Book of Basketball 2.0 - podcast cover

Book of Basketball 2.0

The Ringertheringer.com
Bill Simmons’s new podcast breaks down the NBA's most important games, players, and teams, extending and reinventing his New York Times no. 1 bestselling book from 2009. Playing off the NBA’s dramatic changes during the past decade, Bill uses new commentary and fresh interviews with players and top media members to determine how the league has evolved and where it’s headed.Produced by Bill Simmons and Kyle Crichton Music by Jackson Lowe Lyrics and vocals by Tic Tac and Melatonin

Episodes

2005 Redraftables: The Revenge of CP3 With Ryen Russillo

The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to revisit the 2005 NBA draft and discuss some of its subplots, draft comedy, and NBA legends before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 11, 20201 hr 21 minSeason 3Ep. 10

2004 Redraftables: A Series of Unfortunate Events With Joe House

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Joe House to revisit the 2004 NBA draft and discuss some of the subplots, draft comedy, and NBA legends from that class before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 29, 20201 hr 23 minSeason 3Ep. 9

2000 Redraftables: The NBA Draft WOAT. With Ryen Russillo | Book of Basketball 2.0

The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to revisit the 2000 NBA draft, talk through some of the NBA subplots and what made this draft the worst in NBA history, and then break down the first 14 lottery picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 08, 20201 hr 24 minSeason 3Ep. 5

The Genius of Bill Russell | Book of Basketball 2.0

What made Bill Russell so great? Was Russell a pioneer, a genius, or both? Why did he mean so much to the 1960s? Why did he walk away after his 11th title and never look back? And why wouldn’t he forgive the city of Boston? In 2012, Bill Simmons flew to Seattle and spent two days with the greatest winner in sports history, hoping to find these answers and more. It ended up being the highlight of his career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 03, 202025 minSeason 3Ep. 22

Duncan’s Revenge: 2003’s Lakers-Spurs Game 5 With Shea Serrano | Book of Basketball 2.0

Remember the night when Tim Duncan’s Spurs basically ended Shaq and Kobe’s quest for a four-peat, only they blew a huge lead and got saved because Robert Horry MISSED the game-winning shot? Remember when Duncan won a series against Shaq and Kobe in their primes? Remember when the thought of Duncan winning five titles seemed absurd? Remember the season when Kobe looked the most like MJ? Bill breaks it all down with The Ringer’s Shea Serrano. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices....

Feb 25, 20201 hr 14 minSeason 3Ep. 21

A Magic Collapse: 2009's L.A.-Orlando Game 4 With Kevin Clark and Joe House | Book of Basketball 2.0

Everyone remembers Kobe’s Lakers finally winning a title without Shaq in 2009. But why don’t they remember Orlando’s epic Game 4 collapse? Was this one of the biggest Finals meltdowns ever? Should the Magic have won the the series? How did those two missed free throws change Dwight Howard’s legacy? And just what the hell was Jameer Nelson doing? Bill breaks it down with The Ringer’s Kevin Clark and Joe House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 18, 20201 hr 23 minSeason 3Ep. 20

Dwight Howard and the Pyramid (With Ryen Russillo and Joe House) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Dwight Howard was the league’s best center for five straight seasons. He even toppled LeBron in a conference finals to make the 2009 Finals. So what derailed him from being an all-time great? Was it injuries? Was he just kind of a jackass? Had the level of competition at center dipped so much that it made him seem better than he was? How do you explain his redemption with the 2019-20 Lakers? And why was Dwight the most properly rated NBA star ever? Bill breaks it all down with The Ringer’s Ryen ...

Feb 11, 20201 hr 6 minSeason 3Ep. 19

The Night Kobe Called Me Out of the Blue | Book of Basketball 2.0

Chapter 18: In December 2012, Kobe Bryant wasn’t even halfway through his last elite Lakers season, but he was putting more thought into the bigger picture than ever before. What was leadership all about, anyway? How could he use social media to advance his message? Would he rather be remembered as a winner or a great teammate? And what made him want to pick up the phone and call Bill Simmons out of the blue? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 04, 202027 minSeason 3Ep. 18

Kobe Bryant, Jalen Rose, and Bill Simmons Talk Hoops on the Grantland Basketball Hour (Recorded Feb. 2015) | Book of Basketball 2.0

In 2015, Kobe Bryant joined Bill Simmons and Jalen Rose on the Grantland Basketball Hour to discuss the tail end of his NBA career, his partnership with Shaquille O’Neal, the state of basketball in 2015, and his upcoming basketball documentary, ‘Muse.’ Watch the video here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 30, 202048 minSeason 3Ep. 17

The Last Fun Knicks Team: Indy-NY Game 3, 1999 (w/ Sean Fennessey & Jason Concepcion) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Was Larry Johnson’s 4-point shot the last truly great Knicks moment? Was he fouled in the first place? Why was basketball so BAD back then? Why did we still love it so much? And was it a coincidence that James Dolan took over the Knicks shortly thereafter and ruined all the fun? Bill breaks it all down with The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and Jason Concepcion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 23, 20201 hr 29 minSeason 3Ep. 16

Reggie Miller and the Pyramid (With Shea Serrano) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Chapter 7: Was Reggie Miller a superstar? Is he the best example of a player who was way ahead of his time? Did he save pro basketball in Indiana? What would he have been like during the advanced metrics era? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 14, 20201 hr 12 minSeason 3Ep. 15

Steve Nash on “the Horry Shove,” 2007’s Heartbreak, and the Critically Acclaimed 2004-10 Suns | Book of Basketball 2.0

Chapter 6: What’s the second-best thing you can win if you never win a title? Critical acclaim! Bill made Hall of Famer Steve Nash rewatch Game 4 of the infamous 2007 Spurs-Suns series—when the Suns were derailed by suspensions, bad luck, and one terrible commissioner decision—before breaking it all down. Did the Suns get screwed? What would Nash do-over in that series? Were the Suns way ahead of their time or not ahead of their time enough? And did Phoenix’s front office sabotage that season mo...

Jan 07, 20201 hr 25 minSeason 3Ep. 14

Kawhi Shoots Philly: 2019’s Most Important Game (a BoB Rewatchables With Ryen Russillo and Chris Ryan) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Remembering the Game 7 when Kawhi Leonard became immortal, the Jimmy Butler era ended in Philly, Joel Embiid cried, the 2019 playoffs shifted gears, and Kawhi sank the greatest (and craziest) series-winning shot of all time. Would the NBA ever be the same? Was this one of the greatest performances ever? And why did Kawhi shoot 39 times while still obeying the Secret? Bill Simmons breaks it all down with The Ringer’s Ryen Russillo and Chris Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastcho...

Dec 24, 20191 hr 26 minSeason 3Ep. 13

LeBron Wins a Cleveland Title: The Game of the Decade (a BoB Rewatchables With Brian Windhorst) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Cleveland won a championship? The Cavs rallied back from 3-1? LeBron delivered on his promise to Ohio? The Warriors blew a chance to become the greatest team ever? How did one dramatic Game 7 yield The Shot, The Block, AND The Stop? Why wasn’t Stephen Curry a bigger goat? Was this LeBron’s greatest performance ever? And did this nudge Kevin Durant to the Warriors and change the course of NBA history? Bill answers all of these questions and more as he breaks down Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals wit...

Dec 19, 20192 hr 38 minSeason 3Ep. 12

Dirk’s Game 7 Breakthrough and the Decade’s Greatest Series: Spurs-Mavs, 2006 (BoB Rewatchables w/ Marc Stein) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Chapter 5b: On the verge of blowing yet another playoff series, this time after building a 3-1 lead against San Antonio, the Mavs dig down deep in a classic Game 7. Was 2006 a wildly underrated NBA season? Has Dirk Nowitzki ever been better? Could that Spurs team have won five straight titles? Is Mark Cuban the first and only owner-chemist? And what the hell was Manu Ginobili doing? Bill breaks it all down with Marc Stein from The New York Times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastch...

Dec 10, 20191 hr 4 minSeason 3Ep. 11

Dirk Nowitzki and the Pyramid (With Marc Stein) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Chapter 5: How did the 2011 playoffs change Dirk’s destiny as a top-35 player? Would he have been even better in the current 3-point-happy era than the previous one? Is he the most popular Dallas athlete ever? And could Dirk crack the Pantheon in Bill’s 100-player Hall of Fame Pyramid? These questions and more are broken down in our fourth “Pyramid Podcast” with Marc Stein of ‘The New York Times.’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 03, 20191 hr 16 minSeason 3Ep. 10

Houston’s 2018 Almost-Champs and the NBA’s Advanced Stats Revolution (With Daryl Morey) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Chapter 4c: After becoming the spiritual leader of the Advanced Metrics Revolution, Daryl Morey spends the 2010s building a contender around James Harden and Chris Paul, only to watch his title dreams vanish in a gut-wrenching series against the defending champion Warriors. What inefficiencies did Morey first exploit last decade in Boston and Houston? What was the thinking behind the Harden trade? What could the 2018 Rockets have done differently? And why did the NBA take so long to move into th...

Nov 26, 20191 hr 21 minSeason 3Ep. 9

Spurs-OKC 2012 and KD’s Almost-Dynasty (BoB Rewatchables With Joe House) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Chapter 4b: Up 2-0 in the Western Finals and riding a 20-game winning streak, the seemingly invincible Spurs are demolished by Kevin Durant and a Thunder team that peaked at the perfect time. How did the series flip? Was this the best-played and most-loaded series of the decade? Was this OKC’s Apex Mountain? Why was the last minute of Game 6 so emotional? Were the 2012-14 Spurs historically underrated? And how the hell could OKC ever trade James Harden after Game 5? Bill breaks it all down with ...

Nov 19, 20191 hr 18 minSeason 3Ep. 8

James Harden and the Pyramid (With Zach Lowe) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Chapter 4: Is Harden the NBA’s best scorer since Michael Jordan? Was the Harden trade the NBA’s biggest “what if?” ever? How much should Harden’s playoff stumbles matter for him historically? Where does his beard rank among the NBA’s greatest facial hairstyles ever? And where does Harden rank on Bill’s 100-player Hall of Fame Pyramid? These questions and more are broken down in our third “Pyramid Podcast” with Bill’s former Grantland colleague, ESPN’s Zach Lowe. Learn more about your ad choices....

Nov 19, 20191 hr 16 minSeason 3Ep. 7

2004 Finals, Game 4: Shaq’s Last Great Game (The Rewatchables With J.A. Adande) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Chapter 3b: With the Shaq/Kobe era crumbling against a hungry 2004 Pistons team, Shaquille O’Neal tried to save the day with a memorable throwback performance. It ended up being his last great Lakers game. What did that night say about Shaq, that bizarre Lakers season, and a now-underrated champion from Detroit that wouldn’t roll over? Bill breaks it down with his former ESPN colleague J.A. Adande. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 14, 20191 hr 21 minSeason 3Ep. 6

Shaquille O’Neal and the Pyramid (With J.A. Adande) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Chapter 3: Was Shaquille O’Neal the one Pantheon player who could have been top five if he really wanted it? Would vintage Shaq have been better or worse in 2019? Were Shaq and Kobe always destined to turn on each other? Was 'Kazaam' better than 'Steel'? And where does Shaq rank on Bill’s 100-player Hall of Fame Pyramid? These questions and more are broken down in our second Pyramid Podcast, with Northwestern University’s director of sports journalism, J.A. Adande. Learn more about your ad choic...

Nov 12, 20191 hr 27 minSeason 3Ep. 5

OKC-GSW, Game 6 2016 (a 'Rewatchables' Flashback With Chris Ryan and Joe House) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Chapter 2b: No 2010s NBA game unleashed more “what ifs” than Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference finals. It’s impossible to figure out Stephen Curry’s phenomenal decade without hashing through everything that happened that night. So what happened? In the pilot episode of TBOB Rewatchables, recorded earlier this year on 'The Bill Simmons Podcast,' Bill re-lives that historic night with The Ringer’s Chris Ryan and Joe House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Nov 05, 20191 hr 24 minSeason 3Ep. 4

Stephen Curry and the Pyramid (With Ryen Russillo) | Book of Basketball 2.0

Chapter 2: Will we remember the 2010s for Curry or LeBron? Is Curry already the greatest shooter of all time? Has any modern superstar ever had more career-related “what ifs”? Is Curry STILL underrated? And where does he rank on Bill’s 100-player Hall of Fame Pyramid? These questions and more are broken down in our first Pyramid Podcast with The Ringer’s Ryen Russillo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 05, 20191 hr 18 minSeason 3Ep. 3