No Dunks Podcast Summary

Episode: Thunder-Rockets Thriller, Luka Needs Help & NBA on NBC Production Notes
Date: October 22, 2025
Hosts: Jayd Skeets, Tas Melis, Trey Kirby, JD
Podcast: No Dunks (iHeartPodcasts)

Main Theme

This episode marks the start of the 2025-26 NBA season, with the crew recapping the double-overtime thriller between the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets, the Warriors’ strong win over the LeBron-less Lakers, and their impressions of the NBA’s new partnership with NBC for game coverage. The hosts also dig into the Thunder’s ring ceremony and react to Michael Jordan’s new “Insights Into Excellence” halftime segment.

I. Thunder vs. Rockets: Instant Classic to Open the Season

Main Takeaway:
A wild, double-overtime battle where the Thunder celebrated their championship with resiliency, outlasting Kevin Durant’s Rockets. Both teams showed clear strengths and concerning flaws, setting the tone for the NBA's dramatic return.

Key Segments and Insights

• SGA's Second Half Takeover

  • "Five points at half, 30 points after the first half, including 12 in the fourth quarter... He was the MVP for a reason."
    (Trey Kirby, 02:52)
  • SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) scored 12 clutch points in the fourth and led OKC down the stretch, sealing the game after a slow start as Rockets’ defensive intensity waned.
  • Defensive coverage loosened up, allowing SGA to shine late, supported by teammates like AJ Mitchell and Chet Holmgren.

• Chet Holmgren’s Emerging Role

  • “Chet Holmgren was carrying this team in the first half... he was freaking spectacular, hitting shot after shot.”
    (Tas Melis, 04:31)
  • Started 7-for-7 from the floor, helping OKC stay afloat during early struggles.
  • Hosts suggest Holmgren could be an All-Star if Jalen Williams remains out.

• Houston’s Offense: Too Much Through Sengun?

  • "I want to see more Kevin Durant. That's what he's here for... but he was off the ball a ton."
    (Tas Melis, 05:39)
  • Durant excelled early but faded in the second half due to lack of touches, finishing with just two buckets in the final 22 minutes.
  • Rockets played heavily through Alperen Sengun, who had a monster stat line (39 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast, 5 threes).

• Point Guard Woes for the Rockets

  • "They do need a ball handler who can get everybody involved. Because you don’t want Kevin Durant just waiting..."
    (Trey Kirby, 07:19)
  • Amen Thompson showed flashes but isn’t a true point guard. Reed Sheppard struggled on both ends; lack of Fred VanVleet crucial.
  • High turnover count (25 for Rockets) reflected lack of primary playmakers.

• Critical Ending Sequences & Missed Calls

  • Durant attempted to call a timeout the Rockets didn’t have (which should be a technical), missed clutch free throws, and fouled out after biting on an SGA pump fake.
  • "He signaled for the timeout that the Rockets didn't have... should have been a technical, should have been a shot for OKC."
    (Jayd Skeets, 08:34)

• Notable Quote

  • “He booed them right back. That was sort of funny.”
    (Jayd Skeets, 08:34, on OKC fans booing Durant)

• Other Notes

  • Amen Thompson cramped up late despite his youth (“the 22-year-old cramping up”), missing crucial overtime minutes.
  • Serge Ibaka made an appearance in support, rocking a stylish hat.
  • The Rockets’ enormous lineup (potentially “biggest starting lineup in NBA history”) gave OKC problems early.

Memorable Segment Timestamps

• SGA’s performance breakdown: 02:52–05:05
• Durant’s late-game issues: 05:39–08:34
• Timeout controversy: 08:34–10:36
• Rockets’ point guard issues & turnovers: 11:38–13:26
• Chet Holmgren’s future: 16:32–19:18

II. Warriors vs. Lakers: Team Cohesion vs. Individual Brilliance

Main Takeaway:
The Warriors, even after all these years, look like a complete, well-oiled team. The Lakers, missing LeBron and with a host of new faces, depend wholly on Luka’s offensive brilliance.

Key Segments and Insights

• Luka’s Herculean Effort, But Not Enough

  • “43, 12 and 9. Good start.”
    (Tas Melis, 25:12)
  • Luka Doncic puts up 43 points, but the Lakers fall short due to lack of support and missed opportunities.

• Warriors’ Balance and Chemistry

  • “The Warriors on the other side, they’re just a good basketball team. It was back cut after back cut...29 assists on 38 makes.”
    (Trey Kirby, 26:11)
  • Kaminga shines as starter (17 pts, 9 reb, 6 ast), especially in the 3rd quarter run.
  • Bench contributions from Buddy Hield, Gary Payton II; Al Horford “looked old” but that’s expected.

• Lakers’ Issues

  • Missed free throws (11), lack of a third scorer, integration struggles (“looked like they were just meeting each other”), and questions about DeAndre Ayton’s role/energy (only 6 rebounds).

• Jimmy Butler’s Veteran Influence

  • “Jimmy Butler…he lived at the free throw line. 16 for 16 there. Perfect.”
    (Jayd Skeets, 23:29)
  • Has side bet with Draymond on free throw % vs. Curry, providing veteran leadership and half-court stability for Golden State.

• Quotes & Notables

  • “It was Luka brilliance versus an entire team of good basketball players for the Warriors. And that was the difference.”
    (Trey Kirby, 26:11)
  • Curry’s gravity opens lanes for backdoor cuts; not a statistical monster night but critical to team flow.

Memorable Segment Timestamps

• Warriors-Lakers recap: 23:29–31:13
• Kaminga’s role and comparison to Shawn Marion: 30:51–32:13

III. Up/Down Report: Ring Ceremony, NBC Production, and MJ’s Return

Thunder’s Ring Ceremony

• Mixed feelings: cool ring features (screen inside ring, wearable small ring), but sequence/order for handouts confused hosts.
• The crowd-level energy built up towards SGA’s ovation.
• “At least, like, when Shay’s, you know, hit over 30, I want a little thing to pop out that tells me he’s at 31, 32 points. A little bit more of that, I think would be nice.”
  (Jayd Skeets, 54:42 – on scoreboard graphics, also applies to ceremony energy)

Timestamps: 40:28–47:00

NBA on NBC Production Debut

Graphics, Scorebug, and Presentation

• Hosts praise the “entertainment/show” feel—player intros, color-infused graphics.
  • “This is a show to some degree. This is a performance. And then you saw a great scorebug graphic. I love that.”
    (Tas Melis, 49:04)
• Scorebug is compact, vertical, designed for modern viewership/social sharing; some want more popup stats.
• “Vertical videos. I was starting to think about it because it’s right there... sort of designed for social media.”
  (Jayd Skeets, 52:59)

Pregame and Halftime Coverage

• Maria Taylor, Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady comprise “NBA Showtime” pregame.
• Audio issues noted at first, but energy from on-court set and highlight features are positives.

In-Game Commentary

• Tirico, Reggie Miller, Jamal Crawford as lead team.
  • Praise for chemistry, but wish for deeper player analysis instead of constant “this guy reminds me of…” references.
  • “Just talk about what they’re doing... how Shay is able to shed guys with his off arm and still steady himself to knock down the jumper.”
    (Trey Kirby, 51:48)

Roundball Rock, Nostalgia & Player Promos

• Plenty of Roundball Rock (theme song), drawing nostalgia for older fans, confusion/amusement from younger players.
• “Are you serious? I don't know. There's, like, Michael Jordan, like, taking a crack at it...”
  (Jayd Skeets, 58:44 – on younger players not knowing the NBC NBA era)

Timestamps: 49:04–59:02

Michael Jordan Halftime Segment: “Insights into Excellence”

• Segment is a multi-part, prerecorded interview with Mike Tirico, to be rolled out throughout the season.
• Jordan’s aura and storytelling are captivating; even mundane anecdotes draw viewers in.
• “I would watch him say anything... He told a story about a rich guy paying him to shoot a free throw. And I was on the edge of my seat, hanging on every word.”
  (Trey Kirby, 59:45)
• Anticipation for Jordan’s takes on modern issues (“Load Management” teased for next week) and current players.

Critiques

• Desire for more topical, reactive, or analytical content from MJ—will he ever address current superstar feats or only evergreen topics?
• “What happens when... Some guy goes for like 60, 40 and 30... you would want to get Jordan's reaction to that. But then it's a clip from two months ago...”
  (Jayd Skeets, 62:34)

Timestamps: 59:30–66:16

IV. Fun Moments, Notables, and Listener Engagement

• Inside Jokes & Laughs:

  • Reed Sheppard’s struggles compared to Mark Price, with note that “he looked tiny.”
  • Multiple quips about broadcast graphics (“slams,” “three-point pops,” and “wedgie graphics”).
  • Live chat reactions to overtime; pop culture references.

• Preview and Bets:

  • Hosts preview the full slate for the first “real” NBA night, place “hot dog bet” on Raptors/Hawks game outcome.
  • Discussion of Victor Wembanyama and the studio “troll challenge.”

V. Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• SGA’s MVP Resilience:
  “He was the MVP for a reason. He was a clutch player of the year candidate for a reason and he just made so many shots, got exactly where he needed to go, brought his team the championship in game one.” — Trey Kirby, 03:47

• On Rockets’ Point Guard Woes:
  “They do need a ball handler who can get everybody involved. Because you don’t want Kevin Durant just waiting to maybe get the ball.” — Trey Kirby, 07:19

• Thunder’s Depth:
  *"That’s the thing with this Thunder team. This is why they’re the defending champs. There’s all these stretches in games where it’s like, oh, it’s the Kaysen Wallace couple of minutes here, or Caruso on the defensive end…" — Jayd Skeets, 20:32

• NBC Production Praise:
  “You saw analysts, former players who love the game and know the game... This is a show to some degree. This is a performance.” — Tas Melis, 49:04

• On Michael Jordan’s On-Air Presence:
  “He can talk about literally anything, and he’s captivating to watch. Yeah, there’s aura and then there’s Michael Jordan. Nobody is on his level.” — Trey Kirby, 59:45

VI. Final Thoughts: Tone and Takeaways

• The episode is energetic, funny, and deeply basketball-nerdy, matching the excitement and newness of NBA Opening Night and NBC’s involvement.
• The group maintains their trademark blend of insightful analysis, honest critiques, and running jokes—making the episode accessible both for serious NBA fans and casual listeners.
• The addition of NBC and Michael Jordan content brings a unique nostalgic flavor, while the reactions to early-season games ground the analysis in the present.

For Further Listening:

• For full game recaps, production discussion, and Michael Jordan nostalgia, listen to the episode.
• Join the “Up/Down Report” discussion on their Substack or YouTube comments for fan reactions to NBC’s production and MJ segments.