Boston Gets Clocked, Round 1 Predictions, and a Mega-Mailbag With Chris Ryan and Joe House

April 29, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Bill Simmons Podcast episode features Bill Simmons, Joe House, and Chris Ryan reacting live to Tuesday's NBA playoff games, followed by a mailbag with House. They dissect key matchups, highlight vulnerabilities, and weigh series futures, blending immediate analysis with broader playoff hypotheticals and fan queries.

Celtics-Sixers Game 5 Breakdown

Philadelphia's 114-99 win forced a Game 6, with Joel Embiid dominating (strong defense, efficient inside scoring after halftime adjustments, avoiding early threes). He finished with key plays like blocking Jayson Tatum mid-air, enabling transition threes. The Sixers shot 7-of-12 from three in the third, overcoming a 13-point deficit, while Boston's three-point variance failed them—only three players scored in double figures, and Derek White averaged 8.2 points on 29.8% shooting this postseason.

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What you'll learn

1 (03:51) **Celtics-Sixers Game 5 Reaction** - Trio dissects Philly's comeback win, Embiid's dominance forces Game 6
2 (09:47) **Celtics Coaching Critique** - Mazzulla's heavy minutes on Tatum/Brown backfire amid transition team concerns
3 (13:46) **Sixers Momentum & Philly Game 6 Outlook** - Philly plays desperate road ball, Embiid-Paul George duo shines
4 (19:47) **Knicks-Hawks Game 5 Breakdown** - Knicks close out series despite Hawks' early adjustments
5 (25:24) **Spurs-Blazers Sweep Recap** - San Antonio advances easily post-Wemby injury
6 (32:18) **Underdog Series Preferences** - Philly (+1100) tops Rockets (+750), Hawks (+560) for value
7 (35:41) **Denver-Minnesota Game 6 Pick** - Split on Wolves (+130) at home vs. Nuggets (-142)

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Show Notes

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Chris Ryan and Joe House to react to the 76ers extending the series against the Celtics, the Knicks taking a 3-2 lead against the Hawks, and the Spurs eliminating the Trail Blazers to move on to the conference semifinals (3:13). Then, they predict the outcomes for the rest of Round 1 and take a look at the NBA's anti-tanking draft lottery proposal (31:36). Finally, Bill and House answer some mailbag questions (01:02:29).

Host: Bill Simmons

Guests: Chris Ryan and Joe House

Producers: Chia Hao Tat and Eduardo Ocampo

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