NBA Daily Rewind
Hosted by Big Dill
About This Episode
Generated sports podcast with host Big Dill based on prompt: NBA news from the past day. Cover any NBA games, highlights or news.
Transcript
Welcome to "NBA Daily Rewind!" I'm Dillon, your host from Big Dill Sports, and we've got some thrilling basketball action to dive into. Let's tip off with the NBA Cup quarterfinals, where some standout performances took the spotlight.
First up, the Oklahoma City Thunder put on a show against the Phoenix Suns, cruising to a 138-89 victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was electric, scoring 28 points in under 27 minutes, continuing his streak of consecutive 20-point games. Jalen Williams brought the energy, adding to a franchise-record 16th straight win. Chet Holmgren was a force, combining 24 points with stellar defense, as OKC held the Suns to their lowest score of the season. The Thunder's remarkable start, now at 24-1, matches the best in history alongside the 2015-16 Warriors. Next, they face the Spurs in Las Vegas, clearly setting their sights on more than just an NBA Cup championship—they’re eyeing history.
Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs ousted the Los Angeles Lakers, 132-119. Stephon Castle erupted with a season-high 30 points and a strong overall stat line, despite missing Victor Wembanyama. The Lakers had standout moments—Luka Doncic with 35 points and LeBron just shy of a triple-double—but their defense couldn’t keep up, allowing the Spurs a strong shooting night. This win sets up a key matchup for San Antonio against OKC in the semifinals.
The New Orleans Pelicans snapped a seven-game skid by dominating the Portland Trail Blazers, 143-120. Trey Murphy III led the way with 24 points, and Bryce McGowens added a perfect performance from beyond the arc. Jordan Poole, fresh off an injury, contributed significantly off the bench, helping the Pelicans control the boards and the paint. Despite a spirited second quarter, Portland’s lack of depth took its toll. New Orleans aims to keep the momentum going as they face Chicago next.
The Houston Rockets survived a wild finish to edge out the Clippers, 115-113. Rookie Amen Thompson secured the win with a clutch three-point play, while Alperen Şengün posted a double-double. Even with Ivica Zubac’s 33 points for L.A., turnovers in crunch time cost the Clippers dearly. Houston's strong rebounding proved pivotal, and they’re looking to solidify their stance among the West’s best.
As the dust settles, the NBA Cup semifinals are set. The Thunder clash with the Spurs, and the Magic take on the Knicks. The stakes are high in Las Vegas with all eyes on the upcoming championship.
Now, it’s time for our 'Big Dill' player of the day—and it’s none other than Sachin Castle from the Spurs. His explosive performance without Wembanyama was pivotal in taking down the Lakers. A true ‘big dill’ indeed!
Thanks for tuning in to Big Dill Sports. Catch you next time for more hoops action! Stay sharp, and keep loving the game.
### NBA Cup Quarterfinal: Thunder Dominate Suns 138-89
The Oklahoma City Thunder overwhelmed the Phoenix Suns to the tune of a 138-89 rout on Wednesday night, extending their record to 24-1 and matching the best 25-game start in NBA history set by the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/rolling-thunder-okc-improve-24-1-tighten-grip-wins-record-chase-2025-12-11/)). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with 28 points in under 27 minutes, marking his 96th consecutive 20-point outing, while Jalen Williams added a dynamic performance on both ends of the floor, energizing a franchise-record 16th straight victory ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/rolling-thunder-okc-improve-24-1-tighten-grip-wins-record-chase-2025-12-11/)).
Oklahoma City set the tone early, outscoring Phoenix by 15 in the first quarter (38-23) and maintaining consistent dominance, winning the second (36-25) and third quarters (36-24) en route to the largest margin of victory in NBA Cup history ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/rolling-thunder-okc-improve-24-1-tighten-grip-wins-record-chase-2025-12-11/)). Anchored by Chet Holmgren’s all-around display (24 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 4 three-pointers) and Isaiah Hartenstein’s combative interior defense, the Thunder shot 55.0% from deep and held the Suns to a season-low 89 points ([nba.com](https://www.nba.com/news/starting-5-dec-11-2025?utm_source=openai)). With their next test coming against the San Antonio Spurs in Las Vegas, OKC appears on pace not only for an NBA Cup championship but also for a possible single-season wins record ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/rolling-thunder-okc-improve-24-1-tighten-grip-wins-record-chase-2025-12-11/?utm_source=openai)).
### NBA Cup Quarterfinal: Spurs Eliminate Lakers 132-119
In the other Western Conference quarterfinal, the San Antonio Spurs ousted the Los Angeles Lakers 132-119, showcasing a balanced offensive attack despite missing All-Star Victor Wembanyama ([espn.com.sg](https://www.espn.com.sg/nba/recap/_/gameId/401809836?utm_source=openai)). Stephon Castle exploded for a season-high 30 points—21 of which came in the second half—adding 10 rebounds and 6 assists, while De’Aaron Fox chipped in 20 points and Keldon Johnson tallied 17 and eight rebounds to secure San Antonio’s spot in the semifinals ([espn.com.sg](https://www.espn.com.sg/nba/recap/_/gameId/401809836?utm_source=openai)).
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 35 points, and LeBron James recorded a near-triple-double with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists, but L.A.’s porous defense (allowing 50% shooting overall and 45% from three) ultimately proved their undoing ([espn.com.sg](https://www.espn.com.sg/nba/recap/_/gameId/401809836?utm_source=openai)). Marcus Smart contributed a season-high 26 points off the bench on eight three-pointers, and Austin Reaves added 15 points, yet the Lakers could not overcome their defensive lapses, culminating in an elimination from the NBA Cup and raising urgent questions about their championship viability ([washingtonpost.com](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/12/11/nba-cup-scores-lakers-spurs-thunder-suns/?utm_source=openai)).
### Pelicans Snap Skid, Rout Trail Blazers 143-120
The New Orleans Pelicans halted a seven-game losing streak by drubbing the Portland Trail Blazers 143-120 on Thursday night at the Smoothie King Center ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/pelicans-roll-over-trail-blazers-end-7-game-skid--flm-2025-12-12/?utm_source=openai)). Trey Murphy III paced New Orleans with 24 points, while former Blazer Bryce McGowens tied his career high with 23 points on a perfect 5-for-5 from beyond the arc ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/pelicans-roll-over-trail-blazers-end-7-game-skid--flm-2025-12-12/?utm_source=openai)). Jordan Poole, returning from an 18-game quadriceps injury absence, made an immediate impact, pouring in 22 points off the bench and helping the Pelicans seize control of the paint (88 points in the lane) and the boards (57 rebounds) ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/pelicans-roll-over-trail-blazers-end-7-game-skid--flm-2025-12-12/?utm_source=openai)).
Portland, fielding only 10 available players and lacking traditional size, managed 38 second-quarter points but could not match New Orleans’ depth and athleticism, especially after Herb Jones was ejected in the first half ([washingtonpost.com](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nba/2025/12/11/trail-blazers-pelicans-score/90d5c322-d70d-11f0-a93c-a869cf73ebd6_story.html?utm_source=openai)). Shaedon Sharpe led the Blazers with 21 points, and Sidy Cissoko recorded a career-best 20 points, but the visitors were outscored 38-23 in the final frame and dropped their sixth game in seven outings ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/nba-roundup-pelicans-end-7-game-slide-with-rout-blazers--flm-2025-12-12/?utm_source=openai)). The Pelicans will look to build momentum as they travel to Chicago next, while the Blazers return home to host Golden State on December 14 ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20251211_POR%40NO?utm_source=openai)).
### Rockets Survive Chaotic Finish, Top Clippers 115-113
On the road, the Houston Rockets edged the Los Angeles Clippers 115-113 at Toyota Center, rallying late behind a clutch three-point play by rookie Amen Thompson with 17.2 seconds remaining ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/alperen-sengun-amen-thompson-steer-rockets-past-clippers--flm-2025-12-12/?utm_source=openai)). Alperen Şengün led Houston with a 22-point, 15-rebound double-double, adding five assists and four steals, while Thompson tallied 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, narrowly missing a triple-double ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/alperen-sengun-amen-thompson-steer-rockets-past-clippers--flm-2025-12-12/?utm_source=openai)).
The Rockets dominated the glass, outrebounding L.A. 51-28 (including 22 offensive boards) and making critical defensive stops down the stretch despite a 50% shooting night ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/alperen-sengun-amen-thompson-steer-rockets-past-clippers--flm-2025-12-12/?utm_source=openai)). Ivica Zubac torched Houston with 33 points on 13-of-14 shooting, and Kawhi Leonard contributed 24 points, but costly turnovers and missed layups in the final minute doomed the Clippers, who fell to 6-19 on the season ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401836746?utm_source=openai)). Houston improves to 16-6 as they aim to solidify their status among the West’s elite.
### Semifinals Set: Thunder vs. Spurs, Magic vs. Knicks
With quarterfinal action complete, the Emirates NBA Cup semifinals are locked in for Saturday in Las Vegas. The Western clash pits the top-seeded Thunder against the surging Spurs at 9 p.m. ET, while the East features the New York Knicks versus the Orlando Magic at 5:30 p.m. ET, both at T-Mobile Arena and streaming on Amazon Prime Video ([si.com](https://www.si.com/nba/2025-nba-cup-updated-bracket-full-schedule-after-quarterfinal-round?utm_source=openai)). The Cup Championship follows on Tuesday, December 16, promising high stakes and elite competition in the league’s in-season tournament.
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