No Dunks Podcast Summary

Episode: The Drop | Wild Endings, No Sandals Sitting Courtside & Santa Skeets Is Back!
Date: December 19, 2025
Hosts: Skeets (J.E. Skeets), Tas Melis, Trey Kirby, and JD
Podcast: No Dunks by iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This “Drop” episode is classic No Dunks—a loose, lively deep-dive into the wildest NBA games and headlines from the night before, plus dose of their trademark bits, listener questions, and a holiday tradition. The crew drafts their favorite NBA game stories, debates infamous ref calls, roasts Draymond and the Warriors, and shares thoughts on everything from Martha Stewart’s broken toe to the death of the Hammacher Schlemmer gift catalog. All with their irreverent, inside-joke-filled banter.

Drafting the Night’s Best NBA Games ([03:43]–[44:49])

1. Dallas Mavericks vs. Detroit Pistons: Cooper Flagg’s Coming-Out Party ([05:01])

• Tas’s Pick: Lauds 18-year-old Cooper Flagg’s poise and clutch shot-making late (hits floater, then pullup over Cade Cunningham to force OT), plus 3 blocks.
  • “Two months into an 18-year-old’s freaking career, it just shows that this guy is ready to be a superstar.” — Tas Melis ([06:41])
• Trey: Points out Flagg’s minutes leader status in clutch, and the odd Anthony Davis-Cooper Flagg non-dynamic.
  • “There’s something weird between Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg. These guys do not interact.” ([08:44])
• Skeets: Box score was bonkers (Pistons 18% from deep, 122 attempts; Mavs 5-27 from 3). “Not a lot of makes, but it was fun.” ([10:16])
• Coach Beef: JB Bickerstaff calls out ref John Goble by name. “That’s being a trend right now, coaches calling out particular officials.” ([10:35])

2. Charlotte Hornets vs. Atlanta Hawks: LaMelo & Trey Return, Jalen Johnson Explodes ([11:54])

• Trey: LaMelo Ball (28 pts, 13 ast, 8 3PM); Trey Young returns after 22 games. Jalen Johnson goes wild (43p, 11r, 9a). “Brandon Miller also had a huge dunk. The Hornets, man...only two and a half back from tenth in the East!” ([13:04])
• State of the Teams: Hawks treaded water without Young, are heavy trade deadline team to watch; Hornets could be feisty if healthy.
• Their Banter: Debates NBA travel logistics between ATL and Charlotte... “What, you think they do Waymos?” ([16:49])

3. Phoenix Suns vs. Golden State Warriors: Goodwin’s Free Throw Sinks GSW, Warriors Spiraling ([18:38])

• Skeets: “Extremely weird to watch a game in 2025 where neither team cracks 30 points in a quarter.” Suns win 99-98 after wild finish; Jordan Goodwin hits the game-winner FT with 0.4 left. Warriors meltdown: turnovers (20), Draymond especially (5 TOs, “he said, I gotta get better, then he wasn’t” ([21:05])).
• Trey: Warriors’ dreadful turnover and rebounding rates, thin margin for error. Questions whether Draymond stays with the team: “Who would be interested in Draymond at this point?” ([24:52])
• Tas: Rumors will link to the Lakers, but Draymond just isn’t that guy offensively anymore.

4. New Orleans Pelicans vs. Houston Rockets: Pelicans Rally, Sadiq Bey the Surprising Closer ([29:18])

• Tas: Pelicans stun Rockets, erasing 25-point deficit. Praises Herb Jones (8 steals!), Sadiq Bey, and Trey Murphy. Zion benched in crunch-time. “This team looks different...They fight.” ([29:31])
• Trey: Points out KD’s low clutch usage compared to Sengun’s. “This is Kevin Durant!” ([32:03])
• Mini Rant: Rockets’ need for Fred VanVleet’s stability; FVV’s return, podcasting habits, and deep couches also get the crew going.

5. New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers: Brunson’s Double Bang Three, Knicks Avoid a Hangover ([35:45])

• Trey: Knicks trail most of the way, but OG Anunoby and Brunson close. “Jalen Brunson got a double bang...I don’t think you need a double bang in that scenario.” ([37:15])
• Trivia: Skeets has a running list of double-bangs; this might be the first of the season. ([37:35])
• Afterparty: Jokes about where the Knicks might have celebrated, the redness of Tyler Kolek’s face after shrimp cocktail in Indy.

6. Portland Trail Blazers vs. Sacramento Kings: “Generous” Foul Call Ends a Wild Finish ([40:12])

• Skeets: Blazers blow 15-pt lead, but win 134-133 OT after a dubious foul call on Russell Westbrook. Deni Avdija hits FTs to win; call comes after the miss.
  • “[The ref] decided, you know what? He did get bumped. I’m going to rewind that memory in my brain…” — Tas ([42:50])

Notables

• Jokic breaks all-time assists record for centers ([44:43])
  • “He broke a record that’s stood for 36 years in less than half the games it took Kareem.” — Skeets

Worst of the Week ([44:53])

1. Martha Stewart’s Broken Toe Courtside

   • Jalen Brunson stepped on her sandal-clad foot, breaking her toe during ECF. She powered through, but warns: “Don’t wear open shoes if you sit courtside” ([45:53])
   • Crew goes unexpectedly deep on Martha Stewart’s hotness, foot photos, and sandal fashions.
   • Confirmed: It was her big toe, per Stewart on Fallon. ([53:25])

2. Cavs’ Comedy of Errors

   • Darius Garland runs into Jared Allen, falling over—encapsulating the Cavs’ wonky season. ([49:06])

3. Marcus Smart’s “Shaqtin’” Pass

   • Over-the-shoulder outlet pass directly to Grayson Allen, who’s not even in the play, sparks debate over classic “shacked” moments. ([50:22])

Winner: Tough call, but Martha’s war story is “a one of one type of moment.”

No Dunks Holiday Tradition: The Hammacher Schlemmer Gift Game ([56:02])

• Backstory: The wacky gift catalog is out of business after 175 years. They eulogize its glorious weirdness (“None of the $4,000 abominable snowmen this year!” — Skeets [72:47]).
• Bit: Skeets reads clearance gift descriptions; crew guesses prices Price-Is-Right-style. Notable gifts include:
  • Laser tag set ($79.99 on clearance), see-through sun visor ($29.95), door-mount foam roller system ($34.99), and K-9 push buttons for dog communication ($29.95).
• Running Gags: JD has owned the laser tag set; the dog button inspires bestial “voicing”; and regret over losing peak gift weirdness.

Quote:

“Let me know if we should keep going with this. People are going to say yes.” — Skeets ([73:00])

Quick Hits

• Woah Boy Sponsored by Listener Mark! ([76:45])

  • Luka Doncic: 45-11-14-5-1 TO in a win. “You get Woah Boy and you got a good one.” — Skeets

• Rapid Fire ([81:09])

  • What do you want to stop being compared to?
    • Skeets: Wants No Dunks compared to bigger, less “spicy” basketball pods ([81:23])
    • Trey: Tired of being compared to the viral “old guy slapping his balls over a fire” video ([83:23])
    • JD: Hates being called Hagrid; “It’s my body, obviously, that’s the problem.”
  • What do you say at work 15+ times a day? (reminder, random NBA trivia, the F bomb)
  • What would you try at Taco Bell?
    • Skeets: Mountain Dew Baja Blast Pie
    • Trey: Red Hot Diablo Chicken Nacho Fries (“That phrase was very funny”)
    • JD: California Crunchwrap at breakfast

Notable Moments & Quotes

• Cooper Flagg Watch: “Two months into an 18-year-old’s freaking career, it just shows that this guy is ready to be a superstar.” (Tas, [06:41])
• Warriors Woes: “Who would be interested in Draymond at this point?” (Skeets, [24:52])
• Martha Stewart Saga: “She says: Don’t wear open shoes courtside!” (Tas/Skeets, [45:53])
• Holiday Bit Eulogy: “It’s been a good run. That’s a hell of a run.” (Tas, [73:05])
• NBA Podcast Beef: “Start comparing No Dunks to the other ones...they ain’t running laps around us.” (Skeets, [81:23])
• Trey’s Viral Doppelganger: “Old guy slapping balls over fire—not me!” ([83:23])

Fun Banter & Sidebars

• NBA Rules Talk: Quirks of games played eligibility, Cup rules, All-NBA chaos ([17:24])
• Atlanta/Charlotte Travel Debate: Planes vs. self-driving cars vs. celebrity life ([16:49])
• Knicks Party Spots: St. Elmo’s shrimp cocktail and Tyler Kolek’s red face ([39:59])
• Taco Bell Laboratories: “I have a theory they’re just opening up early to create all these wild foods.” (Skeets [95:08])
• Advent Calendars & Imaginary Elves: “Bobby comes every day to deliver chocolate... Bobby’s not real, but Bobby does it anyway.” (Tas [98:20])
• Vacation Plans: JD’s off to Puerto Vallarta, Trey’s back to Chicago winter ([98:55]–[99:48])

Timestamps: Key Segments

• [03:43] — Drafting Last Night's NBA Games
• [44:53] — Worst of the Week
• [56:02] — Hammacher Schlemmer Holiday Tradition
• [76:45] — Woah Boy (sponsored!)
• [81:09] — Rapid Fire
• [95:58] — Substack Shoutouts & Wrap

Closing Thoughts

Another jam-packed, insightful, and irreverent No Dunks Drop, blending actual NBA analysis (Cooper Flagg, Draymond’s decline, Warriors strife, Jokic history, KD clutch usage, trade deadline musings) with inside jokes, listener engagement, and traditions both beloved and ridiculous. The show captures the fun and chaos of the modern NBA—and keeps it spicy when other pods go bland.

Quote of the Episode:
“Start comparing No Dunks to the other ones...they ain’t running laps around us.”
— Skeets, [81:23]

Memorable Moment:
Skeets’s heartfelt eulogy for the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog and the group’s attempt to price weird clearance gifts, proving their holiday tradition is as weird and wonderful as the NBA itself.

For the full experience, watch/listen for the crew’s infectious energy, comic chemistry, and off-book, off-color asides.