The Athletic NBA Daily — March 13, 2026

Episode Summary: SGA Breaks Wilt’s Streak & Bam Adebayo’s 83-Point Controversy

Hosts: Dave DuFour, Esfandiar (Esfandiar Baraheni)
Guest: Sam Amick
Theme: Analyzing Shea Gilgeous-Alexander’s (SGA) historic streak, the Celtics-Thunder battle, the Nuggets’ wild win, and the fallout and legitimacy of Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game.

Episode Overview

This episode spotlights a historic night for SGA as he surpasses Wilt Chamberlain for most consecutive 20+ point games, discusses a dramatic Celtics-Thunder battle, recaps the Nuggets' comeback win, and dives deep—via a feature interview with Sam Amick—into the controversy and legacy of Bam Adebayo’s asterisked 83-point outburst against the Wizards. The MVP debate and Finals favorites race round out the show.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. SGA Passes Wilt’s Streak (00:00–06:16)

• SGA Breaks Wilt's Record:
  • SGA surpasses Wilt Chamberlain for the most consecutive 20+ point games, solidifying his NBA scoring legacy.
  • “He is one of the best scorers in NBA history…this level of consistency…is incredible.” — Esfandiar (05:20)
• Thunder vs. Celtics Game Analysis:
  • Celtics play without Jayson Tatum but are impressive in depth and resilience.
  • “They were right there and really led most of this game…this team is better than last year’s team. They’re deeper, younger, more energetic.” — Dave (02:11)
  • SGA shines down the stretch, untouched by double teams.
  • Both hosts critique the Celtics’ decision not to send extra defensive pressure at SGA.
  • Notable mention of Celtics’ role players: “Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper, Jordan Walsh…all played really, really good today.” — Esfandiar (04:26)
• Celtics’ Adjustments:
  • Boston’s shift into more midrange offense, led by Jaylen Brown and Peyton Pritchard.
  • “This is the sort of stuff we usually talk about come playoff time—look what they've got in their bag.” — Dave (03:25)
• Thunder’s Late-Game Execution:
  • SGA’s calm, “nonchalant” style compared to Jokic: “It just feels effortless…one of the best scorers in NBA history.” — Esfandiar (05:20)
  • SGA adds nine assists, balancing scoring and playmaking.

2. Nuggets Survive Spurs' Scare (06:26–10:12)

• Nuggets’ Resilience:
  • Nuggets overcome a Spurs squad missing Victor Wembanyama, rallying back from a 20-point deficit to win 136–131.
  • Jamal Murray’s explosive 4th quarter; “Murray just completely cooked…especially to close this one.” — Esfandiar (06:48)
  • Jokic posts video-game numbers: 20 rebounds, 12 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks.
• Spurs' Strength Without Wemby:
  • Spurs drop to 11–3 without Wemby, remain resilient despite missing their star.
• Jamal Murray’s Return to Form:
  • “He looks again like the second-best player on what could be a title team.” — Dave (08:44)
  • Murray’s all-star leap, ability to create tough shots under pressure.
• Championship Landscape:
  • Nuggets’ and Thunder’s continued dominance puts the Western Conference wide open: “The playoffs are going to be awesome.” — Esfandiar (09:24)

3. Bam Adebayo’s 83-Point Game: Context, Critique & Legacy (10:41–20:38)

Interview segment with Sam Amick begins at 11:15.

Initial Takeaways:

• Bam’s monster game stuns the NBA, but raises questions about “stat-padding” and true historical value.
• Broadcast confusion about whether Bam would exit at 81 points—mirroring Kobe’s legendary mark.
• “When Bam hits 81, [Heat announcer said], ‘he’ll be honored to share this with Kobe’…as a basketball fan, that’s pretty cool…regardless how messy the ending was.” — Sam Amick (12:30)

Controversy & Critique:

• Heat’s Approach:
  • Team extended the game (fouling, scripted attempts to get Bam the ball) amid a blowout. “Not even remotely organic or in the flow of the game…that was the biggest issue I had.” — Sam Amick (15:44)
• Cultural Reactions:
  • Within the league, questions arose about “Heat Culture” and sportsmanship, and how Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra felt about chasing individual marks.
  • Wizards’ lack of adjustments and the coaching staff’s passive approach critiqued: “There should have been more force…this is embarrassing. You need to stop.” — Sam (19:03)
• Comparisons & Context:
  • All huge scoring games (Wilt, Kobe, Bam) contain some “shenanigans”—late-game stat manipulation, opponent acquiescence, etc.
  • “Even in Wilt’s game, they were allowing the other team to score. They were fouling, I mean, there’s always some shenanigans involved with one guy scoring that many points…” — Dave (16:05)
  • Kobe’s 81 referenced as far more “required” by the game context: “That was an actual basketball game that required his heroics.” — Sam (16:16)
• Asterisk Debate:
  • “He got to 70 fair and square. After that…all these big games start getting a little asterisk.” — Dave & Esfandiar referencing Tom Haberstroh’s point (15:57)

Impact on Coaching Reputation:

• Heat coach Erik Spoelstra’s image generally positive but dinged here in coaches’ group chat and forthcoming player polls.
• Brian Keefe (Wizards coach) enters the wider NBA consciousness for all the wrong reasons. “Now [he’s] in the history books, and that’s not necessarily a good thing.” — Dave (19:57)

4. MVP Race & Finals Favorites (20:46–28:51)

MVP Race Tightening:

• SGA as Frontrunner:
  • “I think he put a stamp on it the other night with that game winner.” — Dave (21:00)
  • Sam stresses it’s too early for conclusions with 17 games left (“I want to see the rest…” — 21:35), but SGA is the leader.
• Jokic & Wemby in the Mix:
  • Jokic’s “individual impact continues to be absolutely remarkable,” but the Nuggets haven’t gained ground in standings or on defense. — Sam (22:46)
  • Wemby is the dark horse; if the Spurs leapfrog OKC in the standings, he gets serious attention.
• Wildcard Candidates:
  • Cade Cunningham (Pistons): Top-5 candidate, possibly docked for on-off stats (“There’s an argument to be made Jalen Duran’s value is right there with Cade.” — Sam, 25:01)
  • Jalen Brown & Derrick White (Celtics): Brown’s mysterious negative on-court stats dampen his case (26:15).

Finals Favorite Picks:

• Both hosts and Sam Amick see OKC as the most likely Finals squad, acknowledging the parity atop the league.
  • “If I’m picking one team, I think it’s OKC.” — Sam (26:59)
  • Thunder’s dominance despite missing key players (Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso).

Notable Quote on Thunder’s Mental Edge:

• “OKC with four of their most important players on the shelf and they still got you. That’s the kind of mental edge.” — Sam (28:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On SGA’s Composure:
  • “It just feels effortless…one of the best scorers in NBA history.” — Esfandiar (05:20)
• On Bam’s 83 Points:
  • “Not even remotely organic or in the flow of the game. That was the biggest issue I had.” — Sam Amick (15:44)
• On Comparing Historic Scoring Feats:
  • “Even in Wilt’s game, they were allowing the other team to score…there’s always some shenanigans.” — Dave (16:05)
• On SGA’s MVP Case:
  • “He put a stamp on it the other night with that game winner.” — Dave (21:00)
  • “Do I think it’s SGA right now? I do.” — Sam (22:46)
• On Finals Favorites:
  • “That one game absolutely showed me OKC is ready for the playoffs…Shay’s level of intensity was really fun to watch.” — Sam (27:26)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Time (MM:SS) | | --- | --- | | Opening & SGA/Wilt Record | 00:00 – 06:16 | | Celtics-Thunder Analysis | 03:02 – 06:16 | | Nuggets-Spurs Recap | 06:26 – 10:12 | | Bam’s 83-Point Fallout (w/ Sam Amick) | 11:15 – 20:38 | | MVP Race Analysis | 20:46 – 26:50 | | Finals Favorites Picks | 26:50 – 28:51 |

Final Thoughts

Rich in insight and strong opinions, this episode shines in contextualizing historic performances and dissecting the culture of big-time NBA records. SGA’s ascendance, the legitimacy of Bam’s scoring feat, and shifting MVP/Finals races are all explored with wit, skepticism, and reverence for NBA history—making for a compelling listen and a lively debate for NBA fans.