The Athletic NBA Daily – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Harden’s Cavs Debut + Blatant Tanking
Release Date: February 9, 2026
Hosts: Dave DuFour & Zena Keda

Episode Overview

On this episode, Dave DeFour and Zena Keda recap the biggest NBA stories of the day, focusing on James Harden's debut with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Houston Rockets' struggles despite a win, and the Utah Jazz’s “egregious” tanking tactics. They also spotlight rising teams like the Charlotte Hornets post-trade deadline, and flag teams to watch or be wary of as the playoff race heats up.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Houston Rockets Survive Undermanned Thunder (01:52 – 05:56)

• Game Recap: The Houston Rockets narrowly defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-106, but the Thunder were missing stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.

  • Worry or Respect? Dave questions if Houston fans should be worried or just tip their cap to OKC’s depth. Zena is clear: “No, I’m absolutely worried.” (02:58)
  • Rockets stuck with mostly the same squad after the deadline, expressing confidence, but the close game exposes issues.
  • Kason Wallace’s standout play for OKC garners admiration. “He looked amazing…he was cooking them on defense, buckets going from defense to offense.” – Zena Keda (03:43)

• Rockets’ Flaws:

  • Depth is lacking, especially when stars are out.
  • Bench issues: Dorian Finney Smith and Josh Okogie not providing enough.
  • Shooting woes when Reed Sheppard is off further limit the team’s ceiling.
  • “I just think ball handling is sorely lacking for them. And then I just don’t trust their bench very much.” – Dave DeFour (04:25)

Memorable Quote:

“This OKC team should not be having Houston, Alperen Sengun going one on one at the end of the game, trying to get buckets. KD going one on one…It was just too high stakes for a team that did not have its high stakes players.” — Zena Keda (03:43)

2. James Harden’s Cleveland Cavaliers Debut (05:56 – 08:03)

• Stats & Performance: Harden scores 23 points and dishes out 8 assists in his first game, key in the Cavs’ narrow win over the Kings.
  • Cavs were -14 with Harden on the floor—concerns about fit and defense remain.
  • Harden and Donovan Mitchell show promise running a two-man game, especially in clutch moments.
  • Harden’s presence unlocks new opportunities for center Jarrett Allen, who puts up 29 points (with 4 assists from Harden).

Memorable Quotes:

“The last few minutes… he and Donovan were able to play, do some two-man stuff on the side of the court where the defense was so locked in on Donovan Mitchell, James Harden was taking wide open threes. That does not happen very often.” — Dave DeFour (06:53)

“Can James Harden activate Jarrett Allen in that two man game that he had so beautifully ran in LA with Ivica Zubac? … I like already what I’m seeing.” — Zena Keda (07:06)

• Outlook: Early results encouraging, but big questions for playoff reliability, especially regarding Harden’s defense and postseason track record.

3. Utah Jazz “Egregious” Tanking vs. Orlando Magic (08:03 – 12:15)

• Tank Job: The Jazz blow a 17-point lead by benching Lowry Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jusuf Nurkic for the entire fourth quarter; head coach Will Hardy doesn’t call a timeout as the team collapses.
• Reaction: Co-hosts call Utah’s approach “borderline genius… if it wasn’t just so in your face” (08:03), but call it “bad for the sport.”
• Turnovers: 24 Utah turnovers leading to 39 opponent points compound issues.
• “Mountain Range” Nickname: Utah’s frontcourt of Markkanen, Nurkic, and Jackson Jr. dubbed the “Mountain Range” for their size and versatility.

Memorable Quotes:

“We saw one of the most egregious and borderline genius... tank jobs from the Utah Jazz. ...They had a 17 point lead... all sat the entire fourth quarter and coach Will Hardy didn’t call a single timeout…” — Dave DeFour (08:03)

“To me, it would be expert level if you didn’t have Larry Markkanen and Yusuf Nurkic laughing on the bench.” — Zena Keda (10:20)

• Takeaway: With a third of the league apparently tanking, Dave proposes inventing a ‘tank score’ metric to assess and compare teams’ efforts to lose.

Notable Player Mention:

• Isaiah Collier Praise — Zena highlights his standout stats and growth, including a 20-assist game and a 20-point/10-assist performance vs. Orlando. (12:15)

4. Charlotte Hornets: The NBA’s Hottest Team (16:37 – 22:18)

• After the Deadline: Attention shifts to teams trending upwards or downwards post-trade deadline.

• Charlotte’s Streak: The Hornets are on a 9-game win streak (longest since 1998), currently the hottest team in the league with the #1 offense and #4 defense over that stretch.

  • Young core: First team this season with five players averaging at least 18 points—all under age 27.
  • Kobe White fits “perfectly” and is set to join soon once healthy.
  • Head coach Charles Lee credited for galvanizing the team.

• Brandon Miller, Con Knipple, and LaMelo Ball:

  • LaMelo's maturation and willingness to defer to teammates stands out.
  • “Their top three scorers…were not born the last time the Charlotte Hornets won nine games in a row. That is crazy.” — Zena Keda (18:52)
  • Positive comparison to OKC's growth trajectory.
  • Charlotte projected as a play-in team with upside, possibly hosting a home play-in game.

Memorable Quotes:

“All that tells me is the, the lights are bright in Charlotte. The future is bright for Charlotte. And they're clicking now.” — Zena Keda (18:52)

“With the job Charles Lee’s done of galvanizing these guys and getting them to take the game seriously. . .” — Dave DeFour (19:25)

5. What Else We're Watching After the Trade Deadline (23:21 – 26:32)

• New Faces, New Places:
  • Intrigue around James Harden in Cleveland, Jaren Jackson Jr. in Utah, Jaylen Johnson and Jonathan Kuminga in Golden State, and how these moves change team identities.
• Eastern Conference Chaos:
  • Knicks’ surprising 38-point loss to Detroit triggers discussion on the East being “wide open.”
  • “The East continues to be wide open and Boston just continues to kind of sit there.” — Zena Keda (24:54)

Western Conference Check-In:

• Minnesota Timberwolves’ Underperformance:
  • Lose to the Pelicans, bring up long-standing confusion about their identity. Defense slipping, effort questioned by Rudy Gobert.
  • “They are 5 and 5 in their last 10, 13th in offense. And this is the worst part to me…12th in defense.” — Dave DeFour (25:24)
  • Timberwolves failing to dominate weaker teams undermines their ambitions.
  • “They were just 18 points on the Pels in the third quarter. Like, that’s inexcusable.” — Zena Keda (27:00)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On the Rockets’ Struggles:

  “This OKC team should not be having Houston, Alperen Sengun going one on one at the end of the game…” — Zena Keda (03:43)

• On Harden’s Cavs Fit:

  “The last few minutes…James Harden was taking wide open threes. That does not happen very often.” — Dave DeFour (06:53)

• On Utah’s Tanking:

  “We saw one of the most egregious and borderline genius...tank jobs from the Utah Jazz.” — Dave DeFour (08:03)
  “To me, it would be expert level if you didn’t have Larry Markkanen and Yusuf Nurkic laughing on the bench.” — Zena Keda (10:20)

• On Charlotte Hornets:

  “All that tells me is…the lights are bright in Charlotte. The future is bright for Charlotte.” — Zena Keda (18:52)

• On Timberwolves' Frustration:

  “They are 5 and 5 in their last 10, 13th in offense. And this is the worst part to me…12th in defense.” — Dave DeFour (25:24)

Key Segment Timestamps

• Rockets vs. Thunder analysis: 01:52–05:56
• Cavs debut James Harden: 05:56–08:03
• Utah’s blatant tanking: 08:03–12:15
• Hornets’ nine-game winning streak: 16:37–22:18
• State of the Knicks/Eastern Race: 23:21–24:54
• Timberwolves’ struggles: 24:54–27:13

Episode Takeaways

• Houston Rockets: Depth and backcourt creativity remain big worries for playoff viability.
• Cleveland Cavaliers: Harden's arrival instantly boosts chemistry with Allen and Mitchell, but defensive/performance questions persist.
• Utah Jazz: Openly tanking, raising discussion about broader league issues.
• Charlotte Hornets: Youthful core and team-first play have transformed them into a rising playoff threat; fun, unselfish basketball on display.
• Around the League: The NBA post-trade deadline is turbulent—keep an eye on underachievers, dark horse risers, and the growing tank parade.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

You’ll get a lively, rapid-fire sweep through last night’s top NBA games, sharp analysis on trade deadline impacts, and entertaining banter about the best and worst team strategies at this moment in the NBA calendar. The blend of granular game analysis, future projections, and discussion of league-wide trends makes this a can’t-miss episode for fans wanting to keep their finger on the pulse of the league.

(Ads, sponsorships, and promotional reads have been omitted for clarity.)