Episode Overview

Podcast: Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective
Episode: With Key NBA Stars Injured - Who Can Stay Afloat?
Date: November 19, 2025
Host: Brian Windhorst, with ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon

This episode dives deep into the NBA’s rash of high-profile injuries early in the 2025-26 season, asking how teams—and the league landscape—are being reshaped as stars drop out. The hosts discuss which teams can “stay afloat” with depleted rosters, analyze statistical impacts, debate the shifting conference strengths, and check in on the most intriguing teams in the league. Particular focus is given to the Bucks’ future without Giannis (at least short-term), the Spurs’ woes with Victor Wembanyama's injury, a surprising Raptors hot streak, and the transformations of the Rockets, Cavs, and Sixers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Injury Crisis Among NBA Stars

• Rapid-fire recap of All-Star injuries

  • Windhorst lists nearly half of last year’s All-Stars either missing games or being sidelined—Jalen Brunson, Giannis, Wembanyama, Tyler Herro, Dame Lillard, and more (02:07-08:43).
  • Many issues are calf/groin injuries; the hosts note an unusual uptick in calf strains.

• Speculation on reason for injury surge

  • Pace of play is cited as a possible reason: “Pace of play is just super high. It's way higher than it was, than it was 10, 15 years ago and it's showing up in those injuries.” (Windhorst, 09:22)
  • Ja Morant’s issues with mass substitution patterns and its connection to coach Yusalo’s speed-up strategy (10:08). “It’s a way to play at an extremely fast pace but not wear guys down…then boom, he’s on the shelf.” (MacMahon, 10:08)

• Notable quote:

  “When I first covered the league a calf injury was reasonably rare…now it feels like you see a handful a week.”
  — Brian Windhorst, 09:22

2. What Giannis’ Injury Means for the Bucks

• Statistical drop-off without Giannis

  • Bontemps highlights the drastic split:
    • With Giannis: Offensive rating 123.5 (best in league)
    • Without Giannis: Offensive rating 102.1 (would be worst by over 2 points) (14:19)
    • “When Giannis is off the court, they're outscored by 12 points per 100 possessions.” (Bontemps, 14:19)

• Implications for standings and Giannis’ future

  • Windhorst worries about both playoff position and Giannis’ patience:

    “If the Bucks get to mid December or January [and] are not viewed as a contender, how is Giannis going to feel about it?” (Windhorst, 13:28)

  • Bontemps challenges the view that the East offers a “grace period”—actually, the middle of the Eastern Conference is more competitive than the West, so a Bucks losing streak is more dangerous (16:04-19:50).

• Debate about Bucks’ real goal

  • “What's the Bucks’ real goal this season? …To keep Giannis happy. That's right. So that's what I'm saying. I'm saying that's in trouble right now.” (Windhorst, 20:22)
  • MacMahon is skeptical of speculation, pointing out these rumors have swirled for years with little to show.

3. Conference Strength Debate: East vs. West

• Bontemps: Middle of the East is a gauntlet
  • Points to projections: “The Bucks right now are projected by our BPI to finish 10th in the East with 41 wins. That would be the 8th seed in the West. Seven teams in the West are projected over .500; in the East, the 11th seed Bulls project to 39 wins.” (16:07)
• Windhorst/MacMahon counter: Top of the West is still loaded, but the bottom is weaker
• Conclusion:
  • If you want a good seed, a star’s injury hurts more in the Eastern Conference right now.

Notable exchange:

“If you're a team like Milwaukee and you need some time to try to sort things out with Giannis out, it's going to be a lot harder to do that in the Eastern Conference…”
— Tim Bontemps, 17:43

4. The Spurs and Wembanyama: Flash to Fragility

• A week ago, the Spurs were flying high (8-2, second in the West), but have since been humbled (25:18).

• Wembanyama out at least two weeks, Dylan Harper and Stefan Castle also injured—“Other than their three high lottery picks from the last few years, they've gotten healthy.” (MacMahon, 28:04)

• Schedule analysis: Not a brutal stretch, so they should hang in, but “if three of their four best players are hurt” it could spiral (29:18-31:02).

• Windhorst: “If the Spurs make the top six, will have done great...Even the play-in would be a step forward.” (29:18)

5. Surprising Contenders and Quick Hits

Raptors’ Unexpected Success

• Bontemps: “Depth is their strategy.”
• After starting 1-4, they’ve been red hot (now 8-1) by leveraging a deep, healthy rotation (34:23-35:50).
  • “If you’ve got 8 or 10 guys who are playing every night...with so many stars out, that’s a big leg up.”
• Still doubts about ceiling: projections have them only 7th even at this pace due to Philly/Miami/others’ higher upside if they’re healthy (35:54).

Sixers’ Upbeat Vibes Despite Injuries

• Embiid out recently but expected back soon; Paul George working into the lineup; Tyrese Maxey and Quentin Grimes both outstanding (41:14-43:19).
• “They keep finding ways to stack wins and just hang around…much better mood around the team.” (Bontemps, 42:02)
• Maxey is now second in the league in scoring (“32.5 ppg, right above Shai, who never plays in the fourth quarters,” —Bontemps, 37:12)

Cavs & Rockets: Statistical Standouts

• Cavs: 10-5 despite injuries, “second-best record in the East” (46:39).

  • Donovan Mitchell’s numbers: 31 pts, 51% FG, 39% 3PT, 8 FTA, 5.5 ast, 34 mins/game (49:31)
    • “He’s playing point guard—when it matters, he’s playing point guard.” (Windhorst, 49:31)

• Rockets: Now the NBA’s best offense (!) with a monstrous offensive rebounding rate (40.8%).

  • “They’re rebounding two out of every five of their own misses in a game…the gap between Rockets and 2nd is as large as between 2nd and 16th.” (Bontemps, 47:36)
  • Steven Adams: 5.1 OREBs/game in 22 minutes; Clint Capela: 2.5 OREBs in under 10 minutes (D: 48:58).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On injuries:

  • “We just talked the other day about how the league is in such a good place, but the injury situation is just really kind of out of hand…” — Windhorst, 01:23
  • “I mean, like, to keep Giannis happy. That's right. So that's what I'm saying. I'm saying that's in trouble right now.” — Windhorst, 20:22

• On Giannis' absence:

  • “When Giannis is off the court, they have an offensive rating of 102.1. That would be the worst offensive rating in the league by over 2 points...” — Bontemps, 14:19

• On unexpected stats:

  • “Stephen Curry, 47th career game with nine plus made threes.” — Windhorst, 26:15
  • “Your face level that I get is zero. McMahon, zero.” — Windhorst to MacMahon, 26:20

• On Raptors’ celebrity:

  • “She’s entertaining because she supports her man [Brandon Ingram]. When Brandon scores, she’s going to let the whole arena know about it.” — MacMahon on Glorilla, 38:19

• On conference dynamics:

  • “It's much harder, actually, to stay afloat in the middle of the East if you have an injury like this.” — Bontemps, 18:39

Important Timestamps

• Injury rundown: 02:07–09:22
• Theories on calf injuries: 09:22–10:08
• Bucks struggles without Giannis, stats: 14:19–16:04
• East vs. West debate: 16:07–20:22
• Wembanyama/Spurs segment: 25:18–31:13
• Raptors analysis and Glorilla moment: 34:23–39:43
• Sixers outlook/maxey scoring: 41:14–43:47
• Cavs/Rockets advanced stats: 46:39–49:31

Overall Tone & Takeaways

The hosts’ characteristic blend of in-depth stats, banter, and straight-shooting skepticism gave the episode energy, humor, and insight ("Let me ask you this, both of you. When's the last time you guys hugged?" — MacMahon, 24:37). The outlook for the NBA’s injured elite is sobering, and the ripple effects are being felt up and down the standings—especially for the Bucks, but ripple out to teams like the Spurs, Raptors, and Rockets.

For teams with their stars healthy, now’s an opening to seize. For the Bucks and Spurs in particular, how well they tread water may shape the rest of the NBA season, and possibly the futures of key superstars.