The Bill Simmons Podcast
Best NBA Playoff Guys, Curry’s Value, and the Perplexing Celtics Meltdown With Wosny Lambre, Joe House, and Bill’s Dad
Fri, 09 May 2025
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Wosny Lambre and Joe House to react to Warriors-Timberwolves Game 2, and to preview Cavs-Pacers Game 3 (2:19). Then, they craft a pyramid of the best NBA playoff guys, and more (24:24). Finally, Bill’s dad joins to discuss the Celtics as they face an uphill battle against the Knicks (01:02:34). Host: Bill Simmons Guests: Joe House, Wosny Lambre, and Bill's dad Producers: Chia Hao Tat and Eduardo Ocampo #ULTRACourtside could get you closer to the game! michelobultra.com/courtside ENJOY RESPONSIBLY ©️ 2025 ANHEUSER-BUSCH, MICHELOB ULTRA®️ LIGHT BEER, ST. LOUIS, MO. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Chapter 1: What are the highlights from Warriors vs Timberwolves Game 2?
All right. So you agree with that, Waz? You would go SGA Brunson on that second level?
For sure. I think Ant sometimes gets to that level, especially against the Lakers. He was just controlling and dominating play in that series. But yeah, I would say Steph, SGA.
Okay, so third level. Can I put Curry in the third level or are we dinging him?
Third level.
Can I do Curry, Mitchell, and Ant in the third level? Where are you going to put Halliburton? That's what I was about to say. Okay. Well, and he's there. I hesitate to say this name right now, given the week that's happened, but Jason Tatum for an MVP.
Is he out of the top three levels now? This is the NBA, the 2025 NBA playoffs. Show me his signature game in the 2025 NBA playoffs.
So you put, you put Halliburton with Curry and Mitchell. In the third level.
Question, Bill. Of all of those guys, and there's 12 seconds left on the clock, the Celtics are down one. Or whoever is down one. Would you trust Tatum over any of the guys that you just previously mentioned?
Was, it's not a great week for the question. Get him, Was.
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Chapter 2: Is Stephen Curry the most valuable player for the Warriors?
That's what's alarming to me, House, is he wasn't making the right plays. He wasn't dissecting the Knicks in the way that he was doing all season and even in the Orlando series.
See, I agree with all of that. And I hate to take the conversation in this direction, but the fork in the road moment is for the Celtics. It's not just Tatum. I mean, if they lose... You going to insect third apron on me? I mean, I didn't put you on that apron. The ownership did it. And it was the right thing to do. Let's go see if we can defend the title.
Well, as we sit here today, it doesn't feel great. The idea of defending the title doesn't seem likely. And it looks like... The team can't afford to keep both Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum.
Or Holiday or Porzingis. It's clear that the short window of this is basically a two-year run with the group they had last year and this year. And then one of those guys, just financially, I don't feel confident. I don't know which one it'll be. Long-term, they still have a longer window built around Tatum and Brown that they're in the middle of, and they've been in the middle of all decade.
But I think this was their best chance other than last year with the contracts, with the players on the team and the quality of the players, with the state of the league. They're never going to be in a better spot than this, right, House?
that's certainly my view. I had them in ink in the NBA finals against Oklahoma City.
That should have been my first warning. Jesus, I wish I had known.
You had that. You had the same thing. You had them against Oklahoma City. That's the bet we made when the season started. That was our finals matchup.
Somebody's got to dig up the footage of Tatum's Last game at Madison Square Garden. It was the last Knicks and Celtics matchup of the season. I get it. It's regular season. But I know for a fact that Knicks desperately wanted to win that game because they had gotten their butts kicked all season long. The crowd in the garden was losing their minds. Desperately wanted to win that.
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