No Dunks – "One Question About Each NBA Playoff Team"
iHeartPodcasts | April 7, 2026
Hosts: J.D. Skeets & Ben Gulliver
Episode Overview
This episode of No Dunks gathers host J.D. Skeets and NBA national writer Ben Gulliver for a jam-packed, lighthearted, and sharp discussion about the big question facing every NBA playoff team as the 2026 postseason approaches. They range widely across the league, starting in the Western Conference and working through top contenders, underdogs, and squads whose playoff hopes are balancing on a knife’s edge.
While the vibe is classic No Dunks—witty, spontaneous, and heavy on banter—the episode is rich in nuanced basketball insight, player and coach analysis, and thoughts on organizational philosophy. Along the way, Skeets and Gulliver weave in their signature humor, personal stories, and a few memorable slams on magnet collections, front-office dysfunction, and the peculiarity of NBA trends.
Structure:
- Main theme: Big playoff question for each postseason team
- Format: Conference-by-conference, seed-by-seed
- Notable segments: College champion chat, Bulls front-office chaos, standout MIP talk, light roasting of teams like the Bulls and Raptors
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Celebration & Banter: Michigan Wins NCAA Title
[02:32 – 06:20]
- Opening chatter: Gulliver celebrates his Michigan Wolverines’ national championship with a Jalen Rose throwback jersey story.
- “First championship for the Wolverines since 1989…and I celebrated last night in a Jalen Rose, throwback, 1991, 1992.” (Ben, 03:10)
- Magnet talk: Skeets shows off a Smoky Mountains magnet. Gulliver pushes for “goofier” magnets and gas station buys.
- National park bucket lists and how basketball schedules ruin fall foliage plans.
Wedgies, Basketball Fandom, and NBA “Juice Ball Era”
[07:00 – 08:50]
- No Dunks’ legacy: Wedgies are up to 70 for the season and celebrated nationwide.
- Ben jokes about future historians seeing this as the “wedgie era”—the “juice ball era” of the NBA.
- “Future generations are going to look back at your wedgie counters and say this is the clearest evidence ever of, like, the juice ball era in the NBA.” (Ben, 07:29)
- Skeets relays Brian Scalabrini’s live-ball wedgie idea; Ben objects, citing the Wemby Era advantage.
NBA Playoff Team: The Big Questions
Western Conference
Oklahoma City Thunder (1st Seed)
Q: Can they defend their title without a healthy/All-NBA Jalen Williams? Who's the reliable No. 2 to Shai?
[Timestamps: 22:12 – 28:27]
- Jalen Williams’ minutes, health, and consistency are critical.
- If he can’t be Shai's sidekick, “is it by committee – Chet, AJ Mitchell, Caruso, Dort?”
- Skeets: “I don’t think they can defend [their title] without some big J-Dub games…there’s going to have to be a couple games where he…saves them.” (25:33)
- Ben: “If it’s not J-Dub, I would love to see a more empowered Chet and just to see where he could take things.” (26:41)
- Chet Holmgren’s offensive ceiling debated (Mobley comps = “slander").
San Antonio Spurs (2nd Seed)
Q: What happens when the bubble wrap comes off Wembanyama? Is he ready for prime-time playoff demands?
[Timestamps: 31:40 – 37:44]
- Spurs have “bubble wrapped” Wemby, controlling minutes and injuries.
- “How does he hold up physically—and mentally—with a real playoff load, night after night?” (Ben, 33:20)
- Young supporting cast lacks playoff experience, but their edge/attitude impresses.
- Intense playoff defenses (Aaron Gordon billed as a “Wemby stopper”) and scheduling are new challenges.
- “You’re going to see just how physical some of these teams are…if you’re building the prototype defensive player for Wemby, it looks a lot like Aaron Gordon.” (Skeets, 36:09)
Denver Nuggets (3rd Seed)
Q: Can Cam Johnson step up under playoff pressure as their new swingman?
[Timestamps: 38:21 – 42:25]
- Johnson's playoff reliability is the top variable.
- “If [he’s] hitting those threes…[Denver gets] over the top. If not, they’re vulnerable to the Spurs’ athleticism and the Wemby factor.” (Ben, 40:14)
- Christian Braun is a trusted playoff guy, but Cam Johnson’s recent hot streak is encouraging.
Los Angeles Lakers (4th Seed)
Q: Is the season already lost without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves?
[Timestamps: 43:09 – 45:34]
- Luka’s hamstring injury (possible "injection in Spain"), Austin Reaves out 2+ weeks—the team’s offensive engine is gone.
- “How do you replace 55 points in a lineup?” (Skeets, 45:34)
- Once high vibes and “fourth contender” talk has been ruined: “It’s gone. Poof. Just like that.”
- Ben speculates if this is the end of LeBron on the Lakers.
Houston Rockets (5th Seed)
Q: Will their clutch offense failures doom them even against a wounded Lakers team?
[Timestamps: 47:14 – 50:21]
- Rockets’ end-game execution has been a mess: “It’s been such a disaster so many times.” (Ben, 47:14)
- “If they lost to Oklahoma City, if they got swept and outscored in every single fourth quarter, would that surprise you at all?” (Ben, 48:37)
- Skeets compares this to a “hot-and-cold couple”: “I don’t trust it…just waiting for Ime to scream at Sengun in a day or two.” (Ben, 50:21)
Minnesota Timberwolves (6th Seed)
Q: Is Anthony Edwards healthy enough to give them any chance?
[Timestamps: 51:05 – 54:20]
- All analytics hinge on Ant’s health (runner’s knee, only played two of last 10).
- “They’re not going anywhere without probably Anthony Edwards at 100%...They’ve fallen out of the NBA discourse.” (Skeets, 52:58)
- Jaden McDaniels’ injury compounds the issue.
Eastern Conference
Detroit Pistons (1st Seed)
Q: Are they a #1 seed vulnerable to upset without Cade Cunningham – are they the 2012 Bulls?
[Timestamps: 56:13 – 60:33]
- Without Cade, defense can still carry them but the “Hornets are the only play-in team that makes me nervous.” (Skeets, 57:40)
- Gulliver: “Is this history repeating—Cade out, like D. Rose, and dreams fall apart?” (57:40)
- Pistons identity and grit are praised.
Boston Celtics (2nd Seed)
Q: How fast does the title hype build, and can they handle the scrutiny?
[Timestamps: 60:46 – 65:44]
- Easy to slip from “no expectations” to “overhyped favorites.”
- “Should the Celtics be up there with the Nuggets and Spurs? Because they’ve done it before, aren’t we just all headed for a Thunder-Celtics Final?” (Ben, 61:07)
- “They get scrutinized…to a different degree than just about anybody else in the league.” (Ben, 64:18)
- The Jalen Brown/Jayson Tatum “can it work” debate never goes away.
New York Knicks (3rd Seed)
Q: Is this now or never for Karl-Anthony Towns with this group?
[Timestamps: 67:10 – 71:36]
- Cat needs to step up or could be scapegoated (like Chris Bosh) or even traded if the expensive roster falls short.
- Bridges’ quiet mistakes contrasted with Towns' loud ones.
- “It’s got to be a big postseason for him.” (Ben, 68:54)
- “Knicks are sort of set up…for the taking to go very far, even to the Finals.” (Skeets, 70:35)
Cleveland Cavaliers (4th Seed)
Q: Is Donovan Mitchell just an 82-game player? Can this team get over the playoff hump?
[Timestamps: 76:05 – 80:16]
- Despite high playoff scoring, no conference finals success. Is the formula broken?
- Skeets: “He has to be one of the highest [ppg] of all time, but not getting to the (conference finals) is the knock on his career.” (77:41-78:55)
- Mobley's future and contract discussed: “I don’t know how Evan Mobley lives up to that number…does Mobley lower your ceiling?” (Ben, 81:09)
Atlanta Hawks (5th Seed)
Q: Can Jalen Johnson lead enough to make fans forget Trae Young?
[Timestamps: 83:02 – 86:08]
- Hawks play more entertaining team basketball post-Trae Young.
- “I look at this now as Jalen Johnson’s team…the vibes have been wonderful, the momentum strong down the stretch.” (Ben, 83:02)
- If they whimper out, “everyone starts relitigating—was this the right strategy…they don’t have a franchise guy.” (Ben, 84:40)
- Praise for Nikhil Alexander-Walker and a fun Most Improved Player debate.
Toronto Raptors (6th Seed, as of recording)
Q: Are these guys just a big tease, or stuck in NBA purgatory?
[Timestamps: 89:22 – 93:59]
- “Spiritually, this is a play-in team, Skeets, and you know it.” (Ben, 89:22)
- Scotty Barnes’ ceiling questioned; Skeets pessimistic about actual playoff prospects.
- "Against the good teams…Toronto’s 1-10 against the top three teams in the East…Problem with the playoffs, Ben: you gotta play good teams." (Skeets, 91:15)
- Skeets concedes the Raptors are “just average” after a hot start.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On magnet collecting:
- “You need the goofiest ones possible.” (Ben, 03:56)
- On Bulls’ front office firing:
- “Their goal…seems like they’re trying to contend for play-in tournament victories.” (Ben, 14:29)
- On Lakers’ collapse:
- “How do you replace 55 points in a lineup?” (Skeets, 45:34)
- On Houston Rockets’ drama:
- “They're the couple that you know, everything's perfect, then they're screaming...That's the Rockets to me.” (Ben, 49:40)
- On Celtics hype cycles:
- “They get scrutinized, picked apart, looked at to a different degree than just about everybody else in the league.” (Ben, 64:18)
Segment Timestamps (rounded for clarity)
- Magnet/National Parks: 02:55 – 06:33
- Wedgies/Basketball Era: 07:00 – 08:50
- NCAA Title Recap – 08:51 – 11:34
- Bulls FO Firing/State of the Team: 13:52 – 21:07
- Playoff Questions – West: 22:12 – 54:20
- Playoff Questions – East: 56:13 – 93:59
- “Whoa Boy” (Player of the Night): 94:29 – 96:41
- Joke about “hottest free agent Ben Gulliver”: 97:15
Style, Language & Tone Notes
The conversation is casual, quick-witted, and occasionally self-deprecating. Skeets and Ben keep things light despite addressing big-picture team and player narratives. Inside jokes (magnet collecting, wedgie trackers), playful roasts, and references to classic basketball memes (Chris Bosh, “juice ball era,” “gap year” Celtics) display the classic No Dunks flavor. Guests are always given room to express themselves with unguarded opinions.
For More
- Subscribe to No Dunks wherever you get podcasts.
- Read Ben Gulliver’s substack for NBA and travel writing (see show links).
Closing Thoughts
A comprehensive, fun, and original-sounding breakdown of what matters—right now—for every NBA playoff team. Listen if you want whip-smart insight about contenders, fascinating statistical tidbits, and the irreverence that makes No Dunks beloved by hoops fans everywhere.