NBA Monday: Wizards destroy Pistons as race for No. 8 seed in East heats up

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

YES: NBA mascot battle royale.

The win put them back on track in the race for the final playoff spot in the East -- a spot the Pistons could have put a stranglehold on with a win over the Wizards that would have kept their cushion over the Bulls at one dropped Washington to 3.5 games out. Instead, the Pistons had one of their worst, and most uninspired, outings of the season in a 124-81 loss to the Wizards. They were miserable from the start, scoring only 15 points in the first quarter as they went on to shoot 3-of-23 from behind the three-point line with only two Pistons scoring in double figures.

The race for the eighth playoff spot in the East is between three incredibly inconsistent teams. The Bulls have struggled through injury woes while the Pistons and Wizards have shown flashes of brilliance followed by bouts of incompetence. With less than 20 games remaining, whichever team can find any semblance of steady play will be postseason bound.

Here is someone all over Curry leaving him basically nowhere to shoot.

Steph made both.

Here’s another look:

Steph Curry turned 28 Monday, so of course Riley sang him the most adorable rendition of the birthday song imaginable.

Steph is preparing to play the Pelicans, who should now be prepared for him to go for at least 150.