel like it's the same with Portland as well. So, like, they're saying those two three opponents are three of the easiest ones that we have left, where there is just one more game left against the Nets and the Jazz. Where it's like you only have two games left against real tanking teams.

SPEAKER_03 23:46

Yeah, I was worried about a team like the Heat because they're just sort of weird, they middle a bit, but now they've won six in a row. Um, they're the 13th seed, and or not 13 seed, I'm sorry, 13th best uh uh record in the league. And it just shows what a huge gap there is between the middle of the road teams and whatever the wizards are.

SPEAKER_02 24:04

Yeah, I mean, like just just being honest about it. I mean, we've we've talked about it before, and realistically, they have what three or four wins left on the schedule?

SPEAKER_03 24:14

They haven't won in a very long time.

SPEAKER_02 24:16

When was the last win? Nine-game losing streak.

SPEAKER_03 24:18

Jesus, that's like before the all-star break.

SPEAKER_02 24:20

Last win was the last one against Indiana. Oh, that's right. The head, the back-to-back. Yeah, but like like I said, just being honest, just looking at their schedule that they have left, there's only like three or four wins left, and like I said, four game, you know, four games ahead of you know Utah, which is fifth right now in the reverse, you know, uh standings and the tank standings. Yeah, I mean, like I said, you feel really confident that you're keeping this pick. Unless let's say, oh a, you know, let's say Oklahoma City, New York, and Detroit rest like half their roster because they're like, oh, like it's Washington, who cares? We're really far ahead right now. Even though OKC, I feel like they gotta play their guys to kind of get them meshing together before the playoffs.

SPEAKER_03 25:05

Yeah, and Shay can't miss many more games.

SPEAKER_02 25:07

He can only miss three more games. And so, but I mean, and with the amount of injuries that they've had, they all get they gotta be safe with those injuries, but they also gotta get them meshed together because Jared McCain hasn't played with you know Jalen Williams yet. And it's like it's stuff like that. And Jared McCain might crack their playoff rotation. So they might use that game as a you know, kind of almost like a practice to where, like, hey, let's see how these guys mesh together on the court now that we can't see this. Sure.

SPEAKER_03 25:34

Yeah, so look ahead. Uh, this is about as good as we can probably feel after getting that kind of performance strapped on the wizard's head. So that's that's where I'm at right now. You know, it it was embarrassing, but things could be worse.

SPEAKER_02 25:46

Things could be worse. Like I said, it's just you gotta feel confident. The only other game I feel like they could pull off just because how Utah played against them the other night would be Golden State, with now Steph Curry out for another five games, it looks like.

unknown 26:01

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 26:02

And so, but like just like like I said, looking at it realistically, games that they're gonna win, you know, or that that they could win, that I'll give them this one against Golden State at home, one at Utah, one uh at Brooklyn, and then you know, the last two games against Chicago, where I still think Chicago's gonna pull one of those away.

SPEAKER_03 26:25

Yeah, I of course, yeah. They're they're they're like gunning for it, and they're playing guys. And March Josh Giddy is a different beast. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 26:32

March March and April, Josh Giddy, different, different kind of player. Yeah, he has like three triple doubles already this month or whatever. Yes. And so, like, like I said, it's just realistically, three or four wins left on the schedule. You're already four games ahead of Utah, who is fifth right now. You gotta feel really good. And there are other teams there that have an easy strength of schedule left, like the Sacramento Kings.

SPEAKER_03 26:55

The Kings can realistically win another five or six games. Yeah, they haven't been bad since the all-star break. I mean, I mean they are bad, but like, you know, they've won a few games. And the win.

SPEAKER_02 27:04

The only yeah, the only two teams you're really competing with at this rate is Indiana and Brooklyn. Yeah, Brooklyn, Brooklyn has an easy strength of schedule left too. Do they really? Fifth easiest left in the league.

SPEAKER_04 27:18

Whoa.

SPEAKER_02 27:19

The average, the average um uh average strength of schedule left, so like teams, you know, like uh their win percentage is 465, and they have 17 games left. Because they got because like let's say, let's say they split both with the Kings. Let's say the Kings win one and the Nets win one. That helps out the Wizards as well, because then at the moment it propels the Wizards right above the Kings, second best odds, and it puts the Nets down one, and creates, I think, a three-game separation between them.

SPEAKER_03 27:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:50

Also, they also uh have one left against the Wizards, obviously. Lose that one, helps out there. Two against the Bucks. We know the Bucks, one against the Pacers, which is gonna be a toss-up as well. So it's like they're they're in a really good spot. Yes. How is that possible?

SPEAKER_03 28:07

We've played them four times this.

SPEAKER_02 28:09

No, Brooklyn, Brooklyn.

SPEAKER_03 28:10

I'm talking about Brooklyn right now. Oh, Jesus Christ. Okay, yeah, I thought we flipped back. Yeah, I'm sorry. Yes, yeah, the Bucks, the Bucks are not that bad right now. I I believe that Brooklyn. How many far games back are how many games back are they from the Wizards?

SPEAKER_02 28:23

Uh pulling it up right now. They are half a game back.

SPEAKER_03 28:28

Okay, yeah, I I I feel confident the Wiz won with a bottom four record. I was, I was, I've been tendering for months, but I'm here now.

SPEAKER_02 28:35

Yeah, well, like that's what I'm like looking at Utah. They're three and a half games back, which means they have to win four games.

SPEAKER_03 28:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:42

Um, and then they're a game back of Sacramento and one and a half games back of Indiana. And so, like, that's what I'm saying. Like, they're just in a really good spot. Where like at this rate, Chicago can't catch up with them. Milwaukee can't catch up with them. Portland, Golden State, like all these teams left here, you know, can't catch up. Memphis has a chance, but they are seven games back. Same with Dallas, they are uh five and a half games back, I think. Five and a half, four and a half, something like that. Yeah. Where it's like they have realistic chances, but odds are they aren't going to jump them in, you know, like where they're where they're gonna finish at in, you know, their odds.

SPEAKER_03 29:23

I'm really dreading the Mavericks uh winning another freaking draft lottery. I'm already sort of trying to prepare for that.

SPEAKER_02 29:29

I am dreading it. I am dreading it as well. But you know, there's also some other stuff like keep up with the what the Suns do, of course, just specifically with their play-in. They're not gonna drop out of the play-in, but they're gonna be in the play-in. Watch how they do, especially if injuries. So that's another thing to look out for. No Brooks, no Dylan Brooks, which he's been having a time. He's he's he's been having a time. He has a lot of opinions. He has a lot of opinions. He um he definitely enjoys um, you know, having fun behind the wheel. And so but uh yeah, and so like I said, I like the wizard's odds right now.

unknown 30:13

I do.

SPEAKER_03 30:14

I do too. I do too. So this is about as positive a spin as you're gonna get. It's funny, because there's there have been times during the season um where I don't know, there are reasons to be positive, we were just sort of in the dumps, but I don't know. This is about as good as we can feel after an 83 piece.

SPEAKER_02 30:29

Yeah, as good as you can feel. I mean, like I said, so what? Who cares? Are we gonna be talking about Bam scoring 83 in a week? No, we're not. Are they gonna remember who he dropped 83 against in five to ten years? No, they're not. I love saying so.

SPEAKER_03 30:49

Well, the problem is everyone knows Jalen Rose was at the other end. So if they remember Star, then the Wizard toast.

SPEAKER_02 30:57

But that's the thing. I mean, it's just people not actually paying attention. It's media illiteracy, is what it is. People don't people see him start, so they think he played 38 minutes that night when he didn't, he played 19, but whatever. Whatever. So what? Whatever, who cares? We don't care. Who cares? Who cares? Wizards are gonna make the playoffs next year. They're gonna be top five team in the Eastern Conference, and then in two to three seasons, they're gonna be the best team in the East. Who cares?

SPEAKER_03 31:22

Wow, I really hope you're right about that.

SPEAKER_02 31:24

I am right. I know the future. I see y'all. But that's an episode. We did that. So what? He scored 83. Who even cares? Who cares? Who cares? Yes, yes, way to cope with us. Uh, like I said on the timeline today for people still complaining about it. Go outside, take a walk, read a book, enjoy a cup of espresso, do something. Beautiful. Like, just do something. But that's all we got. Thank you guys for listening, as always, and we'll see you in the next one. Peace.

SPEAKER_00 31:56

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