No Dunks – NBA Weekend Winners & Losers | Tangible Cup Intensity, Cooper Flagg Makes History, Cavs Panic

Podcast: No Dunks (iHeartPodcasts)
Date: December 1, 2025
Hosts: J. Skeets, Tas Melas, Trey Kirby, JD

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the NBA weekend’s biggest winners and losers, with a focus on the intensifying NBA Cup tournament, young phenoms like Cooper Flagg, the surging Hawks, Giannis’s scoring milestones, and concerning skids for the Clippers, Bulls, and Cavaliers. The hosts swap observations on game drama, iconic performances, group dynamics, and the growing stakes of the NBA Cup.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. NBA Cup Weekend: Tangible Intensity and Drama (04:45)

Theme: The NBA’s in-season tournament is delivering real drama, unexpected intensity, and memorable games.

• Winners advancing: Magic, Knicks, Heat (wild card), Thunder, Spurs, Suns (wild card).
• Highlight games: Knicks vs. Bucks, Thunder vs. Suns, Lakers vs. Mavs.
• Court controversy: Luka Doncic’s complaints about the Lakers’ NBA Cup court being slippery led to a last-minute court swap.
  Tas: “Because their superstar was doing that. He comes out, he throws an alley oop to LeBron… But I just thought as a whole, considering Amazon Prime is now the NBA Cup feature broadcaster, they hit back-to-back homers.” (07:30)
• Intensity observation: The stakes, financial incentives, and national TV focus seem to have players (especially bench guys) and crowds more locked in, making these games feel closer to playoff energy.
  Skeets: “Those guys at the end of the bench are more into these games than your normal mid-November, late November games. Without a doubt. Because there’s a lot of money on the line.” (15:14)
• Cup incentives debate:
  • Josh Hart’s proposal: Cup winner gets a half-game tiebreaker in regular season standings.
    Hart (paraphrased): “You get to the championship game...you get a half game, so you have the tiebreaker and it legitimizes the Cup more.” (16:14)
  • Hosts discuss alternatives, with consensus that boosts shouldn’t be too drastic (e.g., not instant home-court advantage or draft picks).

2. Individual Winners & Memorable Performances

Jalen Johnson (Hawks) Emerges as Star (21:36)

• Two monster games: Triple-double (29/12/12) vs. Cavs; career-high 41 points in 2OT win over the Sixers, adding 14 boards and 7 assists.
• Trey: “The dude’s awesome in transition...It feels like the game has slowed down for him in the half court. He’s very patient getting to his spots and he’s become a really good passer, particularly in traffic.” (22:18)
• Hawks now 10-5 without Trae Young, who’s out at least two more weeks.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Hits 21,000 Points (30:29)

• Drops 30/15/8 vs. Knicks and 29 points in 19 minutes vs. Nets.
• 6th youngest player to reach 21,000 points.
  Tas: “He wants to be the all-time leading scorer… named all [the top five] right away. ‘Yeah, of course… That’s the guy I’m trying to reach.’” (31:05)
• Calculations: Would need to play 11 more years, average 29 PPG to catch LeBron (~42,000 points).

Cooper Flagg Makes History (34:57)

• Scores 35 vs. Clippers, youngest to score 35+ in an NBA game (passing LeBron’s record).
• Second-night of a back-to-back, did it while running point and attacking mismatches.
• Trey: “Cooper Flag should still be in college...He came out Saturday and put the team on his back. Super impressive first 20 games: 19 PPG on 51% shooting in his last 10.” (36:11)

Klay Thompson’s Thanksgiving (off-court & on-court) (37:44)

• Explodes for 17 fourth quarter points vs. Clippers, “flashback Klay” game.
• Celebrates Thanksgiving with Megan Thee Stallion and family; she receives critical acclaim for her cooking and “SS Stallion” boat reveal.

Other Winners (41:41)

• Charlotte Hornets: Snap 7-game losing streak with consecutive wins over Bulls and Raptors.
• Josh Hart (Knicks): Averaged 19.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 7 assists in two wins despite recent off-court burglary.
• Zach Edey (Grizzlies rookie): 32 points, 17 rebounds, 5 blocks, dominates Kings’ smaller lineups (44:14).
• Jay Huff (Pacers): 14 straight points to start a game—“Guard him!”

3. Weekend Losers

LA Clippers—the Panic Meter is Real (46:41)

• Now 5–15, losers of 13 of last 15.
  • Harden looks demoralized and shows “eye-roll” energy in postgames.
  • Bench production is abysmal (outscored 47-15 by Grizzlies, 41-5 by Mavs).
  • “They don’t have an answer. It’s defense and it’s offense, and when both those things aren’t working…” (48:01)
• Discussion: Is it time to trade Harden, Kawhi, others? (segment teaser for next show)
• Offense ranked 22nd, defense 25th, bottom in pace and athleticism.

Chicago Bulls—Back to Reality (51:57)

• Started November 5-0, end month at 9-10 after losses to the Hornets and Pacers.
• Trey: “This team feels like they’re beat before the game starts… They gave up 14 straight to Jay Huff—all on wide open shots.” (53:22)
• Defensive decline, sliding into expected mediocrity, and trade rumblings begin.

Cleveland Cavaliers—Should They Panic? (55:02)

• 12–9, looking pedestrian despite high expectations; locker room introspection and public frustration:
  • Jalen Tyson: “We’re in cruise control as a team… not hungry enough… we’re getting beat on the glass.” (55:48)
• Garland’s health and Mobley’s slow development are sore points.
• Trey: “They don’t put pressure on the rim, they gotta be making three pointers… defensively they’re just not a very athletic team.” (57:11)

4. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Those guys at the end of the bench are more into these games than your normal mid-November, late November games. Without a doubt. Because there’s a lot of money on the line.” – Skeets on Cup intensity (15:14)
• “Cooper Flagg should still be in college... He came out Saturday and put the team on his back.” – Trey (36:11)
• “He (Giannis) would have to average 52 over five years to do it. And that’s 82 games. Okay, that’s impossible.” – Tas (31:33)
• “This team feels like they’re beat before the game starts… They gave up 14 straight to Jay Huff—all on wide open shots.” – Trey, on the Bulls (53:22)
• “They don’t have an answer. It’s defense and it’s offense, and when both those things aren’t working…” – Tas, on Clippers malaise (48:01)

Timeline of Major Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |-----------|-----------------------------------------| | 04:45 | NBA Cup winners, group drama | | 07:17 | Best Cup games, court controversy | | 09:29 | Cup “caring,” incentives, Josh Hart idea| | 21:36 | Jalen Johnson’s monster week | | 27:54 | Overtime, officiating, NBA pace | | 30:29 | Giannis milestone & scoring chase | | 34:57 | Cooper Flagg’s rookie exploits | | 37:44 | Klay Thompson’s Thanksgiving | | 41:41 | Other winners: Hornets, Hart, Edey | | 46:41 | Clippers collapse, trade speculation | | 51:57 | Bulls backsliding, trade talk | | 55:02 | Cavaliers’ panic checkpoint |

Noteworthy Statistical Nuggets

• Jalen Johnson: Averages 24/10/8 in 15 games w/o Trae Young (21:39)
• Cooper Flagg: 19 PPG, 51% FG in last 10, youngest ever with 35+ points (36:11)
• Giannis: 6th youngest to 21,000, needs 11 more seasons at 29 PPG to catch LeBron (31:29)
• Clippers: Outscored 47-15 (Grizz bench) and 41-5 (Mavs bench) in back-to-back games (48:03)
• Cavs: 4–3 when Garland plays, drop-off in both offense and defense (61:54)

Tone & Style

Conversational, witty, and analytically detailed; hosts riff on stats, joke about player rituals and mishaps (e.g., Megan Thee Stallion as “Megan the Chef”), and openly vent frustrations about slow-paced games and review excesses.

Concluding Thoughts

This episode captures a league at a crossroads—the NBA Cup is earning real buy-in, young stars are arriving, but established teams (Clippers, Cavs, Bulls) are at a crisis point. The pod blends humor, insight, and on-the-ground reactions to another wild weekend in the association.