Podcast Summary Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 1: Adebayo 83 & Monica McNutt

Date: March 11, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Guest: Monica McNutt (ESPN/MSG basketball analyst)

Episode Overview

This lively hour on ESPN New York’s “Don, Hahn & Rosenberg” blends classic New York sports banter, food talk, and in-depth discussions about an historic NBA performance, the Knicks’ recent road trip, and the evolving role of spectacle in sports. Highlights include a breakdown of Bam Adebayo’s astonishing 83-point game, reflections on the ethics of record chasing in blowouts, and Knicks analysis with Monica McNutt. The team also detours into Monica’s first viewing of "Wayne’s World," and debates surrounding the World Baseball Classic (WBC).

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Food and Fan Appreciation

[00:55–02:51]

• The hosts open with effusive praise for a food delivery from Darios in West Hempstead, Long Island.
• Hahn explains: “The bread’s homemade because that’s what makes a sandwich is the bread. And they did a terrific job.” (01:24)
• Banter about missing out on group photos and “gavon” eating ensues.

Bam Adebayo’s 83-Point Game: “Basketball or Spectacle?”

[05:26–09:47]

• Don recounts the Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo scoring 83 points against the Wizards, comparing it to Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game:
  • “This was no longer a basketball game. This was a spectacle.” (06:06 – Don)
  • “He was playing the Wizards, one of the worst defensive teams in the league who aren’t trying… When you get 31 in the first quarter, that’s when you start to say, okay, this could be a special night.” (06:19 – Don)
• Alan: “Honestly, we sometimes forget that we’re in the entertainment business.” (10:07)
• Discussion about record-chasing, tanking teams, and the blurred line between sport and performance.

Notable Quotes:

• “Don’t clutch your pearls and tell me about how this is unethical basketball. Because what Wilt did… was the same thing.” (08:38 – Don)
• “It became less about…winning the game. Now it was about, let’s see how many points we can get our guy.” (07:15 – Don)
• “Entertain me, clowns. Go out there, throw 10 touchdown passes. Why do I have to sacrifice my moment because you suck?” (10:24 – Alan)

Ethics of Record Chasing & Emotional Reactions

[11:16–16:19]

• Rosenberg dislikes the manner in which Bam surpassed Kobe Bryant’s 81-point feat:
  • “I would have really respected it because he got to 81. If he sat at 81… Yes. There’s no need to… I don’t think we need Bam Adebayo as the name after Wilt Chamberlain.” (12:00 – Rosenberg)
• Don insists: “He should have had 100. He could literally have gotten 100.” (12:28)
• The group debates whether pros should “hold back” in routs and the meaning of competition when teams are tanking.
• Alan concludes: “Let me get mine, man. When am I ever going to be in this situation again?” (15:02)

The Magic of the Unexpected in Sports

[16:19–18:14]

• The randomness of a defensive-minded Bam Adebayo having such a night sparks wider reflection:
  • “That’s what made it fun. That’s why I said it was a spectacle. That’s not a knock.” (17:54 – Don)
• All agree: “Every once in a while, out of nowhere, something special happens. It’s the perfect game in baseball… That’s the beauty of sports.” (16:19 – Alan)

Monica McNutt Joins: Knicks’ Shooting Woes & Playoff Concerns

[23:05–31:48]

• Monica teases Don for being “get off my lawn” about Bam’s 83:
  • “Wow, your get off my lawn is very impressive.” (23:39 – Monica)
• On the Knicks’ recent West Coast struggles:
  • Monica: “If they cannot hit threes, they do not space the floor and they cannot come up with easy baskets. And that to me is problematic when you get to a series.” (26:32)
  • Advocates for “smarter sprays” and creating easy baskets, “because everything is just so hard right now.” (27:32)
• Don and Monica analyze Karl-Anthony Towns’ improved post-break shooting and the defensive strengths of recent Knicks’ opponents.
• Monica on Celtics as the East’s barometer:
  • “I don’t think that’s McNuts at all… every team’s talented, every team’s got an All-Star, the tiebreaker… falls to experience and that’s the group that is experienced.” (30:53)
• On Jaylen Brown’s role adjustment with Tatum back:
  • “Absolutely… None of these guys achieve the level of success they have without the ultimate belief in themselves.” (32:40 – Monica)

Memorable Quotes:

• “Are you guys really that reliant on the three point line? And I think those two games showed me.” (25:43 – Monica)
• “Let me see them find ways to create some easy ones because everything is just so hard right now.” (28:32 – Monica)
• “That ain’t no cakewalk, that’s for sure.” [on facing Boston] (29:52 – Monica)

Comic Relief: Monica’s Review of “Wayne’s World”

[34:06–36:28]

• Monica announces she finally watched “Wayne’s World”:
  • “I would like to be officially removed out of the Woody bucket because I watched your dumb ass movie, Wayne’s World.” (34:18)
  • “I did chuckle, but I was mostly like, this is really stupid, but the music is beautiful… this was actually sort of ahead of its time.” (34:52)
• The crew riffs on mockumentaries and pop culture lineage, crediting “Wayne’s World” for inspiring TV’s direct address style.

WBC (World Baseball Classic) Debate: Seriousness and Credibility

[42:53–54:26]

• Alan slams Team USA’s Mark Derosa for not knowing WBC tiebreaker rules:
  • “It took a major hit last night when Mark Derosa didn’t know that his team still had to win the game to clinch a spot.” (43:47)
• Broader point: Does the event “matter” when managers and players aren’t truly all-in? Alan:
  • “When you start referring to it as something that has some import, stop… It’s a nice little thing and that’s what it is.” (45:14)
• Comparisons to Olympic hockey and basketball where “everybody is all in.”
• Rosenberg postulates that the chaos could add intrigue:
  • “This stupidity could actually work to the advantage of the event. If this gets very close… it might actually have a reverse effect where it brings more excitement.” (46:28)
• Discussion transitions to whether MLB should shut down for the Olympics as the NHL does.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Food Segment & Group Photo Banter: 00:55–02:51
• Bam Adebayo’s 83-Point Game Deep Dive: 05:26–16:05
• Record Chasing, Spectacle v. Competition: 11:16–16:19
• Monica McNutt Knicks Analysis: 23:05–31:48
• Boston Celtics and Playoff Experience: 30:48–31:48
• “Wayne’s World” Movie Review: 34:06–36:28
• WBC/International Sports Debate: 42:53–54:26

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “Entertain me, clowns. Go out there, throw 10 touchdown passes. Why do I have to sacrifice my moment because you suck?” (10:24 – Alan)
• “It became less about winning the game. Now it was about, let's see how many points we can get our guy.” (07:15 – Don)
• “If they cannot hit threes, they do not space the floor and they cannot come up with easy baskets. And that to me is problematic…” (26:32 – Monica)
• On “Wayne’s World”: “I did chuckle, but I was mostly like, this is really stupid, but the music is beautiful… ahead of its time.” (34:52 – Monica)
• “When you start referring to [the WBC] as something that has some import, stop.” (45:14 – Alan)

Tone & Style

• Playful, sharp, with a heavy New York sensibility; the hosts mix ribbing, nostalgia, and sports expertise with frankness and insider knowledge.
• Candid debates, with Alan often taking the “let them chase history” entertainment perspective, and Don and Monica running with analytic nuance but also appreciating spectacle.
• Accessible—whether deep into advanced basketball metrics, or riffing on 90s comedies, the show maintains humor and relatability.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This hour is a masterclass in balancing irreverent sports talk with genuine analysis. You’ll come away understanding the nuances and controversies around huge individual sports performances, the Knicks’ strategic questions as the playoffs loom, and how the seriousness of international sporting events is perceived by fans and insiders alike. Plus, you’ll get a dose of 90s nostalgia and insight into the chemistry that makes this New York trio a staple on the afternoon dial.