Overview of Alley Oop 136: Jokić Drops 55, Beal’s Season Ends, Nico Fired, Hidalgo Goes Nuclear & Steph Still Elite!
Dan Le Batard and Stugotz react to a wild day in basketball (and a little bit of everything else). The show covers Nikola Jokić’s dominant scoring night, Bradley Beal’s season-ending injury, big WNBA/college women’s performances, locker-room drama around young players and front-office shakeups, plus a parade of viral fan moments from courts and stadiums.
Key takeaways / headlines
- Nikola Jokić delivered a monster scoring night (55 points discussed on the show), including an eye-catching floater — the hosts call him MVP-caliber and “locked in.”
- Bradley Beal is reportedly out for the season with a hip fracture; hosts debate whether his availability has become a bigger issue than his talent.
- Hannah Hidalgo and a player named Audi/Audy Crooks exploded in women’s college games — Hidalgo (44 points, big steals) and Crooks (43 points in limited minutes) got major praise.
- Steph Curry reminded everyone he’s still elite with a 46-point outing; the show riffs on “37 and playing like he’s 27.”
- Dallas Mavericks turbulence: the firing of Nico Harrison (front-office shakeup) was discussed as a signal the team has a problem to admit and fix.
- Viral moments: a court runner at a Clippers game, a fan who ran onto a soccer field and scored, and a bizarre baseball-fan shirt (a butt-plug reference) produced lively on-air reactions.
Highlights & stats discussed
- Nikola Jokić
- Dominant scoring night (title mentions 55 points).
- Early explosion (25 points in the first quarter) and new/rare floater shown on broadcast.
- Hosts call it MVP-level form.
- Bradley Beal
- Season-ending hip fracture — hosts lament availability and suggest it may be time to reconsider career trajectory.
- Norm Powell’s resurgence (after being traded for Beal) contrasted with Beal’s injuries.
- Steph Curry
- 46 points vs. San Antonio (hosts say he “told everyone who he is” despite age talk).
- Conversation about veteran players (KD, LeBron, Aaron Rodgers comparison).
- Women’s college basketball
- Hannah Hidalgo: 44 points, multiple rebounds/assists and an extraordinary steals total (hosts highlight 16 steals cited in the episode), played under 30 minutes.
- Audi (Audi/Audy) Crooks: 43 points in 19 minutes for Iowa State — hosts praise footwork, efficiency, and dominance.
- LSU vs Charlotte: LSU blew out Charlotte (halftime ~62–17, final 117–59 referenced).
- Clippers/Lakers/OKC mentions
- Clippers described as mired in a losing streak; an OKC win over the Lakers raised questions about the Lakers’ identity.
Controversies & team drama
- Warriors locker-room: discussion of Jonathan Kuminga (referred to on-air with locker-room/fit concerns) and younger players’ attitudes; Steph’s performance framed as a response to internal chatter.
- Mavericks front office: Nico Harrison’s firing (the hosts use it as evidence of organizational mistakes and muddled direction). The show speculates on roster futures, potential rebuilds, and who’s responsible.
- Player conduct: Brandon Ingram water-throwing incident (mentioned briefly) used as contrast when discussing tolerance for player behavior.
Viral moments & fan antics
- Clippers game: a fan ran onto the court, juked security, and the hosts reacted to the risks and spectacle — strong criticism of fans who invade courts.
- Soccer pitch invader who scored: described as an “ultimate fan” moment — he pulled it off, celebrated, and the hosts marveled at the audacity.
- Baseball/ALCS fan wearing a shirt depicting a butt plug (tied to a player nickname) — hosts found it wild and inappropriate; called out the strange merch/commitment.
Notable quotes / colorful lines
- “He could have put up 80 points if he wanted to.” — on Jokić’s dominance.
- “Your best ability is your availability.” — criticism of Bradley Beal’s repeated injuries.
- “Are you kidding me?” — repeated in disbelief at Hannah Hidalgo’s statline and LSU’s domination.
- “I make a buck. I scram.” — one host’s brush-off when talking about aiming high and moving on.
- Hosts repeatedly call out show producer/guest banter and poke fun at social-media posts (TikToks before games, fan videos).
Recommended clips to watch (as referenced in the show)
- Jokić highlights (the floater and first-quarter explosion)
- Steph Curry’s 46-point performance vs the Spurs
- Hannah Hidalgo’s full-game highlights (scoring and steals)
- Audi/Audy Crooks’ 43-point burst (19-minute highlight reel)
- LSU vs Charlotte game recap (blowout and halftime clip)
- Viral fan clips: Clippers runner, soccer fan who scored, and the baseball fan’s shirt moment
Action items / next steps for listeners
- If you follow the show’s on-air personalities, they asked listeners to follow:
- Rebecca Donahue (producer/guest)
- Trista Creek
- Juju Gotti
- Dylan Huang
- Tune in next Tuesday for another episode — hosts promised more coverage of the women’s game this season and continued takes on NBA storylines.
This episode mixes sports takeaways (big performances and injuries) with the pod’s usual humor and viral-media reactions — useful if you want the high-level sports news plus the show’s comedic spin.