Game 7 Fever in OKC, NBA Lottery Reform, and a Mega-Mailbag With Rob Mahoney, David Jacoby, and Joe House

Episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast · May 29, 2026 · 1 h 51 min

Bill Simmons and Rob Mahoney react to the Spurs forcing Game 7 against the Thunder, then Simmons, David Jacoby and Joe House discuss NBA lottery reform, Cavs losers and a mailbag.

Summary

Recorded live on Netflix after Game 6 of the 2026 Western Conference finals, Bill Simmons and Rob Mahoney broke down San Antonio's blowout win over Oklahoma City that forced a Game 7. Mahoney credited Spurs coach Mitch Johnson for the team's dominant third quarters and detailed how the Spurs' ball denial and Victor Wembanyama's presence disrupted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. They discussed De'Aaron Fox's apparent injury, Dylan Harper's emergence, Devin Vassell's value, the struggles of Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams, and both said they leaned toward Oklahoma City winning Game 7. They also briefly assessed the NBA's new draft lottery reform, with Mahoney calling the rollout unfair to teams like Memphis and predicting fewer trades.

In a segment recorded before Game 6, Simmons, David Jacoby and Joe House discussed the lottery reform's '3-2-1' system and 'relegation zone.' Simmons worried about a repeat of the 1993 Orlando Magic lottery wins, while Jacoby praised the plan to televise the drawing and its three-year sunset provision. The group then listed losers of the Knicks' sweep of Cleveland, including the Kings, James Harden, Kenny Atkinson, Evan Mobley, LeBron James and the Celtics; House argued Harden and LeBron were not really losers and that Atkinson should not be a head coach again.

The mailbag covered a 'key to the city' ranking of athletes, Rick Brunson's influence on the Knicks, honoring rival GMs whose mistakes helped other teams, a proposed flopping point penalty system, definitions of an NBA role player, and whether five Victor Wembanyamas would beat five Michael Jordans, which Simmons argued and Jacoby and House rejected. They also discussed overuse of the word 'generational,' Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors and preferences for the top pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

Chapters

  1. 1:19

    Spurs blow out Thunder in Game 6

    Simmons and Mahoney react live to San Antonio's second-half blowout of Oklahoma City and the Spurs' third-quarter dominance.

  2. 5:44

    Game 7 worries for each side

    The pair weigh OKC's shooting and creator issues against the Spurs' dependence on Wembanyama and Fox's health.

  3. 11:27

    Vassell, Fox, Harper and the winners

    They praise Devin Vassell, question De'Aaron Fox's health, highlight Dylan Harper and review NBC's broadcast crew.

  4. 19:46

    Stakes and Game 7 predictions

    Discussion of what Wembanyama and the Thunder stand to gain or lose, Lu Dort's struggles, and both leaning OKC.

  5. 31:44

    Lottery reform first take

    Simmons and Mahoney discuss the new lottery system's clunky transition, the Grizzlies' raw deal and its effect on trades.

  6. 38:58

    Lottery reform with House and Jacoby

    The group debates the 3-2-1 system, relegation zone, the 1993 Magic precedent, a televised drawing and the sunset provision.

  7. 46:08

    Losers of the Knicks-Cavs sweep

    Simmons lists losers including the Kings, Harden, Atkinson, Mobley, LeBron, the Celtics, Masai Ujiri, Adam Silver and James Dolan.

  8. 1:05:48

    Mailbag: key to the city and the Brunsons

    The group ranks athletes who would own their city with a title and discusses Rick Brunson's role in building the Knicks.

  9. 1:13:24

    Retiring jerseys for rival GMs

    Simmons proposes honoring GMs like David Kahn and Stu Inman whose blunders enabled other teams' titles; Jacoby prefers a one-night ceremony.

  10. 1:17:19

    Flopping penalties

    The panel supports a flopping point system or other measures to show the league takes flopping seriously.

  11. 1:23:02

    Defining the role player

    They debate thresholds for role players using examples like Bruce Bowen, Robert Horry, Ron Harper and Sam Perkins.

  12. 1:30:52

    Five Wembys vs. five Jordans

    Simmons argues a team of five Wembanyamas would beat anyone, while Jacoby and House back five Michael Jordans.

  13. 1:34:02

    Generational players, Giannis and nicknames

    They narrow who deserves the 'generational' label, dismiss Giannis to Washington and defend the Greek Freak nickname.

  14. 1:40:07

    Remaining mail and draft picks

    Final questions on the Suns' 2018 draft and Knicks rooting, then House and Jacoby pick AJ Dybantsa over Darryn Peterson.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

  • Rob Mahoney

    Mahoney notes the Spurs have been the most dominant third-quarter team of the postseason and credits coach Mitch Johnson.

    “the Spurs have just been the single most dominant third quarter team in the entire postseason”

    Listen from 3:56 · San Antonio Spurs

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons says De'Aaron Fox will be the focal point of criticism if San Antonio loses the series.

    “Fox is going to be the big question. If they lose this Oklahoma series, he's going to be the one everyone points to”

    Listen from 14:37 · San Antonio Spurs

  • Rob Mahoney

    Mahoney argues Lu Dort's minutes should be sharply reduced in Game 7 in favor of Alex Caruso.

    “It needs to be like a Caruso playing 36 minutes and a Ludort playing 10 to 15 minutes”

    Listen from 26:49 · Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Rob MahoneyDidn’t happen

    Mahoney predicts Oklahoma City will win Game 7 against the Spurs, though with little confidence.

    “I think OKC will win. I don't feel great about it. Clearly, the line between these two teams is very thin”

    Listen from 29:17 · Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Bill SimmonsDidn’t happen

    Simmons also leans toward the Thunder in Game 7, noting it would be unusual for a young team to win on the road.

    “I'm leaning OKC as well. It would be unusual for a team this young to come back from 3-2”

    Listen from 31:00 · Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons worries the new system could produce a fluke like the Orlando Magic winning consecutive lotteries in 1993.

    “my thoughts were all of this sounds great until we end up with the 1993 situation of the Magic winning twice in a row”

    Listen from 32:34 · NBA draft lottery reform

  • Rob Mahoney

    Mahoney argues the immediate implementation of lottery reform unfairly hurts the Grizzlies, who hold the Jazz's pick.

    “The Grizzlies in particular, they get such a raw deal because of the trade that they made with the Jazz”

    Listen from 33:00 · NBA draft lottery reform

  • Rob Mahoney

    Mahoney predicts the reform will reduce trade activity because mid-level teams will value their picks more.

    “And I just think we're going to see fewer traits as a result of this”

    Listen from 35:40 · NBA draft lottery reform

  • David Jacoby

    Jacoby says the best part of the reform is that the lottery drawing will be televised live.

    “This is now a television event. Instead of them doing it in some back room and then a host reading it”

    Listen from 42:12 · NBA draft lottery reform

  • David Jacoby

    Jacoby approves of the reform's sunset provision as a three-year trial.

    “It's a three year test drive and we'll reevaluate in three years, which I kind of like, too”

    Listen from 45:27 · NBA draft lottery reform

  • Joe House

    House argues Harden was not a loser of the Knicks sweep and that Cleveland's trade for him made sense.

    “I'm not defending James Harden, but what I'm saying is I don't think he's a loser based on what we just saw”

    Listen from 52:11 · James Harden playoff legacy

  • Joe House

    House says Kenny Atkinson should never be an NBA head coach again after his handling of Game 1.

    “he cannot and he should not, and he shouldn't be a head coach ever again”

    Listen from 53:42 · Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons believes Cleveland's contention window has closed and it must make changes.

    “I think they had their window and this is it”

    Listen from 58:21 · Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Linked moment · 59:43Skip to 59:43 using a listen link in the info box.

    Joe House

    House contends LeBron James benefits from Cleveland's collapse because he no longer needs to go there.

    “I think LeBron is a winner by virtue of what happened with Cleveland. Cleveland's the loser, not LeBron”

    Listen from 59:43 · Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons argues James Dolan no longer belongs among the worst NBA owners of the century after the Knicks' success.

    “I think Dolan's out of the Mount Rushmore now”

    Listen from 1:04:27 · New York Knicks

  • David Jacoby

    Jacoby supports a post-game review system that assigns flopping penalty points.

    “I love it. I absolutely love it. In the same way that they upgraded the Plumlee foul, smart people review the tape”

    Listen from 1:18:40 · Flopping in basketball

  • Joe House

    House says any visible sign that the league takes flopping seriously would be positive, suggesting refs simply call flops.

    “Anything that communicates to the NBA viewing public, us, that the league is taking this seriously is going to be a good thing”

    Listen from 1:20:14 · Flopping in basketball

  • David Jacoby

    Jacoby counters that Wembanyama is among the worst superstars to clone because of his height and reliance on guards.

    “He's probably one of the worst to clone four more times and put out there because he is so tall”

    Listen from 1:31:42

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons argues a team of five Victor Wembanyamas playing zone would beat any other cloned lineup.

    “I think five Wemby's kills everyone. You play zone with the five Wemby's”

    Listen from 1:32:01

  • Joe House

    House dismisses rumors of Giannis Antetokounmpo joining the Wizards as nonsensical.

    “there is no scenario under which it makes a lick of sense for Giannis to come to Washington”

    Listen from 1:37:11 · Giannis Antetokounmpo trade speculation

  • Joe House

    House argues Giannis earned the 'Freak' nickname through his play, while Wembanyama has not yet earned a nickname.

    “Giannis earned the freak. He didn't just arrive and we looked at him and started calling him the freak”

    Listen from 1:38:37

  • David Jacoby

    Jacoby says he would avoid drafting Darryn Peterson and prefers AJ Dybantsa or Caleb Wilson.

    “AJ or Caleb, I'm staying away from Peterson”

    Listen from 1:45:17 · 2026 NBA draft

People

In the conversation

  • Bill SimmonsSportswriter and founder of The Ringer, host of The Bill Simmons Podcast
  • Rob MahoneyThe Ringer NBA writer and co-host of The Ringer NBA Show
  • David JacobyThe Ringer podcast host and TV producer, co-host of The Mismatch
  • Joe HouseRinger podcaster and longtime friend of Bill Simmons, known for sports betting talk

Discussed

Topics

More from The Bill Simmons Podcast

From the publisher

Join The Ringer’s Bill Simmons and Rob Mahoney LIVE on Netflix to react to the Spurs forcing a Game 7 against the Thunder (1:17). Then, David Jacoby and Joe House hop on to react to the NBA lottery reform plan, talk about the losers of the Cavs' drubbing, and answer some mailbag questions (39:15). Host: Bill Simmons Guests: Rob Mahoney, David Jacoby, and Joe House Producers: Chia Hao Tat, Eduardo Ocampo, and Chris Wohlers Brought to you by PayPal. Learn more at paypal.com/paymonthly The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit https://fanduel.com/playwithaplan to learn more about the resources and helplines Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 28, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Basketball·Sports News