The Ringer NBA Show | Quarter Season Review: Revisiting Preseason Takes | Real Ones

Release Date: December 3, 2025
Hosts: Howard Beck and Michael Pina (with producer Cliff)

Episode Overview

This episode is a comprehensive look at the first quarter of the 2025-26 NBA season. Howard Beck and Michael Pina examine where their preseason predictions stand, which takes they’d like to walk back, and what stubborn beliefs they're holding onto. They dive into surprises and disappointments, hand out quarter-season awards, discuss the biggest swings and misses in personnel moves, and answer insightful mailbag questions. The tone is loose, candid, and data-driven, with an emphasis on accountability, league context, and measured hot takes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Quarter-Season as a True Benchmark

• [08:17] Howard Beck emphasizes that by 20 games, NBA teams’ fates are usually clearer than fans think: “Teams have kind of settled into where they're probably going to be... barring some massive trade or massive injury.”
• Both hosts agree that, while dramatic changes can happen, most teams’ trajectories by this point tend to hold, with exceptions often due to injuries or blockbuster trades.

Revisiting Preseason Predictions

What Takes Would You Walk Back?

• [12:25] Michael Pina: Regrets predicting the Phoenix Suns would have the league’s worst defense. The Suns, led by Dylan Brooks and breakout performer Colin Gillespie, have surprised with “tenacity, relentlessness, and game plan execution,” even winning without Devin Booker being superhuman.
  • “The Suns are great. Love watching them play. They're hard to beat.”
  • Shoutout to coach Jordan Ott and praise for their overachievement.
• [17:02] Howard Beck: “I was pretty damn sure the Clippers were a top four team in the Western Conference... I even had Chris Paul as my six man of the year.”
  • Beck admits he overrated the Clippers’ depth and chemistry, especially underestimating Norm Powell’s importance after his move to Miami.
  • Clippers’ plan backfired due to Bradley Beal’s injury and poor fit of new signings; now facing defensive collapse and internal questions about the core.

Most Stubborn Take You’re Still Sticking To?

• [24:28] Michael Pina (tongue-in-cheek): “I still believe the Celtics are bad and will miss the playoffs.”
  • Turns serious, analyzing the Celtics’ confounding mix of strong net and offensive rating alongside weird results, unusual possession game focus, and a genuine Jaylen Brown leap offensively.
  • “He's carrying a load and I just think he's been so excellent... an All-NBA player this season easily.” [31:16]
• [34:08] Howard Beck: “I still believe in the Warriors. Shocker. Glad Logan's not on the pod today... They're 12 and 7, like, they're fine.”
  • Acknowledges the offense is struggling but attributes much of it to rugged scheduling and still believes the Warriors can make a run if Kuminga returns to form or is traded for immediate help.

Ownership of Preseason Hits

• [38:08] Michael Pina: Correctly anticipated the Milwaukee Bucks would slip, projecting Giannis’ burden would render the supporting cast exposed. The Bucks’ record, “lack of versatility, the lack of talent,” and recent embarrassing losses have tracked with his prediction.
  • “Giannis deleted all of his Bucks related posts from social media except for the championship photos.” [40:03]
• [43:24] Howard Beck: Had faith in the Sixers being “a lot better than expected... competitive, back in the thick of things,” due to Maxey’s leap and guard depth, despite Embiid/George injuries, and stands by that.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Pina, on retracting his Suns-take ([12:25]–[15:46]):
  “I'm just going to. Yeah, I was wrong. I take accountability for it. The Suns are great.”
• Beck, on Clippers’ woes ([16:56]–[20:54]):
  “The lesson here is that I completely underrated Norm Powell... How much do they miss Norm Powell right now?”
• Pina, on Clippers’ disastrous moves ([20:54]):
  “It's a gallon of milk that is several days past its expiration date.”
• Beck, on the Warriors ([34:08]):
  “They're at least in the running for a top six spot in the west, so I'm sticking to that.”
• Pina, on the Bucks’ spiral ([38:18]):
  “Those are their last three wins... Look at that competition last night, they lost to the Washington Wizards.”
• Beck, on Jaylen Brown’s leap ([32:10]):
  “What we're seeing from Jaylen Brown now is what people always said this is, this was his belief that he, he could be this guy... to his credit, he has shown he is more than capable of being the offensive engine of a team right now.”

Quarter-Season Awards & Major Personnel Moves

Coach of the Quarter

• [60:43] Michael Pina: Eric Spoelstra (Miami Heat) — “This was pretty easy for me, we covered a lot of the reason why... They’ve just gone from not that fast to by far the fastest team. It's enabled just about everyone on the roster to be the best version of themselves.”
• [62:09] Howard Beck: Jordan Ott (Phoenix Suns) — As a rookie head coach led an overachieving squad through a pseudo-teardown, establishing both offensive and defensive competency.

MVP Through 20 Games

• [64:00] Michael Pina: Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) — Dominant in rebounds, assists, points, true shooting; holding team together despite missing starters.
• [64:48] Beck: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) making a case due to the Thunder’s historic pace and SGA’s advanced impact, even without consistent help.

Notable Signings/Trades

• [50:19] Both: Norm Powell (to Miami) changed fortunes for both the Heat (huge positive) and Clippers (devastating loss).
  “The Heat are my favorite team to watch in the league... perfect for Norm Powell.” — Pina

League-wide Trends and Concerns

• Are the Thunder chasing 73 wins? ([53:46])
  • Both: Probably not, and they shouldn’t risk health—playoffs repeat is the real goal.
• Will any team break the NBA loss record? ([57:45])
  • Consensus: Highly unlikely. Too many bad teams sharing the bottom, and flattened lottery odds mean there’s little incentive.
• Giannis & Bucks drama ([39:49])
  • Watch is on: “Giannis deleted all his Bucks related posts... We’re always reading tea leaves on fucking Instagram.” — Beck [40:06]

Mailbag Highlights

• Should the Clippers blow it up despite having no picks? ([67:02]–[71:46])
  • Pina: Yes. “Don’t fall victim to sunk cost fallacy. You should absolutely try to get as many picks as you can. Try to set up your future.”
  • Beck: “The pick is gone. You can’t get it back... Everything should be on the table for the Clippers.”
• Achilles injuries & nationality ([71:46]–[75:32])
  • Both: Not enough data to conclude American-born players are more affected, but AAU culture and early overuse likely play a major role (citing Baxter Holmes’ reporting).
• Funniest NBA Finals matchup in 2026? ([75:56]–[80:03])
  • Absurd small-market pairings suggested: Orlando vs. San Antonio, Raptors vs. Suns, Portland vs. anyone for comedic value.

Memorable Segments with Timestamps

• Nostalgic Gallo Retirement Shoutout [03:19–05:28]: Warm remembrances and a Dirk Nowitzki anecdote about Gallinari’s early promise.
• Pina’s Suns Mea Culpa [12:25–15:46]: Honest, funny, and sportsmanlike look at own failed bold take.
• Clippers as a cautionary tale [16:56–24:03]: Analysis of how quickly roster optimism can unravel.
• Jaylen Brown's Offense Leap [30:49–32:10]: Brown’s volume and efficiency compared to historic greats.
• Mailbag: Sunk cost and tanking culture [67:02–71:46]: Real talk on strategic teardown vs. stubborn competitiveness.
• Coach and MVP debate [60:43–64:48]: What really defines performance, value, and system buy-in.

Episode Tone & Takeaways

The hosts embrace humor but aren’t afraid to be introspective or critical regarding past predictions. There’s genuine respect for teams that subvert expectations and a clear appreciation for organizational creativity—especially Spoelstra and the Heat, Ott and the Suns. The pod balances statistical analysis, league politics, and coaching philosophies, making it a must-listen for fans who want sharp, fair-minded NBA commentary.

Most Memorable Quote:
“I was wrong. I take accountability for it. The Suns are great. Love watching them play. They're hard to beat.” — Michael Pina ([15:46])

Runner-Up:
“It's a gallon of milk that is several days past its expiration date.” — Michael Pina on the Clippers ([21:55])

Useful For…

• Fans wanting a “where are we really?” check at the NBA quarter mark
• Those looking for which preseason predictions are holding up (and which are embarrassing)
• Coaching and MVP debates, especially with unexpected candidates
• Anyone interested in how personnel moves ripple across the league
• Observers of NBA tank culture and draft strategy

For the full inside jokes, player-specific stats, and more detailed mailbag banter, listen to the episode or check out The Ringer’s full transcript archives.