Podcast Summary: The Ringer NBA Show - "The Thunder Keep On Surging. Plus, We Relive a Raja Moment."

Date: December 12, 2025
Hosts: Logan Murdock, Raja Bell
Episode Focus: Deep dive into the Oklahoma City Thunder’s meteoric rise and dynasty potential, reflections on the reality of NBA dynasties (Bulls, Warriors, Lakers), a memorable Raja Bell ‘bar night’ story from 2006, and broader NBA observations.

Episode Overview

This episode centers around the Oklahoma City Thunder’s dominant early-season performance and whether they’re establishing themselves as an all-time great regular-season team and potential dynasty. The hosts analyze what makes OKC unique, the organizational blueprint enabling their success, and the historical lessons from previous dynastic teams. Later, Raja Bell shares the full, untold story of his infamous Game 6 suspension in 2006, offering a behind-the-scenes view of NBA life and camaraderie. The hosts also touch on the NBA Cup, the grind of NBA travel, and close with their "Real One of the Week" segment, highlighting resilience and community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Historic Start and Dynasty Potential

(03:19 – 22:34)

• Record-setting Start:

  • Thunder have lost only one game, outscoring opponents by 437 points over the first 25 games – the highest differential in NBA history at this stage.
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) is averaging 32.8 points on 68.6% true shooting, “the highest true shooting on a 30 PPG season, only really rivaled by Steph Curry’s 2015-16 MVP year.” (03:39)

• Depth & Resilience:

  • Jalen Williams (J-Dub) has only played six games, and Chet Holmgren is still developing, yet “they still seem to be rolling.” (03:51)
  • The Thunder combine a young core with an unparalleled trove of draft assets: “OKC has between 10 and 14 first rounders until 2031.” (14:13)

• Blueprint for Sustained Success:

  • Organizational excellence lauded for talent identification, asset accumulation, and player development.
  • Logan: “Every guy on that team can pass... just awesome to watch SGA play the game of basketball.” (08:12)
  • Raja: “Their depth, that skill development. You reach a place as a team…it could look like you’re on autopilot.” (11:02)

• Comparisons to Other Dynasties:

  • Referencing the Bulls, Warriors, Lakers: “Success brings pressure, and pressure breaks locker rooms, no matter how good you are.” (16:37)
  • Raja on maintaining vibes: “Where I think they have an advantage… they raised a lot of these kids for their NBA life… homegrown and a very close second to talent evaluation, is human being and cultural evaluation.” (18:51)

• Potential Pitfalls – Fame and Internal Dynamics:

  • Logan: “...they’re about to become if they continue to win, they’re going to be popular...this is the Gen Z team.” (21:05)
  • Risks include ego, brand building, and maintaining harmony as the spotlight intensifies.
  • Raja: “SGA, while a super mega, super megastar, a relatively muted one…not all the oxygen in the room. I think they combat that pretty well.” (25:18)
  • Team culture contrasts with the previous OKC era: “It’s a little bit of a college atmosphere... barn-starving guys who don’t know the real NBA yet in a good way.” (26:44)

2. NBA Cup and Schedule Distractions

(29:22 – 37:28)

• NBA In-Season Tournament:
  • Logan visits OKC during an NBA Cup game and notes the vibe: “I forgot it was an NBA cup game until I saw the floor.” (30:01)
  • Hosts discuss the unique challenge of maintaining focus with new schedule quirks (e.g., flying from Vegas to OKC with back-to-backs looming).
  • Raja’s advice: “To the best of your ability, file that shit as normal business... do not approach it any other way.” (32:03)
  • Travel grind discussed: even with luxury, the schedule is harsh – “It is luxurious... but it’s a lot tougher than it looks.” (36:03)

3. A Raja Bell 2006 Playoff Story: Suspension Night

(43:00 – 49:19)

• Background:

  • After clotheslining Kobe Bryant, Raja was suspended for Game 6, experienced the game in a Beverly Hills bar, “No one knew who I was at the bar...I got [faded].” (45:33, 47:24)
  • Humorous moment: A bathroom-goer talking trash about Raja unexpectedly encounters him in the mirror – hilarity ensues.
  • After the Suns win, Raja—drunk and thrilled—greets his team on the plane: “As the bus pulled up onto the tarmac, I was at the top of the steps... pretty inebriated, just fucking going crazy and thanking everybody profusely for winning the game.” (48:12)

• Team Camaraderie & Legacy:

  • Bell expresses gratitude for his teammates saving his playoff run during his suspension: “That could have been a real early retirement for me, bro.” (48:55)

4. Real One of the Week: Brotherhood and Perseverance

(53:27 – End)

• Logan honors Jason Collins
  • “Been battling a lot, Jason Collins...stage four brain tumor...basketball community is with you.” (53:27)
• Raja honors his son Ty Bell
  • “Real one of the week to Ty...stayed with it, found other ways to impact the game, had his first triple-double. That’s real growth.” (55:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Thunder’s dominance:
  • Raja: “What they’re doing is pretty remarkable…the way you just don’t have an answer for them offensively…but on the flip side…they’re just a defensive problem. The way they turn people over, the way they can just lock down for stretches... it’s pretty remarkable.” (05:21)
• On SGA’s game:
  • Logan: “Watch him play...it’s like a beautiful slow motion type of game where he’s playing at his own pace.” (08:15)
  • Raja: “His patience is incredible…not just with the ball in his hands, but throughout the course of the game in terms of when to take over.” (11:02)
• On Dynasty Dangers:
  • “Success brings pressure, and pressure breaks locker rooms, no matter how good you are.” – Logan (16:37)
  • “This team is becoming a bit of an IT team…It’s not for the adults. This is Gen Z’s team.” – Raja (20:55)
• Vivid Bar Story:
  • Raja: “There was a dude in there running his mouth about me…in a movie, kind of comes up, looks in the mirror – I’m standing behind him. He looked like he saw a fucking ghost.” (46:43)
  • “As the bus pulled up onto the tarmac…I was at the top of the steps of the plane, pretty inebriated, just fucking going crazy, thanking everybody profusely for winning the game.” (48:12)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Thunder’s Start & SGA’s Greatness — 03:19 to 12:00
• Dynasty Lessons: Bulls, Warriors, Lakers — 12:00 to 22:34
• NBA Cup, Schedule, and Travel — 29:22 to 37:28
• Raja Bell’s 2006 Suspension Bar Story — 43:00 to 49:19
• Real One of the Week — 53:27 to End

Tone and Style

The episode’s style is conversational, candid, and often humorous, with deep basketball insight. The camaraderie between hosts is palpable—mixing fan analysis, insider perspectives from Raja Bell’s playing career, and relatable NBA anecdotes.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This installment is a must-listen for NBA fans curious about:

• The Thunder’s unprecedented ascent and key factors behind their meteoric year.
• How teams can learn from the past and avoid pitfalls that break up dynasties.
• The unvarnished realities of NBA travel, team culture, and player development.
• Entertaining, behind-the-scenes stories—like Raja Bell’s infamous night as a suspended player helplessly rooting for his team in a Beverly Hills bar.

Direct, memorable, and packed with both technical breakdowns and genuine basketball emotion—this episode embodies what makes The Ringer NBA Show a go-to for hoops fans.