The Mismatch

Verno and Jacoby return to react to the final weekend of the NBA regular season, take a look at the 2026 Play-in Tournament, and break down the playoff matchups. Then, they give their biggest surprises and disappointments from the regular season.

Welcome to The Mismatch!

01:45 Previewing the Play-in Tournament

02:28 Heat-Hornets: Heat are a tough out, Hornets are young

8:40 Blazers-Suns: Next round vs. Spurs favors the Trail Blazers

14:47 Magic-76ers: Will this be a revenge game for Philly?

18:35 Warriors-Clippers: Warriors stumbling into matchup

25:12 Knicks-Hawks: Initial thoughts for the matchup

29:06 Rockets-Lakers: Luka has to be available to beat the Rockets

34:18 Wolves-Nuggets: The underdog has been a problem for Denver in the past

39:35 Verno’s Surprises: The Spurs' huge leap from the lottery

43:10 Jacoby’s Surprises: How much better the Celtics were going into the season

46:54 Verno’s Disappointments: How reckless tanking has become in the NBA

48:39 Jacoby’s Disappointments: The NBA turning into a law firm

51:56 Verno’s Surprises: The statistical greatness of Nikola Jokić

57:55 Jacoby’s Surprises: 2025 draft class was really impactful

59:32 Verno’s Disappointments: Doc Rivers and the disaster of the Bucks

1:01:37 Jacoby’s Disappointments: NBC selling us Michael Jordan and not delivering

1:03:45 Verno’s Surprises: The Clippers recovering from their bad start

1:06:07 Jacoby’s Surprises: Clippers sending CP3 into retirement

1:13:34 Jacoby’s Disappointments: Chauncey Billups in a federal indictment

The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. (only needed when baked-in FanDuel ad read is in episode)

Leave us a message on our Mismatch Voicemail line! (323) 389-5091

Hosts: Chris Vernon and David Jacoby

Producers: Stefan Anderson and Jeff Shearin

Social: Keith Fujimoto

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Jacoby and Verno fire up their mics immediately after the Knicks defeat the Celtics and discuss how this matchup could be one to look forward to in the playoffs.

(0:17) Welcome to The Mismatch!

(0:48) Josh Hart saves the show with monster 3s in a Knicks win

(5:44) Celtics-Knicks destined to meet again in the playoffs

(12:09) Eastern Conference playoff picture still a mess

(17:21) Loves and Loathes

(19:12) Verno Loves: Cade Cunningham coming back

(23:12) Jacoby Loves: Teams at full strength for the playoffs

(25:10) Verno Loathes: First round of the West playoffs will be a dud

(30:12) Jacoby Loathes: 76ers’ Joel Embiid has surgery for appendicitis

(35:15) Verno Loves: ROY award is back and forth between Flagg and Knueppel

(37:26) Jacoby Loves: 1.4 million 10-game runs by only one player, Nikola Jokić

(41:06) Verno Loathes: “No way in hell they wanna see us” by Dillon Brooks

(47:28) Jacoby Loathes: Giannis incentivized to play because of his shoes

(51:45) Verno Loves: Kings’ Doug Christie making a tactical error instead of tanking

(57:18) Jacoby Loves: Carter Bryant guarding the big men

(1:00:21) Verno Loathes: AD upset for not getting a Pelicans tribute video

(1:03:53) Jacoby Loathes: That he loves Verno’s Masters updates

The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available.

Leave us a message on our Mismatch Voicemail line! (323) 389-5091

Hosts: Chris Vernon and David Jacoby

Producers: Brian H.  Waters and Jeff Shearin

Social: Keith Fujimoto

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Verno and Jacoby return to react to last night’s matchups, including the Knicks-Hawks matchup, Victor Wembanyama’s injury, and Cooper Flagg’s legendary weekend.

Welcome to The Mismatch!

(0:34) Grizzlies tie NBA record with 29 3-pointers and still lose

(3:04) Michigan Wolverines win second national title in program history

(9:52) Knicks-Hawks: Jalen Brunson clutch in the 4th quarter

(13:59) 76ers-Spurs: Wemby leaves game with a rib contusion

(16:02) Raptors in a tight battle for the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference

(24:13) Jokic-Wemby matchup was absolute theater

(26:23) Strahinja Jokic goes viral again for altercation with fan

(31:29) More headlines: Steph’s return, AD Pranks Draymond, Flagg ROY

(39:42) Injury update: Can the Wolves hold it together without Ant? 

(44:38) Injury update: Luka going overseas for injections

(47:29) Bulls fire front office, and Billy Donovan gains power in Chicago

(51:59) NBA not the place for the “my way or the highway coaches”

(59:15) Huge week ahead of games will set the playoff stage

(1:01:40) Verno teases his Masters Weekend Updates

The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available.

Leave us a message on our Mismatch Voicemail line! (323) 389-5091

Hosts: Chris Vernon and David Jacoby

Producers: Stefan Anderson and Jeff Shearin

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jacoby and Verno close the week out with their Loves & Loathes, which include LeBron James’s Memphis slander, the Wizards' failed April Fools prank, and Steph Curry’s return!

(0:58) Headlines From Thursday’s Games

(6:53) Loves and Loathes 

(7:05) Verno Loves: Hawks were once 26-30, now they are 44-33

(13:29) Jacoby Loves: Wardell Stephen Curry II Returns on Easter Sunday

(16:16) Verno Loathes: Mosley’s Orlando Tragic Lose by 50+ to Raptors

(23:32) Jacoby Loathes: MVP race is over, SGA wins it 

(25:55) Verno Loves: Ayo Dosunmu Should be Franchise Point Guard

(28:31) Jacoby Loves: Paul George’s post Suspension Play

(30:37) Verno Loathes: LeBron’s Memphis Slander in Favorite Golf videos

(40:55) Jacoby Loathes: LeBron coming after Verno’s City of Memphis

(42:48) Verno Loves: Maxime Raynaud named NBA Rookie of the Month

(45:00) Jacoby Loves: The Pacers effort at the end of the Season

(46:50) Verno Loathes: The Wizards April Fools Fiasco

(53:48) Jacoby Loathes: The Raptors 

(55:50) Verno Loves: Kawhi Leonard’s 1 minute “Back to Nature” Documentary

(1:00:33) Jacoby Loves: Watching The Bucks Ousmane Dieng

(1:04:17) Verno Loathes: Knicks fans have lost some Juice

(1:11:56) Jacoby Loathes: How much Reality Show “Summer House” has taken up in his brain

The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available.

Leave us a message on our Mismatch Voicemail line! (323) 389-5091

Hosts: Chris Vernon and David Jacoby

Producers: Jessie Lopez, Brian H. Waters, and Jeff Shearin

Social: Keith Fujimoto

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Verno and Jacoby return to react to the Thunder-Pistons matchup, the logjam in the Eastern Conference playoffs race, and things they are tired of this season.Welcome to The Mismatch!

(0:53) Top teams are jockeying for playoff position

(2:45) Eastern Conference: Magic fighting, Hornets chasing

(5:16) Western Conference: The Suns' good vibes

(10:13) West teams battling for 4,5 and 6: Nuggets, Timberwolves, Rockets

(16:21) The MVP Race: Wemby, SGA, Jokić, Dončić, Jaylen Brown

(23:30) Things we are tired of: SGA’s free throw discourse

(27:45) Things we are tired of: lack of respect for the Pistons

(36:19) Things we are tired of: KAT unclear about his role

(40:46) Things we are tired of: tanking teams and players you have never heard of

(50:33) Things we are tired of: not having Anthony Edwards in our life

(53:41) Things we are tired of: NBA floating ideas to the media about tanking

(57:18) Things we are tired of: “If the 76ers are healthy”

(59:04) Things we are tired of: doing a show with a guy who resents Wemby

(1:01:53) “Monsieur Basket” Joins the Mismatch!

Leave us a message on our Mismatch Voicemail line! (323) 389-5091Hosts: Chris Vernon and David JacobyProducers: Stefan Anderson and Jeff ShearinSocial: Keith Fujimoto
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices