Giannis; Wemby injured + Paul George returns

Summary

The Athletic NBA Daily – Episode Summary

Date: November 18, 2025
Hosts: Dave DeFore, Zena Keda
Guest: Eric Nehm (Bucks beat reporter)

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Episode Overview

This episode tackles some of the biggest NBA headlines and recaps recent games, focusing on three major stories:

• The Nuggets' surprising loss to the Bulls despite Nikola Jokic's strong performance
• Paul George’s long-awaited season debut for the 76ers
• Significant injuries to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama and what these absences mean for their teams

The analysis is punctuated with thoughtful player evaluations, team outlooks, and a memorable guest segment with Eric Nehm for an insider perspective on the Milwaukee Bucks’ latest challenge.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Denver Nuggets Fall to the Chicago Bulls (02:14–06:47)

• Nuggets' Off Night:
  Despite a triple-double from Nikola Jokic (after a cold start), Denver lost 114-111 to the Bulls. The absence of Christian Braun highlighted depth issues, as the Nuggets' bench contributed only 9 points versus Chicago’s 66.
• Jokic's Resilience:
  "Jokic heard us through the grapevine. Somehow he steps up, ends up with a triple double. But it wasn't enough..." – Zena Keda (04:29)
• Cam Johnson's Emergence:
  Johnson had his best game as a Nugget, scoring 19 points and hitting 5 of 7 threes.

  “He looked comfortable. It just sucked that it was spoiled by a Bulls win, but yeah, it was like the game that we expected Cam Johnson to have since he's joined this team.” – Zena Keda (06:28)

• Key Takeaway:
  The strength of Denver's starters wasn’t enough to overcome a thin bench. Dave DeFore emphasizes it’s “just one loss,” but one that exposed depth problems.

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2. Paul George Returns, but Sixers’ Maxey Shines (06:47–09:44)

• Paul George’s Debut:
  George returned as a starter, looking healthy but rusty (2-9 shooting, 7 rebounds, 3 assists).

  “He looked healthy. He was active, he was mobile. He got on the glass … still is getting acclimated to getting back out on the floor.” – Zena Keda (07:33)

• Tyrese Maxey Takes Over:
  Maxey dominated for the 76ers, scoring 39 in a comeback win and cementing his role as the team’s focal point.

  “We've had enough Runway now for Maxey to know this is still my team... that's the exact hierarchy that you need to see right now with the Sixers.” – Zena Keda (08:18)

• James Harden Milestone:
  Harden, for the Clippers, dropped 28 points and surpassed 28,000 career points, but it wasn’t enough.
• Role Players Matter:
  The hosts note that while George will get back to form, his ability to defend and play multiple positions is valuable – especially with Kelly Oubre out.

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3. Victor Wembanyama Out with Injury (09:44–12:23)

• Wemby's Absence:
  Wembanyama is projected to miss at least a month (possibly six weeks) due to injury, a major blow to the Spurs, who have exceeded expectations.

  “When he's on the floor, the spurs are plus seven. And when he's off the floor, obviously that that's their defensive identity on top of their offensive feasibility just drops.” – Zena Keda (10:37)

• Impact Beyond Stats:
  The team’s system is uniquely tailored to Wembanyama’s skill set, so replacement options like Luke Kornet can’t replicate his effect on defense and offense.
• Awards Implications:
  The injury may jeopardize Wembanyama’s eligibility for season awards due to the updated 65-game requirement — a scenario that disrupted races last year.

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4. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Injury – Inside Scoop from Eric Nehm (15:52–26:58)

What Happened? (15:52–18:30)

• Giannis suffered an apparent groin injury late in the second quarter against Cleveland, set for MRI.
• Despite pain, he jogged off the court, leading to mild optimism.
• Giannis’s history of rapid recoveries offers hope, but the Bucks’ cautious medical staff may hold him out for several weeks.

“When it comes to injuries and timelines with him, I think it's always something that's incredibly difficult to predict just because he has shown kind of this like superhuman ability to recover from things and get back to things.” – Eric Nehm (16:16)

Bucks Without Giannis: Who Steps Up? (19:26–24:54)

• Ryan Rollins:
  Explosive young guard unexpectedly thrusted into a starring role due to team injuries.

  “All the responsibility that has been heaped on his shoulders … he's handled it incredibly well. Maybe he's too young to know that it is a lot.” – Eric Nehm (19:29)

• Kyle Kuzma:
  Has had breakout games and is expected to provide more scoring.
• Bobby Portis & Miles Turner:
  Portis’s scoring and Turner’s versatility (cutter, passer, screener) will be crucial. Turner underscores the Bucks' need to “keep making the right play” within their team system.
• Offensive System Over Isolation:
  It's a moment to rely on “strength in numbers," mirroring the “Warriors' approach” to coping with star absences: cut, screen, and play collectively.

Bucks’ Changing Identity (24:54–26:58)

• Shift from “old, slow” team to a younger, more dynamic group with Rollins and Kuzma.
• The next phase will test the roster’s ability to spread the scoring load and maintain competitiveness without a 30-point anchor like Giannis.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "I barely can tell when my wrist is hurting from carpal tunnel ... my thumb's been feeling strange recently." – Zena Keda injecting humor about athlete injuries (18:30)
• “It is going to have to be like strength in numbers … we did the strength in numbers thing to the Warriors. That was what we did tonight.” – Eric Nehm, paraphrasing Bobby Portis (24:54)

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Notable Timestamps

• Nuggets-Bulls recap: 02:14–06:47
• Paul George's return & Sixers win: 06:47–09:44
• Wembanyama injury impact: 09:44–12:23
• Eric Nehm on Giannis:
  • Injury event: 15:52–18:30
  • Bucks' response/rotation outlook: 19:26–24:54
  • Team identity and depth: 24:54–26:58

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Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is lively, conversational, and analytical. The hosts blend humor, critical insight, and storytelling—regularly referencing inside basketball perspectives, locker room anecdotes, and personal experiences with players.

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Conclusion

For NBA fans, this episode offers a brisk, insightful breakdown of ongoing storylines, emphasizing the fragility and resilience of top contending rosters. The Giannis and Wemby injuries loom largest; how the Bucks and Spurs adapt may reshape their seasons. Meanwhile, Paul George’s return marks an important step for the Sixers, even as Maxey leads the way. Denver’s bench issues surface as a warning sign, and throughout, the episode reminds listeners of the daily unpredictability and drama that make the NBA compelling.

Transcript

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[Andrew Schlecht]

Hey, Andrew Schle here. The NBA on Prime is back this Friday with another great Emirates NBA cup double header. The night starts with Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers meeting Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers. And then it's down to Texas as Nicole Jokic and the Denver Nuggets get their first look at Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets. And if you're not a Prime member, that's not a problem. Sign up for a 30 day free trial and get started today. Remember, it's the Pacers and Cavs, the Nuggets and Rockets. If you are a hoops head at all, you're going to be locked in to Nuggets, Rockets. These are two of the best teams in the Western Conference. Two teams that should be vying for the Western Conference finals. Both fan bases should be disappointed if that's not where they get and we get our first look on prime at this big time matchup. Coverage starts Friday at 6:30 Eastern only on Prime. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com Amazon prime for details.

[Dave DeFore]

Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily for November 18, 2025. I'm Dave DeFore here with Zena Keda. Coming up, the Nuggets lost to the Bulls in spite of Jokic's big game. We're going about that a little bit. Paul George is back and Giannis went down with a groin injury. We're going to talk to Eric Naim about it after the break. Good morning, everybody. Good morning, Xena. How's it going?

[Zena Keda]

Good morning, Dave. It's going well. It's going well. Last night was interesting.

[Dave DeFore]

Yeah, yeah. Not just your league pass with the stuttering and Internet issues.

[Zena Keda]

Let me know guys, if you guys are having a league pass issues. Drop in the comments, some solutions.

[Dave DeFore]

I've been struggling, but it does seem that it. You know, listen, I'm not going to tell you where you can find alternate streams, but they do exist. They are still out there, you know, but we can't endorse that sort of behavior here on the show. Another crazy Monday night and we actually got the three best teams in the league. They all played Monday night. It's basically at the same time because it seemed like it was pretty condensed schedule. The Pistons picked up to 10 straight win even though Cade Cunningham wasn't out there, obviously. Look, the Pacers, they did get Benedict Matheran back. But Xena, it didn't matter. Did not matter. For that joke. He wrote that in the chat. The Thunder moved to 14 and 1. They. They put up 49 points in the first quarter against the Pelicans. The game was basically over about the middle of the first maybe. Yeah. News came out, by the way, that, that on the short list of candidates for the new. The. The head coaching job there in New Orleans, Darvin Ham. So that tells you about where Pelicans fans are in the process of, I don't know, whatever the heck's happened in there this year. And then the Denver Nuggets, they had the Chicago Bulls, look, hey, the Bulls, second night of a back to back. We watched them, you know, Sunday night they had that double overtime game against the Utah Jazz. You assume. Wow, schedule loss for the Bulls. The Nuggets came out flat, Zena. They just did not have any life to them until the end of the game.

[Zena Keda]

We literally were thinking, wow, Jokic looks tired. He's not doing well. Like there wasn't. He was, you know, he started out the game going 0 for 5 from the floor, like, oh, for 7. Actually, we're like, yeah, this is going to be a quiet night. We don't know. Someone's going to have to step up. I think Jokic heard us through the grapevine. Somehow he steps up, ends up with a triple double. But it wasn't enough because you looked at the production between the two teams. 66 bench points for the Bulls versus just nine for the Denver Nuggets. And Christian Brown suddenly looks like the hero needed for the Denver Nuggets. Of course, he was out last night. And all of a sudden you just realize that connecting piece, that connective tissue between the starters and the second unit, even the third unit, disappears and so does the offense when particularly Jokic comes off the floor.

[Dave DeFore]

Yeah, and look, the Nuggets, they got off to a slow start. They did have a great third quarter and, and, you know, got the game close down the stretch and hand it to the Bulls every single time they needed to make a big play or get a rebound. Josh Giddy was in there. I mean, Josh Giddy just.

[Zena Keda]

Kevin her making some great threes.

[Dave DeFore]

Yeah, yeah, another big game for him. But again, the bench just absolutely dominant. IO dsunmu had 21 points off the bench. And, and, and then you look at the Nuggets, and they just. They just could not get anything going outside of the time that Jokic was on the court. He was plus 10, you know, in a game that they lost by three, which feels more like last season than. Than this season. But look, we're going to write this one off. Look, you, you. You're going to blow a couple during the year, but it does stink, Zena, because, well, we. We're going to write it off. Look, it's just one loss. But what we do need to note, it was Cam Johnson's best game as a Denver Nugget.

[Zena Keda]

That's what I wanted to make sure we acknowledge before we wrote it off. Thank you. Did a great job. 19 points. How many threes, Dave?

[Dave DeFore]

He was five of seven. He only had eight made threes on the season. So five last year.

[Zena Keda]

That's big. He looked comfortable. It just sucked that it was spoiled by a Bulls win, but yeah, it was like the game that we expected Cam Johnson to have since he's joined this team. And he made some big shots when they needed it, especially in that third quarter. But we have to write it off. And unfortunately, that includes.

[Dave DeFore]

Listen, Nugget starters just, they. They did their business. They. They took care of business. Destroyed the Bull starters actually like, by double digits. But the bench, it was rough. Hey, Paul George was back last night, made his season debut against the Clippers. And, you know, it started out I was thinking, wow, exactly what the Clippers needed. They needed Paul George back to find their feet. And then all of a sudden, the Sixers mount a nice comeback again. This team just never stops coming and pick up a big win. Terry Smacksy at 39 points. Before we get to Maxi, I do want to start with Paul George. Xena, I mean, what do you think this is the first time we get a chance to see him this year, he was 2 of 9 from the field, the shot looked a little rusty. What'd you think about how he looked?

[Zena Keda]

I did love the fact that his first shot comes off of him in transition. Passing to the corner. Maxi gets it right back to him. Nice inflow. Beautiful Paul George shot. We were a little spoiled because that shot did not open up a flood, you know, of three pointers from Paul George. But what I did love to see is that he looked healthy. He was active, he was mobile. He got on the glass seven rebounds, had three assists on the night. Still is getting acclimated to getting back out on the floor. But overall it's nice to see him out there being a part of the mix. And Tyrus Maxey hasn't missed the step all season. Like, he is playing so well. And we know last year this was the thing when Paul George and Joel Embiid are available. Where does Maxi fit?

[Dave DeFore]

Right?

[Zena Keda]

Well, we've had enough Runway now for Maxi to know this is still my team. This is, this is my, this is my Runway, this is my team. We're operating around me. And right now with Paul George and the way that he's coming back, that's the exact hierarchy that you need to see right now with the Sixers. It was fun though, to be able to see James Harden, Paul George, former teammates go up against each other. James Harden unfortunately was not able to get the win despite 28 points and hitting 28, 000 points, I believe in his career, which is crazy.

[Dave DeFore]

Only half of those free throws. Xena 12:12 I do want to say this though, about Paul George, you know, if he can, if he can give them, give them something until Kelly Oubre gets back. Right? Like he needs to fill in some of those minutes. And it's a funny thing to say because I think Oobre has just been so good for them to start the year as far as being an energy guy, being able to play three, four, hit some shots. If Paul George is going to be healthy and play like Paul George, obviously that player is better than Kelly Oubre and he plugs into just about any team. But for now, if he can just, you know, get his, get his legs underneath him, figure out a way to, to make some shots, I mean, he did look good on the 13 he made. It looked great. You know, he's kind of walking into a, to a. A pass and, and just turning and shooting from above the break. Look great right over defender. You can see where that would fit, especially with the guard play that they've got. So. And also he plugs in defensively.

[Zena Keda]

Crazy.

[Dave DeFore]

He plugs in defensively, especially when you've got Bona and. And Drummond out there, because he can actually protect the rim and, and work on the perimeter some too. And then we got some. Got some bad news yesterday. Victor Wembanyama. It's going to miss a few weeks, probably at least a month, maybe up to six weeks. And Xena. Look, the spurs have been a great story to start of the year. Wemby himself, you know, we're keep talking about how he's taking this leap. I mean, the statistics have. They kind of speak for themselves when you look at the numbers that he's putting up. But I think when you watch the guy play, that's where you really get a sense for how different and special he is. There's no way that the spurs can make up for that guy because number one, he doesn't exist. And Luke Cornett is not anywhere close to that. But my assumption is they're going to start Luke Cornette and he's not a bad guy to have as a replacement.

[Zena Keda]

No. And Luke Cornett's been playing well. That pick and roll, being able to be that person that finishes at the rim. You love to see that. My biggest concern though, with Victor Romanyama is that when he's on the floor, the spurs are plus seven.

[Dave DeFore]

Right.

[Zena Keda]

And when he's off the floor, obviously that that's their defensive identity on top of their offensive feasibility just drops. And that is where I'm a little concerned when it comes to no size other than a Luke Cornett. Now they've got some depth at the, the big position, but it's not what Wemby provides in terms of the defensive spacing, the offensive just opportunities, the layers to their offense that they have. When he's out there, we'll see what happens. But the biggest thing too, on top of what happens with the spurs, this could impact his awards situation. I think that's what you were telling me before this started.

[Dave DeFore]

Yeah, if, if he. Look, if he misses a month, five weeks, I mean, that's like 13, 15 games. All of a sudden, you know, you start getting at risk of the 65 game rule coming into play. Obviously it affected the every single awards race last season. It felt like, except for mvp, it would be a shame to see it affect more awards this year. But injuries as they become more and more prevalent. I mean, this is another calf injury, by the way, which, you know, Jamal Murray, who we watched last night. He's been dealing with one playing through one. Anthony Davis is out with the calf injury. John Morant's going to miss a couple weeks with a calf injury. So teams are also being extra cautious here because we all have a short memory. But we remember Game seven of the NBA Finals where Titus Halliburton's out there playing with the calf injury and we.

[Zena Keda]

Know what happened and we remember Jayson Tatum and we remember Damian Lillard and we remember all of these guys that had calf injuries that led into something way more serious.

[Dave DeFore]

So take your time. Yep, we will see you award time whether you're there or not with the game rule. Guys, stick around after the break. We have Eric name to talk about Giannis and if he's going to miss a lot of time.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Hey, Andrew Schlecht here. The NBA on Prime is back this Friday with another great Emirates NBA cup doubleheader. The night starts with Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers meeting Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers. And then it's down to Texas as Nicole Jokic and the Denver Nuggets get their first look at Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets. And if you're not a Prime member, that's not a problem. Sign up for a 30 day free trial and get started today. Remember, it's the Pacers and Cavs, the Nuggets and Rockets. If you are a hoops head at all, you're going to be locked in to Nuggets, Rockets. These are two of the best teams in the Western Conference, two teams that should be vying for the Western Conference finals. Both fan bases should be disappointed if that's not where they get and we get our first look on prime at this big time matchup. Coverage starts Friday at 6:30 Eastern only on Prime. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com amazonprime for details.

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[Dave DeFore]

The Milwaukee Bucks lost to the Cavs last night, but that's not the biggest news to come out of the game. Here to talk about it, Eric Naim, our man that covers the Bucks up in Milwaukee. Eric, you're in Cleveland. You were in the arena. Giannis goes down middle toward the end of the second quarter with an apparent groin injury. He's going to get an MRI tomorrow. Give us the latest.

[Chef]

Yeah, I mean, no update really after the game from Doc Rivers outside of he's going to get some imaging done. It's funny, you know, I've covered Giannis for a very long time and like I've told people this before, he's impossible to predict. Right? Like one of the great stories of Giannis's life is he had a six week injury that he returned from in six days and played in game one of the 2021 NBA Finals. I know early in his career, I think on the same night that Matthew Delvedova had an ankle sprain, Giannis had an ankle sprain and Deli was out two weeks. Giannis was back in two days. So when it comes to injuries and timelines with him, I think it's always something that's incredibly difficult to predict just because he has shown kind of this like superhuman ability to recover from things and get back to things. But with that being said, I think the Bucks do have one of the more cautious training staffs in the league. And this is the franchise, right? Like, why a Giannis injury is such a big deal is because he means so much to this team. You know, one of the highest usage rates in the league, one of the highest scorers in the league, one of the best players in the league. So you have all of that. So it is a lot. I will say, watching it back, you know, he. He planted for a layup off of two feet. He landed on two feet. It looks like maybe one of the feet kind of slipped a little bit. He grabbed at his left groin, then he. He got right back up. I wouldn't say he, like, ran perfectly down to the other end, but he did run down to the other end, committal fell and then walk off the floor. Like, he walked straight back to the locker room. So, again, amateur doctoring it, it doesn't look like it was like a groin tear. Like, I would think a groin tear, you may be laying on the ground and not getting up. So I think everyone's kind of hoping for the best. But I also think the Bucks are ready for a couple weeks here without Yanstede Kumbo, and that's going to be a really tough test.

[Zena Keda]

I always really admire the way in which NBA players are immediately attuned to injuries. Like, the way he walked off was so intent for the locker room. I barely can tell when my wrist is hurting from carpal tunnel, but I'm just like, my thumb's been feeling strange recently. Anyways, looking at the way in which the Milwaukee Bucks still battled, kept it close with Cleveland pretty much the entire game closing it out, there was a lot to get excited for. If you're a Milwaukee's Bucks fan, you know, thinking about maybe if Giannis does have to miss time or his miraculous bloodline allows him to come back sooner. Either way, there were some pieces that you were excited about looking at this Bucs team. Of course, we've looked at Ryan Rollins all season long as this, you know, young guy that has come into the fold and come into the spotlight and really, really owned that position. But there was also some production off the bench as well.

[Dave DeFore]

What.

[Zena Keda]

What popped for you out of the Bucks tonight?

[Chef]

Yeah, I mean, I think when you think of the Bucks without Giannis this year, we go back to, I guess the last time I was on the podcast, like, the last time I was here, I was talking about Ryan Rollins career high 32 points against the Golden State Warriors. When they beat the warriors without Giannis, that's the game that you think of and, and I do think Ryan Rollins is gonna be a big part of it. It's kind of amazing to think about his journey this year where it, it's, you know, he's going to be the guy that comes off the bench they expected big things from, but he's going to come off the bench. Kevin Porter Jr. Gets hurt in the first game of the season. All right, you're the starting point guard, bud. Okay, well, it turns out we're going to need you to score a little bit more. Okay. You're going to play 30 minutes in back to back games. Okay. Now Giannis is down. We're going to lean all the way into you being the guy. And it's just kind of amazing the all of the responsibility that has been heaped on his shoulders. And just for a guy that, I don't know if people really expecting that at the start of the season. And he's handled it incredibly well. Maybe he's too young to know that it is a lot. Even if I try to remind him every post game, like, man, they're really asking you to a lot. But he just keeps answering the bell and so I think that'll be a big part of it. And then I think when you look at the bench, Kyle Kuzma had his most points ever in a game for the Bucks 29 three games ago now. And that was a game that I think everyone got very excited about. And Kuzma's done a good job playing his role this whole season. And now this is a situation where if there's guys on this roster that can score more, can kind of see those things raise up a little bit. Kuzma is one of them. I think another guy is Bobby Portis off the bench. They haven't asked him to do as much scoring as he has in previous years. Without Giannis, they're just going to need points. So that's another guy that can step in there. And, you know, it's funny, I was talking to Miles Turner after the game a little bit about it and I said, I know with you, even though he is their big freedom signing, like, I don't always assume with you specifically, it's like if you're playing well offensively, that doesn't mean you're scoring points. And Miles is such a good cutter, he's such a good second side guy, he's such a good passer, he's such a good dribble handoff guy. He does so much that isn't necessarily scoring. That, like, I don't think he has to score to play a great offensive game. But with that being said, they need some more points. And he was like, no, man, the ball is energy. Like, you got to keep making the right play. And he's like, one thing that I think I learned over the years in Indiana was like, you got to play to the system that was built. Like, however the system was built, you have to keep playing that way. And yes, a lot of this system was built around Giannis, but this is still a team that wants to get to a second side. They want to get to another action. They want to play next action basketball. And one thing Miles kind of kept saying over and over tonight after Janice's injury was like, that's what we have to do. We have to. The only way that we can create enough offense is doing those things. And when you look at it, that is true. Like, you can't ISO with the non Giannis guys. That's not going to work well for you. You're going to have to play as a team. You're going to have to cut screen, do all of those things to create for yourselves. Because you don't just have that guy where you just hand him the ball and say, all right, go score 30 tonight. Giannis can do that. The rest of this roster cannot.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, you sometimes want to see. I mean, I remember my time in Santa Cruz with Ryan Rollins when he was with the warriors, and he was that guy that could go up and down the middle because it's, it's the G League, right? And he's a foot above everyone from an athletic perspective. We know how long his wingspan is. My goodness. My favorite story about Ryan Rollins actually has nothing to do with basketball. It was after a game. He scores incredibly well, has like double digit assists. I get to interview him after the game. And I'm talking and I finished interviewing him and I go, you know, back to you guys. And he is standing behind me and just keeps standing there. And the cameraman walks away and he's just standing there and he's got his long arms kind of like folded over his head. He's just like standing there. And I turn, I'm like, oh, you can, you can go now, Ryan. And he just goes, do you, do you know, do you know Coco Jones? And I was like, yeah. He's like, has anyone ever told you you look like her? Yup. And it was in that moment, it was in that moment that I realized, wow, that's a young man right there. That is a very young man. So it's very cool now to see him in this like, leadership role and kind of thrust into it and being so casual about it. But every single guy coaches wise at Santa Cruz, at the warriors, when they talked about Ryan Rollins and his mentality in these type of roles and being a leader in these type of positions, like, he always was open to the challenge. He was so receptive, so much like a sponge. And now we're kind of seeing that come to fruition. And it's, and it's cool because for a long time, like the Milwaukee Bucks were this old team, right? Like this. That was their moniker, that was their brand, that they were the IQ team, they were the unction on the east coast versus what we're seeing right now on the West Coast. And so now Ryan Rollins kind of changing that and shifting that a little bit. Kuzma and his, you know, microwave type scoring coming in and trying to add a little bit more youth to the as well. And then, you know, you could kind of throw in a Miles Turner. Even though he's, he's quite, he's right in the middle of that. The two pack though, it really, it.

[Chef]

Really is like the, the Bucks kind of built this thing to be. I guess you'd be Pacers north because Milwaukee's north of Indiana. But like the whole idea this year was like, okay, so giannis will score 30 a game and that's what he's going to do. But then after that, like, we don't really care if we have another 20 point per game score. We don't really necessarily even care if we have another 15 point per game score. Like we are going to want six or seven guys to be 10 to 15 and, and like that now is literally going to be what they have to do. And hopefully, obviously you can have Rollins score 20 in a game or Kuzma or Bobby Portis or Miles Turner or Gary Trenchard or whoever. It might be like you can do that, but that it is going to have to be like the strength in numbers of thing. And that is like, you know, the, the when they beat the warriors that night, Bobby Portis had joked about it like, you know, it kind of, he's like, we did the strength and numbers thing to the Warriors. That was what we did tonight. 100. So it'll be interesting to see how, how they work through this. It's going to be very difficult. This is one of the tougher they just got done with. Let's see. I think it was seven games in 11 days, six games in nine days. And I think everyone was already looking forward to this break, and now it's. It's kind of lucky, that one. They'll have an off day here on, on Tuesday, Wednesday, they will have a practice. Practices are very rare in an NBA schedule because you play so many, especially that. Yeah, like, you don't get to actually do this. And they are going to get to do that on Wednesday. And, you know, if by Wednesday, you know, big fellas gonna be out a week, big fella's gonna be out two weeks, whatever it might be like, you can in that practice be like, all right, here is the game plan. Offensively, we're doing this. Defensively, we're doing this. This is how we're going to win. And sure, it's not a training camp to get it already, but it is at least a day, like a practice day that you can get everyone together and try to get everyone on the same page.

[Dave DeFore]

Yeah, well, hopefully he's not going to miss a lot of time. I mean, we were just talking about how Wemby's going to be out a month, maybe six weeks, and I don't know, man, too many guys out right now and we can't afford to miss Giannis for that long. Eric name miss you on the show, but you'll be back soon, I think. Guys go and read him at the Athletic. Thank you to Eric for joining the show. Thank you to Zena Kada, as always. I'm Dave Defour. This has been the NBA Daily. Thanks for waking up with us.

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