The Invincible OKC, Knicks Nirvana, and Acceptable Giannis Trades With Zach Lowe, Ariel Helwani, Sean Fennessey, and Ben Thompson

May 21, 2025

Talk Time

Bill Simmons
56.8 min (43.4%)
Zach Lowe
23.6 min (18%)
Ben Thompson
20.7 min (15.8%)
Ariel Helwani
19.1 min (14.6%)
Sean Fennessey
10.6 min (8.1%)

Top Entities

1Giannis Antetokounmpo
41
2New York Knicks
40
3NBA
31
4NBA Playoffs
29
5Milwaukee Bucks
26
6Boston Celtics
26
7Oklahoma City Thunder
21
8Evan Mobley
15
9Minnesota Timberwolves
14
10Indiana Pacers
14
11Gambling
13
12Julius Randle
10
13Jayson Tatum
10
14Karl-Anthony Towns
9
15Jalen Brunson
9
16San Antonio Spurs
8
17Denver Nuggets
8
18UFC
7
19Nikola Jokic
7
20Atlanta Hawks
7
21Alex Caruso
7
22Anthony Edwards
6
23The Ringer
5
24Rudy Gobert
5
25New Orleans Pelicans
5
26Mikal Bridges
5
27Madison Square Garden
5
28Los Angeles Lakers
5
29Jaylen Johnson
5
30Tom Thibodeau
4
31Portland Trail Blazers
4
32Philadelphia 76ers
4
33Patrick Ewing
4
34NBA Finals
4
35Golden State Warriors
4
36Detroit Pistons
4
37Defensive Player of the Year
4
38Chicago Bulls
4
39Bill Simmons
4
40Tyrese Haliburton
3
41T.J. McConnell
3
42Super Bowl
3
43Sean Fennessey
3
44Ryen Russillo
3
45Roy Hibbert
3
46Mitchell Robinson
3
47Miles McBride
3
48Los Angeles Clippers
3
49Kyle Kuzma
3
50Kevin Durant
3
51Josh Hart
3
52Joe House
3
53Jaylen Brown
3
54Houston Rockets
3
55Chet Holmgren
3
56Brook Lopez
3
57Zach Lowe
2
58The Rewatchables
2
59Steve Kerr
2
60Stephen Curry
2
61Robert Williams III
2
62Rick Carlisle
2
63Pittsburgh Pirates
2
64Phoenix Suns
2
65Nickeil Alexander-Walker
2
66New York Mets
2
67New York Jets
2
68New England Patriots
2
69Naz Reid
2
70Mike Conley
2
71Miami Heat
2
72Memphis Grizzlies
2
73Malik Beasley
2
74Luke Kornet
2
75LeBron James
2
76Larry Nance Jr.
2
77Kyrie Irving
2
78Kemba Walker
2
79Josh Allen
2
80Jordan Clarkson
2
81Jordan Clark
2
82Jimmy Butler III
2
83Jeff Van Gundy
2
84Jabari Smith Jr.
2
85Hall of Fame
2
86Buffalo Bills
2
87Brooklyn Nets
2
88Brandon Ingram
2
89Boston Red Sox
2
90Ariel Helwani
2
91Amen Thompson
2
92All-NBA First Team
2
93World Series
1
94Walt Lemon Jr.
1
95Victor Wembanyama
1
96Utah Jazz
1
97Tyson Chandler
1
98Toronto Raptors
1
99Toronto Blue Jays
1
100Tom Brady
1
101Tim Duncan
1
102Thomas Bryant
1
103The Town (film)
1
104The Godfather (film)
1
105The Book of Basketball
1
106Stefon Diggs
1
107Spike Lee
1
108Shavon Revel Jr.
1
109Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
1
110Salvon Ahmed
1
111Sacramento Kings
1
112Rob Mahoney
1
113Reggie Miller
1
114Ray Allen
1
115Ramon Sessions
1
116Philadelphia Eagles
1
117Pat Riley
1
118Pascal Siakam
1
119Olivier-Maxence Prosper
1
120Oleksandr Usyk
1
121Obi Toppin
1
122Nick Young
1
123Nick Collison
1
124NFL
1
125New York Yankees
1
126New York Giants
1
127NBA Free Agency
1
128NBA Draft
1
129Nate Hobbs
1
130Most Valuable Player
1
131Moses Moody
1
132MLB
1
133Michael Porter Jr.
1
134Matt Ryan
1
135March Madness
1
136Marc Gasol
1
137Magic Johnson
1
138Luke Walton
1
139Luguentz Dort
1
140Los Angeles Rams
1
141Lonzo Ball
1
142Larry Bird
1
143Landry Shamet
1
144Lance Thomas
1
145LaMelo Ball
1
146Kyle O'Quinn
1
147Kristaps Porziņģis
1
148Kirk Cousins
1
149Khris Middleton
1
150Kevin Porter Jr.
1
151Kenrich Williams
1
152Karl Malone
1
153JuJu Smith-Schuster
1
154Jrue Holiday
1
155Jonathan Kuminga
1
156Joel Embiid
1
157Joe Mazzulla
1
158Jerry Seinfeld
1
159Jericho Sims
1
160Jaren Jackson Jr.
1
161James Dolan
1
162Jaden McDaniels
1
163Jacob Toppin
1
164Isaiah Joe
1
165Hakeem Olajuwon
1
166Grayson Allen
1
167Gary Payton II
1
168Fred VanVleet
1
169Final Four
1
170Ed Davis
1
171Dwyane Wade
1
172Doug Kramer
1
173Donte DiVincenzo
1
174Doc Rivers
1
175Devin Vassell
1
176Derrick White
1
177Derrick Rose
1
178DeMarcus Cousins
1
179DeMar DeRozan
1
180Damian Lillard
1
181Dallas Mavericks
1
182D'Angelo Russell
1
183Cooper Flagg
1
184College Basketball
1
185Cleveland Cavaliers
1
186Christian Wood
1
187Charles Barkley
1
188Channing Frye
1
189Cam Johnson
1
190Boxing
1
191Bones Hyland
1
192Bobby Orr
1
193Bill's Dad
1
194Bam Adebayo
1
195Atlanta Falcons
1
196Anthony Davis
1
197Andrew Nembhard
1
198All-Star
1
199All-NBA Second Team
1
200Alex Pereira
1
201Al Horford
1
202Aaron Rodgers
1
203Aaron Gordon
1

League Distribution

NBA
238 (82.1%)
NFL
30 (10.3%)
UFC
8 (2.8%)
MLB
7 (2.4%)
NCAAB
4 (1.4%)
Boxing
2 (0.7%)
NHL
1 (0.3%)

Top Players

1Giannis Antetokounmpo
41
2Evan Mobley
15
3Julius Randle
10
4Jayson Tatum
10
5Karl-Anthony Towns
9
6Jalen Brunson
9
7Nikola Jokic
7
8Alex Caruso
7
9Anthony Edwards
6
10Rudy Gobert
5
11Mikal Bridges
5
12Jaylen Johnson
5
13Tom Thibodeau
4
14Patrick Ewing
4
15Bill Simmons
4
16Tyrese Haliburton
3
17T.J. McConnell
3
18Sean Fennessey
3
19Ryen Russillo
3
20Roy Hibbert
3
21Mitchell Robinson
3
22Miles McBride
3
23Kyle Kuzma
3
24Kevin Durant
3
25Josh Hart
3
26Joe House
3
27Jaylen Brown
3
28Chet Holmgren
3
29Brook Lopez
3
30Zach Lowe
2
31Steve Kerr
2
32Stephen Curry
2
33Robert Williams III
2
34Rick Carlisle
2
35Nickeil Alexander-Walker
2
36Naz Reid
2
37Mike Conley
2
38Malik Beasley
2
39Luke Kornet
2
40LeBron James
2
41Larry Nance Jr.
2
42Kyrie Irving
2
43Kemba Walker
2
44Josh Allen
2
45Jordan Clarkson
2
46Jordan Clark
2
47Jimmy Butler III
2
48Jeff Van Gundy
2
49Jabari Smith Jr.
2
50Brandon Ingram
2
51Ariel Helwani
2
52Amen Thompson
2
53Walt Lemon Jr.
1
54Victor Wembanyama
1
55Tyson Chandler
1
56Tom Brady
1
57Tim Duncan
1
58Thomas Bryant
1
59Stefon Diggs
1
60Spike Lee
1
61Shavon Revel Jr.
1
62Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
1
63Salvon Ahmed
1
64Rob Mahoney
1
65Reggie Miller
1
66Ray Allen
1
67Ramon Sessions
1
68Pat Riley
1
69Pascal Siakam
1
70Olivier-Maxence Prosper
1
71Oleksandr Usyk
1
72Obi Toppin
1
73Nick Young
1
74Nick Collison
1
75Nate Hobbs
1
76Moses Moody
1
77Michael Porter Jr.
1
78Matt Ryan
1
79Marc Gasol
1
80Magic Johnson
1
81Luke Walton
1
82Luguentz Dort
1
83Lonzo Ball
1
84Larry Bird
1
85Landry Shamet
1
86Lance Thomas
1
87LaMelo Ball
1
88Kyle O'Quinn
1
89Kristaps Porziņģis
1
90Kirk Cousins
1
91Khris Middleton
1
92Kevin Porter Jr.
1
93Kenrich Williams
1
94Karl Malone
1
95JuJu Smith-Schuster
1
96Jrue Holiday
1
97Jonathan Kuminga
1
98Joel Embiid
1
99Joe Mazzulla
1
100Jerry Seinfeld
1
101Jericho Sims
1
102Jaren Jackson Jr.
1
103James Dolan
1
104Jaden McDaniels
1
105Jacob Toppin
1
106Isaiah Joe
1
107Hakeem Olajuwon
1
108Grayson Allen
1
109Gary Payton II
1
110Fred VanVleet
1
111Ed Davis
1
112Dwyane Wade
1
113Doug Kramer
1
114Donte DiVincenzo
1
115Doc Rivers
1
116Devin Vassell
1
117Derrick White
1
118Derrick Rose
1
119DeMarcus Cousins
1
120DeMar DeRozan
1
121Damian Lillard
1
122D'Angelo Russell
1
123Cooper Flagg
1
124Christian Wood
1
125Charles Barkley
1
126Channing Frye
1
127Cam Johnson
1
128Bones Hyland
1
129Bobby Orr
1
130Bill's Dad
1
131Bam Adebayo
1
132Anthony Davis
1
133Andrew Nembhard
1
134Alex Pereira
1
135Al Horford
1
136Aaron Rodgers
1
137Aaron Gordon
1

Who Talked About What

Bill Simmons

1Giannis Antetokounmpo
23
2New York Knicks
21
3Boston Celtics
16
4NBA
12
5Oklahoma City Thunder
11
6NBA Playoffs
11
7Evan Mobley
8
8Milwaukee Bucks
6
9Karl-Anthony Towns
6
10Julius Randle
6
11Indiana Pacers
6
12Gambling
6
13Jayson Tatum
6
14The Ringer
5
15Jalen Brunson
5

Zach Lowe

1Minnesota Timberwolves
8
2Oklahoma City Thunder
6
3NBA Playoffs
6
4NBA
6
5New York Knicks
5
6Denver Nuggets
5
7Milwaukee Bucks
4
8Boston Celtics
4
9Atlanta Hawks
4
10Rudy Gobert
3
11Julius Randle
3
12Indiana Pacers
3
13Giannis Antetokounmpo
3
14Chet Holmgren
3
15Anthony Edwards
3

Sean Fennessey

1New York Knicks
6
2New York Jets
2
3Jalen Brunson
2
4Indiana Pacers
2
5Utah Jazz
1
6Tom Thibodeau
1
7T.J. McConnell
1
8Super Bowl
1
9Steve Kerr
1
10Ryen Russillo
1
11Roy Hibbert
1
12Rick Carlisle
1
13Philadelphia Eagles
1
14Philadelphia 76ers
1
15New York Mets
1

Ariel Helwani

1New York Knicks
5
2Boston Celtics
4
3UFC
3
4Patrick Ewing
3
5Karl-Anthony Towns
3
6Tom Thibodeau
2
7T.J. McConnell
2
8NBA Playoffs
2
9NBA Finals
2
10NBA
2
11Madison Square Garden
2
12Jalen Brunson
2
13Indiana Pacers
2
14Bill Simmons
2
15World Series
1

Ben Thompson

1Milwaukee Bucks
16
2Giannis Antetokounmpo
15
3NBA Playoffs
10
4NBA
10
5Gambling
6
6Evan Mobley
5
7San Antonio Spurs
4
8Oklahoma City Thunder
4
9Portland Trail Blazers
3
10New York Knicks
3
11Jayson Tatum
3
12Pittsburgh Pirates
2
13Nikola Jokic
2
14Minnesota Timberwolves
2
15Mikal Bridges
2
189 episodes · Jan 2, 2025 – Apr 10, 2026The Bill Simmons Podcast