Most Fun NBA League Pass Teams From 1-30 With CR, Wos and Mahoney | The Bill Simmons Podcast

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Chris Ryan, Wosny Lambre and Rob Mahoney to have a draft of their favorite NBA League Pass teams.
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[@drew4064]

The thing about Ant telling Bronny he doesn't need to shower was from NBACentel lol

[@RC-ro4gq]

why don't people just mute Centel from their timeline lol

[@liamlavin9880]

@@RC-ro4gqthat’s soft as fuck just look where information comes from, I follow every fake news source I find so it shows up and keeps me on my toes

[@David-tl6ix]

​@@RC-ro4gqthese guys are like 50+ you can't expect them to be that tech savvy

[@RC-ro4gq]

@@David-tl6ix I guess people like reading fiction

[@AbsentNova]

Centel mentioned 🎉

[@mistaman580]

Did this pod just get centel'd?

[@turk3sh]

GOAT run from Centel

[@xencloud]

This is like watching my four favorite fried chicken places

[@xencloud]

Raising, Zax, Bo's, or Chicken Express

[@richi1235]

02:39 - 1st Pick (Chris) - Minnesota 06:16 - 2nd Pick (Wos) - OKC 09:12 - 3rd Pick (Rob) - Spurs 12:05 - 4th Pick (Bill) - Magic 15:20 - 5th Pick (Chris) - Cavs 17:19 - 6th Pick (Wos) - 76ers 24:31 - 7th Pick (Rob) - Kings 26:34 - 8th Pick (Bill) - Boston 😅 30:00 - 9th Pick (Chris) - Pacers 32:57 - 10th Pick (Wos) - Dallas 35:43 - 11th Pick (Rob) - Knicks 38:41 - 12th Pick (Bill) - Atlanta 43:06 - 13th Pick (Ryan) - Houston 46:20 - 14th Pick (Wos) - Lakers 48:38 - 15th Pick (Rob) - Memphis 50:20 - 16th Pick (Bill) - Denver 51:36 - 17th Pick (Chris) - Pelicans (Wos skipped, see 01:07:25) 54:08 - 18th Pick (Rob) - Bucks 55:21 - 19th Pick (Bill) - Phoenix 56:16 - 20th Pick (Chris) - Warriors 57:34 - 21st Pick (Wos) - Hornets 01:00:21 - 22nd Pick (Rob) - Pistons 01:02:05 - 23rd Pick (Bill) - Utah 01:04:00 24th Pick (Chris) - Portland 01:05:41 25th Pick (Wos) - Heat 01:06:43 - 26th Pick (Rob) - Raptors 01:08:53 - 27th Pick (Wos) - Bulls 01:09:43 - 28th Pick (Bill) - Nets 01:12:50 - not picked - Clippers, Wizards

[@diegomccafferty5693]

you are a good person and you have done great work here

[@richi1235]

@@diegomccafferty5693 Thank you very much!

[@SirSwish91]

Well done sir…well done 👏

[@pacific237]

truly abysmal stuff guys. on all fronts. from the picks to the rationales, this was a masterclass. special shoutout goes to bill getting pushback for his "the celtics rest guys the right way" point but not even recognizing it. Incredible. the best league pass team is the friends we made along the way

[@votdfak]

This crew is so fun! Please do this again and again and again.

[@AirKev88]

Zach Lowe should get custody of the League Pass rankings after this lackluster performance. These are the LEAGUE PASS rankings so let’s maybe not just put all the nationally televised teams right at the top? That’s not the spirit of these rankings. Celtics winning by 20 every night and top 8? The public needs to watch like 5 of their games before the playoffs. We get it. They’re going to take a billion threes and win a lot. If they win a ton in a row, fine I’ll watch. The others 3 should get to veto a bad pick like that. Shouts to CR as always for saving this pod. Forever Ringer MVP.

[@PaulS-q9c]

Bill just too biased these days

[@eliyarrows2456]

The 73 win warriors were must watch and they were running through teams. I’m surprised y’all are throwing a fit about the Celtics being 8th from a biased fan 😂 The spurs got drafted before the Celtics, and the spurs are probably going to lose by 20 a similar amount that Boston wins by 20.

[@bones2427]

Replace Wos with Zach and we might have something here

[@PaulS-q9c]

​@@eliyarrows2456 because those Warriors were really really fun to watch. Those Warriors had Curry, Spurs have Wemby. The Celtics have a boring team. Their play style, players, and success are all not very exciting.

[@MatthewMedina-b7l]

Orlando top 4. We have come a long way. But seriously this team is so much fun to watch. Their defensive intensity is infectious and insane. Their offense looked nice last year…they just didn’t make three’s. If they can make shots from 3, they actually are pleasing to watch on offense as well. A lot of dunks, slick back door passes, up and down the court.

[@stephenallen4625]

my guy rob wearing a Postal Service shirt. Hell ya brother

[@justinbrennan9819]

2-1 Wolves are getting hot early and creating some decent chemistry between Antman and Randle!!🎉🎉🎉

[@TannerLikesStuff]

CR saying “so now it’s cool rest” killed me

[@anycoveryoulike7510]

Lmao at the "Let's honor Bob from Bob's hardware store!!"

[@OdyColdman]

What is the time stamp for this?

[@mitchperkins1922]

Mahoney has a great listening nod. Good range of head motion. Very willing to give the nod. Solid all around.

[@Sirdutcharlesthe63rd]

Dallas is a top3 for me. I get the ball dominant play of Luka can be a turnoff for some, but he provides the most “wow how’d he do that” factor of nba players, imo. Kyrie, Klay, the bigs and lob threat they have. Hardy is fun to watch. I like watching Dallas play a lot. And Lakers! I think Lakers are a really fun watch this year.

[@nathanharrison2839]

I’m with you on the Mavs. I’m a huge C’s fan and I thought it was annoying the criticism Luka got. He would absolutely move the ball more if it resulted in points. Klay is a perfect fit for them

[@MrOctober44]

If Luka wasn't one of the biggest whiners in the league would help. It's her really annoying that he complains like he got bodyslammed on every play

[@Milan_N13]

Its a Bill Simmons draft !

[@fortynights1513]

Bill Simmons should revisit the redraftables; and do earlier 2010’s.

[@sh19413]

People out on the Knicks after 1 game is pretty insane

[@michaelstover6778]

If you listened to them they didn’t say there were out at all

[@nikpetrovic3877]

that bench is trash. maybe they can get through the regular season but their lack of depth will hurt bad in the playoffs.

[@cam8868]

@@nikpetrovic3877 precious and McBride are solid bench pieces. I’m assuming they will be adding a bunch of pieces as the season goes on

[@JJ_5289]

I dont think that game matters much as to how the knicks will be mid season. Went up against a motivated defending champion celtics on their ring night. They need to give it time

[@revengeofthedrivein]

It's amazing how the Ringer employs so many people who view basketball exactly the same way.

[@iNostraD]

5:20 that actor’s name is Paul Dano

[@ZJ-ne9kn]

Anyone else who binge watches this and MDP I'm with you 😮😂

[@RC-ro4gq]

I am here for Wos' fake laughs at every Bill joke and you can't tell me you don't like it too

[@aarondeatherage7678]

The Spurs, Cavs and 76ers over the Mavs for watchability is insane. They are right up there with OKC to me. Watch the Mavs play last night and tell me they are playing like the Harden Rockets with a straight face. It’s just not remotely the same.

[@Timgamt]

They’re stuck in 2020-2021 Luka brain when he had to go heliocentric because his team is awful

[@getjiggywithit2]

Rly enjoyed the cam thomas talk at the end 😄

[@ethanjoseph2474]

38:52 he loves those hawks

[@itsureishotout-itshotterin3985]

Damn, I’m all amped now to watch some League-Pass-Opening-Night replays. I got plans for today now.

[@khaitranngoc4176]

Trae Young rocking the Antonio Conte cut was not something on my mind today, thank you gentlemen. And for one of my favorite Antonio Conte quote: "I advised my players to have sex for short periods and with the minimum of efforts and ... [to] use position when they are under their partners."

[@TheBenjaporn]

Definitely team CR here. Celtics are not a fun team to watch

[@lesbo37]

Only a Celtics fan would find them fun, they're basically the perfection of everything wrong with the modern game rolled out.

[@Bobbleheads56]

Id argue they are like the least watchable team lol their playstyle is hard to beat and equally hard to watch

[@mindyourbuisness8104]

​@@Bobbleheads56james Harden is the number 1 option on a team right now. Nothing is worse to watch than that

[@maxrichard2244]

​@lesbo37 Maybe I'm the outlier here, been watching the Celtics since I was a kid, but it's nearly impossible to watch them (or many teams) nowadays just jacking up three's...yes the first few years Steph was pulling up from 30+ feet was entertaining as no one had done that before. But man it seems like why even have a coach anymore lol just run down the court and shoot a 3, I almost threw up in my mouth after hearing the C's took 61 threes...and I said hearing because I didn't even watch the game because it's too boring 😅

[@nikpetrovic3877]

the modern NBA is hard to watch. they don't need a 4pt line, they need to back the 3pt line the fuck up. stop having all these clowns jacking 3s all game, the "green light" should only be on for 1-2 players per team max, not the entire roster. Like every team has nearly HALF their possessions wind up as a 3pt attempt... if you're trying to eliminate bland basketball, start with disincentivizing shot jacking.

[@JakeDantoni]

Just call this the STREAMEAST watch list for all of us 🤣🤣

[@ilahyahawadah444]

They took the site down lol

[@Timgamt]

League pass is not too bad if you have a real job

[@DJIllustration]

I have a real job. Paying for League Pass is for absolute suckers. ​@@Timgamt

[@elmiabdul9538]

I left after two minutes when they thought a NBA parody twitter site was real, do you guys really think ANT man said that about Bronny

[@Johnnyboy372]

Same. The excitement in his voice as well… like how dumb are you??

[@abdullahazad9152]

2:56 wasnt that a fake quote by a fake account??

[@Leavinglasvegas314]

CR got centeled....

[@davidmelvin5384]

One of the great ironies of the BS Pod is how Bill will isolate shows like First Take/ESPN and other aggregators for doing hot takes, yet totally makes impulsive hot takes on almost all of his shows. He makes fun of the things that he himself does all the time because that is how the content game works.

[@mbison9]

Fair enough but at least Bill isn't saying that SGA needs to score only 24 a game 😂

[@KFBALL247]

Having Portland that low is so disrespectful. Shaedon sharpe is the best dunker in the league, Banton, Deni, Clingan, Camara, Rob Williams, Scoot are all fun to watch. Just smoked the Wolves in back to back games. The constant disrespect is crazy man. They aren’t going to contend for a few years but they are fun as hell to watch

[@MichaelFW89]

If you’re looking for the best Simmons moment start at 1:08:30 and watch the next 25 seconds

[@legionofbronze996]

The Cam Thomas shit has me dying man

[@jbossmantv]

Knicks shot better from the field than the Celts and still got 30 balled, I’ve never seen anything like that in my life

[@jbossmantv]

@JakeYake it’s fun in the same way that spectating a hacker on CoD is fun

[@DJIllustration]

Wosney Lambre remains the dead weight on the Ringer

[@jamesbreslin8453]

Bill compared Paul George’s toughness to his daughter

[@holstorrsceadus1990]

I'm taking Bill's daughter in that match up

[@Maugrin9]

Injury recovery isn't tied to "toughness"

[@AR-io8fv]

It’s hilarious how the Ringer treats anything involving Kyrie

[@aarondeatherage7678]

Mavs have a top 2 offensive player in the league, one of the best shooters of all time who goes on massive heaters, Dereck Lively is one of the most fun big men in the league to watch with mini lob city with him and Gafford, and oh yeah, they also have Kyrie Irving. The discussion on the Mavs on this pod was irritating.

[@holstorrsceadus1990]

​@@aarondeatherage7678 offense puts butts in the seats but defense wins championships. Everyone in Boston cleaned up fading all the Luka Kyrie stans. We fear them less than every other Western contender. People think everyone being injured was the luckiest thing that happened to the Celtics fans. Celtics fans think the luckiest thing was getting the Mavs as a finals matchup.

[@aarondeatherage7678]

@@holstorrsceadus1990 what are you rambling on about? The draft was about how fun these teams are to watch; the Mavs are one of the most fun teams in the league. The fact you have to bring up the Celtics when they aren’t being discussed says a lot about how you feel about last year’s title. Lol

[@holstorrsceadus1990]

@@aarondeatherage7678 I watch other teams to scout how they'd match up against my team. The Mavs don't interest me because I know the Celtics will destroy them 9/10. And I, like Bill, am not interested in Luka's version of hero ball. Neither of them are entertaining to watch play defense either, unless it's when the Celtics are giving them buckets.

[@holstorrsceadus1990]

@@aarondeatherage7678 Basically, there are a ton of other team in the West that I'd rather watch because they'd be a much better matchup.

[@Earl_E_Burd]

How are you? "I'm happy. Hope springs eternal"

[@Roihclem871]

27:40 bill doesn't even believe Celtics are a good watch lol

[@DJCloroxx]

That's more an indictment of the NBA's regular season than anything

[@chriscarter5477]

Is peppering the word "like" 5+ times per sentence a prerequisite for working at the Ringer? A paraphrased, hypothetical Ringer discussion: Employee 1: "I like watched like a basketball game and like it was like good." Employee 2: "Yeah, like it was really like awesome and like totally like fun." Emplouee 3: I like agree. I think like this season will be like alot of like fun and like I'm looking forward to it."

[@Rileylmao_]

they need to make technology for podcasts where you can mute individual mics so I don't have to listen to Wos

[@marklamont9401]

As a Washington fan who tunes in to a lot of games, it is PAINFUL to watch this team run almost zero offensive sets and not able to figure out high pick and rolls on defense... not to mention the team is managed so poorly with both trades and draft picks.... I almost wish that Cooper Flagg is drafted by another team because I dont want to see his career ruined here.

[@kurthellis]

for the first quarter and a half they were neck in neck with the champs...

[@marklamont9401]

@@kurthellis kudos....??? slow golf clap**

[@Sam-uz4iy]

I thought Washington was pretty fun today, saw some good D and offense between the starters. Even Poole looks likes he gives a hoot.

[@WorldwideWyatt]

The Hornets announce team alone should have them in the top 10.

[@JMiles003]

I am a Mavs fan and for me Hornets, Heat, Chicago, and Raptors announce teams are must watch for me when we play the East. Boston has to be one of the worse and I do not even hate Scal.

[@full6330name]

@@JMiles003 at this juncture as a player

[@ineedsaltplease620]

Bill was feeling embarrassed a minute during his celtics pick

[@comahan]

Wos talks a lot and says absolutely nothing, but hes certainly good at repeating himself 18 times in the process. Bill and CR are a lot of fun, the other two added nothing to this.

[@davidlove5232]

Fun episode

[@ethanjoseph2474]

1:13:30 cam Thomas the goat

[@holstorrsceadus1990]

Celtics are the first ever defending champs to be on a revenge tour

[@ZaidenKobe]

Holy shit Wosny doesn’t know anything about current day NBA

[@EzekielSadamir]

26:58 not so subtle middle finger from Bill here

[@drewbreezy5854]

The Celtics are fun if you like watching 4 players stand at the 3 line and jack up shots, waiting for them to miss and then other team to catch up, so you can see the Celtics play a more balanced style and go in the paint.

[@Veggamattic]

Shout out to Zach.

[@CountFisco]

Embiid was the run-away MVP favourite like 8 months ago lol can we calm the hysterics

[@turneryoung905]

Wos smart with the hat to cover that hairline

[@ZaidenKobe]

Let’s give a moment in silence for wosny’s last ever bill Simmons appearance

[@ZaidenKobe]

“The twisty layups”

[@ZaidenKobe]

This just in: Wosny doesn’t think KAT will be Wilt Chamberlain

[@morphsticles]

If only we could be so lucky.

[@soysaucehairdye7869]

I would say Washington just to imagine House's tears and crumbling dreams.

[@xencloud]

I'm only here for you and Woz

[@David-tl6ix]

I like how Mahoney is the only smart ringer basketball guy lol

[@morphsticles]

100%

[@Swingpassfromthecorner]

26:41 preach CR

[@JonNelson523]

Does Wos know how who Cam Thomas is yet?

[@kudabeen]

Early Randle criticism not holding up...he is a ball player...as long as he is mentally in he has every skill to be a winning starting piece...

[@Bobbleheads56]

18:47 this is a great point by Simmons.

[@nathanharrison2839]

Man I was also wrong about Wemby. I thought he was just to thin but ummm it appears he’s gunna be fine. Haha

[@nanimonoda6897]

stop putting wos on every nba show good god

[@dvowls120]

CR yelling lol

[@texasforever1894]

Bill overreacts to everything.

[@pedrocm2523]

This start of the season is pretty bad. Boston and OKC humilliating teams, Low manage in game 1 for Sixers, Zion out, a lot of unwatchable teams, clippers fans as a cheerleaders of James Harden, Risarchier as rookie of the year. You're right that Lakers games should be in national tv every week because there isn't nothing else. Maybe Nets putting in place more weirdo stats or flagrant fouls to cheer up games.

[@jonaoun8215]

@ around 5:30... didn't someone do this to tj miller lol

[@gwuurdtuurt3527]

A few pointers for Chris Ryan: - Try to not make bad jokes. - If this fails, try to at least not laugh at your own bad jokes. - If this also fails, try to at least not laugh before your own bad joke has even finished. - If even this fails, which happens quite often, try to at least not laugh hysterically at your own bad joke before it has even finished. - If all this has failed, please take notice that this makes me stop listening to a podcast instantly.

[@Briones215]

Great pod but im shocked bill you don't know chuck as a long time clippers season holder ticket

[@Jsutty]

U wanna c Paolo get 38-20-8??😂don’t think he’s ever once had a stat line close to this

[@Henry-kv7zl]

He wants to see it

[@eb9782]

I thought this too, but then I looked up his numbers in the Cavs playoff series, game 3 he was 31/14/5, game 5 he was 39/8/4, game 7 he was 38/16/2..and that's year 2, and his first playoff appearance. So it is definitely in the cards if he just has the "normal" amount of improvement this year. I feel like I am sleeping on this kid

[@SixAnd0]

Get familiar with Paolo’s game before you make assumptions.. he puts up numbers similar to that on the regular, but casuals like yourself don’t pay attention to the Magic

[@Jsutty]

@@SixAnd0 😂 I went through his entire game log from last season and saw no data reflecting that

[@htown11465]

You watching today’s game?? 😮

[@annie420xx]

"shouts out to MBS" -Wos, 2024

[@JMiles003]

Bill finally confirmed... he isn't a Luka guy. I hope he stays off him all year. Keep riding Wemby and SGA and stay in Boston. I know when Dallas makes any run he is going to go on about how high he was on him in the draft... just be off him for good.

[@Earl_E_Burd]

Can feel my WDS flaring up. Wos derangement syndrome

[@abdelhafedhbuhaibehalmurad1319]

I love this, they're downplaying dallas so much, I'm actually now excited. Luka loves to shut doubters down ever single time.

[@Funkmania.]

Fuck yeah

[@ethanjoseph2474]

54:37 doc rivers 😂

[@Scottbycoachandrail]

League Pass champs this year are Cavs and Mavs

[@Scottbycoachandrail]

(Going on the rule that the League Pass champs can’t be the actual champs)

[@Maugrin9]

I feel for CR having to defend against the wild extrapolations people are making based on one Embiid quote. This is a no-win situation for him. He said he wants to ensure he's as healthy as possible for the playoffs, which has been the biggest criticism of his career, but now that's a bad thing and being spun as him being lazy. When he was gunning for MVP and putting up historic numbers, he got criticized for breaking down in the playoffs. There's a level of self-awareness here that fans need to have. We get to choose how we respond and interpret quotes. Sports media knows Embiid gets lots of fans talking, so of course they're going to spin this in a negative way to drive engagement. This could've have just as easily been "Embiid gearing up for a playoff run, the title is his only goal". Instead it's "Embiid refuses to play!! He's lazy and soft!!" We choose which one we want to believe. So many of the narratives that have come out of this have been made using assumptions created by the media. CR defended against it here when Bill and them start going off with "conspiracies" that take this small quote and running with it in directions that the quote doesn't imply. It's all "smell test" as Bill puts it.

[@blackzack20]

Didn't Paul George play with Roy Hibbert

[@Sbock86]

wide shot with draft selections on the side would have worked better

[@sirFleez]

Bro the Cam Thomas hate needs to stop. He was drafted to score. Offensive play calling was absolutely atrocious last year and he's handed the ball will 5 seconds left on the shot clock at least 5 times a game and STILL had better shooting % than Mikal. Of course he's fun to watch on a tank team but if you don't think he can be a successful 6th man on a good team then you guys are the casuals. There is a reason why KD did not want him to be included in the Harden deal.

[@southernz]

Not watching this till you guys add time stamps

[@full6330name]

Why did Grantland have the cool factor and The Ringer does not ?

[@dimitrijetucovic1307]

Zach Lowe, David Jacoby and Jalen Rose.

[@ethanjoseph2474]

1:07:38 raptors😂

[@ethanjoseph2474]

1:09:53 nets😂

[@bagbroch9339]

Trucker hats in 2024

[@charliebanks605]

Simmons trying to convince the others that it's ok when the Celtics rest players and blow teams out for a league pass ranking is very on brand.

[@303BoJack]

I need to hit a magic game

[@burgercheeeses]

Rob a Postal Service fan nice

[@chrisg2214]

60 three-point attempts in a game is not fun to watch.

[@DeepSweetSoulful]

These analysts do not put in the work to be league wide analysts. They follow only the major teams and stories. Stop commenting on the entire NBA if you don't put in the work and actually have knowledgeable takes based on first hand research. Focus on where you add value. Stop misinforming the NBA on small market teams that you clearly do not know enough about to be influencing public opinion.

[@greenwavefitness7545]

almost an hour in before the best, most exciting shooter in NBA history gets picked? after what he did in the gold medal game? SHAME

[@beerbatreps3861]

Curry threes feel like a home run or a RB breaking Through for a big touchdown. It's super exciting I'm with ya

[@vidalgutierrez1736]

@@beerbatreps3861but they’re just not doing anything

[@annie420xx]

>draymond

[@TheJesseGladSaget]

As a Spurs fan, they should be ranked 30th in this ranking as long as Pop is still head coach. They're AWFUL to watch. No direction whatsoever. No offensive or defensive system to speak of. Just a rudderless ship; a bunch of guys playing random helter skelter ball

[@kiragina.7152]

Having OKC, Denver and Minnesota blacked out made me opt out of League Pass this season in protest.

[@ryancox530]

Why couldn’t this be a ranking. Why did it have to be a draft. I miss the Zach and bill’s version

[@tasthemeatnottheheat164]

cr has never made me more embarrassed to be from philly…and i’m a sixers fan

[@jeffreyvalentyn6815]

Yikes, if OKC wasn’t in the top 4 I would have thought they were starting from least watchable

[@MrOctober44]

Do these guys know stats? The Kings were 15th in defense. Maybe do a tiny bit of research?

[@sammyttheg412]

Ringer nba ranked cavs the 14th best team in the nba. What a joke. They're gonna finish top 3 in the east

[@thecavsman]

They have the Cavs 13th in power rankings, and 6th in the east. Terrible. I don’t get how Simmons waits into now to sell all his Mobley stock.

[@LazyRiverMusic]

There is more than seven people watching the Blazers play. They have about 18,000 20,000 that go to their games every home game. 😂😂😂😂 Sports nerds