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On The Ball with Ric Bucher
Ben The Invisible, Batum The Resourceful
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Ric takes exception to the 76ers' loss in Game 4 to the Atlanta Hawks being blamed on center Joel Embiid and examines Philadelphia's absence of a floor leadership despite having Ben Simmons on a maximum-salary contract. Also:Ric reveals a conversation he had with a scout about Nic Batum when the Clippers acquired him and how Batum is defying the scout's assessment.
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NBA Finals 2025: What Happened In G4, What Has To Happen In G5
26:19|Ric discusses the factors that led to the Oklahoma City Thunder tying their best-of-seven NBA Finals series with the Indiana Pacers at two wins apiece and what will decide who wins the supremely pivotal Game 5 in Oklahoma City.
The Mastermind Behind The Pacers' Success
28:01|Ric discusses the moves that Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle made to win Game 3 and shares how he came to know Carlisle both as a person (and pianist) and coach.
The Beauty and Intrigue of the 2025 NBA Finals
29:09|Ric discusses why the NBA Finals could prove to be transformative for the league and the blueprint for building championship teams.
Why The Pacers' Game 1 Win Wasn't A Fluke, What It Means For The Series
23:29|Ric discusses the shocking last-second win by the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals over the heavily favored Oklahoma City Thunder -- why it happened and whether or not the Pacers' chance of winning the series should be re-evaluated.
Triple Shot: Why Pacers Have A Chance, SGA Is In Top 5 PG Convo, Bronny Has To Play Next Season
29:18|Ric discusses why the Indiana Pacers could make the NBA Finals vs. the heavily favored Oklahoma City Thunder more competitive than expected, why Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could be in the conversation for top 5 point guards of all-time if he wins this year's title and Finals MVP, and why rumors that the Lakers are hoping guard Bronny James -- son of LeBron -- can be in their playing rotation next season has to happen -- for Bronny's sake.
Ant Edwards is Being Robbed of What He Needs Most
22:21|Ric discusses the danger of anointing young NBA stars as can't-miss future champions or league MVPs as illustrated by the current projections for, and analysis of, Anthony Edwards with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Quad Shot: New vs. Old Media, The Real Overrated Player, The Real Foul Merchant & Malone on the Mike
30:09|Ric discusses four topics: the differences between new and old media; what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has that Anthony Edwards doesn't; Gilgeous-Alexander's label as a foul hunter; and former Nuggets head coach Mike Malone's prospects of landing another head-coaching job.
Quad Shot: The False Ant Narrative, Unfounded Jimmy Criticism, Caitlin-Angel Misappropriation, Crushed Conspiracy Theory
29:03|In this four-topic episode, Ric discusses a manufactured story line for Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, the unrealistic expectations Warriors fans had for Jimmy Butler, the misappropriation of the latest Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese conflict and the kibosh on small-market fans complaining the NBA favors big stars and big markets.
Triple Shot: Pop's Farewell, Giannis' Identity, Luka's Motivation
31:27|Ric dives into three current topics on the NBA landscape: remembrance of his personal experiences with Gregg Popovich, recently forced to step down after an extraordinary run as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs because of health issues; the debate over whether Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks would be best served continuing to join forces, and a disturbing secondary debate inspired by one of Ric's TV clips; and, finally, the question of why Luka Doncic's level of conditioning continues to be an issue.