The Play-In Paradox

In Part 2 of a two-part podcast, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to discuss the Clippers' loss to the Thunder, which locked them into a first-round series with the Mavericks. They discuss a Nuggets–Trail Blazers first-round series, the upcoming play-in tournament, what some of the most shocking outcomes would be, and whether or not the new format will stop teams from tanking. Then, as the NBA regular season comes to a close, Bill and Ryen look at the teams with the worst records and what they have to look forward to in the 2021 NBA draft and beyond; they discuss the NBA Hall of Fame, Bill's finalized All-NBA ballot, Western Conference playoff predictions, and more.

Host: Bill Simmons

Guest: Ryen Russillo

Producer: Kyle Crichton

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices