Podcast Summary: The Athletic NBA Daily – “NBA Power Rankings”
Date: November 7, 2025
Hosts: Dave DuFour, Law Murray, EsperaHenny
Overview
This episode dives into the latest NBA power rankings with Law Murray, the Athletic’s resident power ranker, alongside commentary from Dave DuFour and EsperaHenny. The crew debates breakout teams, surprising trends, and the ongoing struggles of high-profile squads—paying close attention to performance, player development, and organizational identity. Key discussions cover the Blazers’ rise, the Bulls’ transformation, the contending Lakers, the struggling Mavericks, and the Clippers’ ongoing woes.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Unique Thursday Night Scheduling (02:04–03:23)
- Only one NBA game scheduled due to:
- NFL competition
- NBA cup logistics and avoiding back-to-backs
- Law Murray explains:
“The NBA likes to duck the NFL… and then you have the NBA cup. They want to avoid teams playing second night of back to backs.” — Law Murray (02:30)
2. Blazers’ Surge into the Top 10 (03:23–07:11)
- Blazers ranked 10th this week after strong defensive showings and fast-paced play.
- Law gives credit to their coaching, energy, and the tandem play of Deni Avdija and Jrue Holiday:
“Jrue Holiday is having a revelation of the season as a true point guard in tandem with Deni Avdija.”—Law Murray (06:16)
- Blazers succeed despite turmoil and coaching absences.
- EsperaHenny questions whether their defensive intensity is sustainable for 82 games.
3. Chicago Bulls Surpassing Expectations (07:11–10:17)
- Bulls enter the top 10 driven by Josh Giddey's breakout and depth performance
- Key moment:
“Coming back from down 24 to a team that I ranked above them is certainly going to help, I'll tell you that much.” — Law Murray (07:52)
- Post-Levine, Giddey is “a damn near walking triple double on damn near 50% shooting” (08:37).
- The Bulls’ success attributed to cohesive rotations, defensive improvement, and Giddey running the offense.
- DuFour’s bold take:
“Bulls are a playoff team… They're going to make the playoffs.” — Dave DuFour (09:57)
4. Comparing Bulls' Style: “Pacers Light”? (10:17–12:05)
- The Bulls are likened to a “Pacers light” for their up-tempo, scrappy play.
- Law notes the Pacers have influenced many teams’ stylistic shifts, triggering league-wide trends in pressure defense and pace.
-
“...this league [is] a copycat league. And you either build your team to do those things or you build your team so you could resist those things happening to you.” — Law Murray (11:47)
5. Lakers’ Steady Start Amid Injuries (12:05–15:21)
- Lakers ranked third. They win without LeBron and thrive on clear-cut roles.
- Austin Reaves and Luka (presumed Doncic crossover or Lakers' new addition) praised for adaptability and versatility.
- On integrating LeBron:
“I’m fascinated to see what happens when Bron comes back because Luka’s touches aren’t going to go away, but Austin's are going to crater.” — Law Murray (14:03)
- Despite bad three-point shooting, they lead in field goal percentage due to smart shot selection.
- DeAndre Ayton’s role simplified to maximize efficiency.
6. How Power Rankings Capture the League’s Weekly Pulse (18:29–19:14)
- DuFour values Murray’s approach to week-by-week storylines for teams.
- Murray embraces the challenge:
“I ain't the stepfather it is, but I'm the father that stepped up. You know what I'm saying?” — Law Murray (19:14)
7. Dallas Mavericks’ Struggles and Cooper Flag’s Development (19:31–24:50)
- Law Murray is skeptical of Mavericks’ legitimacy despite media hype and Cooper Flag’s potential.
- Klay Thompson’s benching, lack of true structure, and poor offense highlighted:
“Dallas is bad... I don't believe in them just because they have a bunch of dudes that you recognize.” — Law Murray (20:40)
- On Cooper Flag: Should development be about instant success or real NBA-level learning?
“Rookies get you beat, and you're putting Cooper Flag in the position... Did you saw him play at Duke? … It's a mess.” — Law Murray (22:20)
- Discussion on “how American players are developed” and adjusting to off-ball NBA reality.
8. Clippers: From Hopefuls to Sloppy Underachievers (25:00–28:51)
- Law, a Clippers beat reporter, ranks them 14th—citing transition defense issues and careless turnovers.
“I'm just flabbergasted by not just the turnovers as a whole, but specifically the types of turnovers because those are the things that absolutely cannibalize your defense.” — Law Murray (25:27)
- James Harden’s ball security is called “annually just bizarre” but the deeper issue is their non-threatening offense without him.
- Statistical lowlight: Clippers worst in league for assist-to-turnover ratio.
- DuFour’s snark:
“They have to pass old man basketball. They've got to do it. You got to play like the guys at the Y.” — Dave DuFour (28:51)
9. Weekend Preview: Teams to Watch (29:21–31:08)
- Rockets vs. Spurs: Spurs seek to recover after two straight losses; Rockets still seek a “statement win.”
- Warriors vs. Nuggets: Warriors face reality check; Nuggets remain tough opponents.
- Memphis Grizzlies: On the verge of collapse amid coach-star tension; “ready to completely free fall.”
“This is what happens when you have a head coach star situation this early in the year where there's a major disconnect.” — Law Murray (30:43)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Law’s humor on writing schedule:
“Did you just thank someone for allowing you to work on the weekend?” — Dave DuFour (05:35)
- On Mavericks’ expectations:
“They’re relevant, but they’re not good.” — Law Murray (20:40)
- On Clippers’ futility:
“The lottery doesn’t exist for this version of the franchise anymore.” — Law Murray (25:27)
- Spurs’ sudden slide:
“Now they’re the first 5-0 team in franchise history that lost back to back games directly after starting 5-0.” — Law Murray (29:27)
- On league-wide copying:
“That stuff makes you really look and be like if it works for them, it can work for us.” — Law Murray (11:33)
Important Timestamps
- 02:04 Scheduling Oddities
- 03:23–07:11 Blazers discussion
- 07:11–10:17 Bulls analysis
- 12:05–15:21 Lakers’ form and LeBron’s absence
- 19:31–24:50 Mavericks’ doubts, Cooper Flag
- 25:00–28:51 Clippers’ issues, Harden talk
- 29:21–31:08 Weekend matchups, Grizzlies’ turmoil
Tone and Style
Upbeat, witty, and conversational, with analytical depth and plenty of inside references. Hosts riff on NBA trends, league rumors, and coaching dilemmas, maintaining a slightly irreverent but knowledgeable perspective throughout.
Final Takeaway
Law Murray’s power rankings not only reflect the current NBA landscape but also illuminate underlying structural and stylistic changes league-wide. Even early in the year, identity, adaptability, and rotational cohesion are setting teams apart. Young stars and bold organizational shifts abound—but so do question marks for hyped rosters and title hopefuls. The crew promises more rankings debates weekly as the NBA’s season-long soap opera unfolds.