Podcast Summary: Hoops Tonight – Christmas NBA Reactions

Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd (Hoops Tonight at The Volume)
Host: Jason Timpf
Episode: Reaction to EVERY NBA Xmas: Spurs/Thunder, Nuggets/Wolves, Lakers/Rockets, Dubs/Mavs, Knicks/Cavs
Date: December 28, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features Jason Timpf offering instant analysis and key takeaways from each of the five NBA Christmas Day games. Instead of game recaps, Jason dives into one major takeaway for every team involved, spotlighting shifting league dynamics, standout performances, and structural issues. The tone is passionate, brisk, and deeply analytical, blending stats, film breakdowns, and Jason’s own strong opinions throughout.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. San Antonio Spurs: NBA’s Hottest Team & OKC Kryptonite

Segment starts: 02:00

• Dominance over the Thunder: Spurs beat OKC three times in short order, "not just three and oh, it's been dominance." (08:50)
  • Shea Gilgeous-Alexander's quote:
    “You don’t lose to a team three times in a row in a short span without them being better than you.” (03:26)
• Statistical brilliance since Nov 16th:
  • 11th in restricted area makes, 11th in made threes per game, 7th in 3PT%, 4th-best offense (120 ORtg), 2nd-best defense (102.6 DRtg).
  • With Wembanyama on court: “They have an 89.5 defensive rating... shockingly good.” (06:38)
  • 15-3 record in this stretch: best in the NBA.
• Why the matchup works:
  • Spurs' length, athleticism, and perimeter ball-handling outclass OKC's smaller guards; ability to protect rim for 48 minutes with Wemby/Cornet.
  • Spurs generate elite looks: "They’re generating the sixth most spot up opportunities in the league this year." (15:23)
• Sustaining shooting?:
  • “People will say this won’t last... These are great looks... I think it’s going to sustain.” (17:38)
• De’Aaron Fox’s impact:
  • “He’s playing the best basketball of his career, and it’s a testament to the type of competitor that he is... He wants to be remembered as the first great running mate of Wemby’s career.” (19:24)
• Fun factor:
  • “Every time I get the opportunity to watch the Spurs play basketball, I feel lucky as a basketball fan. It’s going to be entertaining and that is the best thing for this league.” (20:47)

2. Thunder: Old Weaknesses Reemerge

Segment starts: 24:32

• Exposed by Size & Physicality:
  • Defensive rebounding issues, losing turnover margin, and perimeter size limitations resurfaced.
  • "Their guards and their wings are small...this is a ground-based defense." (25:16)
• Shooting woes:
  • Shot just 29% from three over recent losses; massive drop when shooters are actually contested:
    “Oklahoma City is the second worst catch and shoot team in the league, but they are the fifth best unguarded catch and shoot team.” (25:51)
• Mentally pressing:
  • “You can kind of see it starting to creep back in for them mentally. Guys are not looking confident..." (25:41)
• Playoff implications:
  • Need to solve rim protection & perimeter size issues for postseason, especially against teams like Spurs and Wolves.

3. Nuggets & Wolves: Jokic’s Greatness, Ant’s Ascension

Segment starts: 28:16

Nuggets

• Jokic’s historic line:
  • 56 points, 16 rebounds, 15 assists on 71% shooting: “The first 55, 15, and 15 in the history of the NBA.” (32:00)
• Carry job:
  • Injuries (down 3 starters), but Jokic/Murray covered up the holes.
  • “Their stars played like stars. They can cover for a lot when they reach that level.” (33:10)
• Murray’s hot stretch:
  • Last 10 games: 34 points, 7 assists, 51/53/87 shooting splits.

Wolves

• Edwards showing growth:
  • Shotmaking, pace, finishing at rim vastly improved.
  • “He’s become less predictable, more balanced...” (35:13)
• Jaden McDaniels’ leap:
  • Steps up as ballhandler and shooter.
• Team: Most dangerous Wolves playoff squad of this era.

4. Houston Rockets: Tari Eason’s Emergence

Segment starts: 35:30

• Solving the 5th man spot:
  • “Tari Eason might be the solution to Houston’s fifth man problem.” (35:34)
  • Guarded Luka well, forced turnovers, shot 49% from three this season.
• Dominance on glass:
  • Smashed Lakers on offensive boards (“grabbed over half of their own misses”).
• Perimeter defense:
  • “Best perimeter defense effort of the recent stretch.” (36:40)
• Guards (Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard):
  • Consistently broke defensive lines with speed.

5. Lakers: Deep Issues, LeBron Called Out

Segment starts: 40:35

• Mediocre standing:
  • “The Los Angeles Lakers are at best the sixth best team in the Western Conference right now.” (40:35)
• Luka slump:
  • “He is playing far below the level of a top-tier superstar in these losses...” (41:04)
  • Win-loss splits drastic: 37 PPG in wins, 28 PPG (<30% 3PT) in losses.
• LeBron’s defense and effort:
  • “LeBron was like embarrassingly bad on defense and on the glass last night. He had just two rebounds.” (42:13)
  • Has to either fully commit or “needs to be traded to a team that will let him chill.”
• Austin Reeves injury:
  • “The injuries are really starting to pile up... looks like he’s going to miss a while.”
• Front office called out:
  • “What an incredibly embarrassing job Rob Pelinka has done building a modern basketball team... Rob should be fired immediately.” (43:50)
• Roster issues:
  • Lacking athleticism and shooting: “This roster is utterly devoid of both.” (44:08)

6. Warriors: Coming Up for Air

Segment starts: 47:04

• Easier schedule, signs of life:
  • “They’ve won three games in a row now...that has allowed them a chance to get healthy and come up for air.” (47:13)
• Young/Old blend clicking:
  • Young guys (Pods, Moody) and vets (Butler, Horford) both trending up.
• Draymond’s incident as a reset:
  • “The blowup between Draymond and Steve Kerr will be good for Draymond.”
• Outlook:
  • “I have a feeling they’re going to go on a run here and start gaining ground in the standings...” (48:50)
  • “They just look like a better basketball team [than the Lakers] to me.” (49:19)

7. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg’s Emergence

Segment starts: 50:05

• Cooper Flagg’s development:
  • “Cooper Flagg is the real deal. Another 27 points yesterday...” (50:07)
  • Last six: 28/7/6 on strong percentages; demonstrating three-level scoring.
  • “Big ball-handler dynamic is going to be a big matchup problem for this league as he enters his prime.” (51:11)
• Reason for optimism:
  • “As Luka has trended downwards and Cooper’s trended upwards... it has to at least cause a decent amount of optimism for the future.” (52:00)

8. Knicks: Brunson’s Steely Crunch Time

Segment starts: 52:14

• Brunson’s leadership:
  • “That’s one of the hallmarks of a top tier superstar... Just nails on his pull-up jump shot down the stretch...” (52:40)
• Tyler Kolek’s rise:
  • “He’s just a steadying force with the bench unit...starting to score the ball now.” (53:32)
• Team identity:
  • “Something just feels different with the Knicks this year. They feel tougher. They feel like they’re on a mission.” (54:00)
  • “They are still my pick to win the Eastern conference.”

9. Cavs: Flashing Upside Despite Turmoil

Segment starts: 54:22

• Encouraging performance:
  • “They looked fast and disruptive on defense for stretches. Their offense looked as lively as it was last year for stretches.” (54:30)
• Injuries & glass:
  • “Front line got punked on the glass again down the stretch. That’s been a discouraging trend.”
• Darius Garland’s signs of health:
  • “Getting those drives and breaking down the defense consistently, which is a sign of his health.” (54:35)
• Perspective:
  • “You’re not going to turn this thing around in a day. I thought yesterday was a good step in the right direction for them, even in the loss.” (54:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Spurs’ Surge:
  “The Spurs, they’re the best team in the league right now. It’s wild stuff...I don’t think anyone, even Spurs fans, had them as the best team at this point.” (20:17)

• On Jokic:
  “Joker was unbelievable, man…The first 55, 15, and 15 in the history of the NBA.” (32:00)

• On LeBron’s Defense:
  “He had a play where…I shit you not, where Reed Sheppard was dribbling through the middle of the floor and LeBron…just leaked out to the other end…It’s unacceptable.” (42:45)

• On the Lakers’ Front Office:
  “What an incredibly embarrassing job Rob Pelinka has done building a modern basketball team... Rob should be fired immediately…” (43:50)

• On New York Knicks’ Vibe:
  “Something just feels different with the Knicks this year. They feel tougher. They feel like they’re on a mission.” (54:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Spurs Dominance over Thunder: 02:00–22:00
• OKC’s Old Issues: 24:32–28:15
• Nuggets/Wolves, Jokic/Ant: 28:16–35:29
• Rockets Rise, Tari Eason: 35:30–37:34
• Lakers Struggles: 40:35–47:03
• Warriors Upturn: 47:04–50:04
• Mavs & Cooper Flagg: 50:05–52:13
• Knicks & Brunson: 52:14–54:21
• Cavs Upside Flashes: 54:22–54:53

Conclusion

Jason wraps up noting that Christmas Day showcased shifting league dynamics: the Spurs exposing OKC’s weaknesses and establishing themselves as contenders, Jokic reaffirming his dominance, and several contending teams facing major inflection points. Expect a heated and unpredictable NBA stretch run, with young teams like San Antonio and Minnesota spicing up the race atop the Western Conference.

"Christmas Day is more or less the start of the NBA season for most... It leaves a lot of unknown hanging over the season, which I think will give us a really fun next six months." (55:42)