The Mismatch

By The Ringer

What's The Mismatch about?

J.J. Redick of the Philadelphia 76ers interviews some of the biggest names in basketball—including his teammates!—and many other celebrities. It’s an inside look at life in the NBA and conversations with people who interest Redick the most.

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LAST EPISODE

Previewing the First Round ...

05.18.2021

Verno and KOC are back this Tuesday morning previewing all the play-in matchups coming at you over the next couple of days (0:30). First up, in the first round of the Eastern Conference play-in, they talk about the Hornets-Pacers game ...

The Mismatch episodes:

05.18.2021 Previewing the First Round of the Play-in Tournament, Plus KOC's All-NBA Picks Verno and KOC are back this Tuesday morning previewing all the play-in matchups coming at you over the next couple of days (0:30). First up, in the first round of the Eastern Conference play-in, they talk about the Hornets-Pacers game ...
05.14.2021 Playoff Seeding Remains Uncertain With Three Days Left in the Regular Season. Plus: Udonis Haslem Plays Basketball, and Looking Forward to the Hall of Fame Ceremony. Verno and KOC are back talking about all the crazy matchups and movements in playoff seeding and the uncertainty going into the last three days of regular-season basketball, including the implications on the Western Conference play-in of the Suns' win ...
05.11.2021 Intriguing Lower Seeds, Jaylen Brown’s Injury, Russ Breaks the Record, and Discussing KOC’s NBA Awards Ballot KOC and Verno start by discussing which lower-seeded teams from each conference could pull an upset in the playoffs (2:35). Then they talk about Jaylen Brown’s season-ending wrist injury and recap the issues the Celtics have had all season (19:38). ...
05.07.2021 Play-in Matchups, Plus the Impact of the Mavericks Missing Porzingis, Nets Missing Harden, and Lakers Missing Davis Verno and KOC discuss the teams that are missing a vital player— the Mavericks and Kristaps Porzingis, the Nets and James Harden, and the Lakers and Anthony Davis (2:52)—then touch on their potential strategies heading into the playoffs. Later, they ...
05.04.2021 The Play-in Tournament Is Increasing Competition Down the Stretch. Plus: Redemption for Marc Gasol, Russell Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony. This Tuesday, Verno and KOC discuss how, whatever players in danger of falling into it may say, the looming threat of the play-in tournament has indeed worked to increase competition between cusp teams and top teams for seeding down the ...
04.30.2021 The Ascent of Kevin Porter Jr. and Michael Porter Jr. Plus: The Phoenix Suns End Their Playoff Drought and the Trail Blazers Have a Heart-to-Heart. Verno and KOC are back this Friday covering the ascent of Kevin Porter Jr., who became the fourth youngest in history to score 50 points in an NBA game on Thursday night (6:51), and Michael Porter Jr., who has proved ...
04.27.2021 The Suns Could Nab the 1-seed in the West From the Jazz. Plus: The Timberwolves’ Future Remains Murky and the Trail Blazers’ Defense Is Historically Bad. Verno and KOC get into the odd phenomenon of the Minnesota Timberwolves sweeping the Utah Jazz this season and where the Timberwolves can go with their roster (0:30). Then they talk about Kevin Love phoning it in for $31 million ...
04.23.2021 Are the 76ers a Genuine Finals Threat? Plus: The Celtics, Knicks, and Wizards Surge and Anthony Davis Returns. Verno and KOC are back this Friday, talking about Anthony Davis returning to the basketball court against the Dallas Mavericks (0:25) and what the most important factors are to the Mavericks’ success in this final stretch of the season (2:30). ...
04.20.2021 We Are Standing Witness to Steph Curry’s Historic Greatness. Plus: The Clippers Are a Major Threat in the West and Stan Van Gundy Has Lost His Pelicans Team. Verno and KOC first get into the Steph Curry run that just keeps going (0:27) and Nikola Jokic doing things that no center has done before (19:47). Then they talk about whether the Suns are a major threat to be ...
04.16.2021 The Bulls’ and Kings’ Win-Now Moves Ultimately Amount to Losses. Plus: Jrue Holiday Is the Bucks’ Defensive Key, the Celtics Are Back on Form, and LaMarcus Aldridge Retires. Verno and KOC start off this Friday talking about the Bucks continuing their run in the second half of the season and how Jrue Holiday could be the piece that allows them to compete with the two other top teams ...
04.13.2021 Jamal Murray Tears His ACL. Plus: The Bulls Aren’t Fitting Together, the Knicks Are at a Crossroads, and the Celtics Might Be Able to Make a Run. This Tuesday it’s KOC’s flu pod as he and Verno get into the sad news that Jamal Murray tore his ACL on Monday night during a game against the Warriors (3:10), in which Steph Curry racked up an astounding 53 ...
04.09.2021 Nikola Jokic Should Be the MVP. Plus: Wacky Western Conference Seeding and the Buyout Period Ends. Verno and KOC start this Friday off talking about who’s left in the MVP pool and why Jokic’s case is the strongest (0:30). Then they get into Thursday’s contentious Clippers-Suns game and the swirling uncertainty over how seeding could shake ...
04.06.2021 Which Teams Are Surging and Which Are Faltering Heading Into the NBA Season’s Final Stretch? As the stretch run approaches, Verno and KOC talk about the teams that are surging toward the postseason and those that are falling behind. The Utah Jazz haven’t let up with their 3-heavy playing style (0:24) and the Brooklyn Nets ...
04.02.2021 Who’s to Blame for the Celtics’ Underwhelming Season? Plus: LaMarcus Aldridge Starts for the Nets and the Clippers Overhaul Their Culture Verno and KOC get into all the league business this Friday, starting with LaMarcus Aldridge heading straight to the starting five for the Brooklyn Nets (0:30) and Miami’s continued high level of play (11:28). Then they get into Aaron Gordon’s ...
03.30.2021 The Nets and Lakers Fortify Their Rosters on the Buyout Market. Plus: Zion Williamson's Monster Performance Against the Mavericks. Verno and KOC start off by talking about the biggest signings from the buyout market, with LaMarcus Aldridge going to the Nets and Andre Drummond going to the Lakers (0:30). Then they get into Zion Williamson’s monster game against the ...
03.26.2021 The Mismatch’s Trade Deadline Postmortem This Friday, Verno and KOC get into the most active trade deadline in NBA history, starting with the unexpected trade of Nikola Vucevic from the Magic to the Bulls (3:00). Then they get into the addition of Aaron Gordon to ...
03.23.2021 The Mismatch's Trade Deadline Preview. Plus: The Bucks Are Back and Steve Kerr’s Comments on 'Real Ones.' Verno and KOC are back with all the potential trades you need to know about before the trade deadline this Thursday. First up: The Lakers have made Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell available in trade conversations and are still interested ...
03.19.2021 The Hawks’ and Timberwolves’ Midseason Coaching Changes Have Paid Off. Plus: The Trade Deadline Approaches and KOC’s 2021 Draft Guide Drops. Verno and KOC dive into the recent success of the Hawks and Timberwolves, who both replaced their head coaches midseason, and how a coach can unlock players’ talents and effort (6:52). Then they wonder whether the Pelicans will ever figure ...
03.16.2021 The Charlotte Hornets Are Taking the League by Swarm. Plus: Chris Paul’s Gas Tank Is Still Full and the Hawks Look Rejuvenated. Verno and KOC go all the way around the league this Tuesday starting in sunny Miami where Jimmy Butler could be playing himself into the MVP conversation (0:30), and moving on to the team that’s taking the league by swarm, ...
03.12.2021 Would You Rather Have LaMelo Ball or Ja Morant? Plus: Full Slate of NBA Games and LaMarcus Aldridge and PJ Tucker Are on the Market. Verno and KOC first get into a little beef this Friday because Kevin said he would take LaMelo Ball over Ja Morant on 'Ringer NBA University' (0:45). Then they get into all the games that have happened since the second ...
03.09.2021 What Can Blake Griffin Add to the Brooklyn Nets? Plus: KOC’s Midseason Power Rankings Verno and KOC discuss their reactions to the All-Star Game (0:25) and what, if anything, Blake Griffin has left in the tank to pursue a championship with the Brooklyn Nets (9:20). Then they dive deep into several aspects of KOC’s ...
03.05.2021 Can Jrue Holiday Help the Bucks Break Their Postseason Slump? Plus: Surprises and Disappointments at the Halfway Mark, and Mailbag! Verno and KOC start off the podcast with the shady-as-all-hell All-Star draft in which the two Jazz stars were chosen last (0:30) before getting into what Jrue Holiday adds to the Bucks' postseason potential (10:00) and wondering what's up with ...
03.02.2021 Hawks Fire Lloyd Pierce, Zion Williamson Is a Force of Nature, and the Nets Still Have Higher Levels to Reach Verno and KOC get into all the factors that led to the Atlanta Hawks firing head coach Lloyd Pierce midseason and what this Hawks team’s ceiling can be moving forward (0:30). After the Pelicans' exhilarating win over the Jazz, they ...
02.26.2021 Ben Simmons Devastates Luka Doncic and the Pelicans Are Confusing As Ever. Plus: Coach Malone Put His Foot in His Mouth, and Mailbag! Verno and KOC are back this Friday covering the Bucks' win over the Pelicans and what makes the Pelicans the most confusing team in the NBA (4:30), Michael Malone’s ill-advised comments after the Nuggets lost a tough one to the ...
02.23.2021 Do the Wizards Have a Chance at the Playoffs? Plus: the Timberwolves’ Future, All-Star Reserves, and More Verno and KOC are back this Tuesday getting into the Wizards’ overtime win over the Lakers and five-game winning streak that raises the question of whether the team’s newfound success will last (0:30). Then they talk about what the Timberwolves ...
02.19.2021 Luka Doncic Snags an All-Star Starter Position Over Damian Lillard. Plus: Blazers, Celtics, Jazz, Nets, and Mailbag! Verno and KOC take a look at the All-Star starters and talk about the inclusion of Luka Doncic over Damian Lillard (1:00), then get into the injury-riddled Blazers and Lillard’s incredible effort (13:00). After that they jump around the league ...
02.16.2021 The Dominant Jazz, the Faltering Hawks, and the Rising Suns Verno and KOC have so much to talk about this week. They get into the Utah Jazz just dominating the league (1:00), Julius Randle’s 44-point game (16:30), and the Hawks taking a nosedive in recent weeks with De'Andre Hunter out ...
02.12.2021 Zach Lowe on the Teams He’s Most Surprised by This Season, All-Star Voting, Joel Embiid, and More ESPN’s Zach Lowe stops by to talk with Verno and KOC about how he got into sports journalism (0:45), the teams he’s most surprised by this season (20:00), the state of his All-Star ballot (31:45), Joel Embiid’s monster season (51:00), ...
02.09.2021 LaMelo Ball and the Instant Impact of NBA Rookies. Plus: Appreciating Dejounte Murray, Steph Curry, and De’Aaron Fox. Verno and KOC take a tour around the league, starting with LaMelo Ball's success in Charlotte (3:00) and what factors play into the increasingly early success of young players over the past decade (11:00). Then they jet over to San ...
02.05.2021 Six Players Who Deserve More Recognition This Season. Plus: LeBron James's Comments on NBA All-Star Plans. Verno and KOC are back this Friday talking about Adam Silver’s LeBron James–induced headache over the NBA’s All-Star plans in Atlanta (0:30) and James's MVP-level performance against the Nuggets on Thursday night (18:05). Then KOC officially hits the panic button ...
02.02.2021 What’s Holding the Dallas Mavericks Back From Reaching Their Full Potential? Verno and KOC get into LaMelo Ball’s first start and Malik Monk’s fantastic play in the Hornets’ win over the Heat, as well as how the Heat haven’t been putting the pedal to the metal this season after their Finals ...
01.29.2021 How Christian Wood, Jerami Grant, and Mikal Bridges Are Lifting Up Their Teams On this Friday, Chris and Kevin get into the new-look, defensively minded Rockets after the James Harden trade brought them Victor Oladipo (8:00), how good Jerami Grant looks on the "giant killer" Pistons (15:25), and what Mikal Bridges brings to ...
01.26.2021 Jaylen Brown Is Making The Leap Towards Greatness Before Our Eyes Chris and Kevin start off by reflecting on the legacy of the late great Kobe Bryant a year after his death (3:00). Then they get into the pure fun of the Lakers-Cavaliers game Monday night where LeBron James went for ...
01.22.2021 Why Are the Pelicans Playing So Far Below Their Potential This Season? Chris and Kevin get into the most interesting games of the week, starting with the Lakers’ lackadaisical win over the not-quite-complete Bucks (0:45). Then they get into Tom Thibodeau’s continually surprising positive effect on the Knicks after a win over ...
01.19.2021 Are the Suns Getting the Most Out of Devin Booker? Chris and Kevin dive into the emerging story lines in the league, starting with how James Harden and KD played together against the Bucks on Monday (1:00), how CJ McCollum’s injury, in conjunction with Nurkic’s injury, will affect Portland’s playoff ...
01.15.2021 What Does the James Harden Trade Say About How the NBA Has Changed? Chris and Kevin discuss the details of the intricate and wide-reaching James Harden trade on Wednesday (0:40). Then they get into a conversation about what the nature of Harden’s trade request says about the changes that have occurred across the ...
01.12.2021 An NBA Game of "Do You Believe…?" Since it’s still early in the season, Chris and Kevin play a game of “Do You Believe..?” to discuss emerging trends across the NBA. Do you believe that the season will go on without having to take a long stoppage ...
01.08.2021 Biggest Surprises From the NBA Season So Far Chris and Kevin take a look at how the COVID-19 protocols are working after Seth Curry’s positive test (5:07) and at the massive leak from the Hawks’ locker room reported by The Athletic (13:14). Then they get into the biggest ...
01.05.2021 Can Steph Curry and the Warriors Reach the Postseason? Chris and Kevin go through all the big games and story lines in the NBA, kicking it off with a discussion about Tom Thibodeau’s 4-3 Knicks and their win over the Hawks on Monday (0:39). Then they get into Steph ...
12.29.2020 Ten Early Season Observations Verno and KOC talk about 10 observations they've made in the early part of the season, including impressive showings from rookies Precious Achiuwa (18:18) and Tyrese Haliburton (34:45), hot starts by the Cavs (50:30) and Hawks (7:55), and much more. ...
12.22.2020 The Mismatch’s 2020-21 NBA Season Preview Verno and KOC go through the slew of extensions and deals that have and haven’t closed over the past week (0:36). Then they get into the 10 teams in each conference they think will make the playoffs and play-in (29:25) ...
12.18.2020 Nick Wright on James Harden, the Clippers, MVP Picks, and More After Verno attends his first live basketball game in person since March, the boys get into the Grizzlies-Hawks game (0:47) and the Twitter kerfuffle last night about Ben Simmons potentially being available in a trade for James Harden (6:50). Then ...
12.15.2020 Giannis Contract Reaction and Five NBA Preseason Takeaways Before the show, KOC gives his instant reactions to Giannis' brand new shiny contract with the Bucks (0:01). Then Verno and KOC get into the new Pelicans offense under Stan Van Gundy (5:52), Talen Horton-Tucker’s breakout preseason with the Lakers ...
12.11.2020 Where in the League is James Harden Headed? Verno and KOC start with Paul George’s shiny new contract with the Clippers (0:41), what in the world the Rockets can do with Harden (8:33), and Kyrie’s $25,000 fine levied by the NBA (18:40), before they get into the teams ...
12.08.2020 Bill Simmons on the Harden Fiasco, Teams He’s High and Low on, Rookie of the Year Picks, and More Bill Simmons joins Verno and KOC on the brand-new feed to talk about James Harden skipping training camp in favor of the strip club (0:45), the Brooklyn Nets (23:24), teams Bill is higher on and lower on than everyone else ...
12.04.2020 Will Westbrook Help the Wizards? Plus: Lakers Loom Large and PG-13 Talks Trash Verno and KOC get into the nitty gritty of the Westbrook-Wall trade (3:00), then talk over the latest news around the league, including the LeBron and AD signings (42:30), Paul George’s recent comments about his role on the Clippers, and ...
12.01.2020 Welcome to 'The Mismatch'! That's right, NBA fans! 'The Mismatch' now has its very own feed, where you can find Verno and KOC getting in fights and making up, as they always do. Welcome to 'The Mismatch.' Follow on Spotify or subscribe wherever you ...
07.24.2020 Bomani Jones on the Value of Expertise, Using One’s Platform Effectively, and Nitpicking JJ and Tommy sit down with sports journalist and ESPN personality Bomani Jones to talk about the return of sports as the NBA restart nears (04:15). They also discuss why people should be experts in their fields and how athletes ...
07.16.2020 Patrick Beverley on Doubt, Setting Goals, and Developing His Game JJ and Tommy are joined by LA Clipper Patrick Beverley to discuss the updates from the bubble and what's in store for the NBA. Beverley talks about coming up in the game in Europe and revelations he had while striving ...
07.10.2020 Rex Chapman on the Orlando Bubble, Amassing a Social Media Presence, and the Best Shooting Guards Twelve-year NBA vet Rex Chapman joins JJ and Tommy to discuss all things NBA now that players have arrived in Orlando for the NBA's return (03:43). Rex also breaks down his growth into a social media star and how he's ...

Older episodes

The Mismatch

What's The Mismatch about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Mismatch episodes:

Previewing the First Round of the Play-in Tournament, Plus KOC's All-NBA Picks

Playoff Seeding Remains Uncertain With Three Days Left in the Regular Season. Plus: Udonis Haslem Plays Basketball, and Looking Forward to the Hall of Fame Ceremony.

Intriguing Lower Seeds, Jaylen Brown’s Injury, Russ Breaks the Record, and Discussing KOC’s NBA Awards Ballot

Play-in Matchups, Plus the Impact of the Mavericks Missing Porzingis, Nets Missing Harden, and Lakers Missing Davis

The Play-in Tournament Is Increasing Competition Down the Stretch. Plus: Redemption for Marc Gasol, Russell Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony.

The Ascent of Kevin Porter Jr. and Michael Porter Jr. Plus: The Phoenix Suns End Their Playoff Drought and the Trail Blazers Have a Heart-to-Heart.

The Suns Could Nab the 1-seed in the West From the Jazz. Plus: The Timberwolves’ Future Remains Murky and the Trail Blazers’ Defense Is Historically Bad.

Are the 76ers a Genuine Finals Threat? Plus: The Celtics, Knicks, and Wizards Surge and Anthony Davis Returns.

We Are Standing Witness to Steph Curry’s Historic Greatness. Plus: The Clippers Are a Major Threat in the West and Stan Van Gundy Has Lost His Pelicans Team.

The Bulls’ and Kings’ Win-Now Moves Ultimately Amount to Losses. Plus: Jrue Holiday Is the Bucks’ Defensive Key, the Celtics Are Back on Form, and LaMarcus Aldridge Retires.

Jamal Murray Tears His ACL. Plus: The Bulls Aren’t Fitting Together, the Knicks Are at a Crossroads, and the Celtics Might Be Able to Make a Run.

Nikola Jokic Should Be the MVP. Plus: Wacky Western Conference Seeding and the Buyout Period Ends.

Which Teams Are Surging and Which Are Faltering Heading Into the NBA Season’s Final Stretch?

Who’s to Blame for the Celtics’ Underwhelming Season? Plus: LaMarcus Aldridge Starts for the Nets and the Clippers Overhaul Their Culture

The Nets and Lakers Fortify Their Rosters on the Buyout Market. Plus: Zion Williamson's Monster Performance Against the Mavericks.

The Mismatch’s Trade Deadline Postmortem

The Mismatch's Trade Deadline Preview. Plus: The Bucks Are Back and Steve Kerr’s Comments on 'Real Ones.'

The Hawks’ and Timberwolves’ Midseason Coaching Changes Have Paid Off. Plus: The Trade Deadline Approaches and KOC’s 2021 Draft Guide Drops.

The Charlotte Hornets Are Taking the League by Swarm. Plus: Chris Paul’s Gas Tank Is Still Full and the Hawks Look Rejuvenated.

Would You Rather Have LaMelo Ball or Ja Morant? Plus: Full Slate of NBA Games and LaMarcus Aldridge and PJ Tucker Are on the Market.

What Can Blake Griffin Add to the Brooklyn Nets? Plus: KOC’s Midseason Power Rankings

Can Jrue Holiday Help the Bucks Break Their Postseason Slump? Plus: Surprises and Disappointments at the Halfway Mark, and Mailbag!

Hawks Fire Lloyd Pierce, Zion Williamson Is a Force of Nature, and the Nets Still Have Higher Levels to Reach

Ben Simmons Devastates Luka Doncic and the Pelicans Are Confusing As Ever. Plus: Coach Malone Put His Foot in His Mouth, and Mailbag!

Do the Wizards Have a Chance at the Playoffs? Plus: the Timberwolves’ Future, All-Star Reserves, and More

Luka Doncic Snags an All-Star Starter Position Over Damian Lillard. Plus: Blazers, Celtics, Jazz, Nets, and Mailbag!

The Dominant Jazz, the Faltering Hawks, and the Rising Suns

Zach Lowe on the Teams He’s Most Surprised by This Season, All-Star Voting, Joel Embiid, and More

LaMelo Ball and the Instant Impact of NBA Rookies. Plus: Appreciating Dejounte Murray, Steph Curry, and De’Aaron Fox.

Six Players Who Deserve More Recognition This Season. Plus: LeBron James's Comments on NBA All-Star Plans.

What’s Holding the Dallas Mavericks Back From Reaching Their Full Potential?

How Christian Wood, Jerami Grant, and Mikal Bridges Are Lifting Up Their Teams

Jaylen Brown Is Making The Leap Towards Greatness Before Our Eyes

Why Are the Pelicans Playing So Far Below Their Potential This Season?

Are the Suns Getting the Most Out of Devin Booker?

What Does the James Harden Trade Say About How the NBA Has Changed?

An NBA Game of "Do You Believe…?"

Biggest Surprises From the NBA Season So Far

Can Steph Curry and the Warriors Reach the Postseason?

Ten Early Season Observations

The Mismatch’s 2020-21 NBA Season Preview

Nick Wright on James Harden, the Clippers, MVP Picks, and More

Giannis Contract Reaction and Five NBA Preseason Takeaways

Where in the League is James Harden Headed?

Bill Simmons on the Harden Fiasco, Teams He’s High and Low on, Rookie of the Year Picks, and More

Will Westbrook Help the Wizards? Plus: Lakers Loom Large and PG-13 Talks Trash

Welcome to 'The Mismatch'!

Bomani Jones on the Value of Expertise, Using One’s Platform Effectively, and Nitpicking

Patrick Beverley on Doubt, Setting Goals, and Developing His Game

Rex Chapman on the Orlando Bubble, Amassing a Social Media Presence, and the Best Shooting Guards

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