Joker’s Out, and Boston Might Be Next. Plus, an MLB Cocktail Party and 'Survivor 50' With Rob Mahoney, Billy Gil, and Jason Concepcion.

Episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast · May 1, 2026 · 2 h 17 min

Bill Simmons recaps a wild NBA playoff night with Rob Mahoney, runs through MLB's early storylines with Billy Gil, and dissects 'Survivor 50' with Jason Concepcion.

Summary

In a live Netflix segment, Bill Simmons and Rob Mahoney recapped a Thursday of NBA playoff action in which the injury-depleted Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated the Denver Nuggets behind Jaden McDaniels, the Philadelphia 76ers routed the Boston Celtics to force Game 7 amid a possible new Jayson Tatum leg injury, and the New York Knicks closed out the Atlanta Hawks with a record 61-point lead. Mahoney argued the Nuggets had no excuses and that Minnesota's patience with its roster paid off, while Simmons suggested Denver's Jokić-led core had reached its end and wondered whether Nikola Jokić's career was tracking like Moses Malone's single-title peak.

Simmons, a Celtics fan, criticized Boston's rotations, the Kristaps-for-Vučević style trade of Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vučević, and heavy minutes for Tatum, and raised whether Jaylen Brown could become a trade candidate; Mahoney said he would still bet on the Tatum-Brown core. The pair also praised Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, called the Knicks the East favorite, and previewed the remaining first-round series.

Billy Gil presented a 'cocktail party' list of MLB storylines: early managerial firings including Alex Cora in Boston and Rob Thomson in Philadelphia, a surge in home runs, the automated ball-strike challenge system, and a strong rookie class with early contract extensions. Simmons blamed the Red Sox front office rather than Cora and lamented the team's poor start, and both shared fantasy keeper-league regrets.

Jason Concepcion joined to discuss 'Survivor 50', including a MrBeast cameo and coin-flip twist that doubled the prize to $2 million. The two offered 'MVP ballots', praising Rick Devens and Cirie Fields's under-the-radar control, with Concepcion also citing the Devens–Joe rivalry and host Jeff Probst. Concepcion picked Devens to win, while Simmons predicted a final three of Cirie, Rizo and Tiffany.

Chapters

  1. 0:06

    Timberwolves eliminate the Nuggets

    Simmons and Mahoney break down Minnesota's Game 6 win led by Jaden McDaniels despite multiple injuries.

  2. 19:07

    Jokić's legacy and Denver's future

    The hosts debate whether Denver's core is finished and whether modern stars can win more than one title.

  3. 22:42

    Sixers rout Celtics, Tatum scare

    Philadelphia forces Game 7 as Simmons laments Boston's collapse, rotations and a possible Tatum injury.

  4. 44:35

    Knicks blow out Hawks

    The Knicks' historic closeout win prompts debate over whether they are the East favorite and whether the regular season matters.

  5. 51:44

    Jaylen Brown's future and remaining series

    Simmons raises a possible Brown trade conversation before the pair preview Pistons-Magic, Cavs-Raptors and Lakers-Rockets.

  6. 1:04:28

    Billy Gil and MLB managerial firings

    After discussing NFL draft crowds, Gil and Simmons cover the firings of Alex Cora and Rob Thomson and Red Sox front-office issues.

  7. 1:16:39

    Home runs and fantasy grudges

    Gil notes a home run surge and standout pitchers as both share fantasy keeper-league regrets.

  8. 1:22:05

    The ABS challenge system

    Gil calls automated ball-strike challenges a major improvement and describes memorable challenges and a reverse-framing theory.

  9. Linked moment · 1:27:15Skip to 1:27:15 using a listen link in the info box.

    1:27:15

    Rookies, extensions and Red Sox gloom

    The pair discuss the rookie class, early contract extensions, the A's possible Las Vegas name and a dismal Red Sox start.

  10. 1:41:59

    Survivor 50 episode recap

    Concepcion and Simmons discuss the MrBeast coin flip, Stephenie's ouster and Cirie's quiet control of the game.

  11. 2:00:25

    Survivor MVP ballots

    The two rank season MVPs including Rick Devens, Cirie, Rizo and Jeff Probst.

  12. 2:07:47

    Survivor winner predictions and wrap-up

    Concepcion picks Devens to win while Simmons predicts a Cirie-Rizo-Tiffany final three, then they plug Concepcion's podcast.

Key points

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

  • Rob Mahoney

    Mahoney argued the Timberwolves outplayed Denver and the Nuggets had no excuses for losing the series.

    “They like flat out played these guys and the Nuggets don't have any excuses for losing a series like this”

    Listen from 3:14 · Denver Nuggets

  • Rob Mahoney

    Mahoney noted that Denver's offense would finish with a worse offensive rating than the Houston Rockets despite having Jokić.

    “this offense, with the Nuggets getting bounced, is going to go out with a worse offensive rating than the Houston Rockets this year”

    Listen from 8:07 · Denver Nuggets

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons argued the Nuggets' current core had reached its end and would not bounce back.

    “It feels like we hit the finish line with this nucleus. I don't see a world where this bounces back because this is bad”

    Listen from 9:36 · Denver Nuggets

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons said he would sit Jayson Tatum in Game 7 if he had even a slight strain.

    “If he even has a slight strange, I'm sitting him in game seven”

    Listen from 22:42 · Boston Celtics

  • Rob Mahoney

    Mahoney argued regular-season lessons still matter but are subtler and harder to detect than in the past.

    “I just think the lessons of the regular season... require more and more of a magnifying glass to find”

    Listen from 48:00 · 2026 NBA playoffs

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons argued the Knicks should be considered the Eastern Conference favorite based on the playoffs so far.

    “If your life depended on it, the Knicks have to be the pick from what we've seen so far”

    Listen from 50:18 · New York Knicks

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons suggested a Jaylen Brown trade should at least be discussed if Boston lost the series, while disclaiming inside knowledge.

    “i just wonder would they look at this as a chance to reset i have no idea i have no inside information”

    Listen from 52:31 · Boston Celtics

  • Rob Mahoney

    Mahoney said he would still bet Boston's future on the Tatum-Brown core.

    “I still would want to bet the future of my team on Tatum and Brown. Like that's still a core that I believe in”

    Listen from 53:41 · Boston Celtics

  • Bill SimmonsDidn’t happen

    Simmons predicted the Orlando Magic would beat the Detroit Pistons.

    “I think the Magic are gonna win game six. I don't think the Pistons have enough and I don't think Cade can do that two more times”

    Listen from 56:15 · 2026 NBA playoffs

  • Rob MahoneyCame true

    Mahoney predicted the Lakers would beat the Rockets, citing distrust of Houston's execution.

    “I do think the Lakers will win. I think it will be ugly”

    Listen from 59:47 · 2026 NBA playoffs

  • Rob Mahoney

    Mahoney compared Paul George's all-around role for Philadelphia to Andre Iguodala with the Warriors.

    “He's like a supercharged Warriors Andre Iguodala at this point”

    Listen from 1:02:08 · Philadelphia 76ers

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons argued Alex Cora was not the Red Sox's problem and blamed the roster and general manager.

    “I also don't think he was the problem. The problem is the roster”

    Listen from 1:09:58 · Boston Red Sox coaching firings

  • Billy Gil

    Gil argued Buster Posey's injury led to rule changes that ruined the catching position and plays at the plate.

    “I think he ruined, he ruined the catching position. He ruined the play at the plate”

    Listen from 1:15:29

  • Billy Gil

    Gil described a theory that catchers now frame true strikes out of the zone to bait hitters into wasting ABS challenges.

    “catchers can now do the opposite, where catchers can catch a ball in the strike zone and frame it out of the strike zone”

    Listen from 1:24:25 · Automated ball-strike system

  • Jason Concepcion

    Concepcion said he was wary of the MrBeast cameo but appreciated that it centered on the competition.

    “I had a little trepidation about that, but he made it about the competition, which was really cool”

    Listen from 1:43:03 · Survivor 50

  • Jason Concepcion

    Concepcion argued Stephenie's key weakness as a player is that she cannot lie convincingly.

    “A weakness in her game, and it's always been a weakness in her game, is she can't lie with a straight face”

    Listen from 1:51:40 · Survivor 50

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons named Rick Devens his clear season MVP so far.

    “Devins has been out of his mind. I think he has to be MVP”

    Listen from 2:00:58 · Survivor 50

  • Jason Concepcion

    Concepcion named the Devens–Joe rivalry as his MVP of the season.

    “I'm going to pitch a haircut on that. Okay. My MVP is the Devin's Joe rivalry”

    Listen from 2:01:25 · Survivor 50

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons proposed that letting fans decide rules for one NBA season would be a smart move by the league.

    “the fans just get to run one season, I think would be the smartest thing the NBA ever”

    Listen from 2:05:42

  • Jason ConcepcionDidn’t happen

    Concepcion predicted Rick Devens would win Survivor 50, followed by Cirie and then Rizo.

    “I would like to see Rick Devins or Suri win, but I think Devins in this order”

    Listen from 2:07:56 · Survivor 50

  • Bill SimmonsPartly true

    Simmons predicted Devens would be voted out before the final three, which he expected to include Cirie.

    “So I think he wins that, but I don't think he makes the final three. I think it's going to be Seri”

    Listen from 2:09:05 · Survivor 50

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
  • Billy GilThe Ringer podcaster and baseball fan, host on Ringer Tailgate
  • Jason ConcepcionWriter and podcaster, Survivor superfan and New York Knicks fan

Discussed

Topics

More from The Bill Simmons Podcast

From the publisher

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Rob Mahoney LIVE on Netflix after the Timberwolves eliminate the Nuggets to recap the Thursday NBA playoff slate and preview the remaining Round 1 matchups (1:07). Then, Billy Gil joins to talk about the five biggest MLB cocktail topics of the last five weeks (01:04:55). Finally, Jason Concepcion hops on to catch up on ‘Survivor 50’ and to make predictions for the show (01:41:58). Host: Bill Simmons Guests: Rob Mahoney, Billy Gil, and Jason Concepcion Producers: Chia Hao Tat, Eduardo Ocampo, and Jonathan Frias 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 27, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Basketball·Baseball·TV Reviews