The NBA playoffs are upon us! Will LeBron and the Lakers repeat as champions? Will the Nets big three of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving lead Brooklyn to the Finals? Here are five excellent podcasts for hoop lovers to follow all of these storylines and more during the postseason. Who's your pick to win it all?
The Ringer NBA Show
1. The Ringer NBA Show
This podcast has a great rotating cast of NBA writers such as Kevin O’Connor, Logan Murdock, Raja Bell, and Chris Ryan to name a few. Also, the new additions of Wos Lambre and Seerat Sohi have only bolstered this already amazing group. There’s a new episode every weekday, so make sure you tune in to get your playoff fix.
The Lowe Post
2. The Lowe Post
Zach Lowe of ESPN is perhaps the best NBA writer out right now. The way he’s able to contextualize advanced analytics and stats is second to none. He marries historical context while simultaneously appreciating what players are doing in the moment, an exceptional gift. He’s also been known to have some great guests (Joel Embiid, Doris Burke, Jeff Van Gundy, and Chris Webber have all made appearances this season).
The NBA Daily Ding
3. The NBA Daily Ding
A rotating cast of hoops writers from the Athletic make appearances on this podcast to discuss what happened the night before and preview the upcoming slate. The best thing about this podcast is brevity, and most episodes are 20 minutes or less. So this is perfect for when you’re getting ready in the morning.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
4. The Bill Simmons Podcast
What’s a list of NBA podcasts without Bill Simmons, the podfather himself? He’s been a prominent basketball analyst for the last 20 years. You can still expect his signature superpower to reach deep into his basketball archives to help contextualize what he just experienced. Bill kicks it into overdrive during playoff time every season.
The Dunker Spot
5. The Dunker Spot
If you are longing for deep basketball analysis, this podcast is for you. Nekias Duncan is a writer that knows all of the quantifiable and non-quantifiable nuances of the game. And his co-host Steve Jones is a former NBA assistant coach and video coordinator, so his perspective is informed by real in-game situations. Your basketball IQ increases after every podcast episode with these two!