We sit down ahead of the NBA Finals to go through some of the news that has broken between the end of the Eastern Conference Finals and now. First, do the Rockets need to hit the reset button on their core if they want to win the title (2:45)? Then, the deluge of Lakers turmoil seems to be never ending, but will it ultimately trickle off if they go star-hunting this offseason (22:00)? Finally, we share our observations on NBA free agency and rumblings about a midseason tournament that have us thinking about the ways that basketball is starting to mirror soccer (37:40).

Hosts: Justin Verrier and Chris Ryan

      
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The Rockets' Reboot, the Lakers' Turmoil, and Repositioning Basketball As International Soccer | Group Chat

The Ringer NBA squad provides the insight, reporting, and analysis that you need in your life right here on The Ringer NBA Show. On Sundays and Wednesdays, check out 'Group Chat' with Justin Verrier, Wosny Lambre and Rob Mahoney. Tap in on Mondays and Thursdays for 'Real Ones' with Logan Murdock and Raja Bell.

Sports

Justin, Rob, and Wos take a look at every playoff series after two games and discuss their thoughts on what they’ve seen so far and their keys moving forward.

Heat-Celtics: (1:29)
Thunder-Pelicans: (20:43)
Clippers-Mavericks: (36:05)
Timberwolves-Suns: (44:02)
Nuggets-Lakers: (50:39)
Knicks-Sixers: (55:15)
Bucks-Pacers: (1:00:18)
Cavs-Magic: (1:03:55)

The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available.

Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and Wosny Lambre
Producer: Isaiah Blakely
Additional Production Supervision: Ben Cruz
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A Celtics Therapy Session. Plus, Resetting Every First-Round Series After Two Games. | Group Chat

Logan, Howard, and Raja are back to help you digest a weekend of Game 1s and kick off the 2024 NBA playoffs. Along the way, the guys discuss the Pelicans and Thunder game, which came down to the wire (05:00); whether James Harden’s Game 1 against the Mavericks is fool's gold (12:00); a disappointing outing for Tyrese Haliburton (36:00); and much more. Later, producer Kerm reads your questions for Logan, Howard, and Raja to answer (57:00).
Hosts: Logan Murdock, Howard Beck, and Raja Bell
Guest: Jomi Adeniran
Producer: Jonathan Kermah
Production Assistant: Kai Grady
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One Burning Question for Each Game 1 of Opening Playoffs Weekend | Real Ones

Justin, Rob, and Wos bring their biggest takeaways from Saturday’s Game 1s, starting with Lakers-Nuggets (2:50). Then they discuss Knicks-Sixers (14:55) and Timberwolves-Suns (25:26), and they wrap up with Cavs-Magic (39:35).

The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available.

Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and Wosny Lambre
Producers: Isaiah Blakely and Tucker Tashjian
Additional Production Supervision: Ben Cruz
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Top-Line Takeaways From All of Saturday’s Game 1s | Group Chat

Logan and Raja start the pod with former NBA player Jontay Porter getting banned for betting on games that he played in, and discuss why the league had to ban him (03:28). They then begin their playoff preview with the no. 7 Sixers facing the no. 2 Knicks. Is Joel Embiid healthy enough for the Sixers to upset the Knicks (16:09)? Can the no. 7 Lakers upset the no. 2 Denver Nuggets, even though they haven’t beaten them in their last eight contests (35:25)? Can the Clippers take care of the red-hot Mavericks, who’ve been on a roll since the All-Star break (45:38)?
The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available.

Hosts: Logan Murdock and Raja Bell
Producer: Cliff Augustin
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Playoff Preview and Jontay Porter Banned From the NBA | Real Ones

Justin, Rob, and Wos start with their reactions to the two Eastern Conference play-in games, first with the Sixers beating the Heat, and then the Bulls beating the Hawks. They also briefly discuss their thoughts on Sixers-Knicks in the first round and how injuries will impact the Heat and Bulls moving forward. Then, they talk about Jontay Porter getting a lifetime ban from the NBA for betting. In the second part of the podcast, they debut a new segment called “The Verriables,” where they answer six questions about the first round of the playoffs, including first-round series predictions (25:32).

The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available.

Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and Wosny Lambre
Producers: Isaiah Blakely, Chia Hao Tat, and Victoria Valencia
Additional Production Supervision: Ben Cruz
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The Rockets' Reboot, the Lakers' Turmoil, and Repositioning Basketball As International Soccer | Group Chat

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