🏀 The Beam Turns Green

Hello to our now 40k+ Enjoyers! It’s crazy to think that there's enough of you to fill Madison Square Garden… twice. We should throw a party sometime.

Onto some huge news… Enjoy Basketball’s own Kenny Beecham is hopping on Stephen A. Smith’s Know Mercy Podcast! Listen to Kenny talk about the Enjoy Basketball brand and his journey as an NBA content creator TODAY.

And one more exciting update… we have something cooking with the NBA team from the 313. Keep an eye on our socials at 1pm ET 👀.

Today’s Lineup

The Beam Turns Green 🍀: Boston records a statement W in Sacramento

A New York Legend 🕊️: Remembering Knicks icon Willis Reed

The New Guys 🏀: Enjoyers Award Watch examines the best rookies

Enjoy Basketball Referral Program

Remember when Luka and Book got into it a few weeks ago? Here’s what was actually said…

Book: Hey Luka, did you know that less than 1% of Enjoy Basketball newsletter readers have referrals?

Luka: No way! We need to get that number up. Let me tell my teammates to spread the word—Kyrie is going to love the positive movement.

Book: Appreciate you man, you’ll get some free swag too just by sharing your link.

Take it from Book! All you have to do is share the custom link at the bottom of your email with someone who would enjoy it and get rewarded! Track your progress by signing into your account and navigating to “Referrals”. It's really that easy and really helps us out!

Tuesday’s Throwdowns

We had six great games last night! Check out all of the numbers here.

Magic beat Wizards 122-112 behind strong outing from Banchero

There have been some immaculate vibes coming from Orlando these past few months. The Magic (30-43) are finally turning the corner after a multi-year rebuild, and a lot of that has to do with rookie Paolo Banchero. The 2022 first overall pick clearly heard the lingering criticism about his efficiency, scoring 18 points on just nine shots while consistently finding the open man as a playmaker. Just look at this tough-as-nails shot to send the Wizards (32-40) packing—that’s a grown man bucket.

Hawks offense firing on all cylinders in 129-107 win over Pistons

This was a must-win game for the Hawks (36-36), and they responded with a must-win performance. Atlanta took full advantage of the Pistons’ (16-57) lackluster interior depth by dominating the boards, as four different Hawks grabbed 8+ rebounds. Despite a poor shooting night, Trae Young played his role as the offensive focal point well and finished with 12 dimes and an impressive 15 free throw attempts. Detroit took the L, but at least they got a great Marvin Bagley (31 PTS, 8 REB) performance.

Cavs withstand late Nets run, win 115-109

The Cavs (46-28) are finding their groove at the perfect time, and the secret ingredient might just be Caris LeVert. The versatile wing has been on a tear over the past six games, averaging over 18 points and two steals on nearly 55% shooting. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Cleveland W without some nice buckets from Donovan Mitchell. The 4X All-Star dropped 31, including this explosion right on Yuta Watanabe’s head.

The Nets (39-33) made a strong push in the closing minutes, but it was too little too late for Brooklyn, who remains just a half game above the play-in tournament. Shout-out to Day’Ron Sharpe, though. The backup big finished with a dominating 20 and 11 to go along with a game-high +27.

Pelicans dominate Spurs in 119-84 victory

What happens when a team desperately fighting for a playoff spot goes against a team in full Wemby-mode? Well, a game like this. The young Spurs (19-53) rested their key players and were simply outgunned and outmatched by a Pelicans (35-37) team with everything to play for. Brandon Ingram showed just how dangerous he is when given room to operate, going off for a hyper-efficient 32 points.

And don’t think we don’t see you, Sandro Mamukelashvili. Congrats on a new season high! (20 PTS)

Clutch defense powers Thunder to 101-100 victory over Clippers

Before we get into the game, prayers up for Paul George 🙏. Knee injuries are no joke, and we hope he gets healthy in time to give us some more 360 dunks in the playoffs.

But what a massive win for this young Thunder (36-36) team, who chose a perfect moment to reach .500 for the first time all season! Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped his usual 30-piece and rookie Jalen Williams continued to turn heads with another solid all-around performance. But it was one clutch stop at the end of the game that really sealed the deal.

Down by one with a full shot clock, LA had a great chance to bring home the W. Unfortunately, Lu Dort had other ideas. Get this man on the All-Defensive Team ASAP!

Celtics upend Kings in Sac-Town 132-109

Last night’s Celtics (50-23) looked like who they were earlier in the year—a team primed to break every offensive record known to man. Immaculate ball security, guys who can beat you off the dribble or with pinpoint passes, and the individual excellence of Jayson Tatum. This team still looks scary, people

This could have been a closer game for Sacramento (43-29), but struggles at the line (66% as a team), a quiet night from De’Aaron Fox, and an inability to force turnovers ended up making this a bigger blowout than it should have been. But at least y’all had this sweet passing sequence!

Monday Night Notes

The night started off with a surprisingly exciting battle between two bottom feeders, as the Hornets overcame an early 21-point deficit to beat the Pacers 115-109. Over in New York, Julius Randle cooked to the tune of a career-high 57 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a monster shooting night from Taurean Prince and the Timberwolves. And the Bulls kept their playoff hopes alive by snapping the Sixers’ eight game win streak in a 109-105 double OT thriller. Sure, Joel Embiid may have had 37, but it can’t feel good to go home without any ankles courtesy of Coby White.

Elsewhere, this sneaky trick play from De'Aaron Fox wasn’t enough to light the beam, as the Jazz took down the Kings 108-100. The Grizzlies locked up Kyrie and the Mavericks in the final five minutes en route to a huge 112-108 come-from-behind win. And the Warriors beat the Rockets 121-108 to secure their first road win since January thanks to a strong 4th quarter.

Latest News

NBA icon Willis Reed passes away at 80

Even though he may have played before our time, the legend of 7X All-Star Willis Reed still permeates New York hoops to this day. The 1969-70 MVP was the cornerstone of a Knicks dynasty that brought the Big Apple their only two NBA championships. But more specifically, Reed is known for perhaps the greatest display of human grit ever shown on a basketball court.

It was Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, and the Knicks were on thin ice after getting crushed by Wilt Chamberlain and the Lakers in the previous game. Worst of all, it looked like Reed wasn’t going to be able to play due to a torn muscle in his leg. But somehow, Reed limped onto the court during warmups to the delight of the MSG faithful. And he didn’t stop there—he drained the first two buckets of the game virtually on one leg and gave the Knicks the inspiration they needed to capture their first ever NBA title.

Reed is no longer with us, but his legacy lives on in every player who fights through adversity to get the win. Rest in peace to one of the greats.

Award Watch

Vegas would argue that the Rookie of the Year race is all but over—as number one pick Paolo Banchero holds -4000 odds to win the award—but he isn’t the only stud with a solid case to take home the trophy. Let’s break it down in this week's edition of Enjoyers Award Watch. 👇

1. Paolo Banchero - 20.0 PTS, 6.7 REB, 3.7 AST, 7.4 FTA

It hasn’t always been pretty, but no rookie has meant more to their team this season than last year's first overall pick. Paolo Banchero was given the tough task of being the immediate focal point of his team’s offense, a burden that no other rookie had to carry. Needless to say, he has provided immediate success in Orlando. An aggressive interior scorer, elite foul-drawer, and willing passer, Banchero is a huge reason why the young Magic are 24-23 since December 7th.

2. Jalen Williams - 13.5 PTS, 4.5 REB, 3.2 AST, 1.4 STL

Jalen Williams' meteoric rise up NBA draft boards last summer certainly came as a surprise to some, but his dominating play this season proves he probably deserved to climb even HIGHER. If you’re someone who values two-way all-around players, then J-Dub is definitely your guy. The Santa Clara grad is a shifty scorer and an elite secondary playmaker, as well as one of the league's best at racking up steals.

And like a fine wine, his game is only getting better with age. Since the All-Star Game, Williams is averaging 19, 6, and 5 with nearly two steals a night. 🤯

3. Walker Kessler - 8.7 PTS, 8.4 REB, 2.3 BLK, 72.0 FG%

The best cure for losing Rudy Gobert? How about trading for his successor! For the analytics lovers out there, Walker Kessler should be your go-to answer in ROTY conversations. The rookie leader in VORP and win shares by a wide margin, Kessler has already solidified himself as one of the league's top defensive centers and premier rim protectors with a whopping 3.3 blocks per game since February 1st.

4. Bennedict Mathurin - 16.7 PTS, 4.0 REB, 1.4 AST, 56.1 TS%

Bennedict Mathurin has cooled off after his electric start to the season, but that doesn’t change the fact that no other rookie is scoring with the same combination of volume and efficiency. The University of Arizona alum has a real knack for creating space for himself and drawing fouls—two qualities that showcase his potential future as one of the game's elite scorers.

Frozen Moments

• This fun interaction between SGA and KD.

• Kyrie didn’t take Dillon Brooks’ jersey after the game 😳

• The Clippers announcer goes OFF on the refs…

Good Reads

Inside Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels’ Unbreakable Bond, from Australia to the NBA - David Gardner (SLAM Magazine)

Karl-Anthony Towns, nearing return for Timberwolves, can see ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ - Jon Krawczynski (The Athletic)

What We’re Enjoying

Black Ball: If you want to learn about a lesser-known and frequently misunderstood part of NBA history, you should check out Theresa Runstedtler’s new book. Black Ball: Abdul-Jabbar, Spencer Haywood, and the Generation that Saved the Soul of the NBA offers a strong rebuke to those who say the 1970s were a dark age for basketball. It examines just how influential the predominantly black players of the time were to the creation of the league we know and love today—check it out!

Signing Off

That’s all from us today! Thanks for your support, and make sure to tune in Friday for some more special announcements. 👀

Until next time,

-Spencer Poole

Trivia Answer: The answer to today’s trivia is Elgin Baylor! The Lakers legend scored a whopping 284 points during the 1962 NBA finals, averaging 40.6 points per game!