Snapshot · The Bill Simmons Podcast
In Simmons and Lowe's simulated tournament of the last 8 NBA champions, the 2023 Nuggets defeated the 2026 Knicks in the finals, making them the best team of the group.
Where this was said
At 35:03 · chapter starts 24:46
Joshua from the mailbag proposes an NBA brothers 2-on-2 All-Star tournament, and Simmons works through eight pairings: the Thompsons, the Harpers (Dylan and Ron Jr.), the Wagners, the Williams brothers, the Holidays, the Wallaces, and the Currys. Simmons likes the Thompson twins at minus-140 in the finals against the Harpers. Lowe loves the concept but would make Giannis choose only one brother, creating generational family trauma in the process. The Stutz email raises the Luka-Brunson Mavericks as a rival to OKC's Durant-Westbrook-Harden team as the century's biggest 'what if we kept this together' tragedy; both hosts go with OKC because all three won MVPs and made the Finals together, providing proof of concept. The Dantley-Rodman parallel emerges as the best historical frame for Fox and Harper in San Antonio: eventually the younger player's minutes demand forces a trade, and Detroit won two titles afterward. The Fox contract discussion ($221M for 4 years) lands it as a top-5 worst contract candidate given signs of declining athleticism.
Running all eight recent champions through a simulated bracket, Simmons and Lowe both independently landed on the 2023 Nuggets as the winner. Jokic's playoff heater — roughly 31-14-11 with 50% from three — makes that team nearly impossible to beat.
Nikola Jokic's 2023 playoff run featured approximately 31 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists per game while shooting around 50% from three.
In the 2026 playoffs, OKC needed 7 games to beat a Denver team missing Michael Porter Jr. (one arm) and Aaron Gordon (one leg), raising questions about their postseason dominance.
Denver won't trade Jokic, but if they did, Utah's package — headlined by the No. 2 pick and Markkanen — is the only offer close to sufficient. OKC and Houston have interesting assets too, but the Jazz are the one team that could make a true 'screw you' offer.
16-3 in the playoffs. Greatest point differential in playoff history. A 53-year drought ended. The Wembenyama collision. The greatest comeback in NBA history. Zach Lowe makes the case: this is a maximum-prestige championship.
The 2026 Knicks went 16-3 in the playoffs, posting the greatest point differential in playoff history and ending a 53-year title drought.
The New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years in 2026, ending one of the longest title droughts for a major-market franchise.
Thomas's wife is already ranked in the top 2,000 CrossFit athletes in the world — roughly the top 1% — and Thomas wants her to pursue the sport professionally now that he is graduating law school.
Research shows athletes who mentally imagine practicing basketball or soccer have better performance than those who do not include imagination in their training.
Rico Verhoeven dominated approximately 10 of 12 rounds against undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk before a controversial post-bell stoppage.
Rico's appeal confirmed the fight was stopped after the bell rang, and the ringside doctor found no concussion or disorientation — yet the result was never overturned.
Glory Kickboxing uses 5 judges rather than boxing's 3, which Joe Rogan argues reduces the chance of a corrupt or incompetent minority swinging the result.
Rico Verhoeven had only one professional boxing match before fighting undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk for the WBC title.
Despite having just one pro boxing match, Rico Verhoeven had been training boxing for 15 years alongside his kickboxing career.
Rico used a full 6 months to transition from kickboxing stance to a proper boxing stance under trainer Peter Fury, calling it essential rewiring.
Rico Verhoeven has had approximately 75 professional kickboxing fights, giving him a massive combat sports experience advantage over pure boxers.
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