Biggest Questions Following the First Weekend of the Playoffs | Real Ones

Logan Murdock, Raja Bell and Howard Beck are back with another edition of Real Ones and get right into the Orlando Magic historically bad second half against the Detroit Pistons in Game 6 of their series. What impressed the guys the most about Cade Cunningham’s stellar performance? The Toronto Raptors forced a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers thanks to RJ Barrett’s game-winning jumper. What’s next for the Rockets and specifically Kevin Durant following their first round exit where he was out with an injury for the entire series? Can the Sixers possibly pull off the comeback in Boston? Which Minnesota Timberwolves player made the All-Raja team? Plus, Real One of the Week! (00:00) Welcome Back to Real Ones (1:26) Fan Duel ad break (3:32) Magical Collapse (19:24) Amazon Prime ad break (19:58) Toronto Forces Game 7 (28:53) Lakers def. Rockets (43:32) Sixers-Celtics (53:25) Real One of the Week (55:32) Wolves bounce Nuggets Host: Logan Murdock, Howard Beck, and Raja Bell Producers: Victoria Valencia, Clifford Augustin, and Jeff Shearin Production Supervision: Ben Cruz and Conor Nevins The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit https://fanduel.com/playwithaplan to learn more about the resources and helplines. Order and it will come. Like today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Justin, Rob, and J. Kyle Mann react to three different series going to 3-2. They start with the Pistons and Rockets saving their seasons against the Magic and Lakers. Then they talk about the Cavs taking the lead in their series against the Raptors. They wrap up by discussing potential lottery reform. (00:00) Intro (3:32) Fan Duel ad break (5:46) Pistons-Magic (23:04) Lakers-Rockets (45:05) Fan Duel ad break (46:33) Amazon Prime ad break (47:04) Cavaliers-Raptors (1:01:14) Lottery reform Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and J. Kyle Mann Producers: Victoria Valencia and Isaiah Blakely Production Supervision: Ben Cruz and Conor Nevins Additional Production Support: John Richter and Chris Wohlers The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit https://fanduel.com/playwithaplan to learn more about the resources and helplinesOrder and it will come. Like today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Logan Murdock, Raja Bell, and Howard Beck are back with another edition of Real Ones, and they get right into the playoff action. Are the Wolves in trouble now that Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo have been ruled out for the series? Has Nikola Jokic’s behavior during this series not been criticized enough? The Pistons are down 3-1 in the series and on the brink of elimination after falling to the eighth-seeded Magic on Monday. Is there any hope for a comeback? Should Joel Embiid have made a return to the series? Plus, the mailbag! (0:00) Intro (0:40) Fan Duel ad break (1:46) Nuggets-Wolves (9:48) Jokic’s confrontation with Jaden McDaniels (15:33) Fan Duel ad break (17:00) Magic-Pistons (34:12) McDonald’s ad break (34:42) Cooper Flagg wins ROTY (37:55) Joel Embiid and the Sixers (43:18) Mailbag Hosts: Logan Murdock, Raja Bell, and Howard BeckProducers: Victoria Valencia and Clifford AugustinAdditional Video Support: Jeff ShearinProduction Supervision: Ben Cruz and Conor NevinsGraphics: John RichterAdditional Production Support: Chris Wohlers The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit https://fanduel.com/playwithaplan to learn more about the resources and helplines Get more value with the McValue menu at McDonald’s https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/download-app.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Justin, Rob, and J. Kyle Mann open by recapping the Spurs' winning weekend in Portland. Then they break down the rest of this weekend’s playoffs matchups, including Jokic’s meltdown, the trust level of Eastern Conference teams, and the Pistons meeting their match in Orlando. (0:00) Intro (3:51) Fan Duel ad break (4:28) - Spurs-Blazers (28:09) Injuries Mounting in the Playoffs (30:55) - Is the door open for the Spurs to improbably win it all? (35:28) - Men’s Wearhouse ad break (36:10)- Jokic’s confrontation with Jaden McDaniels (42:16)- Is Jokic the greatest player of all time? (50:24) - Wolves’s playoff performance (54:52) - Cavs-Raptors (57:33) - Messiness in the East Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and J. Kyle Mann Producers: Victoria Valencia and Stefan Anderson Production Supervision: Ben Cruz and Conor Nevins Additional Production Support: John Richter and Chris Wohlers The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. When you need your fit to deliver, we’ve got you. Shop Men's Wearhouse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Rockets fell to the Lakers in game three of the first round due to some late game blunders that had Logan Murdock, Raja Bell and Howard Beck puzzled. Why has the theme for the Rockets all season been the inability to close out games? Did they miss out on an opportunity to acquire a guard at the deadline to help with these issues? The Celtics defeated the Sixers in a close one in Philly to take the series lead 2-1. Is Jayson Tatum fully back? Has Rudy Gobert gotten the better end of his matchup against Nikola Jokic? What’s wrong with the Knicks offense down the stretch of games? Plus, Real One of the Week! (00:00) Intro (1:09) Fan Duel ad break (1:59) Lakers-Rockets (23:00) Celtics-Sixers (34:17) Amazon Prime ad break (34:49) Nuggets-Wolves (44:55) Hawks-Knicks (55:51) Real One of the Week Hosts: Logan Murdock, Howard Beck, and Raja Bell Producers: Victoria Valencia and Clifford Augustin Additional Production Support: Ben Cruz and Conor Nevins Hit the mailbag! [email protected] The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please check out rg-help.com to find out more, or listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Order and it will come. Like today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Justin, Rob, and J. Kyle Mann are here right after the Wednesday night playoff games to first react to the Pistons' bounceback win in Game 2 over the Magic, and then the Thunder surviving a late push from the Suns to go up 2-0. Then, they each talk about something they think they know about these playoffs.(00:00) Intro (3:35) Fan Duel ad break (4:12) Pistons-Magic (21:37) Thunder-Suns (37:40) Fan Duel ad break (39:07) Amazon Prime ad break (39:37) What they think they know about these playoffs Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and J. Kyle MannProducers: Victoria Valencia and Isaiah BlakelyProduction Supervision: Ben Cruz and Conor NevinsAdditional Production Support: John Richter and Chris WohlersSocial: Keith Fujimoto and Isaiah BlakelyThe Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available.Order and it will come. Like today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Logan Murdock, Raja Bell, and Howard Beck are back with another edition of Real Ones to review the games from the weekend and Monday. Are the Knicks in trouble now that the Hawks have tied the series 1-1 before they head down to Atlanta? Does Denver have a defense problem? If Kevin Durant doesn’t play in the series against the Lakers, are the Rockets in trouble? (0:00) Intro (1:01) Fan Duel ad break (3:20) Knicks-Hawks (17:23) Wolves-Nuggets (27:06) Sixers-Celtics (28:33) Fan Duel ad break (29:36) McDonald’s ad break (30:06) Magic-Pistons (41:50) Raptors-Cavaliers (45:07) Suns-Thunder (48:32)  Rockets-Lakers (56:28) Blazers-Spurs (59:40) Blazers’ owner is cheap (1:00:33) Mailbag Hosts: Logan Murdock, Howard Beck, and Raja Bell Producers: Victoria Valencia and Clifford Augustin Additional Production Support: Ben Cruz and Conor Nevins Hit the mailbag! [email protected] The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please check out rg-help.com to find out more, or listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Get more value with the McValue menu at McDonald’s https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/download-app.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Justin, Rob, and J. Kyle Mann discuss their takeaways from all the first-round games. (00:00) Intro (1:32) Fan Duel ad break (2:31) Magic-Pistons (19:00) Spurs-Trail Blazers (36:04) Thunder-Suns (40:46) Celtics-Sixers (43:22) Men’s Wearhouse ad break (44:12) Nuggets-Timberwolves (52:22) Knicks-Hawks (59:04) Lakers-Rockets (1:08:35) Raptors-Cavaliers Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and J. Kyle Mann Producers: Victoria Valencia and Isaiah Blakely Production Supervision: Ben Cruz and Conor Nevins Additional Production Support: John Richter and Chris Wohlers Social: Keith Fujimoto and Isaiah Blakely The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. When you need your fit to deliver, we’ve got you. Shop Men's Wearhouse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Logan Murdock and Howard Beck are back with the 2026 playoff edition of Real or Fake! They go through each team that’s made it through to the playoffs and figure out who the real contenders are and which teams have a slight chance to no chance. (0:00) Intro (1:04) Fan Duel ad break (02:12) Real or Fake: Detroit Pistons (10:06) Real or Fake: San Antonio Spurs (16:20) Real or Fake: Cleveland Cavaliers (20:39) Real or Fake: Toronto Raptors (23:17) Real or Fake: Houston Rockets (34:01) Real or Fake: New York Knicks (36:29) Amazon Prime ad break (37:59) Real or Fake: Boston Celtics (44:35) Real or Fake: Atlanta Hawks (47:04) Real or Fake: Oklahoma City Thunder (53:36) Real or Fake: Denver Nuggets (56:32) Real or Fake: Minnesota Timberwolves (59:46) Real or Fake: Los Angeles Lakers (01:03:21) Real One of the Week: Warriors (01:12:07) Real One of the Week: Chris Paul Hosts: Logan Murdock and Howard Beck Producers: Victoria Valencia and Clifford Augustin Additional video support: Jamie Yukich Production: Ben Cruz and Conor Nevins Hit the mailbag! [email protected] The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please check out rg-help.com to find out more, or listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Order and it will come. Like today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Justin, Rob, and J. Kyle Mann open with a thought-provoking question about the NBA playoffs before jumping into the highly anticipated return of the Verriables ahead of all of the playoff excitement. This year, Justin’s playoff Verriables pose questions like: How many teams can realistically win the East? If not the Thunder in the West, then who? Who’s going to be the leap guy? Lastly, the guys predict every matchup on the board and make early Finals picks. (0:00) Intro (2:53) FanDuel ad break (3:30) Should the NBA move to a shorter series? (6:35) Verriables intro (10:10) How many teams can realistically win the East? (19:34) If not the Thunder in the West, then who? (34:46) Who’s going to be the leap guy? (44:35) FanDuel ad break (45:56) Amazon Prime ad break (46:27) Which player or team exec has the most riding on this postseason? (59:14) Playoff matchup predictions (1:26:52) Early Finals picks Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and J. Kyle Mann Producers: Victoria Valencia and Isaiah Blakely Production Supervision: Ben Cruz and Conor Nevins Additional Production Support: John Richter and Chris Wohlers Social: Keith Fujimoto and Isaiah Blakely Verriables Music by: John Robison The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Order and it will come. Like today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices