UConn’s Miracle, Weirdest NBA Season Ever, A Scary Playoff Team Draft, and an Iffy Expansion Plan With Zach Lowe

Episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast · March 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.

Summary

Recorded live on Netflix after a Knicks–Thunder game, Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe opened by reacting to UConn's late comeback and buzzer-beating win over Duke in the NCAA tournament, praising Dan Hurley's coaching and debating whether Cam Boozer panicked on the decisive turnover. They then argued the MVP race, with both leaning toward Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over Victor Wembanyama; Lowe stressed the Thunder's record and Wembanyama's limited minutes, while Simmons noted the historical absence of MVPs who played around 29 minutes a game.

The centerpiece was an improvised "scary playoff teams draft" in which each host picked, in a hypothetical fully healthy scenario, the teams they would least want to face in a single series. Oklahoma City went first, followed by San Antonio, Denver, Boston, New York, the Lakers, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Detroit, with Orlando picked last after giving up a reported 31-0 run in a blowout loss to Toronto. Lowe defended Cleveland as underrated and Simmons argued the Spurs' ceiling made them the most frightening matchup.

Simmons and Lowe then took a skeptical view of the NBA's reported expansion push toward Seattle and Las Vegas. Simmons said the league lacks the 23 owner votes required, listed roughly a dozen owners he believed were opposed or uncommitted, doubted anyone would write an $8 billion expansion check, and argued the leaked story was a trial balloon that unfairly raised Seattle fans' hopes. Lowe agreed no one was clamoring for more teams and noted a 2028-29 target date seemed aggressive.

They closed by cataloguing the oddities of the 2025-26 season — the Spurs' leap, a Clippers scandal, Kevin Durant's burner account, Jayson Tatum's early Achilles return, Charlotte's turnaround — and compared it with 1995, 2004 and 1978 as candidates for weirdest NBA season, with Simmons favoring 1978 while conceding 2026 was close. Brief closing segments covered draft prospects (Burries, Wagler, Acuff, Cam Boozer, Caleb Wilson), MLB's automated ball-strike challenge system and an upcoming Rewatchables episode on L.A. Confidential.

Chapters

  1. 0:29

    UConn's buzzer beater over Duke

    Simmons and Lowe break down UConn's comeback win, the final steal-and-shot sequence, and Dan Hurley's coaching job.

  2. 4:39

    SGA vs. Wembanyama MVP debate

    The two argue the MVP race, weighing Oklahoma City's record against Wembanyama's dominance in limited minutes.

  3. 11:59

    Thunder rotations and closing lineups

    Discussion of Oklahoma City's 11-man rotation, Caruso's role and how the closing five might shift in the playoffs.

  4. 15:18

    Scary playoff teams draft begins

    Simmons proposes an unscripted draft of the teams they'd least want to face, with Lowe taking Oklahoma City first and Simmons taking San Antonio.

  5. 21:10

    Denver, Boston and Tatum's return

    Lowe picks Denver third and Simmons takes Boston, discussing Jayson Tatum's play after his Achilles injury and Boston's developed role players.

  6. 30:15

    Knicks, Lakers, Minnesota and the middle of the draft

    The pair continue picking New York, the Lakers, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Detroit while debating each team's ceiling.

  7. 43:46

    Finishing the draft with Orlando last

    Remaining teams are picked rapid-fire, with Orlando chosen last after their blowout loss and record-setting run allowed.

  8. 52:35

    NBA draft prospects on tape

    Simmons has Lowe give blink-test reactions to YouTube clips of Burries, Wagler, Acuff, Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson.

  9. Linked moment · 1:01:14Skip to 1:01:14 using a listen link in the info box.

    1:01:14

    Expansion skepticism

    Simmons argues the league lacks the votes and the money for Seattle and Las Vegas expansion teams, and Lowe questions the rationale.

  10. 1:15:23

    Tanking rules and lottery reform

    The hosts critique the league's proposed anti-tanking proposals and suggest simpler fixes like barring repeat top-three lottery winners.

  11. 1:17:14

    Weirdest NBA season ever

    Simmons lists the season's oddities and compares 2026 with 1995, 2004 and 1978 as the strangest NBA year.

  12. 1:31:32

    Playoff unpredictability, ABS and Rewatchables

    They consider upset odds and seeding formats before closing on baseball's challenge system and an upcoming L.A. Confidential episode.

Key points

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

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe defended UConn's game-winning sequence as a great play rather than simply a Duke mistake.

    “I think it was a great play. Like the steel was great. The pass and pass back was great. Obviously, the shot is an all time killer shot”

    Listen from 1:57 · 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe argued Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should win MVP and that tiebreaker-based reasoning for Wembanyama is silly.

    “I just think this SGA, this is ridiculous. SGA should be the MVP. He proved it again today”

    Listen from 5:06 · NBA Most Valuable Player Award

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons said no player has won MVP while averaging about 29 minutes a game, making Wembanyama's case historically unprecedented.

    “Nid oes unrhyw bwysigrwydd ar gyfer rhywun sy'n chwarae 29 munudau ar gyfer gêm, chwarae tua 67 neu 68 gêm a chyflawni MVP. A dyna lle byddwn ni gyda Wemby”

    Listen from 6:47 · NBA Most Valuable Player Award

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons argued the Thunder have reinvented themselves as villains this season, which he thinks helps their identity.

    “roedd rhywbeth fel re-inventiwn o gerdder mewn ffordd hwyl lle maen nhw'n dod yn fwy villain”

    Listen from 9:22 · Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons picked San Antonio as the scariest potential playoff opponent because of their ceiling and Wembanyama's recent form.

    “they might just be ready now. And if they're getting the Wemby that we've seen the last 10 weeks, I think I'm the most scared of that”

    Listen from 17:26 · San Antonio Spurs

  • Zach LoweDidn’t happen

    Lowe said he believes the Spurs can win the title this year despite history suggesting inexperienced teams cannot.

    “Dwi'n meddwl y gallant gynnal y taitl. Dwi ddim yn bwysig am yr amlwg o brofiad arall”

    Listen from 19:12 · San Antonio Spurs

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe cited Wembanyama's performance in the Olympic gold medal game as evidence he handles pressure.

    “The dude showed up in the gold medal game of the Olympics in his home country against Team USA and wanted every bit of that game and that matchup”

    Listen from 19:53 · San Antonio Spurs

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons wondered whether months of watching from the bench changed how Tatum sees the game, noting his improved passing.

    “a wnaeth unrhyw beth am basketball newid arno arno?”

    Listen from 25:52 · Boston Celtics

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe drafted the Knicks despite their inconsistency, saying they rank top six on both ends and don't mind a Celtics matchup.

    “And they are top six on both ends of the court. And yet there are all these reasons where you're like, do I really trust them against the best, best, best teams? But I'm still taking the Knicks”

    Listen from 32:27 · New York Knicks

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe argued Cleveland has been unfairly overlooked and has a high ceiling if their four main players play together.

    “i want to see those four guys mitchell harden mobly allen how does that look together because i think there's a really high ceiling here”

    Listen from 37:38 · Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe said Amen Thompson has developed roughly as he expected and never projected as a point guard.

    “he's more or less kind of what i expected him to be this year i did not think that he was going to be like oh now suddenly he's going to be a point guard”

    Listen from 42:29 · 2026 NBA draft

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe drafted Charlotte high, citing their league-leading net rating over a 40-game stretch.

    “Maen nhw wedi bod fel nifer un neu nifer ddwy mewn cyfrifiad net ar gyfer y llaw hanner o'r gyfnod nawr”

    Listen from 44:24 · Charlotte Hornets

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons said Orlando must be drafted last because they gave up a 31-0 run in a blowout loss to Toronto.

    “If we do this draft on the day you give up a 31-0 run, you come last. You lose”

    Listen from 50:02 · Orlando Magic

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe said Acuff's smoothness and control would put him in number-one-pick conversation if he were taller.

    “If he were two or three inches taller, would he be in the conversation to be the number one pick in the draft?”

    Listen from 1:00:27 · 2026 NBA draft

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons doubted any buyer would pay $8 billion for an expansion franchise and argued owners wouldn't dilute their title odds for that amount.

    “do you know how fucking hard that is to get $8 billion? Where you'd have to write an $8 billion check for a team?”

    Listen from 1:04:32 · NBA expansion

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons said the leaked expansion story looked like a trial balloon to gauge fan and owner reaction, and that it unfairly raised Seattle fans' expectations.

    “mae'n deimlo'n debyg bod nhw'n testio hyn hwn i weld beth yw'r reacsiwn”

    Listen from 1:09:34 · NBA expansion

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe said nobody is clamoring for more teams and that a 2028-29 expansion timeline is aggressive.

    “dwi ddim yn meddwl bod unrhyw un yn clamerio ar gyfer mwy o tîmau”

    Listen from 1:10:32 · NBA expansion

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons disliked all of the league's proposed anti-tanking rules and suggested instead barring teams from winning the lottery in consecutive years.

    “Felly, os ydych chi mewn trefiadau top 3, dydyn nhw ddim yn cael mynd yn ôl. Mae'r rhain yn ymddangos yn eithaf syml”

    Listen from 1:16:20 · Tanking in the NBA

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe highlighted that the shortened three-point line produced the best shooting seasons ever by Steve Kerr and Glen Rice, a fact he says is rarely acknowledged.

    “Roedd Steve Kerr yn cael 52.4% o'r tri”

    Listen from 1:30:19 · 1994–95 NBA season

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons selected 1978 as the weirdest NBA season ever while conceding the current season is close.

    “so we think i'm gonna go with 78 i think i gotta be honest i think i think 26 is really close we're like two more weird things away now”

    Listen from 1:31:09 · 1977–78 NBA season

  • Zach LoweCan’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”

    Listen from 1:31:59 · Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Zach Lowe

    Lowe said he likes baseball's challenge system because batters can trigger it themselves without consulting anyone.

    “Roeddwn i'n hoffi bod y faterion yn gallu gwneud hynny heb gofyn i unrhyw un”

    Listen from 1:37:58 · Automated ball-strike system

People

In the conversation

  • Bill SimmonsSportswriter and founder of The Ringer, host of The Bill Simmons Podcast
  • Zach LoweRinger NBA analyst referenced repeatedly

Discussed

Topics

More from The Bill Simmons Podcast

From the publisher

Join The Ringer’s Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe LIVE on Netflix right after Knicks vs. Thunder to react to UConn’s buzzer beater against Duke before diving into a scary playoff team draft (0:32). Then, they discuss the NBA expansion plans and take a deep dive into the weirdest NBA season’s ever (01:01:29). Host: Bill Simmons Guest: Zach Lowe Producers: Chia Hao Tat, Eduardo Ocampo, and Chris Wohlers Sam’s Club | Join The Club of Yes And Bundle and Save Book now on Expedia.com The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit⁠⁠⁠ www.rg-help.com⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about the resources and helplines available. 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·Sports·Sports News