Zach and The Ringer's Bill Simmons discuss the Pacers trading for Pascal Siakam, the Raptors' return on trading two stars, and then go back and forth naming players and teams under the most pressure to win the championship this season.

Siakam traded to the Pacers (1:10)

Bruce Brown has value on the trade market (8:48)

Did Toronto get enough for Siakam? (14:59)

Championship Pressure Index (26:40)

Celtics (27:39)

Dame and the Bucks (37:45)

Clippers (43:50)

Durant and the Suns (50:28)

Embiid and the Sixers (1:00:16)

Bam Adebayo and the Heat (1:09:49)

Nuggets (1:16:14)
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Bill Simmons on Siakam Trade and Championship Pressure Index

ESPN's Zach Lowe talks to various basketball people about various basketball things.

Sports

Zach and Howard Beck of The Ringer discuss the epic Knicks-Sixers series, Joel Embiid's play, what's next for the Sixers, Heat, and Bucks after disappointing first-round exits, the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George era in LA, the Darvin Ham noise, Knicks-Pacers early thoughts, and much more. Then Adam Mares of DNVR Sports and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic join for an in-depth preview of the Nuggets-Wolves showdown.
 
 
Knicks-Sixers all-time first-round series (7:32)
 
Embiid battled (19:49)
 
Sixers' crucial off-season (32:14)
 
Bucks' postmortem (39:33)
 
Heat have an intriguing off-season on the horizon (48:55)

Clippers on the brink (57:32)

Mares and Krawczynski preview Minnesota-Denver (1:10:57)
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Knicks-Sixers Slugfest, Off-season questions for Philly, Miami, and Milwaukee, and a TWolves-Nuggets Preview

Zach and ESPN's Bobby Marks discuss Anthony Edwards' brilliance in Minnesota's sweep of Phoenix, the potential fallout for the Suns, fake Kevin Durant trades, Clippers-Mavericks and Kawhi Leonard's injury, the pressure on Cleveland in Cavs-Magic, the stakes for the Sixers and Bucks behind 3-1, and much more. Then Fred Katz of The Athletic joins for a deep dive on Knicks-Sixers, New York's future plans, Pacers-Bucks, and more. 

Phoenix postmortem (11:30)

How the Durant trade hamstrung Phoenix (14:11)

Fake Durant trades (19:18)

Durant's legacy (27:45)

Clippers-Mavericks (33:33)

Cavs-Magic (44:17)

Sixers and Bucks on the brink (51:37)

Katz (1:06:36)

Game 5 adjustments (1:12:20)

Brunson's Game 4 masterpiece (1:16:44)

Injury updates (1:27:22)

Bucks-Pacers (1:31:42)

Knicks' future plans (1:36:41)
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ANT's Brilliance, Fake Durant Trades, Clips-Mavs, and a Knicks-Sixers Deep Dive

Zach is joined by Mo Dakhil for reactions to Game 3 in Knicks vs. 76ers, Cavaliers vs. Magic, and Nuggets vs. Lakers. They also preview the Game 3's in the Friday slate of games and how they expect the rest of the first round to play out.

2:55 Sixers bounce back against the Knicks
20:35 Lakers vs Nuggets
38:30 Magic vs. Cavs
44:00 Clippers vs. Mavericks
52:09 Wolves vs. Suns
58:15 Miami Heat shocking the Celtics yet again
1:09:53 Pels vs. Thunder
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First Round Check-In with Mo Dakhil

Zach and ESPN's Kevin Pelton discuss what they've seen from every Game 1 of the first round and what to look for as each series progresses.

Knicks-Sixers (2:11)

Celtics-Heat (8:03)

Cavs-Magic (12:06)

Nuggets-Lakers (16:46)

Timberwolves-Suns (27:10)

Thunder-Pelicans (36:21)

Clippers-Mavericks (50:23)

Bucks-Pacers (1:02:57)
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First Round Analysis with Kevin Pelton

Zach discusses the Warriors being eliminated from playoff contention and questions if this is the end of this team as we know them, then he is joined by David Thorpe for their annual 8x8 first round deep dive.
0:00 The Warriors being eliminated by the Kings.
19:10 Injury updates following the play-in.
25:55 Minnesota vs. Phoenix series preview
41:20 Sixers vs. Knicks preview
51:42 Lakers vs. Nuggets preview
1:04:00 Clippers vs. Mavs series preview
1:17:00 Magic vs.Cavs series preview.
1:26:45 Pacers vs. Bucks preview.
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Bill Simmons on Siakam Trade and Championship Pressure Index

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