No Dunks Podcast – NBA Weekend Winners & Losers | Lakers Magic, HaWWWWWWWWWks, West Standings

Date: March 16, 2026
Hosts: J. Skeets, Taz Melas, Trey Kirby, JD (Producer)
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts / No Dunks

Episode Overview

This energetic Monday edition dives into a packed NBA weekend, focusing on who came out on top (and bottom) in the playoff chase. The crew recaps wild clutch moments, the red-hot Lakers, sneaky shifts in the West, and two Eastern upstarts on serious streaks. There’s plenty of stat-geeking (including “wedgie” watch), classic banter, and even a bonus Oscars post-mortem.

Wedgie Watch: Record Approaching!

Start: 02:38

• Three more wedgies over the weekend (those rare stuck-ball moments), bringing the season total to 62—just two away from an all-time NBA record.
  • Notables: Nolan Traore (Nets rookie) in Philly; Luka Doncic’s signature angle; VJ Edgecombe putback (also in Philly).
• Quote:
  • “We had like nine wedgies in like a seven-day span. Great week, great week.” – Trey Kirby (04:09)

Wedgie grades and full tracking on their Substack—link in show notes.

NBA Weekend Winners

1. Los Angeles Lakers: The Clutchiest of Clutch

Segment: 04:55–12:19

• Thrilling OT victory over the Nuggets:
  • Key moments:
    • Austin Reaves intentionally missed FT, rebounded & scored to force OT.
    • Luka Doncic’s baseline drive sealed the win in OT.
  • Critical playoff implications: Lakers up to 3rd in the West, securing the tiebreaker over Denver.
• Marcus Smart’s Impact: 21 pts, 5 threes, 5 steals. “High ceiling, low floor” player, making a difference defensively and hitting crucial shots.
• LeBron’s leadership: “Rodman-like” hustle dives, letting teammates, especially Reaves and Luka, control the clutch offense.
• Quote:
  • “This felt like the clutchiest of clutch wins for the Lakers.” – Trey Kirby (04:55)
  • “He doesn’t seem to be asserting himself as much... If he’s given that kind of an effort, it makes everybody else step their games up.” – Trey Kirby on LeBron (09:15)
• Nuggets’ Perspective: Encouraging loss; Aaron Gordon's shooting, Jokic’s 26/16/14 line and two “best of the season” assists.

Timestamps: Lakers-Nuggets recap (04:55–13:38)

2. Toronto Raptors: Turning Grit into Wins

13:38–20:55

• Back-to-back victories over Phoenix and Detroit.
  • Huge on offensive boards, with Jakob Poeltl (21 pts, 18 rebs, 9 OREBs) and Scottie Barnes (Elite “garbage man” play).
  • RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram carried the scoring.
  • Key point: FINALLY closing out tight games—averting their season-long trend of late collapses.
• Physical Play: Out-muscled two of the league’s most physical teams, countering the “get bullied” narrative.
• Quote:
  • “There’s a good team in there, but it has to be from…the effort standpoint.” – J. Skeets (19:00)

3. Philadelphia 76ers & Quinton Grimes: Short-Handed, Unstoppable

24:01–26:43

• Philly wins two games despite missing Embiid, Maxey, Paul George, Oubre, etc.
  • Quinton Grimes: season-high 28 (Saturday), then 31 (Sunday) – with 14 in Q4 vs. Portland.
  • Historically rare feat:
    • “A team won consecutive games despite making ten-plus fewer threes than their opponent in each game. First time in NBA history.” – J. Skeets (25:17)
  • Grimes thriving in the starting role – potentially earning another contract.

4. Magic & Hawks: Southeast Showdown Hype

26:46–33:34

• Magic:
  • Snapped Miami's five-game win streak, going 5-0 vs. Heat this season.
  • Paolo Banchero: 27/8/7 vs. Miami.
  • Win moves Orlando to 5th in East.
• Hawks:
  • 9-game win streak (longest in NBA), remaining stuck in 9th due to rival win streaks.
  • Jalen Johnson: triple-double, CJ McCollum: 30 pts.
  • Notable stat: Onyeka Okongwu is now the fifth Hawk with a 25/10/5a/5 threes game.
• Quote:
  • “Nine straight wins and [the Hawks] are still in the same spot. That’s crazy.” – J. Skeets (29:38)

5. Evan Mobley: March Mobley Ascending

33:35–36:51

• Cavs big man is thriving, especially with James Harden:
  • 20 PPG, 60% FG in March, with 72% of points in the paint.
  • Harden’s playmaking is unlocking Mobley, especially with Allen out.
• Question for the postseason:
  • Can the Allen/Mobley/Harden combo stay effective when everyone is healthy?
• Max Strus returns: Hits 6 threes in season debut (after foot injury).
• Quote:
  • “Playing with James Harden is awesome if you’re a big man — you’re getting the easiest shots of your life.” – Trey Kirby (35:36)

Minor Winners Segment

40:03–44:23

• SGA: Extends 20+ point streak to 128 games, in tough battle vs. Minnesota.
• Victor Wembanyama: Returns after brief absence—32 pts, 12 reb, 8 ast, 4 blk, 2 stl vs. Hornets.
• John Wall: Demonstrates elite NBA “where’d he go to college” trivia skills—16/20 correct, even on obscure players.

NBA Weekend Losers

1. Golden State Warriors: Running on Fumes

48:39–53:16

• Five straight losses, riddled with injuries (no Steph, Draymond, Seth).
  • Young, outmatched lineup fought hard but fell short (Pods, Santos, etc.).
  • Steph and Seth have not shared a minute on court all season.
• Quote:
  • “Warriors are just kind of puttering to the end of this season, hoping they can have enough people healthy.” – Trey Kirby (50:36)

2. Minnesota Timberwolves: Slipping and Searching

53:17–57:55

• Recent cold streak: Now 3–4 over last seven, after finishing last year 17–4 ahead of playoffs.
• Weekend:
  • Beat depleted Warriors, but lack energy in loss to OKC (out-rebounded and out-hustled, 22 turnovers).
  • Bench production lopsided (outscored 61–22 by OKC).
  • Rudy Gobert—ineffective, minimal offense, obvious frustration.
• Quote:
  • “Every time I open my heart to the Timberwolves…they stab me right in the ventricles.” – Trey Kirby (56:22)

3. Sacramento Kings Fans: Too Hot for Their Own Good

58:28–61:34

• Winning at the wrong time:
  • Four wins in last five drop Kings from 1st to 4th in lottery odds—risking a major slip in pick quality.
  • Doug Christie (coach) adamant about not tanking—playing vets like DeRozan (30 PPG over last stretch) big minutes.
  • Quote:
    • “As long as he’s in Sacramento, Kings will never tank. Every time they step on the floor they’re trying to win.” – Recapped from Doug Christie postgame and discussion (60:10)
  • Pick could now fall to #8; opponents are happy (“Demar, I see it, Demar, I like it”), as Kings win “pointless” games with DeRozan and Westbrook.

Notable Quotes & Fun Moments

• On LeBron’s grit:
  • “Old guy over 40 hitting the floor not only once but twice over the last couple minutes…you gotta get encouraged by that if you’re a Lakers fan.” – Taz Melas (10:32)
• On Hawks’ stuck seeding:
  • “Nine straight wins and still in the same spot…That’s classic Hawks.” – J. Skeets (29:38)
• On Raptors’ turnaround:
  • “These are two of the most physical teams…and [the Raptors] fought back. They usually fall apart when it’s close, but they turned it around.” – J. Skeets (16:45)

Key Timestamps to Jump To

• Wedgie Watch & Records: 02:53–04:55
• Lakers/Nuggets Clutch Recap: 04:55–13:38
• Raptors Bounce Back: 13:38–20:55
• Magic & Hawks Win Streaks: 26:46–33:34
• Evan Mobley/ Cavs Focus: 33:35–36:51
• Losers: Warriors/Minnesota/Kings: 48:39–61:34

Oscar Talk & Lighthearted Closer

~71:31–80:40

• The hosts wrap with their takes on the Academy Awards, riffing on memorable moments (notably the “In Memoriam” and random bits), and debate the best presenters, running gags, and TV production quirks.

Summary Takeaways

• Lakers are peaking at the right time with elite clutch performances and a healthy, synergistic roster.
• Raptors showing they CAN grind with elite teams, overcoming prior weaknesses.
• Hawks and Magic on long win streaks — but only one climbing the standings.
• Warriors and Wolves mirror each other’s struggles: health and inconsistency clouding playoff futures.
• Kings fans caught in the purgatory of winning too much to tank, not enough to matter.
• Bonus stats, trivia battles, and the ever-present joy of the “wedgie watch” keep No Dunks feeling like hanging with the NBA-obsessed friends you wish you had.

For More

• Check out the No Dunks Substack for full Wedgie breakdowns.
• Tune in next episode for beach stepping (mailbag) and more standings analysis.
• Join their NCAA bracket pool (info in Wednesday’s show).

“Embrace the day, people!” – J. Skeets (81:26)