Part 2: Cleveland Survives, Knicks-Sixers, and Whaddya Do for Denver, Houston,  and Atlanta With Zach Lowe

Summary of Part 2: Cleveland Survives, Knicks-Sixers, and Whaddya Do for Denver, Houston,  and Atlanta With Zach Lowe

by The Ringer

1h 12m•May 4, 2026
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Overview of Part 2: Cleveland Survives, Knicks-Sixers, and Whaddya Do for Denver, Houston, and Atlanta With Zach Lowe

Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe break down the NBA playoff picture after two underwhelming Game 7s, with a heavy focus on what Cleveland’s survival means, how the Knicks-Sixers series sets up, and what various teams should do this offseason. The conversation blends game analysis, roster construction, trade speculation, coaching pressure, and a few off-topic internet detours.

Cleveland Escapes Toronto, but Questions Remain

What happened in Cavs-Raptors

  • Cleveland won a rough, physical Game 7 and advanced after a series that became a rock fight.
  • The Cavs dominated the glass, out-rebounding Toronto 60-33, and Toronto shot just 28% from three.
  • Zach and Bill agreed Toronto was a pain to play against and that the series being extended to seven wasn’t automatically embarrassing for Cleveland.

Key Cavs takeaways

  • Jared Allen was a major tone-setter; Zach saw him as embracing the physicality and fighting through trade-rumor noise.
  • Max Strus was highlighted as a big playoff connector piece.
  • James Harden was uneven but not disastrous; he got to the line, kept turnovers down, and settled into the game once Cleveland built a lead.
  • Donovan Mitchell had an up-and-down game, but Cleveland ultimately steadied itself after a shaky first half.

What it means for Cleveland vs. Detroit

  • The Cavs now get a more conventional, but still brutal, matchup with Detroit.
  • Bill slightly leans Cleveland in six or seven, but neither he nor Zach feels great about the matchup.
  • Their big concern: Cleveland’s offense hasn’t looked fully in sync, and the series may expose that again.

Knicks vs. Sixers: Biggest Pressure Series in the East

Why this series matters

  • Both teams have major stakes:
    • Knicks: expected to build on last year and capitalize on a wide-open East.
    • Sixers: still trying to get Embiid out of the second round.
  • Bill and Zach both expect this to be the most compelling series in the conference.

Main storylines

  • Embiid vs. Knicks fans: years of animosity, plus fresh fuel from recent play.
  • Brunson vs. Maxey: a fast, high-skill guard battle.
  • Towns vs. Embiid: the old beef is back.
  • Mikal Bridges: Zach thinks this is a chance for him to play like a high-end defensive connector without needing to carry the offense.
  • Josh Hart / perimeter pressure on Maxey: the Knicks may use multiple bodies to wear him down.

Who has more to lose?

  • Both agree the Knicks would be more devastated by a loss.
  • For Philly, even a loss could still feel like progress if Embiid, Paul George, and Maxey show real playoff form.
  • Bill leans Knicks in seven, but thinks the series could go either way.

Timberwolves vs. Spurs: A Physical, Fun West Series

Why the matchup is intriguing

  • The Wolves are being underestimated again, and both hosts like their toughness and playoff edge.
  • The Spurs present a brutal defensive challenge, but Minnesota has already shown it can make a series ugly and competitive.

Matchup notes

  • Anthony Edwards vs. Victor Wembanyama is the headliner.
  • Bill wants a genuine “Ant takes off and Wemby is the last line of defense” playoff moment.
  • Gobert vs. Wemby could matter in how the paint is controlled.
  • Mike Conley was praised as a “zombie” who can still produce meaningful minutes.

Lean

  • Zach and Bill both think the Spurs may be a small favorite, but Minnesota can absolutely extend the series and even win it.
  • Bill’s general takeaway: do not underestimate the Wolves.

Lakers vs. Thunder: Oklahoma City Should Roll

  • Bill and Zach don’t see much of a path for the Lakers, especially if Luka Doncic remains out or limited.
  • Oklahoma City has too much top-end talent, too much youth, and too much depth.
  • The matchup feels like “Father Time vs. the Thunder,” especially with LeBron James still carrying massive responsibility at age 41.
  • The hosts think the series may have some competitive stretches, but not a real upset threat.

Offseason Questions: What Do You Do With These Teams?

Toronto

  • The Raptors are in a tricky cap situation:
    • Brandon Ingram
    • Immanuel Quickley
    • Jakob Poeltl
  • The Poeltl extension was singled out as especially damaging to future flexibility.
  • Bill and Zach think the best move may be to avoid drastic changes:
    • keep evaluating Scottie Barnes
    • preserve future trade options
    • try to rebuild value in existing contracts
  • They both liked what they saw from Barnes and Ja’Kobe Walter, but Gradey Dick appears to have slipped out of the rotation.

Houston

  • Houston’s options are wide open:
    • stand pat and see what the current group looks like
    • trade Kevin Durant or Fred VanVleet
    • chase a bigger star
  • Bill floated a wild idea: Brandon Ingram for Kevin Durant, though both acknowledged the fit issues and baggage.
  • They also discussed the possibility that Houston could be a landing spot for a star if the price is right.

Denver

  • Zach and Bill both argued Denver should not panic.
  • Their view: the Nuggets had bad injury luck and one bad postseason matchup, not a broken core.
  • Key priorities:
    • re-sign Peyton Watson
    • keep the roster intact as much as possible
    • avoid overreacting to one playoff loss
  • Bill said the Nuggets should study the 2022 Warriors as a model for sticking with a championship nucleus through a weird year.

Portland and Atlanta

  • Portland: still unclear what direction they should go, though their defense-first identity is promising. They have a weird cap sheet and a lot of assets, but not the kind of top-end star that OKC or San Antonio have.
  • Atlanta: Bill thinks they should let the lottery play out before making a big move. He likes some of their young pieces and doesn’t see an obvious “all-in” trade unless the right star becomes available.

Random Fun Detours

The wild stat hunt

  • Zach spent time on Twitter diving into a stat thread tracking the NBA record holder for every point total from 0 to 100.
  • The conversation turned into an appreciation of obscure “name some guys” trivia, with players like Greg Kite, Reggie Evans, and Michael Cage getting shoutouts.

Inside the NBA and the boat graphic

  • They also joked about the “Gone Fishing” graphic and the Celtics boat image that included Bill, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, John Krasinski, Mike Vrabel, and Dianna Russini.
  • Zach and Bill loved the idea of Inside the NBA going into “fuck it mode” as its run continues.

Zach Lowe’s cameo

  • Zach mentioned he appears in Your Friends and Neighbors on Apple TV+.
  • He plays himself in a party scene alongside NBA-related characters.
  • The story turned into a funny aside about being a “fish out of water” on a TV set and now being able to call himself an actor.

Bottom Line

  • The East feels wide open, and Knicks-Sixers is the series with the most pressure and the most animosity.
  • Cleveland survived, but both hosts still have real questions about their offense.
  • Minnesota remains one of the league’s toughest outs, and Denver shouldn’t overreact to one bad series.
  • Oklahoma City looms as the clear favorite in the West matchup against the Lakers.
  • The offseason conversation is already about cap sheets, trade flexibility, and whether teams should chase stars or stay patient.