The Herd with Colin Cowherd — Hoops Tonight: 5 NBA Reactions

Episode Date: February 24, 2026
Host: Hoops Tonight Host (The Volume)

Overview

In this episode, the Hoops Tonight host breaks down five major NBA takeaways from the recent weekend's games, focusing on:

• Oklahoma City Thunder's elite defense
• Boston Celtics' championship mentality and edge over the Lakers
• The current limitations of Austin Reaves
• Minnesota Timberwolves' struggle with quick guards
• Denver Nuggets' issues post-Jokic return
  The style is insight-driven, with detailed tactical analysis, frank opinions, and illustrative player breakdowns.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Oklahoma City Thunder: Defensive Excellence Without Stars

Timestamp: 02:56–16:09

• Despite missing both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, OKC dominated the favored Cleveland Cavaliers.
• Cleveland’s offense, despite being "incredibly well rounded" with a dual shot-creator dynamic (Donovan Mitchell & James Harden), completely unraveled under OKC's intense defensive pressure.
• Defensive Tactics Highlighted:
  • The Thunder deployed "shock and recovery" blitz coverages, briefly blitzing ball handlers (forcing early pickups of the dribble) and immediately recovering to disrupt passing lanes.
  • Example: “If you throw a blitz but then immediately rotate out of it...now Donovan’s trying to throw over the top and Isaiah Joe’s back taking the ball away.” (05:00)
• The result: Cleveland committed 10 first-quarter turnovers, allowing OKC to build a large early lead.
• The Thunder’s defense not only physically disrupted Cleveland but had significant mental impact: “It can get to the point where the defense is so frightening that the team loses their confidence and they start to just make a bunch of unforced errors.” (08:45)
• Player Focus:
  • Cason Wallace: 10 assists, adept at low-dribble penetration and interior passing.
  • Jared McCain: Provided “microwave scoring bursts...constantly moving without the basketball” — praised as “like a Steph Curry light.”
• Cleveland’s Problem: Lacks a matchup-attacking big forward (like LeBron) who presents new ways to break down a defense not reliant on guard-driven pick-and-roll.

Notable Quote:

• “These are unbelievable defensive plays...the entire dynamic works because you can get the primary ball handler to pick up his dribble.” — Host (05:50)

2. Boston Celtics: Relentless Edge and Margin Play Over Lakers

Timestamp: 18:50–29:49

• Celtics handily defeated the Lakers, not just via talent but by “winning on the margins”:
  • Second-chance points: 17–6
  • Points off turnovers: 20–6
• The host details Boston’s cultural obsession with intensity and execution, highlighting an in-game moment when the Celtics coaching staff furiously demanded full-court pressure even with a big lead:
  • “One possession where someone didn’t pick Luke up full court and they’re having a conniption fit...that’s the level of attention to detail, accountability, and care factor Boston has.” (21:45)
• Contrasts Boston’s structure to the Lakers' heavy reliance on star creation (Luka, LeBron, Austin Reaves), with Lakers lacking in foundational team advantages:
  • “When Luca had a bad game and Austin had a bad game and LeBron had a bad game, they looked terrible because they don’t have anything else that they do great.” (23:45)
• Physicality was key — Celtics played aggressive, both offensively (e.g., using off arms to create separation) and defensively (ball pressure), noting that referees often can't call everything.
• Notable Player Performance:
  • Payton Pritchard: Cited as stepping up with a huge night.
  • Jalen Brown: Outplayed Luka in their matchup.
• Overall Take: The Celtics’ "strong basketball culture" enables sustainable success regardless of roster changes.

Notable Quote:

• “Boston every single night is getting a multiple point advantage in second chance points, in points off turnovers, that is helping them win basketball games.” (20:30)
• “It’s usually the team that brings the physical aggression that actually ends up getting the better whistle.” (27:10)

3. Austin Reaves: Needs Another Step for Elite Impact

Timestamp: 32:31–36:42

• Reaves had a lackluster 15-point outing against the Celtics; the host focuses on Austin's struggle against teams with quick, physical guard defenders.
• “When there are players that are quicker than Austin and can beat him to spots...he can struggle to get that dribble penetration that’s so important to his game.” (33:40)
• Case in point: Cason Wallace’s defensive work for OKC.
• Trend: Reaves underperforms vs. elite teams (Boston, OKC, Phoenix, San Antonio), who can field quick defenders — yet excels against less mobile big wings like Jaden McDaniels.
• The host reiterates faith in Reaves’ work ethic and ability to "level up" as he has in prior offseason swings, but the next progression must be resilience and impact against top defensive competition.
• Lakers’ struggles vs. quality teams are underlined with revealing stats:
  • Against bottom 10 (point differential): 18–2
  • Against top 10: 5–11 (20th best record)
• “Austin’s going to get in the lab and figure this out...the world of basketball always will present you with another challenge.” (35:40)

4. Minnesota Timberwolves: Quick Guard Problem

Timestamp: 36:42–40:39

• Without Rudy Gobert, the Wolves were carved up by Tyrese Maxey (39 points), exposing a recurring issue guarding quick perimeter players.
• Example Play: Maxey easily creates and hits a contested pull-up because defenders like Jaden McDaniels — though elite in aggregate — lack the ground-level quickness to disrupt fast guards.
  • "If you just watch Tyrese, it looks like he’s doing a drill in the gym by himself." (38:54)
• Suggests Minnesota might consider shorter defenders like Dante DiVincenzo for these matchups over their regular long-wing configuration.
• Turnovers a persistent issue; Wolves averaged 16 per game in losses (9th worst).
• On defense, Minnesota is struggling—25th in defensive rating over their last eight games.
• Key factors: Inconsistent focus/effort, responding poorly to aggressive defenses like Nick Nurse’s Philadelphia.

5. Denver Nuggets: Worrying Trends Post-Jokic Return

Timestamp: 40:39–46:00

• Denver is just 4–6 since Nikola Jokic returned.
• Surprisingly, the main flaw has been poor offense rather than defense — specifically, abysmal jump shooting and costly turnovers.
• Shooting Drop-off:
  • Highly efficient jump shooting in wins (1.4+ points/attempt).
  • Losses see figures as low as 0.79–1.0.
• Jokic & Jamal Murray have been “ice cold from three” in losses, undermining Denver’s offensive identity.
• Turnovers: In six losses, Denver gave up an average six-point per game disadvantage via points off turnovers. Jokic especially: 29 turnovers in those games.
• Host remains cautiously optimistic, citing years of strong trends and noting Aaron Gordon’s injury, but frames this as a challenge to monitor.

Notable Quote:

• “When I have a historic trend...where a team is great at something and then they’re bad at it one year with like mostly the same players, I’m hesitant to overreact.” (44:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On OKC’s defense:
  • "A defense having a more mental impact beyond what they're doing physically is when a team starts to make those unforced errors." (08:45)
• On Celtics’ culture:
  • "That's the level of attention to detail, accountability, care factor, that you can see Boston has with respect to these margins." (21:30)
• On Lakers’ lack of identity beyond stars:
  • "They don’t have anything that is part of their basketball identity beyond Luka, Austin, LeBron creating great shots...That's why they can't beat any of the good teams." (23:50)
• On Austin Reaves:
  • “Austin has conquered every demon in his game over the last few years, so we'd be foolish to pretend he can't figure this out.” (35:20)
• On Denver’s outlook:
  • “When push comes to shove ... Denver is going to be able to get the stops that they need in crunch time.” (45:10)

Important Timestamps

• OKC–Cavs tactical breakdown: 02:56–16:09
• Celtics–Lakers & margin mastery: 18:50–29:49
• Austin Reaves’ next leap/Laker stats: 32:31–36:42
• Timberwolves’ quick guard issues: 36:42–40:39
• Nuggets concerns & numbers: 40:39–46:00

Overall Tone & Style

The analysis is insightful, passionate, blunt, and tactical. There’s an undercurrent of both reverence for good basketball culture (Boston, OKC) and skepticism about teams without clear identity or evolution (Lakers, Wolves, Nuggets in current form). The podcast delivers cogent NBA commentary for both hardcore and casual fans, with a particular knack for blending numbers, eye-test, and illustrative game moments.

Summary

This episode provides a sweeping, granular view of the NBA’s state after the weekend, spotlighting not just star performances but the systems, margins, and cultural details that differentiate contenders from pretenders. The host’s comprehensive breakdowns and actionable insights make this a must-listen (or must-read) for anyone seeking to understand what separates truly elite teams from the rest of the league.