Limited Upside

Mike and Ben take a deep dive into the Conference Finals and other topics. We break down Warriors-Thunder Game 2 (3:20 mark), list Russell Westbrook and energy as the keys to OKC's chances (21:12), show empathy for Kyle Lowry needing to "blow off steam" in the middle of a game (26:30), look ahead to a Cavs-whoever Finals (35:50) and congratulate Ben for the 76ers winning the lottery (48:35). We also imagine a world where the NBA is like European soccer, with no draft or salary cap(52:23)...

We chat with Jake Pavorsky and Harrison Faigen, the editors of SB Nation's 76ers and Lakers sites, about their team's lottery victories, their emotions as the ping-pong balls dropped, the state of their teams' unique rebuilding projects, why Ben Simmons should have the edge on Brandon Ingram and why lottery reform is a bad idea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gregg Popovich is the greatest coach of our era, but the Spurs' semifinal loss to the Thunder wasn't his greatest performance. Michael Pina of Bleacher Repot, FOX Sports and elsewhere joins us to critique the Spurs' disappointing playoff exit. Also, we look ahead to Thunder-Warriors, pour some cold water on Blazers optimism, argue about whether the Eastern Conference Finals will be a cakewalk for Cleveland and discuss the latest rumblings on the coaching carousel...

Fred Katz, the new Oklahoma City Thunder beat reporter for the Norman Transcript, joins the show to analyze the Thunder's surprising victory in Game 5, the brilliance of Russell Westbrook and how he accidentally became a meme when cameras caught him stumbling over a question to Westbrook and Kevin Durant during the postgame press conference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SBNation.com staff writer Tim Cato joins live from Texas to recap the wacky ending of Spurs-Thunder Game 2 and whether officials swallow their whistles too much at the end of games. In the second part of the podcast (starting at the 25:46), we discuss the game itself -- how OKC got back to helter-skelter, why the great Gregg Popovich may have messed up his rotations and whether the Thunder can capitalize for the rest of the series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices...

Two-time NBA All-Star (and 2004 Skills Competition champion!)joins the show to discuss his new Showtime documentary The Drew: No Excuse, Just Produce. The film airs April 29 at 8 p.m. and tells the history and impact of one of the country's biggest grassroots basketball institutions...

SBNation.com writer extraordinaire Zito Madu joins the show to discuss if the Warriors can overcome Stephen Curry's injury (2:42 mark); whether the Clippers have enough of a spine to somehow overcome the absence of Chris Paul and possible loss of Blake Griffin (12:12); the Blazers' chances against the shorthanded Clippers and possibly the Warriors (23:39); if Curry will even by 100 percent when he returns (27:40); and the most indispensable players left in the playoffs (33:25)...

It's time to take stock of the beginning of the NBA Playoffs! Ben and Mike discuss why the Clippers' defense strategy is working and bodes well for a future series against the Warriors(1:50); groundhog day with the Thunder after an awful Game 2 loss to Dallas (14:52); the amazing Rick Carlisle and Wesley Matthews (25:00); Steve Clifford's comments about adjustments and the media being ignorant in the Heat-Hornets series (27:10); LeBron as the queen of the chess board(37:40); and how being a...

SBNation.com lead writer Tom Ziller joins us to discuss the Western Conference playoffs. Will the Warriors have any trouble winning the conference? Which of the Thunder and Spurs is better equipped to take Golden State down, and does it matter? Will Portland give us a competitive first-round series against the Clippers? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SBNation.com features writer Paul Flannery joined the show to talk about the Cavaliers' day of reckoning, the Raptors' vulnerability, the Hornets' window of opportunity and the impossible-to-call Hawks-Celtics series, where we changed our pick a hundred times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices