The Ringer

The Mismatch

Sports EN ↓ 530 episodes

Chris Vernon and David Jacoby discuss all the news, trends, and transactions happening in the NBA. They also offer their on-court analysis, and occasionally get into heated debates.

Author

The Ringer

Category

Sports

Podcast website

www.theringer.com

Latest episode

Jul 7, 2026

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Episodes

WELCOME TO THE SECOND ROUND! The Nuggets and Knicks Upset the Thunder and Celtics in Game 1 06.05.2025

Verno and Jacoby break down Monday night's action, with some HUGE upsets. The Nuggets and Knicks took Game 1 over the Thunder and the Celtics, respectively. Plus, reacting to the Warriors' Game 7 win over Houston, previewing their series against the Timberwolves, and analyzing the Pacers' win over the Cavs in their series opener. Leave us a message on our Mismatch Voicemail line! (323) 389-5091 (0...

Clippers Force Game 7, Knicks Advance, and the Lakers Collapse 02.05.2025

Verno and Jacoby break down Thursday night's action with the Clippers forcing Game 7 against the Nuggets, the Knicks advancing to play Boston, the Lakers turning Rudy Gobert into Wilt Chamberlain, and previewing the conference semifinals. Leave us a message on our Mismatch Voicemail line! (323) 389-5091 (0:00) Welcome to The Mismatch (1:25) Clippers Defeat Nuggets: 111-105 (TIED 3-3) (11:00) Knick...

Will Giannis Want Out? Plus: The Rockets Need a Star, the Hungry Wolves, and Which 3-1 Series Can Still Go the Full Seven 29.04.2025

Verno and Jacoby break down Monday night’s playoff action starting with the Warriors’ thrilling 109-106 win over the Rockets to take a 3-1 series lead (01:18). They then debate how real the Cavs are after a complete beatdown of the Heat as well as their expectations in the next round (16:05). With the news of Damian Lillard’s injury, where do the Bucks go from here? As an older team with aging vet...

A Clippers Ass Whooping, Big Game KAT, Ja Goes Down, and the Grizzlies Collapse 25.04.2025

Verno and Jacoby get together after the Grizzlies lose both Ja Morant and a 29-point lead to the Thunder, who are in prime position to get the sweep over the weekend (01:35). Verno shares his experience being inside the arena after Ja went out and discusses whether Lu Dort deserves any blame for the injury. Next, the guys go over the Clippers' dominance over the Nuggets and why they should really...

The Legend of Playoff Kawhi, History at the Garden, and Game 2 Adjustments 22.04.2025

Verno and Jacoby break down the exciting pair of games from Monday night starting off with the unbelievable performance by Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers as they even up their series against the Nuggets (01:25). Next, Jacoby shares his experience watching the Pistons get their first playoff win since 2008 to even up their series against the Knicks from inside Madison Square Garden (18:37). Verno t...

Kawhi’s Reintroduction, Silver’s Discipline, Cade’s Arrival, and More Things to Look Forward to in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs 18.04.2025

Verno and Jacoby briefly discuss tonight’s round of play-in games, starting off with the Heat and Hawks, before turning their attention to the Mavs and Grizzlies matchup (01:25). Which of these four teams would make for the most exciting 8 vs 1 seed in the first round? Next, the guys each share four things that they are looking forward to in the first round of the NBA playoffs (15:12). Leave us a...

Don’t Overlook the Grizzlies, Who Gets the Blame for Phoenix, and Instant Reactions to Playoff Matchups 15.04.2025

Verno and Jacoby break down tonight’s play-in games, starting with the Hawks-Magic matchup (01:44) and the Grizzlies-Warriors matchup (07:14). They then discuss tomorrow’s play-in matchups before debating the best possible scenarios that could come out of the play-in (16:32). Next, they get into the news of David Griffin’s firing in New Orleans (30:15) and Mike Budenholzer’s firing in Phoenix (36:...

Dissecting Why Malone Was Fired and Gearing Up for a Wild End to the Regular Season 11.04.2025

Verno and Jacoby discuss the scorching-hot Timberwolves, who beat the Grizzlies last night 141-125 after scoring a league season-high 52 points in the third quarter and 44 points from Anthony Edwards (01:08). They also discuss the goofiness around Ja Morant’s new celebration. Next, they detail why they think the Nuggets cleaned house and fired head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth (18:42)....

Have We Discovered the Lakers’ Ceiling? Plus: The Rockets’ Identity, Murray’s Injury, and Predicting Entertaining Playoff Series. 08.04.2025

(RECORDED BEFORE THE NEWS OF MICHAEL MALONE AND CALVIN BOOTH’S FIRING) Verno and Jacoby congratulate Florida on beating Houston in the NCAA basketball championship (01:10). Will fans remember this game or the Duke collapse more? Next, the guys discuss the Lakers’ impressive win against the Thunder and why they showcased their true ceiling in this huge win (07:25). They also discuss the Rockets’ wi...

League Office Hypocrites, Role Player Importance, and Our Love and Loathes 04.04.2025

Verno and Jacoby go through last night’s Warriors win over the Lakers and discuss the takeaways from both teams' perspectives (01:25). They highlight the importance of the role players for each team and why the performances of those role players are key for any kind of deep run. They then discuss the Grizzles' much-needed win against the Heat before focusing their attention on the hypocrisy from t...

Grizzlies Aftermath and Six Players to Watch During the Playoff Stretch 01.04.2025

Jacoby is back as he and Verno discuss the fallout from the Taylor Jenkins firing in Memphis and how the Grizzlies have responded in the two games since Jenkins dismissal (05:14). Did Ja Morant know or have any influence in the decision to let Jenkins go? Next, the guys discuss how the Clippers’ strong defense will be troublesome for any team that faces them in the playoffs, as well as their disap...

Giddey the Leader, Biggest Issue in the League, and Eight Questions With Kirk Goldsberry 28.03.2025

(NOTE: SHOW WAS RECORDED BEFORE THE NEWS OF TAYLOR JENKINS'S FIRING) Verno and Kirk Goldsberry (who’s in for Jacoby) break down Josh Giddey’s half-court game-winning shot against the Lakers and why this will be the turning point for Giddey and the Bulls (02:59). They also discuss the struggling Grizzlies after another loss to the Thunder and why the Clippers and Warriors have a chance to steal a t...

Is Kawhi Back? Plus, the Celtics Sell for $6.1 Billion, the Knicks' Tough Week, and More Loves and Loathes. 21.03.2025

Verno and Jacoby discuss last night's game between the Warriors and Raptors, which Golden State survived after Steph Curry went down with an injury and Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green turned in subpar performances (0:45). They next discuss the recent sale of the Boston Celtics to a group led by Bill Chisholm, who is a managing partner at Symphony Technology Group (10:11). They break down why keepi...

Are Tanking and Resting Ruining the Game? Plus: Finals Odds, Whether the Clippers Can Pull Off a Playoff Upset, and Zion the Superstar. 18.03.2025

Verno and Jacoby go through last night’s games, especially looking at teams that are either resting or full-on tanking (1:06). The guys debate how long the league will allow this to continue and what needs to change to prevent teams from tanking and resting starters who are healthy. They also discuss Tony Allen's jersey retirement ceremony over the weekend, the nonexistent Heat Culture, and the st...

Will Anyone Ever Break Steph’s 3-Point Record? Plus: Standings Watch, the Importance of Size, and Our Loves and Loathes. 14.03.2025

Verno and Jacoby go through the Bucks' blowout win against the injury-riddled Lakers and talk about why size is still important when facing certain teams (0:53). They then discuss some of the positive takeaways from the Thunder’s win against the Celtics on Wednesday night before congratulating Steph Curry for hitting 4k 3-point shots(12:30). The guys debate whether anyone could catch up to Steph's...

Western Conference Health Check, Jokic’s MVP Chances, and Random NBA Questions 11.03.2025

Verno and Jacoby go through last night’s slate of NBA action starting off with Nikola Jokic’s otherworldly performance against the Thunder and the chances of Jokic surpassing SGA to win his fourth MVP (0:35). They then discuss Ja Morant's improved performance during the Grizzlies’ three-game win streak (16:25). After LeBron’s groin injury, the guys discuss the health of players on the teams in the...

Lakers Defense Smothers Knicks, Steph the Rock Star, and Beware of the Bucks 07.03.2025

Verno and Jacoby discuss the Lakers' thrilling OT win over the Knicks and how their defense was the true highlight of the game, not Luka and LeBron's performance (00:31). They also discuss the importance of Jimmy Butler’s impact for the Warriors outside the stat sheet and why Steve Kerr’s comparison to Andre Iguodala is valid (16:25). Next, the guys dive into their loves and loathes from the week...

Kyrie Tears His ACL, Historic Bad-Luck Grizzlies, and Why Doesn’t KD Take More Blame? 04.03.2025

Verno and Jacoby go through a string of bad luck for the Grizzlies, who’ve lost their past three games at home in the final seconds and are now without Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr (01:11). They then discuss Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who dropped 51 points against the Rockets; the reports coming out of Phoenix that the Suns could potentially move on from Kevin Durant in the summer; and the drama b...

Time to Reconsider the Warriors and Lakers? Plus: Hookah Luka, NBA Centel, and More Loves and Loathes. 28.02.2025

Verno and Jacoby discuss Steph Curry’s historic night after he dropped 56 points in Orlando and also talk about the Lakers' win against the Wolves despite an off night from Luka Doncic, who's continued to struggle with his shot since arriving in L.A. Despite the struggles, the Lakers have looked strong with Luka, and the Warriors are 6-1 with Jimmy Butler and are currently on a five-game win strea...

The Wolves’ Thrilling Comeback, Early Playoff Expectations, and Is Cade a Superstar? 25.02.2025

Verno and Jacoby go through some of Monday’s NBA action, starting off with the Wolves' encouraging comeback win against the Thunder in OKC. They then discuss the hot Pistons, who are riding a seven-game win streak; the Sixers, who got blown out by the Bulls; and the Nuggets' bounce-back win against the Pacers. Next, from Cade Cunningham’s superstar status to Lu Dort’s Defensive Player of the Year...

Wemby Done for the Year, Hot Nuggets, the Broken Suns, and What Is Going on With Ja Morant? 21.02.2025

Verno and Jacoby are back as they discuss where the Spurs go from here after it was announced that Victor Wembanyama’s season is ending due to injury, in addition to the continuous struggles from the Suns (04:51). Then, they discuss if there is any way for the Lakers to hide Luka Doncic on defense, why Shams is absolutely right when it comes to Giannis’s situation with the Bucks, and the Grizzlies...

All-Star Weekend Hype and Second-Half Predictions 14.02.2025

Verno and Jacoby share their low-key excitement for this year's NBA All-Star Weekend festivities (01:41). They discuss how the new format could bring more competitiveness, and their disappointment that Steph Curry isn’t involved in more All-Star events in his home city. From playoff positioning to impactful rookies, the guys next share four predictions for after the All-Star break (21:54). The Rin...

Luka’s Laker Debut, Mavs Karma, Depressing Magic Free Fall, and Better Off Without Mark Williams? 11.02.2025

Verno and Jacoby recap Luka Doncic’s Laker debut and explain how Luka and LeBron can successfully coexist (00:46). Mark Williams is headed back to the Hornets after the Lakers failed his physical, but the guys debate whether the failed deal could actually be beneficial to the Lakers (08:10). They then discuss the massive amount of bad luck that Mavs have gotten since trading away Luka (22:53), and...

Trade Deadline Reactions: Jimmy Joins Steph, the Lakers Get Their Center, and Can the Suns Regain KD’s Trust? 07.02.2025

Verno and Jacoby go through all the trades that went down before the deadline, from Jimmy Butler finally escaping Miami to the Grizzlies dumping Marcus Smart. They start off by briefly revisiting the De’Aaron Fox deal before moving on to the Bucks trading Khris Middleton for Kyle Kuzma and De'Andre Hunter’s potential impact with the Cavs (08:07). They then discuss why Smart was moved, what kind of...

Was Nico Harrison Overconfident in Trading Luka? Plus, a New Duo in San Antonio, the Warriors' Desperation, and Expectations for a Wild Trade Deadline. 04.02.2025

Verno and Jacboy continue to discuss the wild trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers and try to determine just what Mavs GM Nico Harrison’s mindset was that led him to trade Luka away (01:33). They also debate whether Nico’s time around Kobe Bryant influenced his decision to make the trade. Next, they dive into the other big trade of the weekend, which saw the Spurs acquire De’Aaron Fox from th...

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