The Dan Patrick Show — Hour 3: Nico Harrison Finally Getting Fired, Reggie Miller
Date: November 11, 2025
Host: Dan Patrick (with Paulie, Todd Fuhrman, Marvin, Dylan)
Guest: Reggie Miller
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts / Dan Patrick Podcast Network
Episode Overview
In this lively episode of The Dan Patrick Show, Dan and the Danettes tackle breaking NBA front office news, dissect hot NBA storylines, and welcome NBA legend and broadcaster Reggie Miller for an insightful, wide-ranging conversation. With a humorous, irreverent, and analytically sharp tone, the crew dives into:
- The Dallas Mavericks’ firing of GM Nico Harrison amid fan unrest and questionable timing
- Trade fallout involving Luka Dončić, Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving, and Anthony Davis
- The physical and strategic grind of high-volume NBA scorers
- The decades-old “defense wins championships” debate
- Hypotheticals pitting Denver’s Nikola Jokić against peak Shaquille O’Neal
- The perpetual injury management dance for Joel Embiid
The episode is punctuated by memorable banter, in-depth listener calls, and sports trivia.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Dallas Mavericks Fire GM Nico Harrison — Why Now?
- [02:53]–[06:29]
- Dan announces and reacts in real-time to Nico Harrison’s firing ("Fans were chanting fire Nico. And they got their wish. Nico Harrison has been fired by the Dallas Mavericks." — Dan Patrick, 04:59).
- The timing bewilders the crew: Harrison landed Cooper Flagg via lottery luck, but is out following the controversial Luka Dončić trade and after a slow season start.
- Paulie questions logic: "How do you fire the GM for building the team with the Cooper Flagg pick? ... If you want to fire him based off the Luka trade, that window was a year ago." (05:07)
- Dan reflects: "Has [Cooper Flagg] struggled? Absolutely... But he's a rookie. Patience here."
- Discussion of return on the Luka-to-Lakers trade, acquiring Anthony Davis (deemed out-of-shape and injury-prone) and missed opportunity for a better deal.
- Marvin: "It doesn’t help that the Lakers are playing really well. So it makes it look even worse." (06:29)
2. NBA: The Myth of Defense, Superstar Trades, and Impatience
- [06:29]–[08:12]
- Dan challenges the old adage: “You know, when he's trying to tell me the defense wins championships... Okay, how about other guys play defense? He's going to play offense.” (06:53)
- Defense/offense specialization historically: referencing Curry, Bird, Nash.
- Public nature of sports firings versus the private reality of non-sports jobs, fans’ instant access to salaries and transactions.
3. NBA Statistical Oddities: Big Shots and Big Nights
- [10:00]–[13:07]
- Recaps from previous night's games:
- Victor Wembanyama’s 38pt, 12reb, 5blk, 18pts in the 4th ("The Bulls as a team scored 19 in the fourth quarter.").
- Cleveland Cavaliers attempt 65 threes (most since 2019).
- Cade Cunningham takes 45 shots (the most attempts since Wilt Chamberlain’s 1962 100pt game).
- Paulie quizzes: Only other active player with 45+ shots in a game? Answer: Jalen Brunson (12:22).
- Kobe Bryant's legendary shot volume: four games of 45+ shots post-1980.
- Recaps from previous night's games:
4. Listener Calls and Banter: Old Newspaper Legends, Coaching Rumors
- [13:07]–[20:16]
- Hilarious call referencing a 1974 article about Dan as prep basketball star "Mr. Hot" — "The only way to stop you was with a gun. And the league kind of frowned upon that." (13:51) [Caller]
- Lane Kiffin coaching rumors: proposal he’ll move to Florida, countered with the "pie to the face" bet.
- The “light poo-pooing” of Jon Gruden rumors for both college and pro jobs.
FEATURE INTERVIEW: Reggie Miller
(Pre-recorded earlier AM; Nico Harrison firing had not yet been announced)
NBA Scoring, Shot Volume, & Toll on Players
- [27:28]–[30:06]
- Reggie on high-volume games: "It's the most points I ever scored in a game. 57 versus Charlotte. And I believe I took 27 shots... I was literally exhausted after that game..." (Reggie Miller, 27:28)
- On Cade Cunningham’s 45 FGA game: "People don’t understand the physical toll it takes to score at an elite level in the NBA... that easily could have been 50 field goal attempts." (28:52)
- Reggie’s self-definition: "I was more on the efficiency side ... if I got up 18 shots, I thought that was pretty good." (27:28)
On Kobe’s 50-FGA Farewell:
- [29:42]–[30:10]
- Admiration for Kobe’s last game: "If I'm going to go out. This is my last game. This is my target goal: 50 [shots]."
Injuries Decimating Teams:
- [30:10]–[31:30]
- Pacers’ woes: “Look, it wasn’t going to be easy... When there’s a few parts missing in the Maserati, it’s like a Pinto." (30:20)
Joel Embiid’s Minutes and the Sixers’ Plan:
- [31:46]–[33:59]
- Embiid debated his frustration with minutes restrictions. "The Sixers are in the situation damned if you do, damned if you don’t... I'd rather stay home and not play if you're going to keep me on this minutes restriction." (Reggie Miller, 31:46)
- Reggie’s plan: “After All-Star break, increase [Embiid’s minutes] one to two per game, so by the end he’s up to 34, 35... I need him healthy in the end and he hasn’t shown he can do that.”
Jokić vs. Shaq — The Hypothetical Showdown
- [33:59]–[37:56]
- Comparing rules eras: "Are we playing in today's rules or the ‘90s? … Shaq's favorite move, he got away with it… Today's game, he wouldn't."
- Dan: "If you said let's play today's rules and I got Shaq at his peak and Joker at his peak, who you got?"
- Reggie: "I think back dominates in any era. Let me start by saying that... Orlando Shaq would thrive. I still think the most dominant of Shaq, when he was in LA and much bigger, he would still have an effect on the game... But Joker, this boy is bad. I think he's already one of the top, what, four or five centers in my opinion." (34:53)
- "[Shaq] always says Rick Smiths gave him fits. So if Rick Smiths… gave him fits, what would Joker do?" (36:50)
- "Joker is a ... 3-time MVP with a chip. If he gets another title or two, then the conversation is really valid." (37:09)
Mavericks Dysfunction, Cooper Flagg, and the West
- [38:14]–[39:55]
- Reggie: "They expected Cooper to have a Victor Wembanyama rookie season. And it's not been quite that. The injuries, Anthony Davis has been hurt, obviously. No Kyrie all season…"
- On Anthony Davis: "AD looks pretty big. Have you seen him? He's a big man." (38:59)
- "It's hard to judge until Jason Kidd can get them all together... But in the Western Conference, there's no time, you know, to figure it out...they're always going to be chanting fire Nico." (39:03)
Banter: Clay Thompson, Love, and Shooting Touch
- [40:00]–[41:08]
- Dan speculates about Klay Thompson's shooting slump: “Maybe he's in love... Megan Thee Stallion?”
- Reggie brags about his shooting: "That will be the last thing that will ever leave me. I can always shoot." (40:52)
- Dan: “I am.” Reggie: “No, I’m not.”
Fun & Notable Moments
- Old-School Dan Patrick Legend: "The only way to stop you was with a gun. And the league kind of frowned upon that." — Quote from caller reading 1974 article (13:51)
- Shaq’s Kryptonite: "If Rick Smiths gave him fits... what would Joker do?" — Reggie Miller (36:50)
- Efficiency vs. Volume: “I was more on the efficiency side ... If I got up 18 shots, I thought that was pretty good.” — Reggie Miller (27:28)
- Cultural Debate: Nicki Minaj vs. Megan Thee Stallion as Klay Thompson’s possible muse
- Pie to the Face: Classic Danettes on-air wager culture over Lane Kiffin’s coaching future
Key Timestamps
- 02:53 — Dan Patrick announces Nico Harrison's imminent firing
- 04:57 — Sham Charania's report on the firing, crew reactions
- 06:41 — Reflections on Luka trade, generational stars, and Dallas' direction
- 10:00 — NBA night recap: Wembanyama, Cavs’ record threes, Cade’s shot explosion
- 12:11 — NBA trivia: Brunson’s 47-shot game
- 13:21 — Call on Dan’s prep legend days, famous “gun” quote
- 18:33 — Caller’s bold Pie-to-the-Face bet: Lane Kiffin to Florida
- 27:28 — Reggie Miller interview starts, deep-dive on NBA shot volume and scoring toll
- 31:46 — Reggie on Joel Embiid and Sixers’ dilemma
- 33:59 — Jokic vs. Shaq, center era comparisons
- 38:14 — The Dallas situation through Reggie’s eyes: Cooper Flagg expectation, Western Conference pressure
- 40:00 — Klay Thompson and Megan Thee Stallion, shooting never leaves you
- 41:42 — Listener calls, trivia rounds, closing banter
Overall Tone & Takeaways
Dan and the Danettes blend insider insight with trademark wit and accessible debate. The episode is a must-listen for NBA fans curious about front-office shocks, star egos, and the grind behind high-usage basketball—while also delivering day-to-day sports nostalgia and clever repartee. Reggie Miller brings a player’s perspective on scoring, durability, and league evolution, while the crew’s skepticism about the NBA’s knee-jerk impatience rings true.
Select Notable Quotes
- Dan Patrick, on NBA firings: "They don’t call it a parting of the ways or we’re going in a different direction... back then it was just like, yeah, we’re gonna fire you."
- Reggie Miller, on 50-shot nights: “No way. There’s just no way. People don’t understand the physical toll it takes…”
- Paulie, on Dallas’ decision: "How do you fire the GM for building the team with the Cooper Flagg pick?"
- Reggie Miller, on Jokic/Shaq: "If Rick Smits at 7’4” gave him fits, then what would Joker do?"
[For full quotes with precise timestamps, see above sections.]
Useful for those who missed the episode: The summary presents all major storylines, personalities, and engaging moments, capturing the sports talk spirit and energy of the show.