The Athletic NBA Daily – Episode Summary

Episode: NBA Awards check-in + NBA Cup predictions
Date: December 1, 2025
Hosts: Dave DuFour, Zena Kada, Esfandiar "S" Baraheni, Anna

Overview

This fast-paced episode marks the NBA’s quarter-season point. The hosts dig into early races for MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year, then debate who will win the NBA Cup as the tournament reaches knockout stages. The tone is lively, analytic, and fun, with banter and strong opinions throughout.

Key Discussion Points

1. MVP Race at the Quarter Season

(Starts at 03:15)

• Current Standings:
  Thunder blazing at 20-1, raising MVP debates.
• Frontrunners:
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)
  • Nikola Jokic (Denver)
  • Luka Doncic (Lakers)
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
  • Kade Cunningham (Pistons), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers) also mentioned.

In-Depth Arguments:

• SGA's Case:

  • Best player on the best team.
  • Two-way dominance: 30 PPG, 40% from three, top 2 in steals and blocks, driving historic defense while Jalen Williams (J-Dub) was out.
  • “It's SGA's award right now.” – S (04:16)

• Jokic's Case:

  • Averaging a 30-point triple double, leading league in rebounds and assists.
  • Analytics and betting models still favor Jokic.
  • “The numbers are just at this point, video game numbers.” – Dave (06:24)

• Luka’s Growing Case:

  • Fewer games played, but leading in scoring (35 PPG), high rebounds/assists, defensive improvements, and strong Lakers start.
  • “The Luka case is getting stronger...” – Anna (08:21)

• Giannis:

  • Outstanding play, but Bucks record trails the Thunder.

Memorable Quote:

“Best player, best team. It feels like a simple conversation to me.”
— S, 04:28

2. Rookie of the Year Check-In

(Starts at 09:44)

Frontrunners:

• Khaman “Khan” Knipple (Charlotte)

  • Immediate impact, clutch shooting, compared to Klay Thompson in readiness and poise.
  • “He is someone that can come in, he can win games, he can take the team on his back, get to his spots, put up his shots.” – Anna (11:22)
  • Averaging 40%+ from three on high volume; declared “killer instinct.”

• Cooper Flagg (Dallas)

  • Slow start, improving rapidly, showcased full skillset vs. Clippers (“they looked like traffic cones while Cooper was operating” – S, 10:28).
  • Team experimenting with his offensive role.

Other Notables:

• Derek Queen (Pelicans): Handed keys to the offense.
• VJ Edgecombe, Cedric Coward, Rob Dillingham (“Fears”): Noteworthy flashes; “so fast and really good on defense” (Anna, 14:40).

Key Point:

• ROY now favors Khan, but Flagg (and a few others) not far behind—plenty of season left.

3. Coach of the Year Candidates

(Starts at 15:33)

Top Picks:

• J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons):

  • “Breath of fresh air... changed their entire mentality and approach.” – Dave (16:14)
  • Elevated young roster, but hosts debate how much is his work vs. organic player growth.

• Darko Rajakovic (Raptors):

  • “A lot of X's and O's... putting on a clinic every single night.” – Dave (18:41)
  • Integrated Brandon Ingram into an existing core, balanced complex roles, defense improved.
  • “Number one in out-of-time-out plays in terms of efficiency… reshaped their offense.” – S (19:42)

• Mark Daigneault (Thunder):

  • Impressive, but expectations were already high after last season’s success.

• Other Mentions:

  • Eric Spoelstra (Heat): New offense, maximized Tyler Herro and role players.
  • Jordan Ott (Suns): Massive overachievement, elite defense.
  • Ime Udoka (Rockets): Player development, unique point guard duties.

Memorable Moment:

“Coach of the year is good because... you could make these cases for these other guys.”
— S, 21:30

4. NBA Cup Predictions

(Starts at 27:02)

Teams Advancing to the Knockout Stage:

• OKC Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Lakers, Spurs, Magic, Heat, Raptors, Knicks

OKC Favored:

• All hosts agree Thunder are the runaway favorites.
• “Oklahoma City is clearly gonna win the NBA cup, right?” – Dave (27:35)
• “Yes, yes, yeah, they got it.” – Group consensus (27:36-27:43)

Possible Challenger Scenarios:

• Phoenix Suns pose threat in next round.
• Lakers–Thunder semifinal in Vegas would be a “home game” for the Lakers (28:36), with conspiracy jokes if that’s the matchup.

From the East:

• Knicks vs. Raptors: Rematch after a recent Knicks blowout.
• Despite Raptors' drop and some injuries, S thinks they have a shot but Heat are more dangerous:
  • “If there's one team I'm kind of looking to in the NBA cup, truthfully from the east... it's the Heat.” – S, 30:02

Tournament X-Factors:

• Single elimination—“guard play matters so much.”
• Microwaves scorers (Tyler Herro, Norman Powell) can swing a game.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “He’s shooting 40% on nearly eight attempts a game... but he’s also getting downhill, getting to the basket... he’s a very heady player.”
  — S, on Khaman Knipple, 12:41

• “You could script this? The best team, hottest team in the league against the Lakers in Las Vegas on a Saturday... Interesting.”
  — Dave, 28:36

• “We got to come up with something like March Madness for the NBA cup tournament...”
  — Dave, 30:57

Segment Timestamps

• [03:15] – MVP Race Analysis
• [09:44] – Rookie of the Year Breakdown
• [15:33] – Coach of the Year Debate
• [27:02] – NBA Cup: Knockout Stage and Predictions

Recap & Listener Questions

Episode closes with calls for listener takes on MVP, Coach of the Year, ROY, and Cup winners:

“Let us know in the comments on YouTube who’s your MVP right now, who’s your coach of the year, who’s your rookie of the year, and who’s going to win the NBA Cup.”
— Dave, 33:13

Summary Table

| Award | Frontrunners | Key Arguments | |-------------------|-------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | MVP | SGA, Jokic, Luka, Giannis | SGA: best player, best team. Jokic: video-game stats. Luka: Lakers surging.| | Rookie of the Year| Khan Knipple, Cooper Flagg | Khan: poised, clutch, huge role. Flagg: figuring it out, upside still big.| | Coach of the Year | Darko Rajakovic, Bickerstaff, Spoelstra, Ott | Darko: tactical mastery, integration. Bickerstaff: culture shift. Spo: new offense on the fly. Ott: Suns' surprising success.|

Final Takeaways

• SGA is the MVP favorite among hosts, but Jokic and Luka are argued strongly.
• Rookie race led by Khan Knipple with Cooper Flagg close behind.
• Coach of the Year is highly competitive, with Darko and Bickerstaff leading but several worth candidates.
• Thunder are overwhelming picks to win the NBA Cup, with the Heat as a potential sleeper from the East.

Listen for: Real-time stat arguments, playful banter, and sharp breakdowns of evolving NBA narratives—perfect for catching up on the season’s early surprises.