Local Hour: Bam Adebayo Becomes A Legend

Summary

Detailed Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Local Hour: Bam Adebayo Becomes A Legend (March 11, 2026)

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Episode Overview

This “Local Hour” is a lively, combative, and deeply Miami-focused discussion sparked by Bam Adebayo’s historic 83-point performance for the Miami Heat. Hosted live from the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, and the crew dissect the meaning, context, and fallout of Bam's achievement, contrast the local and national reactions, and riff with their characteristic irreverence on everything from Heat "culture" to the city’s sports malaise, all while weaving in the usual banter and inside jokes.

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Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Opening Banter and Setting the Table

(Starts ~01:00)

• Jeremy’s Quietness: The team pokes fun at Jeremy for his uncharacteristic silence after apparently boasting on another show.
  • Dave Zirin (01:22): “I did want this to sort of be a choose your own adventure. Either we could all… celebrate this really cool moment… Or I could be an asshole, and I really hope it’s the first one.”
• Energy in the Studio: Early tension sets the stage for a feisty debate about Bam Adebayo, the legacy of Heat stars, and how the crew positions itself as guardians (or critics) of local sports pride.

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2. Bam’s 83 Points: Heat Franchise History and Stat-Chasing Accusations

(Main discussion begins ~13:08, Peak arguments 17:33, National criticism from 21:56)

• Historic Night: Bam Adebayo scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards, a new Miami Heat franchise record and the second highest in a regular season NBA game.
  • Dan Le Batard (14:09): “Bam Adebayo scores 83 points in a game. Is that the single best performance by a Miami Heat player in Heat history?”
• Is It the GOAT Performance? The hosts immediately debate whether this is the greatest Heat performance, quickly separating regular season from postseason heroics.
  • Mike Ryan (14:40): “Regular season vs. postseason, you guys didn’t even mention LeBron Game 6 in Boston—that’s the single one greatest performance in Miami Heat history.”
  • Dave Zirin (14:35): “This is the greatest regular season performance in Heat history. Not close. It's the goat.”

National Backlash: Was It Respectful Basketball?

• Ime Udoka (Houston Rockets Coach) (17:57): “First thing you think is how… Not because of him, but because of the way he plays… Only made six threes, but 40 free throws or something like that tells the story right there. And the Washington Wizards…”
• JJ Redick & Robert Horry react (21:18 & 21:56):
  • Robert Horry: “It gets to a point where you have to respect the game… moments where it was not respected… just have an asterisk by it…”
• Tim McMahon (22:59):
  • “You are like, he’s jacking up threes while being triple teamed. It honestly was just awful, hideous, disgusting basketball down the stretch. I never, ever, ever… want to hear about Heat culture and professionalism and all that crap again, because that was the most blatant stat chasing I've ever seen.”
  • Mike Ryan quickly rebuts: “[McMahon] comparing this to Ricky Davis... is just ridiculous.” (25:52)

Miami's Defense & Pride

• Dan's take: Miami fans loved it, but the wider basketball world saw ugly stat-chasing, especially in the way both teams extended the game in the final minutes for personal/statistical milestones.
• Stugotz (24:50): “The Wizards were doing the bullshit … they're double and triple teaming in a game that the Heat are up by 25 points. So then the Heat’s response, that is, OK, we’re gonna do bullshit, too, and we’re gonna foul and so that we get the ball back … a lot of nonsense in the final few minutes… three and a half quarters, Bam was incredible.”
• Tony (18:58): “He was playing like Marshawn Lynch. He was just grabbing the ball and running through four people to try and get something in.”

Notable Broadcast Moments

• Eric Reid’s Broadcast:
  • Mike Ryan (19:02): “The funniest thing in the entire broadcast… ‘Bam didn’t get greedy. He passed it to an open teammate. That’s the essence of your captain.’ It was his second assist in the game. He was already at 70 points…”
  • Dan Le Batard: “Another timeout for the helpless Washington Wizards. I have empathy for them…”

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3. Context: The Value and Meaning of the 83-Point Game

(34:27–38:15)

• Did the Wizards Start It? The hosts agree the Wizards resorted to bizarre defensive tactics down the stretch, and the Heat responded in kind.
  • Stugotz (34:46): “Would Eric Spoelstra have called for [Bam hunting for more points] if the Wizards weren't playing the way they were?”
  • Dan/Dave Zirin: “No way.”
• Would Bam Have Hit 83 Anyway?
  • Dave Zirin (35:04): “Bam probably gets there on his own without all of this because of the way he was getting to the line.”
• Comparison to Kobe’s 81: The crew analyzes how Kobe’s famous performance was similarly lopsided against a bad team and stat-padded late, but ultimately judged more favorably because it was in character for Kobe and led a comeback.
  • Dave Zirin (42:52): “If 83 points was so easy and it could be done in this unethical way, then Steph Curry would have done it or LeBron would have done it, or Kevin Durant would have done it.”

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4. Miami Sports Context & “Heat Culture”

(~37:47–41:08)

• Dwyane Wade’s Honest Critique of Miami Sports Buzz
  • Wade quote (38:51): “The city needs to be woken up. It's not alive no more. You know, when we was here, bro, it was buzzing in these streets … there's no energy here. And this city deserves and needs a person that can bring that energy here and take it over. There's nobody, no one's here.”
• Dan and Mike’s Civic Argument: A heated side debate erupts over whether this is “the most irrelevant” period in Heat history, with Dan insisting it is (“This is as irrelevant as this basketball team… maybe ever.” – 37:47/39:55), and Mike defending the franchise’s vitality.

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5. Broader NBA and Sports Talk Interwoven

(Scattered — e.g., 04:24; 06:04; 07:17; 08:19)

• NFL News Interrupts: The show veers into random NFL breaking news (Trey Hendrickson to the Ravens), with the panel humorously lamenting how quickly this derails their Bam conversation.
• Florida Panthers/Other Miami Sports: Stugotz, Mike, and Tony riff about the Florida Panthers’ season and Miami’s broader sports culture, using it as additional context for feeling “starved” for big moments like Bam’s.
• World Baseball Classic Gaffe: Ridicule of US manager Mark DeRosa’s misunderstanding of the tournament’s qualifying procedure (see: 08:19–09:39).

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• Dave Zirin (02:22): “We can celebrate this really cool moment where one of the pillars in the franchise that we all care about, history, set a record for points scored in a game that was actually televised.”
• Dan Le Batard (14:09): “Is [Bam’s 83-point game] the single best performance by a Miami Heat player in Heat history? Yes or no?”
• Robert Horry (21:56): “It gets to a point where you have to respect the game. And I think there was moments in this game where it was not respected… just have an asterisk by it.”
• Tim McMahon (22:59): “…the most blatant stat chasing I’ve ever seen. …the worst stat chasing since Ricky Davis tried to get a rebound on the wrong basket to get a triple double.”
• Dan Le Batard (28:07): “He is, based on where he's been drafted, the perfect example of Miami Heat culture, perhaps better than any we've ever had. …But his name doesn't belong between Wilt and Kobe…”
• Dwyane Wade (38:51): “[Miami] needs to be woken up. It's not alive no more… there's no energy here.”
• Dave Zirin (42:52): “If 83 points was so easy and it could be done in this unethical way, then Steph Curry would have done it or LeBron would have done it, or Kevin Durant would have done it.”

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Tone & Style

• Comedic banter: Frequent sarcasm, searching for the absurd in both the achievement and the backlash (“Put it on the poll: Is 83 points impressive, and is 83 points a lot?”)
• Local pride vs. national criticism: The show relishes its outsider status and local loyalty by poking fun at national basketball purists.
• Nuanced appreciation: The hosts defend Bam’s growth, effort, and place in Heat history—while not pretending the night was without controversy.

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Timestamps for Essential Segments

• 01:00 – 03:10: Studio banter; Jeremy’s silence and setup
• 13:08 – 17:15: Bam Adebayo’s Record, Heat Legacy
• 17:33 – 21:56: National Backlash begins: Ime Udoka, JJ Redick, Robert Horry sound
• 22:59 – 25:58: Tim McMahon’s outrage, Miami’s reaction, stat padding debate
• 34:27 – 38:15: Wizards/Heat endgame shenanigans, context vs. Kobe, what it means for Heat culture
• 38:51 – 41:08: Dwyane Wade’s “Miami sports buzz” critique, Dan vs. Mike on Heat relevance
• 42:29 – 43:55: Dave Zirin’s defense of Bam’s development and uniqueness

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Closing Sentiment

Bam Adebayo’s 83 points become a Rorschach test: in Miami, a night of joy and overdue excitement for a proudly developed superstar; nationally, a symbol of stat-chasing, bad basketball, and Heat culture hypocrisy. The show captures both the giddy delirium around a rare Miami sports high and the relentless scrutiny—not just from outside, but from within, as history and context are hilariously, endlessly debated.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

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[Mike Ryan]

Ugh.

[Dan Le Batard]

You said you were over him, but his hoodie's still in your rotation. It's time.

[Mike Ryan]

Grab your phone, snap a few pics and sell it on Depop.

[Dan Le Batard]

Listed in minutes with no selling fees. And just like that, a guy 500 miles away just paid full price for your closure.

[Mike Ryan]

And right on cue.

[Dan Le Batard]

Hey, still got my hoodie? Nope. But I've got tonight's dinner paid for. Start selling on Depop where taste recognizes taste list. Now with no selling fees, payment processing fees and boosting fees still apply. See website for details.

[Stugotz]

Jeremy has not said a word, anyone yet this morning.

[Mike Ryan]

He's preening, though, like he's walking around like a peacock.

[Stugotz]

But normally, like he's. He's shot out of a cannon.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, can't shut him up. Can't shut him up.

[Stugotz]

And he thinks he's being slick by having not said anything yet.

[Dan Le Batard]

I would follow you down this if he wasn't on with Samson for an hour, bragging.

[Dave Zirin]

I'm saving it because I was told I'll be getting the first 83 minutes of the show to myself.

[Mike Ryan]

I did think, actually, that it was quiet around here and I hadn't realized that it's because he was doing the Samson show. Nothing personal, because David had to tend to some family matters. So Jeremy was doing a different show where nationally he was annoying that audience. A whole new audience just doing hyperventilating.

[Dave Zirin]

Don't annoy other audiences. Just here because the way you all have positioned me, as if I don't

[Mike Ryan]

know what I'm talking about, we've positioned you. You don't think you've put yourself in that position? Not at all.

[Dave Zirin]

You think that I was likable until I got here. I tell you over and over again because I'm right about everything.

[Dan Le Batard]

You were not likable before you got here.

[Dave Zirin]

Yes, I was. It's the only reason I have any of the jobs I have is because I was likable. I wasn't a professional.

[Dan Le Batard]

Now I'm a professional. Let's loosen up the shoulders a little bit. It's a big Day for you. You don't need it. You're not backed up against a corner, even though you literally are on this show.

[Dave Zirin]

Yep.

[Dan Le Batard]

Just. This is your day. Have fun, man. Enjoy it.

[Dave Zirin]

You're right, it's offensive. I came in feeling a little defensive. But I did want this to sort of be a choose your own adventure. Either we could all decide together that we can celebrate this really cool moment where one of the pillars in the franchise that we all care about, history, set a record for points scored in a game that was actually televised. Or I could be an asshole, and I really hope it's the first one.

[Dan Le Batard]

Are you threatening us? Well, when.

[Mike Ryan]

When you come.

[Dave Zirin]

I'm just telling you what it's gonna be.

[Dan Le Batard]

You're threatening us.

[Dave Zirin]

No, I'm just telling you what it's gonna be.

[Tony]

What it's gonna be. Wow, Dan, did you hear that?

[Mike Ryan]

Woo. That sounds like a movie poster right there. Are you. That sounds like something Denzel would say in the Equalizer. Are you threatening me? No, I'm just telling you factually how it's gonna be.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's how it's gonna be. Has anyone ever brought this energy after beating the Wizards?

[Dave Zirin]

Happy Jeremy was right day.

[Mike Ryan]

There it is. I do enjoy Zaslow. The idea of him angrily saying I'm likable. I like the character of defensive guy. Claiming he's likable in the face of people not liking him.

[Tony]

Jeremy's right, Dave. But what was he right about exactly? Because you have to have a prediction. It's not like he's like, you know what? Bam's gonna score 60 tonight.

[Dave Zirin]

And it's like you all have been trading Bam at a bio for years.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's a great time to sell.

[Dave Zirin]

And I've been telling you he's a superstar, which he is actual NBA legend.

[Stugotz]

Would really work in the Heat's favor if the trade deadline impasse.

[Dave Zirin]

You guys are pathetic.

[Dan Le Batard]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats podcast.

[Mike Ryan]

Simone Fontechio with 18 points last night. Jeremy, the floor. The entire floor today is yours. Go ahead, celebrate your Bam Adebayo Miami Heat.

[Dave Zirin]

Bam Adebayo passes.

[Tony]

Ah, the NFL news. It never stops.

[Dan Le Batard]

Are you kidding me? Breaking news.

[Tony]

According to Ari Marov, the Ravens are signing formal Bengals all pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson. You swap out one white guy for. For another white guy. Four time Pro Bowler brings his 81 career sacks to Baltimore after they rescinded the Max Crosby trade on Tuesday night.

[Mike Ryan]

Dad, that is excellent breathlessness. The only thing to be breathless about today.

[Dan Le Batard]

A big Deal.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, that is a pass rusher. Those are valuable. Last night, I think people were fairly shocked when the Raiders announced. The Raiders announced that the Ravens had pulled out of the Crosby deal, which made me feel like this is more than just a failed physical. Doctors have a lot of leeway on whether a team can or wants to do something. I don't know. I mean, of course he's going to fail a physical. He's coming off of knee surgery. Like his knees not working right. And people know that. But I'd like to know more of the details of what happened there because that was super strange that the. The Raiders put out the Ravens business and then said, we'll have no further comment at this time. Like, it was just a real quick press release that made me think, oh, there's more here. We'll be finding out about Ravens rebound nicely.

[Tony]

Four years, $112 million for Trah Hendrickson.

[Dave Zirin]

So this is the path we're choosing.

[Tony]

It's a big deal. I mean, imagine how many.

[Dave Zirin]

How many career sacks did you say?

[Tony]

81.

[Dave Zirin]

81.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. That was a little rude.

[Dave Zirin]

Wow.

[Mike Ryan]

Two.

[Dave Zirin]

He's two. Two fewer sacks than Bam had points in a basketball game last night.

[Tony]

But again, you're taking from a division rival to bolster your own team.

[Stugotz]

If you want, we could talk about the heart of a champion, which was on full display in sunrise last night. Come on, son.

[Dan Le Batard]

Swaggy, last night was a where were you? Moment in South Florida sports. Dan, where were you when Sam Bennet got his 200th career assist?

[Dave Zirin]

You are pathetic people.

[Dan Le Batard]

That was in the press box.

[Mike Ryan]

They were down 3, 2 with, what was it, 40 seconds left a minute and change. But you guys have been telling me for six weeks their season is over. Tony hasn't even tuned in.

[Tony]

Where are they?

[Mike Ryan]

At the very bottom 11. Back of the conference.

[Tony]

Nobody wants to answer me. How many games are left in the season? How many points are they back?

[Dan Le Batard]

Let me. Let's take you to last night. Down 3, 2 against the Detroit Red Wings. Who are better than them. They're chasing this team in the standings. They pull their goalie. Swaggy equalizes and like he did that fateful night in Boston that started this whole run. Swaggy calls game in regulation. 4, 3. And Panther fans everywhere googled NHL standings and found their team still second bottom in the league.

[Stugotz]

This is true for the first time and I'd say about two weeks. I took a look at the standings last night. It was humbling.

[Mike Ryan]

Conference, not league. Conference.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. Eastern Conference. Yeah. We're actually having as good a season as the Oilers are, but we're in the.

[Stugotz]

If the Panthers were in the west, we'd be talking right now about how the Panthers have a chance to three peat.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Stugotz]

And that seems unfair.

[Dan Le Batard]

What else?

[Mike Ryan]

Anything else? Mike was rooting for Italy yesterday after the United States manager didn't realize that the United States had not qualified. This is startling in terms of boneheaded stuff done by somebody in charge. I don't believe you've seen a whole lot in your life where a guy for the USA goes into a game thinking he's clinched and he's advanced and then they're down 8 nothing. Against Italy. Against Italy.

[Dan Le Batard]

What do they have on their team? John Birdie and them boys like.

[Tony]

Is that Jacob Marcy?

[Mike Ryan]

Jorge Posada.

[Dan Le Batard]

Now you're speaking my language. Jorge Posada on the staff. Yeah, I look, I'm part Italian. I root for Italian national team sports except for when they play the usa. But my relationship with baseball is, you know, not at the greatest place. And that was an incredible underdog story. And the way that the US Approached that game, I was kind of rooting against them and the Rosa, perhaps an undercover agent.

[Mike Ryan]

So what do you guys make of this? And how often have you seen what happened with Mark DeRosa, the manager of the United States, where he just doesn't seem to understand going into the game what the stakes of the game are. Go ahead and play that.

[Dan Le Batard]

You got nine bodies ready to roll today, I would imagine.

[Mike Ryan]

Absolutely. I'm going to look at it.

[Stugotz]

I'm going to get some guys off their feet. No question about it. I'd like to get Goldie a start. And, you know, he has been awesome. Just a leader of men behind the

[Mike Ryan]

scenes with Aaron Judge.

[Stugotz]

I'd like to get him in there. I'd like to get Gunner in there. Again, ton of respect for Italy. It's weird. We want to. We want to win this game even

[Mike Ryan]

though our tickets punched at a quarterfinals

[Stugotz]

because Mexico plays Italy actually tomorrow.

[Mike Ryan]

So this. The way the way the schedule lines

[Stugotz]

up, this is an important game for.

[Mike Ryan]

How is that possible? How was somebody in charge not understanding? When I say to you, what does this person need to understand going into the game? What can this person not not understand? It's what are the stakes of this game?

[Tony]

The great part is like he starts talking and then like halfway through he realized, like, oh, wait, maybe this is not. I don't really know what we need to do. So I'm gonna get, you know, it's a game we want to win, obviously.

[Stugotz]

Like, if someone on the other side of the camera,

[Dan Le Batard]

we need to win. It's actually a tournament. It's a tournament.

[Mike Ryan]

I don't know. Who's on Italy. Please get for me who's on Italy. But, Mike, you found yourself actively rooting for Italy, rooting against the United States.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. Like I said, I tend to root for Italian national teams, but I always root for the USA when they're head to head. But as that's. As the Italians grew into their lead and social media started putting DeRosa's arrogance out there, I was like, well, you deserve this embarrassment.

[Stugotz]

Well, it was stupidity, not arrogance. Right?

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, they're one in the same. The way that he came off there was both arrogant and stupid in retrospect.

[Mike Ryan]

America, right now. No.

[Tony]

Right.

[Dan Le Batard]

Who believes. No. Can't believe it.

[Mike Ryan]

No, we don't. What? How dare you call America and say we're coming off as arrogant and stupid.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, going into an event not knowing the situation ramifications, having an exit strategy.

[Mike Ryan]

Iran.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, I was trying to do that more.

[Mike Ryan]

I know when you got to exit strategy, you. I think I had my joke lined up before you got to exit strategy, but I'm still mad at you because.

[Dave Zirin]

Because he doesn't understand anything about Miami Heat basketball.

[Mike Ryan]

We'll get to that story.

[Tony]

Jacob Bernie's on the team. Or John Birdie, one of the two.

[Dave Zirin]

Jacob, Marcy, John Birdie.

[Dan Le Batard]

They got Jays.

[Mike Ryan]

We will get to what it is that Bam. Adebayo did in just a second. But my favorite parts of yesterday's were twofold. One happened on air, one happened after the show off air. My favorite part of yesterday's show is that Stan Van Gundy spent a full hour talking to Jonathan Zaslow, who he's known. He's known for 20 years, and he never commented on a burgeoning eyebrow situation that made him, over the course of yesterday's show, look, by the end of the show, like someone that we were talking about. We need to be careful how much black we put on his face here because we don't want to vulnerable spot. So much eyebrows here that we cross over into a dangerous place where we go past the Ben Shapiro eyebrows spectacular. So I love that Stan Van Gunning never commented on that. Just kept staring at you, and you've just got giant, unreasonably not human eyebrows. But also what I enjoyed yesterday is Mike raging against a puppet that looks like me. Mike screaming and yelling at a puppet that I've now given to Tony so that Tony can Start working with this puppet. We had this professionally made.

[Dan Le Batard]

This is the first time the puppets actually been on screen, despite, you know, being here for two days. And I was trying to integrate.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, you were mad at all of the logistics, but you took out that rage on the puppet. The puppet does look somewhat like me. It should have been made heavier. The beard is a. A little grayer than it should be. We've had to paint the hair black

[Stugotz]

because the hair pants up a little bit.

[Dan Le Batard]

He's a belt.

[Stugotz]

Jesus.

[Mike Ryan]

Wait a minute. This has become a pornographic show?

[Tony]

No, it's that I can't get my hand all the way up here.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's one of the issues with it.

[Mike Ryan]

Anyway, we will see what happens with the puppet.

[Stugotz]

I don't like that.

[Mike Ryan]

What do you mean?

[Tony]

What?

[Stugotz]

I, I, that's. This makes me uncomfortable.

[Dan Le Batard]

Makes two of us.

[Mike Ryan]

The nudity of the puppet or just the existence of the puppet in general.

[Stugotz]

I like the Leba puppet in general, but it, it's got its pants down.

[Mike Ryan]

It also has four fingers on each hand. I don't know why it is that this.

[Stugotz]

Everybody knows puppets only have four fingers.

[Dan Le Batard]

Everybody knows puppets and cartoons.

[Mike Ryan]

Put it on the poll at lebaton show. Does everyone know that puppets have only four fingers on each hand? But we have fooled around long enough. I really do want to talk about what it is that happened last night, because I assume only Miami thinks that that is a good and fun thing. I'm going to assume that today, all over the media, you will get people fervently, passionately and religiously protecting the honor of the late Kobe Bryant by feeling like Bam Adebayo's name doesn't belong beyond Kobe Bryant in scoring in a game. So the first thing I want to ask you guys is ridiculous, though. This is bam Adebayo scores 83 points in a game. Is that the single best performance by a Miami Heat player in Heat history? Yes or no? No.

[Dan Le Batard]

Kidding me. Not remotely close to a goat performance.

[Mike Ryan]

Not remotely close.

[Dave Zirin]

Are you people talking about.

[Dan Le Batard]

And look.

[Tony]

No, he's right.

[Dan Le Batard]

Let him cook. Let me, Let me say, like you take in context, this is a proud franchise that has played plenty of important games that have had incredible performances in. In marquee games off the top of the dome. Jimmy Butler, game five in the bubble, going shot for shot with LeBron James.

[Stugotz]

Butler gates in 23 regular season is

[Dave Zirin]

what I was talking about. This is the greatest regular season performance in Heat history. Not close. It's the goat.

[Mike Ryan]

So regular season versus postseason, you guys didn't even mention LeBron Game 6 in Boston is the single one greatest performance in Miami Heat single season single game history.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, we were leaving the goat to you. This go conversation is presented by Frank's Red Hot. Make every dish the greatest.

[Mike Ryan]

Eat the goat folks, listen up.

[Dave Zirin]

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[Dave Zirin]

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[Mike Ryan]

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[Stugotz]

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[Mike Ryan]

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[Dan Le Batard]

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[Tony]

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[Mike Ryan]

Lemmy now he's just just playing nickel back in the locker room and ST threes as they chase the nets for the six seed. These five wor scream. Are we winning games yet?

[Stugotz]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats.

[Mike Ryan]

Last night, something happened with Heat basketball that I believe is going to be found offensive by basketball purists, by the nation at large. It is only going to be celebrated here. Let's get some of the criticism that is just rolling in from last night. Here is Rockets coach Ime Udoka. I don't know if you saw that

[Dave Zirin]

Bam Adebayo had 83 points tonight.

[Mike Ryan]

Just, I'm sure you know, Bam. What are your thoughts on that and

[Dan Le Batard]

such a historic night?

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, I mean, first thing you think

[Dan Le Batard]

is how, you know, because of. Not because of him, but because of the way he plays, you know, And I saw. Only made six threes, but 40 free throws or something like that tells the story right there. And the Washington Wizards,

[Mike Ryan]

that's such a good sideswipe at the end.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, it's true.

[Tony]

When I saw it was 43 free throw attempts, I was like, what?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. Which was shocking enough. But then the pause. Ellipsis. Washington Wizards.

[Dave Zirin]

The crazy part is that they were all legitimate fouls. Like at the end. No, I mean, sure.

[Tony]

Yes. Okay, sure.

[Dave Zirin]

What.

[Dan Le Batard]

What do you. They did touch him.

[Dave Zirin]

They hacked him. Like he took the ball late in the game after playing all those minutes, drove in and got hacked. Like the ability to escape. With four minutes left in the game, they started triple teaming him. And he's getting out of.

[Dan Le Batard]

Jeremy.

[Tony]

He was playing like Marshawn Lynch. He was just grabbing the ball and running through four people to try and get something in.

[Dan Le Batard]

There was that one time that Eric Reid touted his unselfishness. He passed the ball. Can you believe it?

[Mike Ryan]

Wait a minute, wait a minute. No, it's better than that, Mike, because it was the. I wrote it down because it was the single funniest thing in the entire broadcast. Funnier than even the challenges at the end. No, the funniest thing in the broadcast is what I'm about to read. Because this is an exact quote from Eric Reid late in the third quarter. Bam. Who's being now triple teamed on fadeaway jumpers, okay? Because the Wizards are just like, this is embarrassing enough. We're going to put four guys on him. Eric Reid says. And they at this point, because. Because there's no Tyler Herro, because there's no Norman Powell, because there's no Wiggins, okay? They are spending the entire broadcast talking about someone in Bam who they've talked about for nine years. So they've gone to the reservoir bank of. He's such a good person. So many times, like, he's just. He's a good player, but he's even better as a person. Like, they. They've talked about this human being so much for nine years. They don't have anything to say, and they can't talk about any of the players. But this is what Eric Reed has said. In fact, I'm going to stop for a second and give you the second funniest thing that he said, because the second funniest thing he said was another timeout for the helpless Washington Wizards. I have empathy for them. That's something that he actually said. But the thing that he said that was the funniest is Bam didn't get greedy. He passed it to an open teammate. That's the essence of. Of your captain. It was his second assist in the game. He was already at 70 points and had taken 37 shots. He had taken 37 shots, and there were 70 guys on him. There were wizards from the. Rod Strickland ran on the court and was. Was guarding him there.

[Dan Le Batard]

I saw Calvert, Cheney.

[Mike Ryan]

So what happened in the end of that game? The last five minutes ruined it the way that it's going to be nationally perceived. So let's get to some more sound because here's JJ Redick talking about Bam Adebayon protecting Kobe's legacy. It's incredible what he was able to do. I walked in and I saw the score.

[Stugotz]

He was at the free throw line,

[Mike Ryan]

and I saw the score. And they've been playing great basketball lately. And I said to my coaching staff, Rox heated roll with me. They all kind of looked at each other. They're like, are you kidding right now?

[Dan Le Batard]

I was like, no.

[Mike Ryan]

What's up? They're like, they're 36 and 28 or whatever they are.

[Dan Le Batard]

They're getting ready to be 37 and 28.

[Mike Ryan]

And they're like, no band has 77. And I was like, huh? And then I watched the last three minutes, and that was a different type of basketball. Let's go to Robert Horry. Also going to protect some of Kobe Bryant's legacy here. There's going to be a lot of this today.

[Dan Le Batard]

83 from Bam Adebayo.

[Mike Ryan]

Oh, my goodness. You know, that's one of those things you have to see 43 shots, 43 free throws. I'm like, and then I saw some highlights. You know, if y' all noticed, when the show came back, I was looking at the highlights of Bam. I'm like, let me just say this 83 points is impressive, you know, but it gets to a point where you have to respect the game. And I think there was moments in this game where it was not respected. But still, though, 83 points is a lot. I appreciate the effort, and it's gonna go, as we know, second most of the game. But it's like you always say on certain things, just have an asterisk by it. I'm putting asterisks by this one. It's still a lot. I'm not taking away anything. Bam. It's a lot. I didn't think I'd be saying this today, but put both of these things on the poll. Is 83 points impressive and is 83 points a lot. Put both of those on the poll. And Here is Tim McMahon, an outraged podcaster, giving voice, I'm sure, to what a lot of people will be saying today.

[Dan Le Batard]

You are like, he's jacking up threes while being triple teamed. I mean, it was just. It honestly was just awful, hideous, disgusting basketball down the stretch. That I admit I was cracking up, laughing while watching. But I never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever want to hear about Heat culture and professionalism and all that crap again, because that was the most blatant stat chasing I've ever seen. You honestly, is the worst stat chasing since Ricky Davis tried to get a rebound on the wrong basket to get a triple double. But the difference is this was minutes and minutes and minutes and extended the game stat chasing. So it was embarrassing for the Lizards, egregious for the Heat, but, hey, you got your 83. I enjoyed the Ethical 39 by Wimby more than I enjoyed the Egregious 83. But I'm old. I'm grumpy. I admit it.

[Mike Ryan]

All right?

[Stugotz]

I mean. I mean, take it easy on the, you know, 30 plus years of. Of Heat culture and hard work and the reputation this franchise has has all been flushed down the toilet because of a game against the Wizards. Can we slow down for a second?

[Dan Le Batard]

The Lizards.

[Stugotz]

The Lizards. The Li. Like, can we slow down for a sec? Like, Tim McMahon's really good at what he does, but take it easy. All right? Look, this performance last night by Bamboo, and you heard a lot of it right there, I think you're going to hear, I think today is going to be rather ugly. The reaction. This performance is not going to be remembered fondly. It's. It's just. It's just not. Part of it is by Heat fans, it will be. Heat fans, it will be. And everyone in that building Last night had a great time, and that's really important, okay? But this game is not going to be remembered fondly because the final. It was like five minutes or whatever was a lot of bullshit. And I will tell you, the started with the Wizards, okay?

[Dave Zirin]

The.

[Stugotz]

The Wizards were doing the bullshit. They're. They're double. I've never seen it before. They're double and triple teaming.

[Dan Le Batard]

Bam. Full court.

[Stugotz]

Not even like an inbounds play in the front court.

[Tony]

Full court.

[Stugotz]

They're double and triple teaming in a game that the heater up by 25 points. And so then the Heat's response, that is, okay, we're gonna do bullshit, too, and we're gonna foul and so that we can get the ball back. And then we're going to.

[Dan Le Batard]

And.

[Stugotz]

And the Wizards and the Heat are both going to challenge plays with under two and a half minutes left. And Keyshot Johnson is going to miss a free throw on purpose so that Bam can try and get the offensive rebound like it was. It was a lot of nonsense in the final few minutes. That, unfortunately, I think, is going to have people speaking about this performance in an extremely negative fashion, as we heard right there, when the reality of it is for three and a half quarters, Bam was in well readable.

[Mike Ryan]

The first quarter was more impressive than the rest of the game. To me, that first quarter is the best quarter I've ever seen a Heat player play. Any quarter, any time.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, Tim McMahon comparing this to Ricky Davis trying to get his own rebound is just ridiculous.

[Stugotz]

It's ridiculous.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, he's saying stat padding and put it on the poll at LeBatard show. Are you okay with changing the name of the Washington Wizards to the Washington Lizards? Because they should have. Actually should be Washington Lizards because we should put L's where they have W's. I like that. I thought that that was the best part of what Tim McMahon said. But I do want to celebrate some portions of this in a way that is not sarcastic. Okay, first of all, I hear so much about load management, and I hear so much about the players in that sport being not what you expect them to be. This guy playing that hard in a way that made his teammates so happy for him that at the end of, they were all thrilled in basketball, where you guys make all of these guys selfish, so thrilled for this guy because they know specifically how hard he has worked and that his first six seasons in the league, he never in any season took as many threes as he took last night because he's improved his game and We've all watched it. Now, you may think that this isn't a superstar. The standard was put in absurd place by Wade and Shaq and LeBron and Bosh. And so this guy is criminally undervalued in this city because he's not good enough to win a championship by himself. But he is, based on where he's been drafted, the perfect example of Miami Heat culture, perhaps better than any we've ever had. Because the Heat didn't develop Alonzo Mourning, they had to go get him from somebody else. This is a player that we saw come into this league super raw, and he's a pillar in this community, like represents this franchise in a wonderful way. But his name doesn't belong between Wilt and Kobe. And people are going to get really mad at how he got there because the previous 70 point performances. And he's also a victim of the distortion of basketball because all of the plus 60 games, a lot of them are in the last five years because people can shoot threes. So you've got, you know, dame going for 70, 14 free throws in a game. Luka going for 73, 16 free throws in a game. The Kobe game of 81, 20 free throws in the game. Embiid got 23 free throws in a 70 point game. But what they did last night, that the Heat we're enjoying does go against what they usually stand for, because they did make a mockery out of basketball with the help of the Washington Wizards, who are not a professional basketball franchise. So careless with the ball in that first half. I was laughing at Tony last night while watching my television.

[Stugotz]

Wait a second.

[Dan Le Batard]

What are we doing about me?

[Tony]

Oh, what I said had nothing to do.

[Mike Ryan]

You said the Wizards were a good team.

[Tony]

The Lizards are heading in the right direction.

[Dan Le Batard]

They closed that game to 10. At one point, they were fighting. Quick break. To tell you about a special Miller time I had with my good buddy Mochetta. Mochetta texted me the other day. He said, hey, what are you doing for the game? I said, I'm just on my couch right now doing nothing, enjoying it. He's like, hey, do you want some company? I said, from you, Mochetta? Absolutely. Mochetta comes over to the house and I pull out the Miller Lite. Miller Light. Made that casual hang. A memorable good Miller time with my good friend Mochetta. Because Miller Lite brought us together. We took that first sip after we toasted our beers and we knew we made the right call. We watched a game. All of a sudden we're standing up on our feet. Big threes are being drained and white cans are being clanged. See times like these. That's exactly why Miller Lite is my go to clean, refreshing, easy to drink, brewed for taste with simple ingredients. The original light beer since 1975 and it still hits. Different for yours truly and his good friend Mo Chedda. Cheers to legendary moments made with Miller Lite. Great taste. 96 calories go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you, or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

[Tony]

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[Mike Ryan]

Gambling problem call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MERNET NEW

[Stugotz]

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[Mike Ryan]

Void in Ontario restrictions apply.

[Stugotz]

Bonus bets expire seven days after issuance.

[Mike Ryan]

For additional terms or responsible gaming resources, see sportsbook.draftkings.com promos Limited Time Offer Spring

[Dan Le Batard]

is here, and there's a whole new way to chai at Starbucks that's made perfect for you. Choose your sweetness. Dial it up or keep things light. Add a touch of pistachio, a hint of strawberry or vanilla, or make it a spring classic with lavender. Because this season there's endless ways to chai at Starbucks. Don LeBatard it sounds to me like

[Dave Zirin]

everybody could use a hug, because a

[Dan Le Batard]

hug is always the right size. Stugats All I have put in my body today is three cups of coffee

[Mike Ryan]

and an entire cup of honey. Don't let him fool you. He said in the break that he's jittery.

[Stugotz]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the stugats.

[Mike Ryan]

Before we go any further, though, let's examine the difference between how Miami is experiencing this and how the country is about to experience it. Because I think the greatest indignity here against the respecting of basketball is that somebody who is beloved, who died in a helicopter, had 81 points and was rightfully second on a historic list that basketball's distortions couldn't compromise. And the way this game was played last night was silly. Nobody goes to the game to watch a record number of free throws from a single player. 43 free throws. He made more free throws in a game than anyone ever has. And he took more free throws in a game than anyone ever has. And it's because they played him the entire second half. And the whole point of what everyone was doing, because they know the Heater, above average and the Wizards are historically bad, cannot win basketball games on the road at all. The Wizards exist basically to be the Washington Generals. Can we look up the record of the Washington Generals all time against the Harlem Globetrott Trotters? Because that's what it felt like last night. You had everything I expected at one point. Bam. To take a bucket of confetti and throw it at some kids in the first row pretending it's a bucket of water because it's the signature Harlem Globetrotters move.

[Stugotz]

I would have preferred, knowing what we know now, and you knew this was going to be the reaction once the game ended. You knew that there was a lot of venom based on not just passing Kobe Bryant, but also the way it went down, of course, the last few minutes. Knowing what we know now, like, I would have preferred that he left the game with like five or six minutes left, a game that was not in doubt anymore. And he had like 74 points or whatever like that. And we didn't get to the Wizards doing the nonsense. And then the Heat responding with their own nonsense. I don't know what the crowd reaction would have been if they took Bam out in the middle of the fourth quarter. He had 74 points. So close, you know, to Kobe Bryant.

[Mike Ryan]

You cannot care. You cannot care about what anyone else thinks. It's about the people in that huddle. It's not even right.

[Stugotz]

Like, SPO was in a weird spot because all Eric's bowels. You should take him out like the game was in doubt. You got to respect for the game. You have to do whatever Bam. Adebayo wants in that spot. If he wants to stay in the game and go for the record. He stays in the game and goes for the record.

[Tony]

I thought it was fun, right? Like, you look around, it's like, this is something that is so out of character for SPO a foul him so he can get the shots. It's like what you want to see from your coach is being behind the guy who's having this.

[Stugotz]

Do you think the Heat would have done that because you saw SPO was signaling for that? Would the Heat have done that? Would Eric Spoelstra have called for that if the Wizards weren't playing the way that they were playing?

[Dan Le Batard]

No.

[Dave Zirin]

No way.

[Stugotz]

My guess is no.

[Dave Zirin]

It all started Bam was gonna get there. Like the way he was scoring and the way he was incredible to the line, naturally he was going to get to this point. Whether the Wizards like lizards. If the Lizards had continued to play with the pace that the game had been going at before the final 430,

[Stugotz]

why couldn't they just play him straight up like grown men?

[Dave Zirin]

Yeah, it was crazy because he owned

[Tony]

him with that's why.

[Dave Zirin]

Minutes and 30 seconds left in the game. They started triple teaming him before he got the ball. And it was so funny because on the broadcast Eric Reed said something to the effect of like, oh well, pride is starting to kick in as they don't want him to chase the record.

[Stugotz]

They have like six wins on the season.

[Dave Zirin]

John Proddy said like, oh, my pride probably would have started kicking in somewhere around the middle of the third quarter as he had 60 something points. Like it was crazy to see. And Eric Reid earlier in the game not even talking about Bam, referring to the Lizards defense as non confrontational, which made Crotty laugh out loud. But the crazy part is, is Bam probably gets there on his own without all of this because of the way he was getting to the line. And instead there's so much silliness that it doesn't make a difference though he still sets the record and nobody is going to remember in the long run how.

[Stugotz]

Oh, I disagree with that.

[Dave Zirin]

No, you want to know why? Because do you know how Kobe did it?

[Stugotz]

I do know how he did.

[Dave Zirin]

He took 13 of 17 shots for the Lakers in the fourth quarter. He took seven free throws at the end to get to that record.

[Stugotz]

But also, do you want to point out that that was a game that the Raptors were ahead most of the game and Kobe Z1 led the Lakers to a comeback.

[Mike Ryan]

And then.

[Dave Zirin]

And, and then they were up by like 18 points.

[Stugotz]

That's important.

[Dave Zirin]

No, with five minutes.

[Stugotz]

Well, but says you remember needed to

[Dave Zirin]

be in that game.

[Stugotz]

Says you point game.

[Mike Ryan]

I'm sorry you remember the details on the Kobe Toronto game. Jalen Rose certainly remembers the details. But when we criticize this, as many people will do Udoka just did it. It happened against the Wizards. Nobody remembers who Wilt did it against. That does not matter.

[Stugotz]

Well, so we're not sure that it

[Mike Ryan]

actually happened that too. You mentioned John Crotty earlier. That wasn't the funniest thing about the broadcast with John Crotty. It was at one point in the first quarter where Eric Reid was like, and John, tell us what it feels like to be in a zone like this. And he's like, how would I know? How would I possibly know? I never had anything like.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. The Kobe fan perspective as you guys are highlighting that one was certainly an interesting prism to. To view this thing through. Beloved. I would say the one pushback that I would have and Zaz made some good points is that was also in Kobe's character. I think this is objectively hilarious that Bam out of bio, of all people, when the whole thing around this player for his entire career is be more aggressive. Decided, you know what? For once I'm going to eat averages

[Mike Ryan]

4 1/2 free throws a game.

[Dan Le Batard]

For once I'm going to be spam out of bio and I'm going to make this happen for myself. And I'm glad that you mentioned the fans in that arena.

[Stugotz]

They had. They looked like they were having the of their life.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. I've been positioned as the Heat hater just because I think that this is another lost season that ends with them not getting out of the first round. And I will be right about that. But I think. But I think that look, the Miami Heat as Dwyane Wade, the face of this franchise, said they. They needed a buzz. This town needed to be woken up. And Bam said that much in the post game.

[Mike Ryan]

So did Spo.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. And he finally did something to wake this market up up. I would say that both nationally and locally and I'm afraid the ratings bear this out. This is as irrelevant as this basketball team, this proud basketball team has been maybe ever. And they God bless them for having that night and deciding, you know what? We're not going to be the culture. No fun team. We're going to have fun for the people in that building. Bam Adebayo of all people is going to go for this record.

[Stugotz]

Well, he's the perfect guy for the team.

[Dan Le Batard]

And it was. It was. It was really enjoyable.

[Mike Ryan]

I have to. To stop Mike and I understand that through your narcissism is where you view everything. This is not the most irrelevant Heat team that there has ever been. That's a ridiculous thing to say. They still have that sold out Streak, the people in that arena did enjoy themselves. But Dwyane Wade does speak to something. And this off the heat. A lot of members of the heat thought this was somebody outside, somebody going outside the family to criticize the family. Let's hear this sound from Dwyane Wade.

[Dan Le Batard]

The city needs to be woken up. It's not alive no more. You know, when we was here, bro, it was buzzing in these streets. We've been here the last couple days. There's ain't nothing buzzing outside.

[Mike Ryan]

Nothing at all. I had to go home early, bro.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm going.

[Tony]

I'm leaving.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm leaving, too. I thought I was about to stay here. I'm getting out of here. There's no energy here. And this city deserves and needs a person that can bring that energy here and take it over. There's nobody, no one's here. He would take from that standpoint of that buzz and that energy when he came, they changed the entire. The culture here shifted when Bron and them came. So I felt it alive and I felt it buzzing. Then I was out. I've been out here the last couple days. I'm sleepy. I've been in the house smoking hookah. I'm sleeping.

[Mike Ryan]

I mean, look who's talking there. What an impossible standard. Like, what are they talking about? But there's no awareness of who they are, as they say that.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, no. Again, doubling down. It is the most irrelevant the franchise has been for an extended period of time. Don't cherry pick one bad year where they came back the very next year. Don't cherry pick bad years in which they had D. Wade, one of the best players in the league, on their team and. And an asset you knew that you could build around. They're irrelevant.

[Mike Ryan]

The.

[Dan Le Batard]

The national games bear this out. The local ratings bear this out. This is the least interesting this team has been for an extended period of time in franchise history. Full point. That is. That is fact.

[Mike Ryan]

No, it isn't, Mike.

[Dave Zirin]

What?

[Dan Le Batard]

What? Give me a worst three year stretch, Mike.

[Mike Ryan]

Start in the 80s.

[Dan Le Batard]

There they were an expansion team that

[Mike Ryan]

people were getting excited about before Pat Riley got here. There's a block of time where they were.

[Dan Le Batard]

I watched a bunch of those games. They had g money. They had. They had teams that were fighting for playoffs.

[Mike Ryan]

You're the local Heat basketball historian. Who's right on this, Mike? You think this is the most irrelevant they've been in their franchise's history?

[Stugotz]

Mike, you need to amend that statement to at least. At the very least, and we can have the discussion. I Don't even know if I agree with it then. But at the very least you have to amend the statement to since Pat Riley got here, okay?

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean it's three years.

[Stugotz]

I mean they're trying to remember those Billy Owens. Come on.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, and that team. That team made the playoffs and with out in the first round a couple of times. The same fate that this.

[Mike Ryan]

I'm not doing this with you today. You think they're irrelevant. You've stopped watching them and so everyone has. I get it. I get it. It's. It all happens the way.

[Dan Le Batard]

Hey, hey.

[Mike Ryan]

Why am I being attacked here?

[Dan Le Batard]

Why am I being attacked here? Like off.

[Mike Ryan]

I haven't. I've barely spoken. This is not the way I want

[Dan Le Batard]

Jeremy to get in here and you frame everything through the. The prism of my narcissism.

[Stugotz]

Get out of here. All right.

[Dan Le Batard]

This was a fun night for South Florida.

[Mike Ryan]

You get out of here.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, Jesus Christ. Guy calls you out on it and gets sent away. Jeremy, by all means, I.

[Mike Ryan]

Only two minutes.

[Dan Le Batard]

Murdering the show with your bare hands in a dismemberment.

[Stugotz]

Kid in cold one go up bullshit.

[Mike Ryan]

This is not the day for your negativity on the Miami Heat.

[Dave Zirin]

Wow. I will say I do think that the. The three year span that he's talking about maybe isn't. Isn't exactly right. But I appreciate his support and in the fact that we should just be celebrating this moment together rather than. Than parsing the details of a three year span because. Because that was that three year span like the first year he's talking about. They were coming off of a finals appearance, so they obviously were not irrelevant. They were the defending Eastern Conference champions. But this night, last night happening for Bama to bio is. Is special for a combination of reasons because not only is he the only player that SPO would do that for. Right. Like he's doing that for his captain because of everything Bam has been because of everything he's worked himself into. But he passed the 10,000 point threshold with the Heat the game before. And what he talked about is it's not bad for a guy who was drafted to be a defender and a lob threat like he has worked himself. And like you mentioned, he was supposed

[Mike Ryan]

to be Clint Capella.

[Dave Zirin]

Yeah, at. At. At best like you were hoping he was Clint Capella. And the fact that he has developed himself into a player with the skill set to be able to reach 83 points. If 83 points was so easy and it could be done in this unethical way, then Steph Curry would have done it or LeBron would have done it, or Kevin Durant would have done it.

[Stugotz]

You're right.

[Dave Zirin]

I don't care who you're playing. Kobe Bryant did his 81 points against a team that lost 55 games.

[Mike Ryan]

People have been criticizing the Wizards and throughout basketball history, there have been a lot of bad, bad teams and no one has put up 83 against any of them except one player ever. But, but if. If anyone in the league with their number one option played the way the Heat were playing toward the end of that game, there are many players in that league who could have gotten to 83 points playing that way. And I say that not to discredit at all the first quarter he had, which as I say, was the most impressive quarter I have ever seen a Heat player have. It's just not the way they played the rest of the game and certainly not the way they played the second half.

[Tony]

It's also when, when you talk about the guys that Jeremy was mentioning, Steph Curry, LeBron, KD, all these guys, like, they don't need to do that, right? Like their whole, their whole thing is like, we have enough. Bam doesn't have that in his arsenal in his, his trophy case. He needs an 83 point game like that.

[Stugotz]

Can we just acknowledge for the second time in NBA history that a duo was combined for over 100 points? Can we give it up for Bam Adebayo and Simone Fontechio?

[Dan Le Batard]

Shot clocks, big shots, upsets, aces TGL Playoffs are here. Year first Atlanta Drive starts their repeat run against Los Angeles Golf Club. Then Rory's Boston Common golf and Tigers Jupiter Links face off in their playoff debuts. Who will advance? Keep up its playoffs tune in Tuesday, March 17th at 6. 30pM and 9pM only on ESPN and the ESPN applied.