The fourth quarter of Bam’s 83 point game WAS an interesting watch
No idea how popular this is but I had a great time watching the fourth.
In the fourth, with about 10 minutes left, Bam had like 70-72 points and they made the decision he was gonna try to break Kobe’s record. I felt like since about minute 9 this was obvious.
A new game evolved where both sides were actively invested: wizards did NOT want to let bam score past this mark, and the heat were trying their best to make him score it. And boy did both teams try their best.
Both teams feigned at basketball for a while during this 10 minute period but really the underlying tone was still there. Bam was trying to force his way past Kobe, and everyone knew it or he would’ve sat. Wizards are literally holding him off ball to not let him move but he makes it apparent to the refs and gets the call, shooting free throws because it’s in the bonus. Bam is drawing fouls and shooting FT, gets a putback, but can’t a three to go. Someone chucks it straight down court like “Bam is down there somewhere” and just tosses it out of bounds. Finally we get to the point where he’s close enough (77?) where all pretenses are dropped. The wizards are sending full doubles and triples at this guy and he’s trying to score it. The wizards hold the ball for the full shot clock before jacking up something purely to waste time. But spo is in on it. Next play the heat foul off inbounds. Bam is battling through crazy coverage to catch the inbounds because they know if someone else does the wizards will foul. Then he’s tripled up the court. He turns it over, the inbounder fails the pass, he can’t convert, things go wrong. Exciting. The wizards are doing great. He passes to a teammate and yep, the wizards foul immediately to stop the heats possession. Bam gives them a charge.
At the end of the day, Bam manages with about a minute left, and shoots 16 FTA in a quarter iirc. But, you know, I had a good time. Not because he did it, and yes it was long and loads of free throws. But it was unusual. Both teams (players and coaches) were making a full, concerted effort on getting Bam past or stopping him at/before 81. It was a game inside a game that had stakes, felt exciting and competitive, strategy etc. I was invested. Ads definitely made it worse, but hey, it happens.
Maybe I’m just weird but it was a great watch. And I was never a bam guy, would have been an investing watch whoever succeeded. All the tactics employed by the teams and the way they were warring despite the actual game being over.