What Zach Lowe has said about Oklahoma City Thunder
6 quotes · 4 episodes · Mar 30, 2026 – May 31, 2026
Zach Lowe, Ringer NBA analyst referenced repeatedly, has been quoted on Oklahoma City Thunder 6 times in 4 episodes of The Bill Simmons Podcast, most recently on May 31, 2026. Each quote below is verbatim and links to the moment it was said.
In their words
Lowe calls Holmgren's Game 7 performance unacceptable for a player of his caliber, with lasting effects.
“Because that was just not an acceptable performance of a guy from a guy of his caliber. And the whole series was leading to that”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: Down Goes OKC! Spurs-Knicks is Here! What the Hell Just Happened? And What Does OKC Do Now? | With Zach Lowe (May 31, 2026) · Listen from 14:23
Lowe prefers the Thunder keep their core together and seek revenge rather than panic-trade for Giannis.
“the main part of the gang, that's more fun to me as a neutral fan than panic trade for Giannis”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: Down Goes OKC! Spurs-Knicks is Here! What the Hell Just Happened? And What Does OKC Do Now? | With Zach Lowe (May 31, 2026) · Listen from 1:06:59
Lowe identifies Gilgeous-Alexander, Mitchell, Caruso, Jalen Williams and Holmgren as the Thunder's best lineup, two of whom are injured.
“And the lineup would have been Shea, Mitchell, Caruso, J-Dub, Chet. And I think that's the best five that they can put out”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: OKC Gets Wobbled, Cleveland’s Done, and Knicks Nirvana Is Here (Maybe) With Zach Lowe and Sean Fennessey (May 25, 2026) · Listen from 12:02
Lowe argues Holmgren has reached a stature where he must impose himself on every series, not only favorable matchups.
“At some point, you reach a stature where every series has to be your series”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: OKC Gets Wobbled, Cleveland’s Done, and Knicks Nirvana Is Here (Maybe) With Zach Lowe and Sean Fennessey (May 25, 2026) · Listen from 25:55
- Prediction · due Apr 2031
Lowe predicts that, barring catastrophic injury, the Thunder and Spurs will be 58-plus-win teams for the next five years.
“it just seems unlikely that they are going to be anything but like 58 plus win teams for the next five years”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: Part 2: Cleveland Survives, Knicks-Sixers, and Whaddya Do for Denver, Houston, and Atlanta With Zach Lowe (May 4, 2026) · Listen from 1:04:19
- Can’t be judged
Lowe predicted the playoffs cannot be normal this year even if the eventual champion is conventional.
“I think there's no chance. There's no chance we're getting a normal playoffs”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: UConn’s Miracle, Weirdest NBA Season Ever, A Scary Playoff Team Draft, and an Iffy Expansion Plan With Zach Lowe (Mar 30, 2026) · Listen from 1:31:59
Predictions
- Prediction · due Apr 2031
Lowe predicts that, barring catastrophic injury, the Thunder and Spurs will be 58-plus-win teams for the next five years.
“it just seems unlikely that they are going to be anything but like 58 plus win teams for the next five years”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: Part 2: Cleveland Survives, Knicks-Sixers, and Whaddya Do for Denver, Houston, and Atlanta With Zach Lowe (May 4, 2026) · Listen from 1:04:19 · Oklahoma City Thunder
- Can’t be judged
Lowe predicted the playoffs cannot be normal this year even if the eventual champion is conventional.
“I think there's no chance. There's no chance we're getting a normal playoffs”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: UConn’s Miracle, Weirdest NBA Season Ever, A Scary Playoff Team Draft, and an Iffy Expansion Plan With Zach Lowe (Mar 30, 2026) · Listen from 1:31:59 · Oklahoma City Thunder
In the 2026 playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs beat the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder 4–3 in the West finals, and the New York Knicks swept Cleveland 4–0 and then beat the Spurs 4–1 in the Finals (June 3–13). Lowe's claim that there was 'no chance' of a 'normal playoffs' uses a subjective, undefined standard, so these results can't clearly confirm or refute it.
Sources: 2026 NBA Playoffs Summary - Basketball-Reference · 2026 NBA Finals - Wikipedia · Biggest Winners and Losers From the 2026 NBA Finals - SI
Checked Oct 6, 2026
Episodes
Down Goes OKC! Spurs-Knicks is Here! What the Hell Just Happened? And What Does OKC Do Now? | With Zach LoweThe Bill Simmons Podcast · May 31, 2026 · 1 h 37 min
Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe react live to the Spurs beating the Thunder in Game 7 of the 2026 Western Conference Finals and preview Spurs-Knicks.
- OKC Gets Wobbled, Cleveland’s Done, and Knicks Nirvana Is Here (Maybe) With Zach Lowe and Sean Fennessey
The Bill Simmons Podcast · May 25, 2026 · 1 h 40 min
Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe break down Thunder–Spurs Game 4 and rank pressure on players, then Sean Fennessey joins to celebrate the Knicks' dominant playoff run.
- Part 2: Cleveland Survives, Knicks-Sixers, and Whaddya Do for Denver, Houston, and Atlanta With Zach Lowe
The Bill Simmons Podcast · May 4, 2026 · 1 h 12 min
Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe react to Cleveland's Game 7 win over Toronto, preview the NBA's second round, and weigh offseason moves for eliminated teams.
- UConn’s Miracle, Weirdest NBA Season Ever, A Scary Playoff Team Draft, and an Iffy Expansion Plan With Zach Lowe
The Bill Simmons Podcast · Mar 30, 2026 · 1 h 45 min
Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe react to UConn's buzzer beater over Duke, draft the scariest NBA playoff teams, and question the league's expansion plan.
Others on Oklahoma City Thunder
- Bill Simmons · 11 quotes
- Dan Katz · 3 quotes
- Doc Rivers · 2 quotes
- Max Kellerman · 2 quotes
- Rob Mahoney · 2 quotes
- Ryen Russillo · 2 quotes
- Kirk Goldsberry · 2 quotes
- Zach · 1 quote
Zach Lowe on other topics
- New York Knicks · 8 quotes
- San Antonio Spurs · 7 quotes
- 2026 NBA playoffs · 5 quotes
- Denver Nuggets · 5 quotes
- Giannis Antetokounmpo trade speculation · 4 quotes
- 2026 NBA Finals · 4 quotes
- Boston Celtics · 3 quotes
- Charlotte Hornets · 3 quotes