Tyler Parker, a unique Ringer writer, shares his insights on the Thunder's absence from the NBA Christmas lineup and reflects on their performance in the NBA Cup. He analyzes the evolution of the Thunder, comparing them with past teams and discusses the new All-Star game format. Mac McClung, a two-time dunk champion and G-League MVP, reveals his experiences as a two-way player for the Orlando Magic and the challenges of documenting his journey in 'The Break.' He also hints at whether he'll defend his dunk contest title.

The podcast explores nostalgic memories tied to the first song heard as a baby, delves into Garth Brooks' impact on 90s country music, discusses concert experiences, analyzes the 'Friends in Low Places' song, and highlights Garth Brooks' persona as a local hero and musical icon.

The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Chris Ryan and Tyler Parker to discuss the NBA characters to keep an eye on this summer (3:09). Then, Bill talks with Raheem Palmer about where the most value lies in NBA futures bets for the 2022-23 season, NBA Summer League betting strategies, and more (47:17). Finally, Bill talks with his daughter Zoe about masses of teens flooding movie theaters for the release of ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’, pros and cons of social media’s prevalence in the love of the modern teen, the conclusion of Season 4 of ‘Stranger Things’ [SPOILERS], and more (1:09:21).Host: Bill SimmonsGuests: Tyler Parker, Chris Ryan, Raheem Palmer, and Zoe SimmonsProducer: Kyle Crichton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

J. Kyle Mann and Tyler Parker return this weekend to discuss Game 2 of the Heat-Celtics Eastern Conference Finals with so much to breakdown. The guys touch on their broad takes of the series thus far (2:42), Heat nation and Pat Riley’s free agency pitches (4:24), first half stats (8:25), and specific player performances by Jaylen Brown (9:00), Duncan Robinson (10:40), Caleb Martin (13:52), Bam Adebayo (21:56). They also speak on a few game-making plays, the heated competition of Jimmy Butler vs Grant Williams (28:19) and Jimmy Butler’s incredible performance (37:04)!Hosts: J. Kyle Mann and Tyler ParkerProducer: Jade Whaley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Chris Ryan and Tyler Parker to discuss Tyler's five favorite characters in the NBA playoffs (2:21). Then Bill talks with Jackie MacMullan about the Celtics-Bucks Round 2 series currently tied at 1-1, the difficulty of officiating Giannis Antetokounmpo; Celtics head coach Ime Udoka helping his team find their identity, why it is so difficult to predict the series outcome, and more (41:29). Finally Bill is joined by Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam to talk about going on tour for the first time since the pandemic, navigating working as a solo artist while still remaining an integral part of Pearl Jam, why the Utah Jazz haven't been successful with their roster, Seattle's grunge scene in the '90s, rumors of the SuperSonics returning to Seattle, and more (1:18:43).Host: Bill SimmonsGuests: Chris Ryan, Tyler Parker, Jackie MacMullan, and Jeff AmentProducers: Kyle Crichton and Steve Ceruti Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices