Weekly NBA Roundup

November 03, 2025 • Sports

Hosted by Big Dill

About This Episode

Generated sports podcast with host Big Dill based on prompt: NBA news from the past week. Cover any summer league games, trade talk, or other league news.

Transcript

Welcome to "Weekly NBA Roundup" on Big Dill Sports with your host, Dillon. This week has been bursting with highlights, historic performances, and a few surprises. Let's dive in and take a closer look at the week's basketball drama.

First up, let's shine a spotlight on the standout players from each conference. Victor Wembanyama is turning heads and breaking records, earning him the Western Conference Player of the Week title. The San Antonio Spurs are off to their best start since 2019, and Victor’s incredible stats—averaging 33.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 6.0 blocks—speak volumes. And if that wasn't enough, he’s made NBA history by being the first player to surpass 100 points, 40 rebounds, and 15 blocks in the opening three games.

Over in the Eastern Conference, Giannis Antetokounmpo is making waves too. With eye-popping performances, including a near 40-point triple-double, he claims the Player of the Week honor. The Bucks are riding high thanks to the Greek Freak’s dominance.

Meanwhile, reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on a scoring spree, propelling the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 3-0 start. He’s the first player in 50 years to notch over 120 points on better than 50% shooting across the first three games. However, things off the court aren’t as smooth, with reports of a burglary at his home. Still, Gilgeous-Alexander remains unfazed on the hardwood.

Speaking of high performers, Luka Dončić kicked off his debut season with the Lakers by delivering stellar games. He joins legends like Kobe Bryant by scoring over 40 points in a debut match. Unfortunately, an injury setback will keep him sidelined for a bit, leaving Lakers fans eagerly anticipating his return.

Now, moving onto game recaps. The Cleveland Cavaliers looked sharp with a commanding win over the Pistons, thanks to Donovan Mitchell’s 35 points. The Trail Blazers took the Lakers down a notch, capitalizing on their shorthanded squad despite Austin Reaves' remarkable 41-point effort.

Wednesday saw the Trail Blazers edge past the Jazz in a thrilling game with Jrue Holiday’s clutch performance sealing the deal. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls continue their unbeaten run, driven by standout performances from Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey.

Thursday delivered some nail-biting moments too. Austin Reaves delivered a buzzer-beater for the Lakers against Minnesota, adding to his season’s impressive start. Nikola Jokić is matching legends with four consecutive triple-doubles, as Denver cruises to victory over New Orleans.

To cap off this week’s games, the Knicks ended the Bulls’ unbeaten streak with a high-paced win, propelled by Jalen Brunson’s scoring eruption.

On the trade buzz front, Giannis has found his name in speculation again. There’s chatter about a potential trade involving San Antonio—a move that would certainly shake up the league's landscape. Meanwhile, the Lakers are keeping a close eye on Dončić’s recovery journey, and the NBA is reminding its players about security measures following recent burglaries.

Before we wrap up, it’s time to declare our 'big dill' of the week. Victor Wembanyama, with his historic start and game-changing performance, is undeniably this week’s big dill.

Thanks for tuning in to Big Dill Sports’ Weekly NBA Roundup. Stay passionate, keep loving the game, and join us next time for more hoops highlights and heartfelt coverage. I'm Dillon, signing off.

## Player of the Week and Early-Season Standouts

Victor Wembanyama was named Western Conference Player of the Week after leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 3–0 start—their best since 2019—while averaging 33.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 6.0 blocks, 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals on 56.9% shooting. At 21 years old, he became the first player in NBA history to total over 100 points, 40 rebounds and 15 blocks in his team’s first three games, highlighted by a 40-point, 15-rebound effort in the season opener against Dallas ([expressnews.com](https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/nba-honors-spurs-victor-wembanyama-historic-week-21122874.php?utm_source=openai)). In the Eastern Conference, Giannis Antetokounmpo earned Player of the Week honors after scoring 37 points with 14 rebounds in the opener, 31/20 in Game 2 and flirting with a 40-point triple-double in Game 3 ([expressnews.com](https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/nba-honors-spurs-victor-wembanyama-historic-week-21122874.php?utm_source=openai)).

Meanwhile, reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued his torrid pace for the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging 40.0 points in 40.4 minutes per game through the first three outings—the first player in 50 years to score 120+ points on over 50% shooting in a season’s opening trio ([nba.com](https://www.nba.com/news/nba-league-pass-watch-guide-week-2-2/?utm_source=openai)). His scoring barrage has fueled OKC’s perfect 3–0 start, though recent off-court distractions include a reported burglary at his Oklahoma City home during last Thursday’s home game ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/a2d0bf7e21080f53312adac31074c422?utm_source=openai)).

Luka Dončić, in his first full season with the Lakers, erupted for 43 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in the opener—joining Kobe Bryant and Elgin Baylor in Lakers history with 40+ in a debut. He followed with 49/11/9 against Minnesota on October 29 but departed that game with a sprained left finger and lower-leg contusion. He is expected to miss at least a week, sidelining him for clashes with Portland, Minnesota and Memphis before evaluation ([the-sun.com](https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15403293/luka-doncic-injury-update-la-lakers-nba-season-disaster/?utm_source=openai)).

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## Major Game Recaps

### Monday, October 27

#### Cavaliers 116, Pistons 95
Cleveland improved to 3–1 as Donovan Mitchell poured in 35 points (13-of-18 FG) and Jarrett Allen added 20 points with seven rebounds. Evan Mobley chipped in a near triple-double (15 points, 11 boards, five assists, three blocks), while the Cavs led by as many as 22 en route to a comfortable win at Little Caesars Arena. Detroit’s Cade Cunningham was held to 12 points on 3-for-14 shooting with five turnovers ([edraft.com](https://edraft.com/nba/recap/1104518?utm_source=openai)).

#### Trail Blazers 122, Lakers 108
The short-handed Lakers (without Dončić, LeBron James, Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent) fell at Crypto.com Arena despite Austin Reaves’ 41 points—the second Laker since Kobe to post 25+ in each of the first five games of a season. Portland broke the game open with a 17-0 third-quarter spurt. Deni Avdija led the Blazers with 25 points, Jrue Holiday added 24 points and six assists, and Jerami Grant chipped in 22 off the bench ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/id/401809977?utm_source=openai)).

### Wednesday, October 29

#### Trail Blazers 136, Jazz 134
Portland survived a furious Utah rally at the Delta Center to improve to 3–2. Jrue Holiday scored 27 points and made key free throws down the stretch, while four other Blazers reached at least 17 points. Lauri Markkanen paced the Jazz with a game-high 32, but Utah’s 11–0 late run fell just short ([timesofindia.indiatimes.com](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/nba/top-stories/trail-blazers-vs-jazz-oct-29-jrue-holiday-leads-portland-to-136-134-win-despite-lauri-markkanens-game-high-score/articleshow/124933160.cms?utm_source=openai)).

#### Bulls 126, Kings 113
Chicago remained unbeaten at 4–0 with a statement home win. Matas Buzelis erupted for 27 points, Josh Giddey flirted with a triple-double (20 points, 12 assists, eight rebounds) and Nikola Vucevic posted 13 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. Former Bull Zach LaVine led Sacramento with 30 points, and Domantas Sabonis recorded 18/11/6, but the Kings could not overcome Chicago’s depth ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/boxscore/NBA_20251029_SAC%40CHI/?utm_source=openai)).

### Thursday, October 30

A league-wide Reuters roundup captured the evening’s top storylines:

- Austin Reaves banked in a buzzer-beater for a 116–115 road win at Minnesota, finishing with 28 points and 16 assists, tying his career high in helpers and pushing him to 120 points over his last three outings. He is the first Laker since Kobe Bryant in 2005–06 to open a season with five straight 25-point games ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/nba-roundup-austin-reaves-lakers-sink-wolves-buzzer--flm-2025-10-30/?utm_source=openai)).
- Nikola Jokić matched Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook as the only players to begin a season with four consecutive triple-doubles, leading Denver to a 122–88 throttling of New Orleans ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/nba-roundup-austin-reaves-lakers-sink-wolves-buzzer--flm-2025-10-30/?utm_source=openai)).
- Ja Morant drilled a floater with 7.3 seconds left to lift Memphis past Phoenix, 114–113 ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/nba-roundup-austin-reaves-lakers-sink-wolves-buzzer--flm-2025-10-30/?utm_source=openai)).
- Detroit downed Orlando 135–116 behind Cade Cunningham’s 30 points and 10 assists ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/nba-roundup-austin-reaves-lakers-sink-wolves-buzzer--flm-2025-10-30/?utm_source=openai)).
- Boston routed Cleveland 125–105, hitting 21 three-pointers (tying the season high) behind Jaylen Brown’s 30 points ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/nba-roundup-austin-reaves-lakers-sink-wolves-buzzer--flm-2025-10-30/?utm_source=openai)).

### Sunday, November 2

#### Knicks 128, Bulls 116
New York snapped its three-game skid and handed Chicago its first loss (5–1) in a high-octane MSG showdown. Jalen Brunson poured in 31 points—19 of which came in the first quarter—while Karl-Anthony Towns posted 20 points and 15 rebounds. Josh Hart added 14 points and nine boards, and the Knicks shot 20-for-42 from three and a perfect 22-for-22 from the line. Chicago’s Josh Giddey recorded a triple-double (23/12/12) and Nikola Vučević had 17/14, but it wasn’t enough against New York’s efficient attack ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/preview/NBA_20251102_CHI%40NY/?utm_source=openai)).

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## Trade Talk and League Buzz

Early-season trade chatter has resurfaced around Giannis Antetokounmpo, with some pundits speculating the Bucks might entertain offers this winter. A recent blockbuster proposal would send Giannis to San Antonio for a package headlined by young assets like Stephon Castle, Kelly Olynyk and Jeremy Sochan, pairing him with Wembanyama in Texas ([bballrumors.com](https://www.bballrumors.com/2025/10/nba-trade-rumors-blockbuster-trade-that.html?utm_source=openai)).

Meanwhile, the Lakers are monitoring Dončić’s injury timeline closely, and the NBA office has issued reminders around personal security following burglaries reported at the homes of several stars, including Dončić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/a2d0bf7e21080f53312adac31074c422?utm_source=openai)). On the roster front, the Trail Blazers locked up rookie wing Shaedon Sharpe and forward Toumani Camara with multi-year extensions before the season, signaling faith in their young core ([basketball.realgm.com](https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/news/wiretap/archive/2025/10/older/1?utm_source=openai)).

As the calendar flips to November, the NBA landscape is already shaping into a compelling mix of historic individual runs, surprise contenders, and simmering roster intrigue—setting the stage for a riveting 2025–26 campaign.

Weekly NBA Roundup