The Herd with Colin Cowherd — Hoops Tonight

Episode Title: 5 Takeaways from Thunder-Rockets, Warriors getting HOT, Lakers lose AGAIN
Date: January 17, 2026
Host: Jason Timpf (Basketball Analyst for Hoops Tonight, The Volume)

Episode Overview

This jam-packed Friday episode features deep dives and sharp analysis of five pivotal NBA games from the previous night, highlighting emerging team trends, player performances, and schematic insights. Jason Timpf unpacks the Thunder’s marquee win over the Rockets, a resurgent Warriors performance, the Celtics’ comeback against the Heat, the Pistons’ identity-defining win versus the Suns, and a late segment reflecting on the struggling Lakers. The episode is rich with data-driven takeaways and playoff implications, delivered with Timpf’s characteristic detail and straightforward tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Thunder Dominate the Rockets — Statement Win (02:01–21:59)

Game Summary

• Oklahoma City Thunder pulled away from the Houston Rockets in Houston, winning by 20 after a fourth-quarter surge.
• “OKC didn't actually push ahead double digits until about nine minutes left in the fourth quarter of this one.” (03:12)
• Rockets dominated the offensive glass (25–10 second chance points), but Thunder’s late-game shotmaking proved decisive.

Thunder's Jump Shooting Woes — And the Turnaround

• Timpf details Thunder’s shooting cold spell in December/early January:
  “In that three-game stretch, they attempted 63 unguarded catch and shoot jump shots and made just 13 of them. Just brutal.” (05:48)
• Thunder’s shooting “yips” appears to have ended:
  “They snapped out of it in a big way last night… 1.11 points per jump shot overall in that fourth quarter stretch.” (07:22)
• The identity: relentless rim attacks from all ballhandlers, even amid streaky perimeter shooting.

Key Fourth Quarter Moments

• Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and AJ Mitchell sparked the Thunder’s surge with aggressive drives and timely shooting.
• “This was a two-point game with 11 minutes left in the fourth. Then it was an 11-point game with nine minutes left... Next thing you know you look up and the Thunder [are] up by 25.” (09:46)

Defensive Pressure Wears Down Houston

• Thunder’s physical defense, led by Lou Dort on Kevin Durant, stymied the Rockets in final frame.
• “Lou Dort has done a fantastic job on KD… just getting up underneath him and getting really physical.” (12:36)
• The Rockets managed just 16 points in the fourth.

Rockets’ Own Shooting Slump

• “The Rockets have shot the ball extremely poorly seven games in a row now… as a team, [now] 16th in jump shooting efficiency.” (13:36)

2. Five Takeaways for a Thunder-Rockets Playoff Matchup (15:00–21:18)

1. Rockets’ Doubling of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

• “Houston basically just blitzed the hell out of Shai on every single ball screen, but then allowed him to work one-on-one... I think it's a worthwhile scheme for Houston to have in their bag of tricks.” (15:20)

2. Chet Holmgren’s Multi-Level Impact

• “Chet is a real problem for Houston… He scraps on the boards, gives enormous defensive versatility, and is a garbage man at the rim… a real release valve for this team.” (16:35)

3. Reed Sheppard’s Defensive Struggles

• “Reed just looked like a bad combination of small, skinny and slow against OKC’s driving guards… that's a death sentence in the NBA.” (17:45)

4. Thunder Solve the Rockets' Zone Defense

• Rockets tormented OKC on opening night with zone; not this time.
  “Eight possessions of zone last night, 1.13 points per possession [for OKC] and a lot of really good dribble penetration through the zone.” (18:50)

5. Both Teams Prone to Cold Shooting — With OKC Favored

• “If your take as a Rockets fan is 'We're just missing shots,' I'd argue that it's actually more likely that dynamic favors Oklahoma City...” (19:15)

Memorable Quote — Jason Timpf:
“You dominate an area that's your clear advantage—the offensive glass... you held them well below their season average in points off turnovers… and you still basically managed to never take control in the game and lose by 20 on your home floor.” — (20:32)

3. Warriors Surge: Outlasting the Knicks (23:33–33:00)

Golden State’s Resilience and Rotation Strength

• Knicks, minus Jalen Brunson, come out hard, but “it was actually a Jimmy Butler–led unit in the late first quarter that turned things around.” (24:15)
• “For the Warriors… they’re really starting to play well with these Jimmy [Butler]–led units with Steph off the floor… that’s the kind of thing that buys the Warriors the flexibility to focus more on players that help them with Steph on the floor.” (25:36)

Key Performances and Trends

• Jimmy Butler: 32 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 turnovers.
• “Jimmy at 32, 8 and 4 last night with zero turnovers, what a game for Jimmy Butler.” (27:03)
• Warriors fixed their rebounding woes after halftime, allowing zero offensive rebounds to Knicks in the third quarter.

Warriors Hitting Their Groove

• Won 10 of last 14 games: “Now that you’re getting quality offense out of the Jimmy-led units, this team is performing really well.” (29:28)
• “You're legitimately in reasonable striking distance of a top four seed… that's not something that you can't do over the next 40 games and change.” (30:52)
• Offseason pickups De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford praised for their escalating roles and energy.

Trade Market Musings

• Warriors rumored “posturing” about holding Jonathan Kuminga; host is skeptical: “No, you won’t, like everybody knows you guys are dying for that to be over.” (31:45)
• Believes the right trade could elevate them to sneaky Conference Finals potential.

4. Celtics’ Comeback over Heat, Spotlight on Anfernee Simons (33:00–36:49)

Simons’ Emerging Role

• “Anfernee Simons completely explodes in this game. He goes for 39, I believe 18 of those were in the fourth quarter.” (33:17)
• Not just a shooter:
  “He was getting to the rim at will… six points just in the fourth quarter of this game alone driving to the basket for layups.” (34:47)

Celtics’ Defensive Clutch

• Multiple key defensive plays and rebounds late, including from Derrick White and Sam Hauser.
• “They did a brilliant job swarming Miami’s drives down the stretch.” (35:45)

Boston’s Identity Questions

• Noted improvement from Simons as a slasher vs. prior reliance on outside shooting and versatile wings.
• “This team… had dropped three out of four. It started to get into a little bit of some bad habits in terms of their shot selection. Big win though, I thought last night...” (36:28)

5. Pistons Rally Past Suns — Team Identity Emerging (40:11–)

Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren Return

• Despite Phoenix’s control for much of the game, “the Pistons just had these two massive runs—a 19–5 run in the middle of the third quarter and a 13–2 run in the fourth…” (41:11)

Identity: Physicality and Athleticism

• “They are a physical, ass-kicking, athletic team. Asar Thompson and Jalen Duren completely dominated that middle third stretch just under the rim on offense.” (41:40)
• Bench depth and defense at point of attack were key, not just stars.

Pistons’ Outlook

• “It's very clear that this team, through its physicality on the glass, especially on the offensive glass and its perimeter defense talent, that they have an identity that permeates the roster and that's going to be there even in games where they're missing some of their core rotation pieces.” (44:33)
• Predicts competitive resilience through adversity: “That bodes really well for Detroit moving forward this season.” (44:44)

6. Lakers Lose to Hornets — A More Tempered Response (45:06–50:09)

Injuries and Lineup Disarray

• Numerous Lakers injuries forcing “janky ass lineups on the floor… LeBron and a G League guard and then another two dudes that can’t shoot and a guy that’s just coming back from an injury…” (45:27)
• Host is “way less discouraged” by recent losses than expected: “Of course, they’re getting their butts kicked.”

Perspective on Contender Status

• “The Lakers are a poor jump shooting team… I still view them as a third tier contender. I’m not saying they’re better than what we’ve considered them to be…” (46:40)
• Leaning on hopes for a healthy supporting cast, possible trade deadline upgrades, and the continued brilliance of LeBron and Luka.

Positives Amid Losses

• “If LeBron and Luka are going to continue to be this good and you get Austin back, that’s a strong enough foundation to make up for some of your flaws.” (47:16)
• Weak rotation players today likely won’t play in major playoff series.
• Attributes struggles to poor role-player depth: “It's an indictment on Rob for the work that he's done with the back half of the roster. But I think that there are some positive trends coming…” (49:11)

Notable Quote

“Yes, the Lakers are a flawed team. No one's out here saying they're going to go win the championship. But I do think they're better than they look right this second.” — Jason Timpf (49:20)

Timestamps by Topic

• [02:01] Thunder’s win over Rockets, OKC’s shooting woes and resurgence
• [15:00] Five takeaways for Thunder-Rockets future playoff series
• [23:33] Warriors–Knicks recap, resurgent rotations, trade talk
• [33:00] Celtics-Heat, focus on Anfernee Simons’ breakthrough
• [40:11] Pistons-Suns analysis, team identity discussion
• [45:06] Lakers–Hornets, injury impact, roster critique and future outlook

Notable Quotes

• On the Thunder’s late-game run:
  “In two minutes they blew it from a one-possession game to a double-digit lead. And next thing you know you look up at the scoreboard and the Thunder up by 25.” (09:46)
• On Chet Holmgren’s value:
  “He gives them enormous defensive versatility… gives them the ability to switch onto Kevin Durant in ball screens and get great contests on KD pull-ups.” (16:52)
• On the Lakers’ outlook:
  “I do think they're better than they look right this second because they have a lot of guys that are bad basketball players that are playing in the rotation.” (49:20)

Summary

Jason Timpf provides detailed, honest breakdowns of pivotal Thursday NBA games, emphasizing tactical insights, critical stats, and team identities. The Thunder’s statement win over Houston prompts a deep dive into playoff matchups and vulnerabilities; the Warriors’ recent hot streak is examined in light of strategic roster rotations and future trades; and both the Celtics’ comeback and Pistons’ gritty win spotlight how elite teams build and maintain a winning identity. Timpf closes with a nuanced, less-panicked look at the Lakers’ struggles, pointing to systemic issues but urging patience in light of coming returns and possible upgrades.

For those who missed the episode: This episode is a must-listen for understanding evolving NBA power dynamics, as it deftly blends statistical analysis with clear-eyed, passionate commentary on the league’s top storylines.