The Athletic NBA Daily – Morning Shootaround: 5 Burning NBA Questions (Jan 14, 2026)
Hosts: Dave DuFour, Esperaheni Xena Keda, Ben
Theme: At the midseason mark, the crew tackles five of the most pressing and intriguing NBA questions—ranging from playoff pretenders to breakout role players and teams needing a trade deadline facelift. The lively debate includes real talk on the Raptors, Lakers, Warriors, and delves deep into individual players under the most pressure.
1. Which Top Six Playoff Team Inspires the Least Fear?
[03:01]
- Discussion Kickoff: Dave prompts, “If the playoffs started today, which of the top six seeds… is nobody afraid of?”
- Xena: “Orlando is the team I'm not scared of. And I would also put the Raptors in that conversation.” [04:21]
- Consensus: East’s 5 and 6 seeds (Philadelphia, Orlando) aren’t easy outs; doubts mostly center around Orlando and Toronto due to their lack of proven organization and playoff experience.
- Raptors "Fake Four Seed": Dave highlights, “They took advantage of that early season success and… by the time we get to the playoffs… the Sixers are a better team than the Raptors right now” [07:49].
- Lakers & Playoff Fear:
- Dave: “The Lakers shouldn’t scare anybody.” [05:17]
- Xena disagrees: “It’s scary to look across and see LeBron, Luca, and Austin Reaves. Even if they can’t defend, if they have a good series—they could pull off an upset.” [06:25]
- Underlying Principle: Playoff experience, offensive organization, and fear factor are thematic in evaluating these teams.
2. Which Superstar Is Under the Most Pressure in the Second Half?
[11:01]
- Dave: Floats options based on age and legacy—Steph, KD, LeBron.
- Ben pushes for Ant Edwards:
- “He wants that moment… But can he be the leader to take Minnesota further?” [12:39]
- Competition Caveat: Xena notes, “If the Timberwolves were in the eastern conference… we’d probably say they're a Finals team. But the west is so stacked.” [13:34]
- Carl Anthony Towns (Knicks):
- Xena: “Can Karl-Anthony Towns deliver in high-leverage moments for the Knicks? That’s the major question…” [16:18]
- Luka Doncic:
- Dave: “If they fail to get out of the first round… this is the last year he gets a pass. He’s gonna get picked on.” [16:37]
- Kevin Durant:
- Ben: “For KD… can he win on his own? This is the opportunity, he's got all these young guys in Houston. I think there's a lot of pressure on him.” [18:46]
- Overarching Vibe: Legacy and situational pressure is intense for both aging greats and ascendant stars on promising teams.
3. Breakout Role Players (Non-All-Star Edition)
[20:02]
- Peyton Watson (Denver):
- Dave: “If you want to hear a love letter to Peyton Watson, go listen to this morning’s show. I would start with him.” [20:19]
- Xena with a fun stat: “In his one year at UCLA, Peyton Watson scored 105 points. In the last five games, he's scored 121 points.” [26:59]
- Keonte George (Utah):
- Xena: “He’s gone from role player to star. He’s the leader for most improved right now.” [21:20]
- Dave: “He’s so under control. Shot obviously looks better and it's falling, which is the most important part.” [22:04]
- Other Notables:
- Cam Spencer
- Jalen Tyson (Cavaliers)
- Steph Castle
- Anthony Black (Orlando): Ben: “You're gonna be a star.” [26:50]
- Mamu (Toronto): “A lot of those early Toronto wins were because of his offense off the bench.” [24:59]
- Depth & Opportunity: Injuries play a huge role in bench guys stepping up; Denver’s shift in coaching philosophy has unearthed unknown contributors.
- Classic Moment: Dave compares Peyton Watson’s leap to Lou Gehrig replacing Wally Pipp: “[That] was the biggest change for them in finding these guys down the bench … injuries helping you find a guy, that’s as long as sports has been around.” [29:33]
4. Which Young Team Will Break Through Past Round 1?
[31:24]
- Consensus Picks: Spurs (West), Pistons (East)
- Ben: “Those two, I think, are obvious. East and West. There you go.” [32:01]
- Are the Sixers a ‘Young Team’?: Xena: “I don’t know if I’d classify them as young, vibes-wise. Yes, the young guys like Maxey are crucial, but…” [33:08]
- Overall Determination: It’s a two-team race for breakthrough youth—the rest are growth projects or lack the necessary star/bench power.
5. Which Team Needs the Biggest Facelift at the Trade Deadline?
[34:54]
- Warriors:
- Ben: “It’s clearly the Warriors. Window’s closing, margin is so thin, they've got a $24M player sitting on the bench. They need athleticism, rim protection, a scorer.” [35:20]
- Dave: “They need multiple players.” [36:12]
- Ben: “The whole Jimmy [Butler] and Draymond thing … the connection is the lowest net rating … but they’re not moving Draymond, Steph, or Jimmy.” [39:13]
- Celtics:
- Xena: “They are one center away from legitimately making the NBA finals. Will they make that push with three weeks left until the deadline?” [39:52]
- Dave: “Gafford is available… Zubac is a path… It’s possible.” [41:38]
- Bucks:
- Dave: “They’re a team that needs to make changes, but I don’t know where they go. The Miles Turner thing hasn’t worked… they’re stuck.” [42:48]
- Xena: “There isn’t a serious path forward. Point blank.” [45:55]
- Ben: “This is too much stink around the team right now… you have to solve those issues before you figure out if you’re targeting role players, a star, or the draft.” [45:44]
- Honorable Mentions: Toronto’s FO under pressure to show proof of concept; difference between Toronto’s urgency and Golden State’s “no pressure” FO. [56:34]
Memorable Quotes
- “They’re a little bit of a fake four seed… Sixers are a better team than the Raptors right now.” – Dave [07:49]
- “Can Karl-Anthony Towns deliver in high-leverage moments for the Knicks?” – Xena [16:18]
- “I think if you can make lowlight clips of a player’s defense… that’s awful.” – Dave on Luka Doncic [17:25]
- “When players get hurt… you get to see who’s popping, who can give you solid minutes.” – Ben [28:17]
- “The Warriors have a $24M player sitting in a hoodie every night… need athleticism and rim protection.” – Ben [35:20]
- “I think that the Giannis trade is coming this summer—maybe to New York.” – Dave [48:16]
Notable Moments and Tangents
- Peyton Watson's leap in Denver sparks wider discussion about depth and injuries unlocking roles (stat: more points in five recent NBA games than his entire UCLA season).
- Warriors Talk: Detailed breakdown of ‘dual-styles’ (motion vs iso), net rating analytics with Butler, Draymond, and others. Dave reemphasizes: “They need multiple players.”
- Bucks Under Fire: Giannis’ vibes, Milwaukee's lack of options, Doc Rivers’ effect (or lack thereof), and doubts about dramatic deadline rescue.
- Raptors FO: Underlined as under pressure for proof-of-concept; contrasted with the Warriors’ “job-for-life” climate.
- Draymond Green: Debate about his goodwill with Warriors fans: “It’s decaying to a certain…” [56:23]
Timestamps of Interest
- 03:01 — Scariest (or least scary) top-6 playoff seeds
- 11:01 — Superstar under most pressure
- 20:02 — Breakout role players
- 31:24 — Young teams that can win a round
- 34:54 — Teams needing a deadline facelift
- 35:20 — Ben on the Warriors’ problems
- 39:52 — Celtics as a sneaky buyer
- 42:48 — Bucks trade quandaries
- 45:55 — Xena on Bucks' dead end
- 46:40 — Ben on how team “stink” clouds front-office judgment
- 56:23 — Draymond’s approval rating
Tone and Format Notes
- Conversation is lively, often tongue-in-cheek, blending hard analysis with fan debates and YouTube chat interactivity.
- The hosts frequently cite stats and trends, yet keep the banter accessible for all NBA fans.
- No ads, intros, or outros included—just hoops talk and insights.
Summary For Non-Listeners
This episode is a rapid-fire roundtable on the key NBA midseason questions: playoff pretenders, pressured superstars, surprise contributors, up-and-coming playoff threats, and GMs facing a make-or-break deadline. Listeners get a leader-board of breakout performers (Peyton Watson! Keonte George!), nuanced takes on prestige vs. pressure (Luka, KD, Ant, Cat), and a dose of hard truths about teams whose record flatters them. The Warriors’ and Bucks’ crossroads are dissected, while the Celtics linger as a blockbuster move away from title favorite.
Ideal for fans trying to make sense of the NBA playoff chessboard as the trade deadline looms.