Harden’s Moment, an NFL Schedule Glut, Owning the Jazz, and a Boston Sports Check-In—With Bryan Curtis, Bill’s Dad, and Ryan Smith

May 14, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Bill Simmons previews key NBA playoff matchups ahead of Friday's Game 6 doubleheader between Cleveland-Detroit and San Antonio-Minnesota, while discussing the NFL's expanding schedule, Boston's sports frustrations, and Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith's lottery breakthrough and rebuild plans.

NBA Playoff Keys: Five Players to Watch

Simmons highlights five players pivotal to Friday's games. Julius Randle has faltered since Minnesota's Game 1 win (13-for-39 shooting in losses), amplifying trade talk as the priciest Knick asset acquired by the Wolves; without a healthy Anthony Edwards, Randle's frustration visibly hinders them. San Antonio's Stephon Castle and Harrison Ingram (combined 33% from three in the series vs. 38% regular season) must complement Victor Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, and Dylan Harper's shaky shooting—teams have exploited Spurs' 6-for-26 threes in losses like Game 4, exposing an Achilles' heel despite Wemby's dominance.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **Intro Housekeeping** - Bill teases Rewatchables, Sunday NBA pods with Zach Lowe, and guests
2 (04:40) **NBA Game 6 Doubleheader Preview** - Bill breaks down Cavs-Detroit and Spurs-Timberwolves, predicts Cavs closeout and Spurs double-digit win
3 (05:53) **Five Key Players to Watch** - Spotlights Randle, Vassell/Champagnie, Duren, Strus, and Harden as series swing factors
4 (14:26) **James Harden's Redemption Arc** - Analyzes Harden's recent surge, playoff history, and setup vs Detroit/Knicks
5 (23:25) **Bryan Curtis on NFL Schedule Glut** - Discusses overloaded NFL slate (9 intl games, 18th game looming, holiday dominance)
6 (24:27) **Peak Sports TV Overload** - Debates if too much sports/content erodes enjoyment amid streamers, expansion
7 (34:48) **Streaming Wars and NFL Deals** - Owners maximize via flexible streamer packages vs rigid networks

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons talks about five guys he’s observing for the two major Game 6 NBA playoff games on Friday night (3:54). Then, Bryan Curtis joins to discuss the current state of sports programming before Bill’s dad hops on to reflect on the Celtics’ playoff collapse and to check in on Boston sports (22:38). Finally, Jazz owner Ryan Smith joins the pod to talk about the second pick in the 2026 NBA draft, rebuilding the team, the growth of Utah, and much more (01:43:22).
Host: Bill Simmons

Guests: Bryan Curtis, Bill’s dad, and Ryan Smith

Producers: Chia Hao Tat and Eduardo Ocampo

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