The Herd with Colin Cowherd: Hoops Tonight

Episode Date: December 4, 2025
Host: Jason (with Colin Cowherd intros)
Main Topics: Clippers’ shocking Chris Paul separation, Celtics’ win over Knicks, Thunder’s clutch win over Warriors

Episode Overview

This episode of "Hoops Tonight" on The Herd with Colin Cowherd is an opinionated, in-depth analysis of the NBA’s top stories from the day. Jason, the show’s basketball analyst, dives into the stunning announcement that the Clippers are parting ways with Chris Paul, then breaks down key takeaways from the Celtics beating the Knicks and the Thunder’s clutch victory over the Warriors. The episode is energetic, direct, and rich with statistical insights and candid evaluation of player and team performance.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Clippers “Part Ways” with Chris Paul: A Bizarre Breakup

[03:21–18:17]

• Breaking News Reaction: Jason wakes up to snow in Denver and the news of Chris Paul’s abrupt exit from the Clippers, called “the latest in a long line of hilarious treatment of stars by the Clippers front office.”

• Franchise Culture Critique: Jason recounts the Clippers’ history of messy exits (Blake Griffin, Kawhi Leonard “fiasco”), claiming the organization repeatedly fakes emotional investment in their stars.

  • “We all remember the Blake Griffin fiasco… the crazy meeting, the T shirts that were printed, all of the hoopla and basically fake investment, fake emotional investment in Blake Griffin and his future with the Clippers before they promptly shipped him out of town.” (07:51)

• Details & Reporting:

  • Clippers President Lawrence Frank released a statement that the team and Paul were parting ways and would work with him on the next steps.
  • Frank clarifies: “Chris is a legendary Clipper who had a historic career. I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I accept responsibility for the record we have right now.” (08:54)
  • Shams Charania reports a clash between Paul’s vocal accountability and the team; Ty Lue and Paul had stopped speaking.
  • Chris Haynes: Paul requested a meeting about being labeled as a negative presence, Ty Lue refused.

• Team Performance & Accountability:

  • Clippers have lost 14 of their last 16 games.
  • Jason: “They suck. They’re playing trash basketball. Right? It’s going to be really hard to keep a good attitude in a situation like that.” (11:07)
  • Argues that finger-pointing at role players is unfair: the blame should be with the declining stars and missing key role pieces (Norman Powell, Derek Jones Jr.).
  • “When you’re getting shit canned with your best three players on the floor... I’m not going to blame the role players. It starts with the stars.” (13:53)

• Statistical Evidence:

  • Last year, lineups with Kawhi, Harden, and Zubac: +14 net rating; “elite.”
  • This year: same trio, –10 net rating, “average” offense and “terrible” defense (127 rating).
  • Jason’s prediction on the Clippers as a top regular-season team was “literally one of my worst takes ever.” (15:54)

Notable Quote:
“Cooler heads should have prevailed here because now you’re—you’re adding insult to injury, literally. The injury being this basketball team being bad, and the insult being you taking arguably the best Clipper ever and trashing him and kicking him off the team. And it’s just—it’s just really unfortunate.” (16:31)

2. Boston Celtics Dominate Knicks (After a Hot Start)

[22:03–41:13]

• Knicks Start Fast, Celtics Adjust: Knicks built a 14-point early lead, notably fueled by Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns. Mikal Bridges was “an absolute laser” from three, hugely boosting New York’s offense.

• Impressive Celtics Resilience & Coaching:

  • Joe Mazzulla “showed good patience with his game plan,” adapted after initial defensive issues.
  • Celtics switched to “centerless” lineups for major stretches—helping manage matchups and maximizing wing athleticism.

• Jalen Brown’s Shot Creation Masterclass:

  • Initially struggled, then dominated by hunting mismatches—mostly attacking Jalen Brunson (“just bullied him”) and others in isolation.
  • “He’s been so incredibly comfortable in the mid range this year. Just kind of making some sort of aggressive move to get down to that 10-12 foot range and then just little quick step backs... and he’s torching teams on that.” (25:40)
  • Analytics: Shooting 55% (47/85) on jumpers inside 17 ft; 31/7/5 averages over last 14 games.
  • Celtics’ offense is #1 in the league over the nine-game stretch, and Brown is credited as the engine.

• Role Player Impact & Offensive Glass:

  • Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, and Josh Minot praised for work on the offensive glass and defense.
  • The Celtics, despite being last in defensive rebounding percentage, are ninth in offensive rebounding—turning missed shots into putbacks and wins.
  • “Just those three guys: Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez and Josh Minot had eight offensive rebounds last night… It was literally the difference in the game.” (31:57)
  • Fascinating tactical note: Celtics are winning the second chance points battle overall, despite rebounding disadvantages.

• Knicks’ Flaws Magnified:

  • Easy for Boston to attack “entry points” on defense (Brunson, Towns), poor game plan discipline (especially from Towns), and recurring issues with offensive stagnation and defensive mistakes.
  • “Every year when I start to buy into the Knicks a little bit, the same three or four issues come up to the surface…” (40:36)

Notable Quotes:

• “There was a level of intentionality, the attacking of the weaker Knicks defenders in space… Just really deliberate high level offensive basketball from Jalen Brown.” (27:53)
• “I want to shout out Joe Mazzulla on this because… they’re turning that into something in their favor by having these high motor wings that are consistently crashing and capitalizing on the attention that their stars draw.” (34:21)

3. Thunder’s Clutch Execution vs. Warriors

[44:57–51:22]

• Thunder-Warriors Recap: With Steph Curry out, the Warriors caught fire in the second half, briefly taking the lead. Unexpected contributors like Pat Spencer, Draymond, Gary Payton, and Jonathan Kuminga hit big shots.

• Thunder Poise in the Clutch:

  • “The Thunder just played perfect basketball from there and ended up winning by 12.” (45:32)
  • Detailed breakdown of OKC's solutions against Golden State’s zone: quick ball movement, drive-and-kick offense, reliable shooting (Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Joe).
  • Highlighted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s methodical mismatch hunting (especially against Buddy Hield), execution of one-on-one moves, and clutch decision-making.
  • Thunder’s role players (Jalen Williams, A.J. Mitchell, Cason Wallace) consistently made clutch plays.

• Crushing the Numbers:

  • Thunder are 9-1 in clutch games (games within five points at the final five minutes).
  • 137 offensive rating, 95 defensive rating in the clutch.
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 54% FG in clutch, 6-for-15 clutch threes, 9 assists vs. 1 turnover.
  • “It’s not just his one on one play. It’s the awesome passing sequences, the, the methodical ball movement through the zone. It’s the role players knocking down catch and shoot threes…” (48:50)

• OKC’s Rising Ceiling:

  • Jason suggests the Thunder may soon be “in their own tier” above Houston and Denver: “If this keeps up… Oklahoma City’s in their own tier. I see a separation building.” (49:59)

Notable Quote:
“Yet another time where they just look unbeatable in that setting.” (47:47)

Notable Quotes (with Speakers & Timestamps)

• Jason on Clippers–Chris Paul drama:
  “Cooler heads should have prevailed here because now you’re—you’re adding insult to injury, literally… you’re taking arguably the best Clipper ever and trashing him and kicking him off the team. And it’s just—it’s just really unfortunate.” (16:31)*

• Jason on Celtics’ role player wings:
  “Just those three guys: Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez and Josh Minot had eight offensive rebounds last night… It was literally the difference in the game.” (31:57)

• Jason on Jalen Brown’s shot creation:
  “Just really deliberate high level offensive basketball from Jaylen Brown.” (27:53)

• Jason on the Thunder:
  “Yet another time where they just look unbeatable in that setting.” (47:47)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Clippers & Chris Paul Breakup: [03:21–18:17]
• Celtics vs. Knicks Analysis: [22:03–41:13]
• Thunder Beat Warriors—Clutch Breakdown: [44:57–51:22]

Memorable Moments

• Jason’s candid self-critique (“literally one of my worst takes ever” on Clippers) (15:54).
• Detailed description of Celtics’ innovative use of athletic wings to mask rebounding issues (31:00–34:21).
• Real-time statistical breakdowns—net ratings, shot creation data, clutch performances (Jaylen Brown, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander).
• Comparison of Knicks’ defensive mistakes to Celtics’ deliberate offense—a teachable contrast in process vs. chaos.

Overall Tone

Jason’s analysis is passionate, direct, and insightful—mixing humor with sharp critique (“they suck. They’re playing trash basketball.”). He doesn’t shy from calling out stars or coaching staffs, but always grounds his opinions in observable trends and hard stats.

Summary for Listeners

If you missed the episode, you’ll have a clear picture of why the Clippers and Chris Paul parted ways, why the Celtics’ wings are making up for their rebounding issues, and why the Thunder might be the most clutch team in the NBA. Jason’s blend of storytelling and analytics makes this not just a recap—but a lesson in team dynamics and basketball strategy, delivered with irreverence and expertise.