Club 520 Podcast — "520 in the Morning": Jeff Teague Reacts to Thunder's Revenge on Spurs, Nuggets Dominating Without Jokic

Date: January 14, 2026
Hosts: Jeff Teague, Lou, DJ Wells (BeHere), Zaire, Bishop B Henn

Episode Overview

This episode of Club 520 centers on recent NBA action, including the OKC Thunder avenging their past losses to the Spurs, the Denver Nuggets' strong play even without Nikola Jokic, and a whirlwind of lively debates about title contenders, MVP frontrunners, and trade rumors. The crew—ex-NBA All-Star Jeff Teague and his friends—blend sharp basketball insights with trademark unfiltered humor, storytelling, and some playful banter about hoop, culture, and life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Thunder Get Their "Lick Back" Against the Spurs

[01:24–04:44]

• The Thunder finally beat the Spurs after losing the last four matchups.
• SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) notched 34 points, setting the tone on offense and defense.
• Jalen Williams (J Dub) contributed 20; rookie Castle dropped 28 for the Spurs, Wemby (Victor Wembanyama) had 17 and 7.
• The crew discuss the rivalry, how Wemby "hates Chet" and came out aggressive, but OKC controlled the second half.
• Quote: "Early on, Wimy, you know he hate Chad, man. So he got straight to it." — Lou [01:52]
• Consensus: The Thunder proved they're real contenders, but the Spurs are still "a fire-ass team."

2. Who Runs the West: Thunder or Nuggets?

[03:03–07:57]

• The debate heats up: Is OKC still the front-runner, or does a healthy Denver squad edge them out?
• BeHere: "I just like Denver so much more." [03:10]
• Jeff: "A healthy Denver, I would probably take as the best team in the West. You gotta beat 'em, you gotta beat the champs." [03:40]
• Recognition that last year's playoff series was tight even with injured Nuggets players; a full-strength Denver is daunting.
• Zaire: "They already took them to seven, and they wasn't even healthy, bro." [07:27]

3. SGA and the MVP Race

[07:37–10:59]

• SGA emerges as the MVP favorite, especially with Jokic missing time.
• Lou: "SJ numbers is crazy. He ain't playing fourth quarters either…He shoot 54% and average 32 points." [09:08]
• Jeff: "That's crazy, bro. 54 as a guard." [09:12]
• The group marvels at SGA's efficiency and composure; compares his run to all-time greats.
• Jeff floats: "He win MVP and another ring, move on over, top five." [10:11]
• BeHere points out that, per NBA rules, Jokic might not even be eligible for MVP if he misses too many games.

4. Nuggets Win Without Jokic — Roster Deep Dive

[12:09–14:25]

• Nuggets outlast the Pelicans behind Jamal Murray's 35 and breakout games from Payton Watson and others.
• Quote: "That's what I like about the Nuggets, bro. A lot of times when people in a contract year, they don't get this opportunity." — Jeff [13:19]
• The crew discusses role players: Christian Braun, Cam Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr., and the salary cap crunch.
• Nuggets praised for their depth, selfless play, and ability to win with key players out.
• Payton Watson seen as a rising star deserving of $20–25M/year.

5. Trey Murphy, Trades, and Asset Value

[18:09–20:46]

• Pelicans demanding multiple first-round picks for Trey Murphy is debated.
• Quote: "First round pick for Trey Murphy?" — Jeff [18:11]
• The group agrees Murphy is a talent and a "real bucket," but the price may be steep for most teams except for true contenders.
• Parallel drawn to Trey Young and Ja Morant in trade value.

6. Rockets, Bulls, and KD's Longevity

[23:58–26:14]

• Rockets take down the Bulls; discussion extends to KD's seemingly ageless performance.
• Zaire: "He look like he about to play another six years, bro." [24:32]
• The hosts joke about defensive tricks and KD's unfazable work ethic.

7. What Are the Rockets/Other Teams Missing?

[26:11–28:10]

• Open debate on whether the Rockets need to make moves: names like James Harden and Dejounte Murray come up.
• Lou: "Do the Rockets need to be aggressive in the next week or two?" [26:11]
• Zaire: "Yes."
• BeHere: "Just go all the way young. Let him go somewhere where he can hoop." [26:55]

8. Identity Crisis: The Atlanta Hawks

[42:24–44:47]

• Hawks slammed for lacking identity after trading Trae Young.
• Jeff: "We need to think about who we want to be as a team." [42:28]
• BeHere: "Y’all just got rid of your franchise... What's your identity, bro?" [42:53]
• Team's aimless direction—who are the Hawks now? Debate on their Euro-style moves and fit issues.

9. Miami Heat — Bam Adebayo Steps Up, Possible Ja Morant Trade

[47:30–49:41]

• Bam posts 29-9-4, becomes second all-time in Heat points; the panel applauds his aggression.
• Lou: "This the Bam I like." [48:31]
• Trade rumors: Ja Morant to Miami proposed for Tyler Herro.

10. Bucks Collapse & Giannis Booed

[50:02–51:07]

• Bucks blown out by the Clippers, Giannis booed at home despite his legacy.
• Zaire: "That's all I done for this city, for real." [50:13]
• Discussion: Is the fanbase ungrateful? Do stars ever owe fans loyalty after this?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jeff (On Denver): "You gotta beat 'em, you gotta beat the champs." [03:40]
• Lou (On SGA): "He ain't playing fourth quarters either...50-40-90 damn near." [09:47]
• BeHere (On MVP Odds): "No, he’s not eligible. Rules are the rules. Try again next year." [07:57]
• Jeff (On roleplayer contracts): "If they healthy, that's a...They already took them to seven. Yeah, they weren't even healthy, bro." [07:27]
• Zaire (On Rockets moves): "Yes." [26:11]
• Lou (On Hawks identity): "When you get rid of your best...Players, you gotta have an identity. Where are we going?" [43:03]
• On Giannis getting booed: "I'm leave, Giannis. They don't appreciate you." — Zaire [50:27]
• On Bam Adebayo: "This the Bam I like." — Lou [48:31]

Other Highlights & Rapid Hits

• League parity: The group repeatedly notes how deep, competitive, and unpredictable the West is this year.
• Trade deadline speculation: Focus on Trey Murphy, Cam Johnson, and veteran movements (CJ McCollum, Clint Capela, etc.).
• Payton Watson’s emergence: Much recognition for his two-way growth and value.
• MVP odds breakdown: SGA is a clear favorite ("minus 400"), Luka Dončić close behind, but votes and narratives may shift quick.
• College/NBA cross-talk: The panel riffs on hyped prospects (Cooper Flagg), the NBA Draft lottery, and "rigged" outcomes.
• Classic Teague story: Reminisces on his changing game in Minnesota vs Indiana, and how he evolved as a player.
  • Jeff: "I used to be a bucket, y’all. I was a 20-point scorer in college. Bud me up, bud. Ruined my game." [30:15]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Thunder get revenge on Spurs: [01:24–04:44]
• The Thunder vs Nuggets debate: [03:03–07:57]
• MVP race talk (SGA, Luka, Joker): [07:37–10:59]
• Denver Nuggets’ without Jokic, role player focus: [12:09–14:25]
• Trey Murphy trade value: [18:09–20:46]
• Rockets/Bulls/KD's longevity: [23:58–26:14]
• Trade talk—Rockets/Dejounte Murray: [26:11–28:10]
• Hawks identity crisis: [42:24–44:47]
• Heat, Bam’s big night, Ja Morant rumors: [47:30–49:41]
• Bucks collapse & Giannis gets booed: [50:02–51:07]

Running Gags & Community Moments

• Light roast of cohosts' real-life habits (e.g., Lou not having a TV as a kid).
• Chat questions spark conversations about All-Time great teams, the NBA's lottery "rigging," and the youngest pro prospects.
• Banter about “old heads” on young squads and Detroit's odd mix of prospects and veterans.
• Super Chat and "Verify Buckets": SGA, Trey Jones, Bam Adebayo, Jamal Murray, Payton Watson, and LeBron get Player of the Night shoutouts [65:01–65:42].

Overall Vibe

The show maintains its signature blend of basketball expertise, inside stories, classic hoops debates, and rowdy, unfiltered camaraderie. The hosts fuse long-term NBA perspective with fan passion and pop culture references—making the conversation both insightful and entertaining.

For anyone who missed the episode:
This was a packed show—dipping into NBA rivalries, MVP chatter, roster construction, the business of the league, and classic player talk through a fun, unfiltered lens. If you care about NBA culture, current trends, and the kind of honest, knowledgeable debate you can only get from former players and true hoops lovers, it's a must-listen.