The Athletic NBA Daily – Thunder Keep Rolling + Bulls Big Comeback

Date: November 5, 2025
Hosts: Dave DuFour, Esfandiar Baraheni ("S"), Joel Lorenzi

Overview

This episode dives into the Oklahoma City Thunder's undefeated start, the Orlando Magic's offensive woes after the Desmond Bane acquisition, and the Chicago Bulls' dramatic comeback victory against the 76ers. With insights from beat writers and sharp, entertaining banter, the hosts break down what’s making these teams tick (or struggle), spotlighting key players and developments around the league.

Thunder Remain Undefeated: Analyzing OKC’s 8-0 Start

[Start: 01:46]

• Context & Highlights:

  • The Thunder move to 8-0, a better mark than last year’s 7-1 start (despite missing second-best player Jalen Williams).
  • The Thunder’s formula and depth highlighted: “They have options everywhere… tonight it was Isaiah Joe, another night it’ll be Jaylen Williams...” – Dave DuFour [02:46]
  • The third quarter is their signature surge, pulling away from opponents, reminiscent of historical “third quarter teams” like the 2016-17 Warriors.
  • The hosts agree: “It’s fitting that the defending champions are starting out as the last undefeated team in the league.” – S [05:40]
  • Playful speculation about how long the streak could last, eyeing the December schedule as potential pitfall.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “They play a fun brand of basketball… if you’re an old school basketball watcher, there’s something for you. If you’re into the newer style of play, there’s something for you there.” – S [03:53]
  • “The formula is there, the identity is there… it just works for this Thunder team.” – Dave DuFour [04:27]
  • “This is why I think they can win 70 games, and I’m sticking by it, right?” – S [05:40]

Magic Misfire: Bane Fit Raises Questions

[06:00]

• Poor Start for Orlando:

  • The Magic fall to 3-5 after getting blown out by the shorthanded Atlanta Hawks (127-112).
  • Desmond Bane’s acquisition is under a microscope; his fit beside Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner has been rocky.
  • Bane’s numbers: down to 29% FG when he’s a 40% career shooter; ejected for a frustration foul in the most recent game.

• The Offensive Identity Crisis:

  • Orlando lacks “bread and butter” actions; the offense is stagnant and the defense has regressed.
  • “They have no real identity offensively in terms of what they want to achieve on a night to night basis. They just don’t know. They don’t have automatics.” – Dave DuFour [08:03]
  • Bane isn’t a natural fit: “Desmond Bane was really good with Ja Morant… but Paolo and Franz are not drive and kick type players… it’s just not their style.” – S [09:00]
  • Statistical lowlight: “The Magic have played eight games...Paolo and Franz have eight combined assists to Desmond Bane. One assist per game—it's absurd.” – Dave DuFour [07:50]

• Pressure on Coaching:

  • Coach Jamahl Mosley now seen as potentially being on the “hot seat” if the offense doesn’t find answers soon [10:15].
  • “You have to prove you’re at least in contender status. They’ve not shown that at all.” – Dave DuFour [11:14]

Raptors Defense Stymies Bucks

[11:32]

• Summary:

  • Raptors rout the Bucks, benefiting from Giannis Antetokounmpo’s lowest scoring performance (22 points) and capitalizing on the Bucks’ fatigue.
  • Defensive resurgence led by Scottie Barnes: “He has 12 stocks [steals+blocks] over the last two games… just otherworldly on the defensive end.” – Dave DuFour [11:57]
  • Sandro Mamukelashvili (“Mamu”): emerging as a key stretch-5; he and Barnes are +52 in their minutes together [13:13].

• Offensive Surprises:

  • Raptors have climbed to a “top 15 offense,” which no one predicted pre-season.

• Quote:

  • “Scottie [Barnes] plays whack-a-mole with the defensive problems for the Raptors… when he’s at his best, the team is at its best.” – Dave DuFour [12:49]

Chicago Bulls’ Big Comeback: Team of the Week?

[18:52]

The Bulls Erase a 24-Point Deficit Against the Sixers; Vucevic Seals It

[Segment Start: 18:52]

• Game Recap:
  • Bulls come back from 24 down, with Nikola Vucevic hitting the game winner.
  • Bulls now 6-1 on the season—a surprise story.

Josh Giddey’s Transformation

• Monstrous stat lines: Giddey posts 29 points, 15 rebounds, 12 assists for back-to-back triple doubles.

  • “Back-to-back triple doubles for him. First time since what, Jordan in ‘89. Which is incredible.” – Dave DuFour [20:19]
  • “Anytime you’re saying first time since Michael Jordan…we don’t get to say that pretty much.” – S [20:34]

• Giddey’s fit in Chicago:

  • In OKC, forced into an off-ball role, his skills were marginalized. In Chicago, Giddey flourishes running the offense for a loaded, transition-focused roster.
  • “They want to mimic transition even in the half court… that’s his style. It’s worked wonders for Giddey.” – Joel Lorenzi [21:04]
  • “He’s been such a more intentional playmaker in my [opinion]…” – Joel Lorenzi [22:05]

• Shooting Improvement:

  • “Pull up three above the break has been big for him… If nothing else, he’s getting the defense to come and bite on that now.” – S [23:21]

Vucevic’s Renaissance

• “He’s been amazing… Joel Embiid could not guard Nikola Vucevic in this game.” – S [24:23]
• Vucevic’s touch and high scoring return; preseason fears about his decline have faded.

Are the Bulls the Pacers 2.0?

• Bulls have modeled themselves in the image of last year’s Indiana Pacers: focus on transition, quality threes, team-oriented play.
  • “I wouldn’t even settle on the fact that there’s merit to that [comparison]. I think this is the prophecy… it’s a replica of the Pacers.” – Joel Lorenzi [26:44]
  • The Bulls’ system values “quality of threes” over quantity—a trait borrowed from the Spurs as well [29:20].

Importance of Depth & Culture

• Bulls play hard every night and never intentionally lose—an underrated trait in regular season wins.
  • “I’ve never watched a Bulls game and not seen them playing hard. And there’s value to that.” – S [29:20]

Rest-of-Season Outlook

• Joel Lorenzi now projects the Bulls to beat preseason win projections:

  • “Would it be crazy to say they win 43 or 44? I don’t think that’s crazy.” – Joel Lorenzi [31:37]

• Notable Moments:

  • “Don’t count them out… even when they were down 24, I told S… it’s never a dull moment in a Bulls game.” – Dave DuFour [32:19]

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

| Time | Speaker | Quote | |---------|---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:46 | Dave DuFour | "They have options everywhere… tonight it was Isaiah Joe, another night it’ll be Jaylen Williams..." | | 03:53 | S | "If you’re an old school basketball watcher, there’s something for you. If you’re into the newer style of play, there’s something for you there." | | 05:40 | S | "This is why I think they can win 70 games, and I’m sticking by it, right?" | | 07:50 | Dave DuFour | "Paolo and Franz have eight assists combined to Desmond Bane. One assist per game to Desmond Bane. It's absurd." | | 08:03 | Dave DuFour | "They have no real identity offensively in terms of what they want to achieve on a night to night basis. They just don't know. They don't have automatics." | | 11:57 | Dave DuFour | "Scotty Barnes is playing all defense level basketball. He has 12 stocks over the last two games..." | | 12:49 | Dave DuFour | "He [Barnes] plays whack a mole with the defensive problems for the Toronto Raptors. He's constantly cleaning up all of the issues that they have." | | 20:19 | Dave DuFour | "Back-to-back triple doubles for him. First time since what, Jordan in 89. Which is incredible." | | 21:04 | Joel Lorenzi | "When you have a guy that's an offense unto himself in such an offensive engine, you never want to take the ball out of his hands. Right. And Josh Giddy needs the ball. Simple, simple math there." | | 22:05 | Joel Lorenzi | "He's been such a more intentional playmaker in my… Some of the personnel they've had out these past few games." | | 23:21 | S | "The pull up three above the break has been big for him early in the season... If nothing else, he's getting the defense to come and bite on that now." | | 24:23 | S | "Joel Embiid could not guard Nikola Vučevic in this game." | | 26:44 | Joel Lorenzi | "I think this is the prophecy... it's a replica of the Pacers." | | 29:20 | S | "I've never watched a Bulls game and not seen them playing hard. And there's value to that." | | 31:37 | Joel Lorenzi | "Would it be crazy to say they win 43 or 44? I don't think that's crazy." | | 32:19 | Dave DuFour | "Don’t count them out… even when they were down 24, I told S… it’s never a dull moment in a Bulls game." |

Key Segments & Timestamps

• 01:46 – Thunder’s undefeated streak, versatility, comparisons with past teams
• 06:00 – Magic’s offensive struggles, Desmond Bane fit, Paolo and Franz’s lack of playmaking for Bane
• 11:32 – Raptors defensive improvement & Scotty Barnes’s All-Defense level play
• 18:52 – Bulls’ comeback vs. Sixers, Giddey’s rise, Vucevic’s impact, Bulls as “the new Pacers”

Takeaways

• Thunder: Deep, versatile, and dominant even without key personnel. Third quarter “kill shot” is their calling card.
• Magic: Roster doesn’t fit naturally, Desmond Bane struggling, and lack of offensive structure is hurting identity on both ends.
• Raptors: Scottie Barnes anchoring a resurgent defense; the offense is quietly efficient thanks to a more modern approach.
• Bulls: Giddey finally unleashed, Vucevic revitalized, and Billy Donovan gets his due for maximizing effort and buy-in. The team is looking like the Pacers’ system with its own Chicago spin and could surpass modest preseason projections.

Conclusion:
The episode offers in-depth analysis, team identity breakdowns, and trendspotting on which squads are over/underachieving. The Thunder look unstoppable, the Magic face existential offensive problems, the Raptors are sneaky-resurgent, and the Bulls are winning with energy, system buy-in, and a newly-starred Giddey.