Green With Envy: The Underappreciated Draft + Playoff Bracket Check-In
March 15, 2026 – Host: Will & Greg Manakis (with special guests/contributions mentioned)
EPISODE OVERVIEW
This episode of Green With Envy is all about giving some long-overdue flowers: to players, teams, and moments across the NBA that are perpetually underappreciated. Will and Greg also debut their new weekly playoff bracket check-in—breaking down the Celtics’ recent performances, evaluating the evolving Eastern Conference landscape, and projecting Boston’s path to Banner 19.
The episode features an in-depth “Underappreciated Draft,” lively banter around NBA narratives (with a focus on Celtics and league-wide storylines), and a granular look at first-round matchup implications.
CELTICS WEEKLY RECAP
[01:59]
- Celtics Road Trip (1–2 Record):
- Loss to Cleveland, San Antonio, and okc (Thunder), win over the Wizards.
- Will: “I feel like it’s a pretty damn good one and two for the Celtics.” [02:19]
- Greg highlights Jaylen Brown’s explosive play vs. San Antonio (before his ejection) and Boston's gutsy showing in OKC without Derrick White and Jason Tatum.
THE BAM ADEBAYO “83-POINT GAME” DEBATE
[03:32–07:54]
Context: Bam Adebayo’s wild 83-point game versus the tanking Wizards has been the story of the league this week.
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Blame Pie:
- Will: “If we're doing a blame pie here… it's probably 60, 40, like Wizards versus...maybe even 70, 30, that. I’m leaning more, this is like the Wizards' fault.” [04:15]
- Will points to tanking, constant fouling by the Wizards, lineup absences, and just plain lack of effort.
- He echoes NBA pundits’ skepticism, including Zach Lowe, that the game’s “raw” number isn’t as historically impressive as it seems.
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Underappreciated Angle:
- Greg: “Bam overall is one of the most underappreciated players in the league... That’s why I’ve always been a... Bam’s been a favorite of mine.” [06:27]
- Gregg marvels at Bam’s efficiency (“7 for 22 from three means that he had a legitimate shot at 100...”), and his “31 in the first quarter… no shenanigans there.” [07:23]
- Both agree: The rare opportunity for a player, in today’s pace-and-space, to push for 100 points is itself wild and underappreciated.
THE “UNDERAPPRECIATED DRAFT”
[08:57–32:19]
Will and Greg alternate picks, celebrating overlooked players, plays, and teams.
1. Jaylen Brown—Unheralded Teamwork & Playmaking
[09:27 / 11:34 / 15:12]
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Greg highlights JB’s “selfless” play as a decoy in the OKC game, helping generate an open game-winning look for Payton Pritchard:
- “That play right there, that is such an underappreciated, selfless play from Jaylen Brown... he decided, I’m going to use the gravity I have to get Peyton Pritchard an open shot.” [10:04]
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Will expands on the joy of “making the right cut,” both in NBA and men's-league basketball.
- “I love, like, you know, when you’re watching the game and you just can see how the geometry was shifted by a player making a selfless act.” [11:34]
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Brown’s Improved Playmaking:
- Will: “Over the last month... he's averaging 7.2 assists per game... he’s doing so at a 2 to 1 assist to turnover ratio.” [15:12]
- Greg: “13.6 [potential assists]...top 25 in the league in terms of potential assists per game; that speaks to the level of playmaking and the continued unselfishness we’ve seen out of Jaylen Brown this year.” [17:43]
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MVP Candidacy / Respect:
- Both note how Brown’s recent MVP poll drop (from 3rd to 7th-8th) is another sign of ongoing underappreciation.
2. Marcus Smart—Resurgence
[19:10 / 21:43 / 24:44]
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Greg calls out Smart’s “end-of-game guy” valor for the Lakers:
- “He has at least four steals in three of his last eight games. He has a positive plus minus in all those games...continues to shoot with irrational confidence...” [19:30]
- Greg’s Memorable Moment: Smart’s crunch-time defense—stripping Aaron Gordon, scoring the transition layup.
- “Marcus Smart, the defensive instincts are just through the roof.” [21:11]
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Will: “Getting to see Marcus back in that form was really fun...making winning plays was...awesome.” [21:43]
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Both praise Smart’s growing willingness to defer, his fit as an older role player, and how trading him may have “depressed” him—but now he's back in playoff shape and making a huge difference.
3. Ron Harper, Jr. & Celtics’ Wing Depth
[27:05 / 31:35]
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Will: “Back to the Celtics...I’m going to our two-way guy, Ron Harper, Jr. ...he went 6-of-9 from three [vs. San Antonio], and there was at least two to three of those threes where I’m convinced he couldn’t see the basket...Wemby just blocked out everything.” [27:05]
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Harper Jr.'s knack for “real impacts against real opponents” (Spurs, Thunder) makes Boston’s wing power rankings “ridiculous—their fourth guy on the list is making starts, outperforming expectations.”
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Greg highlights Harper’s “defensive instincts and his defensive measurables...stock that he comes from,” and hints at even more playmaking upside. [31:35]
4. Orlando Magic—Legit Playoff Threat
[33:41 / 35:41]
- Greg: “I’ve just been really impressed tuning into Magic games here and there, seeing them with the lack of depth that they really have...” [33:41]
- The Magic “are actually closer to home court than we are to the first seed.” Despite a poor start, they’ve surged to the 5-seat, spurred by Desmond Bane’s acquisition and Paolo Banchero’s leap. Greg, “Whoever faces them in the first round is in for one hell of a fight.” [35:41]
- Will: “I really thought the Bane move for them was fantastic...I put a lot of stock in that five-game series last year where they were pretty banged up...they mucked it up.” [35:41]
EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF CHECK-IN
[32:26–55:00]
[Key timestamp: 32:26—Playoff Bracket Segment Begins]
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East’s Improving Depth:
- The bottom four seeds' records are all >.500: “The Eastern Conference depth… is looking a lot different… pretty shocked at some of these records.” [32:29]
- Play-in teams: Heat, Hawks, 76ers, Raptors.
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If You’re Boston, Who Do You Want in the First Round?
- Greg: “I don’t want to see the Sixers… they’re going to be the healthiest they are [early] in the playoffs.” [40:13]
- Will: “Hawks would be my number one team that I’d want to play... I just don’t see how they… get by us.” [41:07]
- Consensus order of opponents, from most to least desirable: Hawks > Raptors > Heat > 76ers.
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Celtics–Knicks Rematch Looms:
- Will: “Looks like we are steamrolling for another semifinals that goes Garden to Garden, TD to Madison...”
- Greg is wary of the Knicks’ physicality and energy; Knicks may be the Celtics’ toughest out in the East, especially with a healthy Brunson and deep roster.
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Matchup Shifts:
- This year’s Celtics have more “Josh Hart”–type energy guys: “Baylor Shireman and Ugo kind of possess, for where they’re at in their careers, a lot of Josh Hart qualities.” [47:22]
- Greg: “Would be fun in a seven-game series if we matched Josh Hart minutes with Ugo minutes… one of you wins this series, let’s see who wins.” [47:31]
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Projecting Cavs/Pistons/Magic Side:
- Greg’s confidence order: Cavs > Pistons > Magic, but admits he needs more “recent” viewing to make a definitive pick. [51:09]
- Will: “I just don’t believe in the Cavs. ... When you get below those top four guys... it’s just not that impressive.”
- Cade Cunningham as possible true franchise changer, but the jury’s still out until playoff excellence is demonstrated.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS & NOTABLE QUOTES
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On Marcus Smart’s Resurgence:
“Marcus Smart… the defensive instincts are just through the roof.” – Greg Manakis [21:11]
-
On Jalen Brown’s Growth:
“That play was such an underappreciated, selfless play…he decided to use the gravity I have to get Payton Pritchard an open shot.” – Greg Manakis [10:04]
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On Bam’s Stat-Line:
“He had a legitimate shot at 100… you hit a couple more of those threes, and all of a sudden he’s at 95...” – Greg Manakis [06:27]
-
On the evolving East:
“The Eastern Conference depth… is looking a lot different… pretty shocked at some of these records.” – Will [32:29]
-
On Ron Harper Jr.:
“...I’m convinced Wemby just blocked out everything…I don’t understand how he even got them off.” – Will [27:05]
FINAL THOUGHTS
- Celtics remain in strong position, but the East is deeper and more dangerous than it appeared at midseason—first-round matchups could be tough across the board.
- Orlando has moved from dark horse to real threat.
- Jaylen Brown’s season—especially playmaking—continues to fly under the radar, as does Marcus Smart’s late-career impact.
- New Celtics “energy guys” could be a sneaky X-factor in a Knicks rematch.
Next episode: The bracket check-in will return as playoff races heat up and the Celtics draw closer to their postseason destiny.
QUICK STATS & RESOURCES
- [15:12] Jaylen Brown last 11 games: 7.2 AST, 3.5 TOV, 2-to-1 ratio
- [17:43] JB 13.6 potential assists/game (top 25 NBA)
- [32:29] East’s 7–10 seeds all >.500: Heat 38–30, Hawks/Sixers 36–31, Hornets 34–34
- [35:41] Magic: 8–2 last 10, surging for home-court
- [51:09] Greg’s playoff confidence: Cavs > Pistons > Magic
For more: Subscribe on YouTube, check the latest short videos from the Green With Envy team, and follow for live playoff bracket updates each week!
