Mon, Dec 14, 2020
Before the show, KOC gives his instant reactions to Giannis' brand new shiny contract with the Bucks. Then Verno and KOC get into the new Pelicans offense under Stan Van Gundy, Talen Horton-Tucker's breakout preseason with the Lakers, the challenging conditions for rookies this season, the fun and fancy-free LaMelo Ball, the Bucks' new roster, and much more.
Thu, Dec 17, 2020
After Verno attends his first live basketball game in person since March, the boys get into the Grizzlies-Hawks game and the Twitter kerfuffle last night about Ben Simmons potentially being available in a trade for James Harden. Then Nick Wright of 'First Things First' joins Verno and KOC to talk about how he got into the industry, the Harden situation, the Clippers' demise, the best teams in the Western Conference, and the bets he's put down for the 2020-21 season.
Mon, Jan 4, 2021
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. Then they get into Steph Curry's incredible performance over the past couple of games and what the Warriors need to do to reach the postseason, the Kings' abysmal start to the season, and Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum's tag-team takedown of the Raptors.
Thu, Jan 7, 2021
Chris and Kevin take a look at how the COVID-19 protocols are working after Seth Curry's positive test and at the massive leak from the Hawks' locker room reported by The Athletic. Then they get into the biggest surprises of the NBA season so far, including the Brogdon-and-Sabonis-led Pacers glow-up, Lou Dort's stellar 3-point shooting, Julius Randle's Knicks, and more.
Thu, Jan 14, 2021
Chris and Kevin discuss the details of the intricate and wide-reaching James Harden trade on Wednesday. Then they get into a conversation about what the nature of Harden's trade request says about the changes that have occurred across the NBA and NBA coverage, including player empowerment, the media boom, and shifts in fandom. They cap it all off with a conversation about the specific on-court and off-court chemistry concerns for the Nets with their new star-studded roster.
Mon, Jan 18, 2021
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, how CJ McCollum's injury, in conjunction with Nurkic's injury, will affect Portland's playoff aspirations, and Jamal Murray's disconcerting step down from his bubble play in contrast to Paul George's step up. Then they talk about whether the Suns are getting the most out of Devin Booker, how the Grizzlies are playing with Ja Morant back in the fold, and the Warriors' win over the Lakers on Monday.
Thu, Jan 21, 2021
Chris and Kevin get into the most interesting games of the week, starting with the Lakers' lackadaisical win over the not-quite-complete Bucks. Then they get into Tom Thibodeau's continually surprising positive effect on the Knicks after a win over the Warriors, the difference in development between RJ Barrett and Zion Williamson, and the Pelicans' struggles this season. Finally, they get into the generally unremarked-upon success of the Utah Jazz and Shaq's bizarre interaction with Donovan Mitchell after their win over the Pelicans, and the late-night trade of Kevin Porter Jr. from the Cavaliers to the Rockets for a protected second-round pick.
Mon, Jan 25, 2021
Chris and Kevin start off by reflecting on the legacy of the late great Kobe Bryant a year after his death. Then they get into the pure fun of the Lakers-Cavaliers game Monday night where LeBron James went for 46 points in a dominant performance. And in an episode all about the surprises of the season, a not-so-surprising surprise is that LeBron James has not been coasting early, and the Lakers look like the clear favorites, but the Clippers are not too far behind with Kawhi and Paul George playing out of their minds after faltering in the bubble. Other surprises of the season include the little amount of separation between teams and how many teams are trying to make a playoff run this season, Tom Thibodeau's defensive impact on the Knicks, Jaylen Brown's explosion towards greatness, and the NBA's plans for a potential All-Star Weekend in Atlanta in February. And finally, Chris and Kevin give their awards predictions a quarter of the way into the season.
Thu, Jan 28, 2021
Chris and Kevin get into the new-look, defensively minded Rockets after the James Harden trade brought them Victor Oladipo, how good Jerami Grant looks on the "giant killer" Pistons, and what Mikal Bridges brings to the bright-now Suns. Then Chris shows us his diamond hands in a game of Do Not Sell, where he invites KOC to buy low on some of the players whose stock is going straight to the moon.
Mon, Feb 1, 2021
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 run. Then they talk about what is causing the Mavericks to perform below expectations, including worse shooting than last season and Kristaps Porzingis's inability to stay on the court and play at a high level. They take a look at this hungry Rockets team, the Grizzlies' winning streak, the Pelicans' issues, and why Bradley Beal likely won't be traded this season.
Thu, Feb 4, 2021
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 and James's MVP-level performance against the Nuggets on Thursday night. Then KOC officially hits the panic button on the struggling Dallas Mavericks, as Kristaps Porzingis continues to play below expectations. And finally, KOC and Verno give some love to six players who deserve more shine for their achievements this season.
Mon, Feb 8, 2021
Verno and KOC take a tour around the league, starting with LaMelo Ball's success in Charlotte and what factors play into the increasingly early success of young players over the past decade. Then they jet over to San Antonio, where Dejounte Murray led the Spurs to victory over the Warriors and Steph Curry continued to make a fringe case for MVP. Finally, they hit Utah to discuss an underappreciated Jazz team, Boston to parse through trade whispers, and Sacramento to acknowledge De'Aaron Fox's bona fide star power.
Mon, Feb 15, 2021
Verno and KOC have so much to talk about this week. They get into the Utah Jazz just dominating the league, Julius Randle's 44-point game, and the Hawks taking a nosedive in recent weeks with De'Andre Hunter out. Then they talk about the Suns' success with Devin Booker and Chris Paul, AD's injury, and Draymond Green's comments about Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin being benched after their teams made them available for trades.
Thu, Feb 18, 2021
Verno and KOC take a look at the All-Star starters and talk about the inclusion of Luka Doncic over Damian Lillard, then get into the injury-riddled Blazers and Lillard's incredible effort. After that they jump around the league and hit the Celtics and what pieces they might still need, Utah's continued dominance through a tough section of its schedule, and the Nets' win over the Lakers before answering a few listener questions.
Mon, Feb 22, 2021
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. Then they talk about what the Timberwolves can do to salvage this season and their future, whether Houston should rebuild or try for the playoffs, their picks for All-Star reserves, and more.
Thu, Feb 25, 2021
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, Michael Malone's ill-advised comments after the Nuggets lost a tough one to the Wizards, Ben Simmons's devastating defense stifling Luka Doncic, and G League player Jonathan Kuminga making a name for himself on the Ignite team. Then they delve into the mailbag to answer questions about basketball, life, video games, and more.
Mon, Mar 1, 2021
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. After the Pelicans' exhilarating win over the Jazz, they look into the roster and leadership decisions that still need to be made in order to maximize the Pelicans' potential. Then they discuss Brooklyn slicing and dicing its way through the league over the past couple of weeks and the even higher levels of play the Nets can reach once Kevin Durant returns, what Julius Randle and RJ Barrett are doing for the Knicks, Malik Monk and LaMelo Ball's production on the Hornets, and the steep decline of the Sacramento Kings.
Thu, Mar 4, 2021
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 before getting into what Jrue Holiday adds to the Bucks' postseason potential and wondering what's up with all these young players getting ejected for complaining about the refereeing. Then they talk about the best surprises and worst disappointments of the first half of the season and where Blake Griffin might be headed after getting bought out by the Pistons. Finally, they open up the mailbag and answer some listener questions.
Mon, Mar 8, 2021
Verno and KOC discuss their reactions to the All-Star Game and what, if anything, Blake Griffin has left in the tank to pursue a championship with the Brooklyn Nets. Then they dive deep into several aspects of KOC's NBA midseason power rankings , including whether Jamal Murray is on a hot streak or making the leap, Bam Adebayo having the best season of his career, Kyle Lowry's future with the Raptors, what team Victor Oladipo could end up on, interest from multiple teams in the G League's Alize Johnson, and much more.
Thu, Mar 11, 2021
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'. Then they get into all the games that have happened since the second half of the season commenced, including the 76ers' bench win over the Bulls, the Pelicans' icky loss to the Timberwolves, Aleksej Pokusevski's first NBA start for the Thunder against the Mavericks, Tony Snell's death knell to beat the Raptors, Kyrie's incredible game against the Celtics, and the Bucks looking better than ever against the Knicks. Finally, they discuss whether they'd rather have newly available LaMarcus Aldridge or PJ Tucker on a winning team and Caris LeVert's return to the court after a surgery to remove a mass on his kidney.
Mon, Mar 15, 2021
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 , and moving on to the team that's taking the league by swarm, the Charlotte Hornets (6:00), and Atlanta's comeback in the thus-far-successful Nate McMillan era. Then they quick-hit the Knicks, Lakers and Blazers before diving deep into the success of the Chris Paul-led Phoenix Suns.
Thu, Mar 18, 2021
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. Then they wonder whether the Pelicans will ever figure it out with Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe, who simply aren't setting the example needed from veterans, and whether Sacramento will let go of any of its players at the trade deadline. And at last they take a look at the first iteration of KOC's 2021 NBA Draft Guide as the first round of March Madness commences.
Mon, Mar 22, 2021
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 in Andre Drummond. The Bucks look like they're back to their elite level after their invigorating trade for PJ Tucker. Next, they talk about where Aaron Gordon could end up at the deadline and whether Kyle Lowry will get traded to the 76ers, the Heat, or at all. Then they talk about whether the Pelicans should trade Lonzo Ball when he's the only player trying on the defensive end of the floor. Finally, they talk about the controversy and drama surrounding Steve Kerr's recent comments on 'Real Ones' on 'The Ringer NBA Show' with Logan Murdock and Raja Bell.
Thu, Mar 25, 2021
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. Then they get into the addition of Aaron Gordon to the Nuggets, the Lakers, Heat, and 76ers passing on Kyle Lowry, Miami's strategically significant trade for Victor Oladipo, Portland's sneaky addition of Norman Powell, the somewhat baffling Rajon Rondo for Lou Williams trade, and more.
Mon, Mar 29, 2021
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. Then they get into Zion Williamson's monster game against the Mavericks, Tyrese Haliburton making a run at Rookie of the Year with LaMelo hurt, the top three contenders in the East, and the latest on the men's NCAA tournament.
Thu, Apr 1, 2021
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 and Miami's continued high level of play. Then they get into Aaron Gordon's fantastic debut games for the Nuggets and their win over a full-strength Clippers team that has made some serious culture changes over the past year. Finally, they talk about what has gone so desperately wrong with the Boston Celtics, what Patrick Williams could do for the Bulls' future, and the NCAA Final Four.
Mon, Apr 5, 2021
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 and the Brooklyn Nets have plenty of options for different matchups in the postseason. Then they talk about how Aaron Gordon looks like the glue between Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, Ben Simmons falling short in recent weeks, this year's Warriors hurtling toward basketball hell and more.
Thu, Apr 8, 2021
Verno and KOC start this Friday off talking about who's left in the MVP pool and why Jokic's case is the strongest. Then they get into Thursday's contentious Clippers-Suns game and the swirling uncertainty over how seeding could shake out in the Western Conference, Victor Oladipo's knee injury, and the impending overhaul of the Kings. Finally, as the buyout period ends, they mention any names that could still get bought out, look back at the transactions that were made, and examine the current Eastern Conference standings.
Mon, Apr 12, 2021
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, in which Steph Curry racked up an astounding 53 points. And they talk about what James Wiseman's injury means for the Warriors' season and why young big men can't stay on the floor. Then they talk about Mark Cuban's complaints about the play-in tournament after the Mavericks lost to the 76ers and how the Western Conference seeding could shake out with the Nuggets depleted. Finally they touch on what pieces the Bulls need to succeed, whether it'd be better for the Knicks to go as far as they possibly can this season or tank for a draft pick, and whether the Celtics can make a run down the stretch.
Thu, Apr 15, 2021
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 in the East. Then they discuss a league report that says the injury rate is actually down 6 percent this season, contrary to popular belief, but doesn't address how who is getting injured has affected the quality of the product. After that they get into news from around league over the past couple of days, including Steph Curry going on an unbelievable eight-game tear, the Celtics continuing their hot streak by whooping the Lakers, and Deandre Ayton's big game against the Kings. Then they lament the failed win-now moves made by the Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings that have ultimately amounted to a bunch of losses and, potentially, uncertainty in their star players' minds that those organizations will ever be stable enough to win. Finally, they touch on Luka Doncic's magical game-winning shot against the Grizzlies and LaMarcus Aldridge's retirement.
Mon, Apr 19, 2021
Verno and KOC first get into the Steph Curry run that just keeps going and Nikola Jokic doing things that no center has done before. Then they talk about whether the Suns are a major threat to be in the NBA Finals, who could beat the Clippers and their newfound chemistry in the West, and whether the Pelicans made a mistake in hiring head coach Stan Van Gundy. Finally, some good news: LaMelo Ball is set to return to the Hornets lineup this season after what looked like a season-ending wrist injury. Reminder: Don't ever mention Campazzo's name to Chris.
Thu, Apr 22, 2021
Verno and KOC are back this Friday, talking about Anthony Davis returning to the basketball court against the Dallas Mavericks and what the most important factors are to the Mavericks' success in this final stretch of the season. Then they get into the 76ers losing to the Bucks Thursday night after a relatively quiet game from Joel Embiid with Ben Simmons out and how important getting that no. 1 seed in the East will be for postseason success with three juggernaut teams at the top. Finally, they talk about the three unexpected teams in the Eastern Conference that are currently surging: the Celtics, the Knicks, and the Wizards.
Mon, Apr 26, 2021
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. Then they talk about Kevin Love phoning it in for $31 million, the Phoenix Suns snapping the Knicks' winning streak, and Western Conference playoff seeding. Finally, they talk about the Trail Blazers' disappointing season, historically bad defense, and what, if anything, the team can do in the future to remake its roster.
Thu, Apr 29, 2021
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, and Michael Porter Jr., who has proved himself in the absence of Jamal Murray. Then they touch briefly on Giannis exiting the Bucks-Rockets game after rolling his ankle and the Warriors' baffling loss to the Timberwolves, before getting into the incredible success of the Phoenix Suns clinching a playoff spot after an 11-year drought and how the first round of the playoffs could shake out in the West. Finally, they touch on the Trail Blazers' supposed heart-to-heart that was meant to propel them into the postseason and the relationship between Jimmy Butler and Erik Spoelstra.
Mon, May 3, 2021
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 stretch. Then they get into everyone's favorite feel-good story of the season, the New York Knicks, who beat down the Grizzlies on Monday with monster performances from who else but recently dubbed top 25 player in the NBA Julius Randle, plus Derrick Rose. The stories of this week are truly those of redemption as Marc Gasol proves his worth for the Lakers against the Nuggets, Russell Westbrook secures a triple-double average on the season, and Carmelo Anthony breaks into the list of top 10 scorers of all time.
Thu, May 6, 2021
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 -then touch on their potential strategies heading into the playoffs. Later, they preview the play-in standings and discuss the East's top competitors, the 76ers and Bucks, before weighing in on the teams that are up for a challenging schedule during the tournament. Plus, updates on coaches in the hot seat and the argument for Nikola Jokic as MVP.
Mon, May 10, 2021
KOC and Verno start by discussing which lower-seeded teams from each conference could pull an upset in the playoffs. Then they talk about Jaylen Brown's season-ending wrist injury and recap the issues the Celtics have had all season. After that, they discuss Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record for most triple-doubles in a career. Later on, they also discuss KOC's NBA awards ballot. Lastly, they talk about whether the G League helped or hurt NBA lottery prospect Jalen Green's draft stock. Check out KOC's full NBA awards ballot.
Thu, May 13, 2021
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 over the Trail Blazers on Thursday night, and the tough first-round matchups that could cause upsets in the Western Conference, with the Warriors, Lakers, and Trail Blazers at the bottom of playoff contention. Then they get into the Eastern side of things with Boston clinching the seventh seed for a home game in the play-in tournament, and how Miami could upset the balance in the East as it peaks at just the right moment. Finally, they talk about Steve Kerr voicing support for the play-in tournament, the mess that is the Sacramento Kings, Matisse Thybulle playing himself into being the third-most-important player on the 76ers, and their memories of those who will be inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame this weekend.
Mon, May 17, 2021
Verno and KOC are back this Tuesday morning previewing all the play-in matchups coming at you over the next couple of days. First up, in the first round of the Eastern Conference play-in, they talk about the Hornets-Pacers game, which will decide who plays the loser of the Wizards-Celtics game. Then they get into the first round of the Western Conference play-in with the ultimate experience-versus-inexperience matchup, Spurs-Grizzlies, which will decide who plays the loser of the most anticipated game in a long time, Warriors-Lakers. And, of course, they give their thoughts on LeBron and Steph's legacies, and KOC shares his All-NBA rosters.
Thu, May 20, 2021
Verno and KOC are back this Friday to talk about the Pacers' embarrassing loss to the Wizards in the second round of the Eastern Conference play-in and the matchup between the Wizards and 76ers in the first round of the playoffs. After that, they preview the very last play-in game, Grizzlies-Warriors, and discuss which team could challenge the Utah Jazz the most. Finally, they take a look at all the determined first-round matchups, starting with Celtics-Nets, Heat-Bucks, Hawks-Knicks, Utah Jazz versus the Grizzlies or Warriors, Lakers-Suns, Blazers-Nuggets, and Mavericks-Clippers.
Mon, May 24, 2021
Chris shares a couple of voicemails he received from some very special people before he and KOC get into all the matchups in Round 1 of the NBA playoffs. They start out with the Grizzlies' unexpected win over the Jazz in Utah and the subsequent public rift between Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz. Then they move on to Monday night's matchups, with the Bucks picking apart the Heat in Game 2 to go up 2-0 and the Nuggets blowing out the Blazers to tie up the series. And finally, they talk about the Lakers losing their first game on the road to the Suns, the Clippers dropping their first game at home to the Mavericks, the Wizards putting up at least one decent half of basketball against the 76ers, and the pure fun of Trae Young's newfound villainy in the Knicks-Hawks series.
Thu, May 27, 2021
Verno and KOC get together after Thursday night's slate of playoff games to discuss the Bucks' beatdown of the Heat to go up 3-0, the Lakers' defeat of the overheated Suns to go up 2-1, and the Nuggets' victory over the Trail Blazers to go up 2-1. Then they get into the Clippers' wretched performance this postseason, Ja Morant's incredible 47-point game Wednesday night, and the Knicks-Hawks series.
Tue, Jun 1, 2021
Verno and KOC first get into Damian Lillard's unbelievable 55-point, 10-assist performance in a double-overtime loss to the Nuggets in a thrilling Game 5. Then they talk about every Laker who isn't LeBron's utter collapse against the Suns to drop Game 5 of their series , and the very intriguing upcoming Nets-Bucks second-round series now that the Nets have ousted the Celtics. Finally, they look forward to Wednesday night's games in light of Embiid's injury, Trae Young's dominance, Ja Morant's incredible performances against the Jazz, and the Clippers' comeback.