Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective

Episode: Jokic Injury Impact + LeBron No All-Star Selection Possible? & Knicks New Depth

Date: December 31, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Brian Windhorst is joined by Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon to break down the ripple effects of Nikola Jokic's knee injury, the potential for LeBron James to miss All-Star selection for the first time in two decades, and the surging depth of the New York Knicks. The crew dives into injury analysis, how All-Star and awards eligibility rules are shaping NBA debates, and what emerging trends might define the league as 2025 turns to 2026. The episode delivers classic Hoop Collective banter—with some memorable trash talk and “Cavs Corner”—while hitting the biggest NBA narratives of the moment.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Jokic Injury and Denver Nuggets Outlook

(Starts ~03:34)

• Jokic’s Injury Context & Timeline:

  • Jokic suffered a hyperextended knee after a collision with teammate Spencer Jones, underwent an MRI, and is expected to be out at least a month ("projected to be out a month, which is at minimum" – Windhorst, 03:34).
  • Injury is likely a bone bruise (not ligament damage). Healing timeline is “inconsistent.”

• Impact on Denver’s Season:

  • Key starters Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Cam Johnson are also injured.
  • Nuggets could complete a 7-game road trip without four starters, threatening their place in the West’s top 6.
  • "If they can be anywhere near 8 and 16 or 9 and 15 if he's out till the All Star break…that’s about all you can hope for." – Bontemps, 06:26

• Big Picture for Denver:

  • Historically, Nuggets win 29% of games without Jokic (Bontemps, 05:23).
  • Their defensive and offensive performance drops precipitously without him—“they’re 16 or 18 points per 100 worse when he doesn’t play” (05:53).
  • The Western Conference seeding will be chaotic; a potential 1st-round Denver vs. OKC matchup comes into play (06:53).
  • “A lot of making it through a season...is just pure luck. This injury was just really bad luck.” – Bontemps, 08:21
  • Windhorst: “Jokic was having the best season of his career, and he’s a three-time MVP.” (10:05)

Awards Eligibility & Jokic’s MVP Case

(11:46 & 13:02+)

• 65-Game Rule Controversy:

  • Jokic could miss too many games to qualify for MVP or All-NBA, despite his performance.
  • Discussion about the fairness and intent of the 65-game rule: was it about “load management” or the real value of games played?
  • “If we get to the end of the season and Jokic and [Giannis] and Victor Wembanyama are all ineligible for awards, there’s going to be a whole lot of hollering about the 65 game rule.” – Bontemps, 16:21

• Should Voters Decide?

  • Windhorst: “The MVP should be determined by the voter.” (14:22)
  • Bontemps disagrees, stating that voters already factor in games played, and the rule simply codifies prevailing logic.

• Potential for Changing the Rule:

  • If “critical mass” of superstars are rendered ineligible, CBA may amend the rule (16:35).
  • “It has achieved what they have wanted, which is to have guys playing in more games.” – Windhorst, 17:10

All-Star Voting Shakeups and Format Changes

(21:13+)

• New All-Star Format:

  • 24 All-Stars divided into two American teams and one International team; voting is now for five players per conference, regardless of position.
  • Questions raised about how swing players (e.g., Karl Towns, OG Anunoby) will be classified—“all just fudging the numbers” (23:03).

• LeBron’s Fading Fan Vote:

  • Luka Doncic leads all All-Star voting; LeBron is ninth in the West, jeopardizing a streak of 20 consecutive All-Star starts (24:39; 26:12).
  • “For the first time in 20 years…LeBron’s not going to be a starter.” – Bontemps, 26:12
  • “It’s just a little window into where LeBron’s popularity might be right now.” – Windhorst, 29:00
  • Even if not selected, panel agrees Adam Silver is likely to appoint LeBron as a legacy pick (26:43).

• Fan Vote Oddities:

  • Deni Avdija’s high vote totals (especially above LeBron and Durant) attributed possibly to support from Israel (25:23).
  • “Jaylen Brown’s got 60% more votes than LeBron James.” – Windhorst, 28:40

Knicks Depth, Mike Brown’s Impact, & Bench Breakouts

(36:07+)

• Knicks Depth Emerging:

  • Knicks recently played 12 rotation players (39:01), including multiple successful second-round picks.
  • “The development of a reliable bench is a pretty key factor in their chances.” – MacMahon, 42:03
  • Mike Brown’s plan to make the Knicks less Brunson-centric and develop depth is working—Tyler Kolek, Mohamed Diarra, and Miles McBride all contributing (39:01–44:05).

• Championship-or-Bust Expectations:

  • High expectations after reaching the Conference Finals; “If the Knicks lose again in the conference finals, it's not going to matter.” – Bontemps, 41:16
  • “They can build all these building blocks in December that they want. But it’s only going to matter if it translates in the spring.” – Bontemps, 44:51

• Roster Construction Praise:

  • Leon Rose and grandmaster scout Walt Perrin credited for Knicks’ deep roster of productive second-rounders (43:09).

Western Conference Watch: Spurs, Thunder, and “Eating the Cheese”

(46:15+)

• Spurs’ Ups-and-Downs:

  • Spurs beat OKC three times in 12 days but have suffered “letdown” losses to the Jazz and Cavs, showing their inexperience and volatility (46:53–47:59).
  • “What the Spurs have shown us is how high their ceiling is. But…dealing with success can be a challenge, too.” – MacMahon, 47:31

• Classic Bill Parcells NFL Analogies:

  • MacMahon references “don’t eat the cheese”—getting complacent after wins (46:15).
  • “Letting people gas you up, whatever you want to call it.” – MacMahon, 48:45

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Jokic’s Injury Luck:
  “A lot of making it through a season…is just pure luck. This injury was just really bad luck.”
  – Tim Bontemps [08:21]

• 65-Game Rule Threatening MVPs:
  “If we get to the end of the season and Jokic and [Giannis] and Victor Wembanyama are all ineligible for awards, there’s going to be a whole lot of hollering about the 65-game rule.”
  – Tim Bontemps [16:21]

• On Fan Voting: “Jaylen Brown’s got 60% more votes than LeBron James. I just want to be clear. This is not a commentary on LeBron’s season so far. This is LeBron freaking James and Kevin Durant, by the way.”
  – Brian Windhorst [28:40]

• On Knicks Depth and Bench:
  “The development of a reliable bench is a pretty key factor in their chances of doing that.”
  – Tim MacMahon [42:03]

• Parcellsism for Young Teams:
  “Don’t eat the cheese and put away the anointing oil. I think both of those fit in this case and certainly we were…dousing those Spurs with anointing oil.”
  – Tim MacMahon [46:15]

• Luka Doncic Trash Talk Moment:
  “He said to Dennis Schroeder…‘You should have signed that contract.’”
  – Brian Windhorst [31:22]

Important Timestamps

• 03:34 — Detailed breakdown of Jokic's injury and Denver's predicament
• 05:23 — Nuggets' record and performance without Jokic
• 16:21 — 65-game rule could make major stars ineligible for awards
• 21:13 — All-Star voting format explained and complications discussed
• 26:12 — Bontemps: “LeBron's not going to be a starter in the All-Star Game”
• 39:01 — Knicks’ new-found depth and Mike Brown’s rotation
• 42:03 — MacMahon: Depth could be a key factor for the Knicks’ playoff run
• 46:15 — MacMahon’s “don’t eat the cheese” lesson on handling success (re: Spurs)

Tone & Flow

The episode is conversational, analytical, and peppered with light-hearted anecdotes and jabs—a hallmark of the Hoop Collective. Windhorst and Bontemps keep the analysis basketball-nerdy, while MacMahon brings in colorful metaphors and football references. Despite the serious implications of Jokic's injury and the All-Star shakeup, the hosts maintain a playful, insightful tone that hardcore NBA fans will appreciate.