There is truly something special about the best in any league crossing the top, crossing the top of the sport with pride and professional legacies swinging in the balance.
There is a quality we should also appreciate when the bottom two feeders of any professional sports league are paired, when there is still pride in the line and a level of humble pursuit is sprinkled above.
Let’s take a moment to evaluate the outlook for Friday night in the NBA.
Wizards in pelicans
They are, in other words, the worst.
At least according to the classification to date. The Washington Wizards visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night in a special where misery loves company.
The Wizards have six wins this season, but three of them came in the last seven games. The Pelicans have won only five games and the last one was almost a month ago. The Pelicans have lost 11 in a row and 20 of their last 21.
Miami beat New Orleans by 11 points on Wednesday, but during the losing streak, the Pelicans have had losses by five points, two points, three points in overtime and three points in regulation.
But they have also had losses of 15, 17 and 20 points. They have blown fourth-quarter leads and dug major holes in the first quarter, as was the case Wednesday when Warmth took a 20-5 lead midway through the first quarter.
Pick: Mages +7.5, -110 FanDuel
Canadians at Blackhawks
Montreal will try to maintain its good fortune on Friday against the faltering Chicago Blackhawks, who are proving to be easy pickings inside, outside and everywhere in between.
The Blackhawks haven’t lost three games in a row by at least four goals since 1987. Now they’re in the same boat and have lost five in a row overall.
On Tuesday at Wrigley Discipline, the Blackhawks were buried 6-2 by rival St. Louis, falling to 0-5 all-time in the league’s regular season exhibition event.
Taking the show on tour has helped light up Montreal.
After losing 5-4 in Columbus to begin a six-game road trip, Montreal prevailed by a combined 12-4 in the last three games.
Choose: Montreal -1.5, match More than 6 goals combined (+185)
