The Ringer NBA Show: "Rate That Crash Out!" | Real Ones

Date: March 3, 2026
Hosts: Logan Murdock, Raja Bell, Howard Beck

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This episode centers on “crash outs” – high-intensity NBA moments when players lose composure or cross physical/behavioral boundaries. The Real Ones crew kicks off with a deep dive into Lou Dort’s controversial flagrant 2 foul and ejection after a hip check on Nikola Jokic, and branches into a lively breakdown of what differentiates physical, reckless, and dirty play. They examine the growing “villain” energy around the Oklahoma City Thunder, the complicated role of officiating with stars like Jokic, and cap things off with a spirited “Rate That Crash Out” game reviewing recent NBA meltdowns.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lou Dort’s Hip Check on Nikola Jokic: Dirty or Just Physical?

(01:05–16:26)

• Incident Overview: Lou Dort delivered a hip check to Jokic leading to a flagrant 2 and ejection. The altercation triggered a wider discussion on playing style and NBA officiating.

  “I did think what he did to Jokic in the middle of the open court … I thought that was dirty.”
  — Raja Bell (06:32)

• Raja Bell breaks down the categories:

  • Physical – Hard, fair defense not seeking to injure (bumps, hard fouls).
  • Reckless – Careless action with injury potential, especially when a player is airborne.
  • Dirty – Intentional acts to injure (e.g., undercutting a shooter, intentional tripping).

  “Dirty plays for me are when you are really trying to hurt somebody … things that have intent where you’re trying to hurt become dirty.”
  — Raja Bell (05:20)

• On Dort’s History:
  Bell points out Lou Dort’s highlight reels contain examples of all three categories but singles out the Jokic play as “dirty,” yet not in itself worthy of ejection unless the broader fallout (altercation) is considered.

• Howard Beck explains officiating standards:

  • A flagrant 2 requires the action be “unnecessary and excessive” with potential for injury.
  • Context and aftermath (the scuffle/brouhaha) influenced officials’ decision to eject Dort.

  “If you do things that nearly set off a fight … you’re trying to prevent even worse things from happening if the guy stays in.”
  — Howard Beck (10:50)

2. The ‘Villain Era’ of the Oklahoma City Thunder

(16:26–24:10)

• Thunder’s Rise & Reputation:
  The Thunder, now NBA champs, are earning a backlash—both for physical/“dirty” play and accusations of flopping, especially around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

  “It feels like OKC is coming into another level of its villain era, or at least starting a very mainstream villain era. Where are they now in the Zeitgeist?”
  — Logan Murdock (18:35)

• Howard’s take:
  It’s unusual for a single-title team to become league villains so quickly. Combination of success, perceived gamesmanship (flops/foul-baiting), and Sam Presti’s “evil genius” reputation all feed into the narrative.

• On Rivalries:

  “It’s a really premature, like, rise to villain. … But you know what? I’m for it. We need rivalries, we need hostility, we need fans rooting for or against.”
  — Howard Beck (22:57)

3. Officiating and Star Player Frustrations

(24:13–31:16)

• Jokic’s “Punishing” Style:
  The crew debates the challenge of officiating big men like Jokic and Shaq, who both dish out and receive considerable contact, often without getting calls.

  “He [Jokic] plays a punishing style of ball … some of it he brings on himself by style of play. … Historically, you can look at big men and the treatment they get from refs and wonder if they are letting a lot go because of their size.”
  — Raja Bell (25:25)

• Draymond’s ‘Hack-a-Jordan’ and What’s Reckless:
  They recall Draymond Green’s viral move of jumping on DeAndre Jordan during a hack—a classic example of reckless, not dirty, play.

4. Western Conference Power Rankings After a Wild Weekend

(31:16–35:14)

• Thunder Lead, But Competition Looms:
  Thunder, Spurs, Wolves, and Nuggets are seen as the true contenders. The hosts note Denver’s vulnerability without Aaron Gordon and OKC’s upward momentum but argue San Antonio is a real threat.

  “I do think [OKC is] a slight level above three or four other teams, … Thunder, Spurs, Wolves, and Nuggets. … If you told me any of those four … were in the Western Conference finals, I’d believe you.”
  — Howard Beck (33:48)

5. Rate That Crash Out! (Crash Out Game)

(38:14–48:06)

a. Steph Curry’s Non-reaction to Draymond’s Sideline Meltdown (38:14–44:07):

• Curry & Draymond = ‘Old Married Couple’ Energy:
  The crew laughs about how normalized Draymond’s animated outbursts have become, as reflected in Steph’s poker face.

  “Steph’s just like, yeah, that’s Draymond … We’ve been together for 50 years. This is what he does.”
  — Howard Beck (39:40)

• Crash Out Ratings:

  • Raja, Howard, and Logan agree: for Draymond, this outburst is mild.
    • Raja: “This is relatively benign, bro. We’re not tripping off this.” (43:13)
    • Scores: ~4–6/10; high meme-ability, standard for Draymond.

b. Jokic-Lou Dort Ejection:

• Raja: 8/10 for Jokic’s level of anger, “He looked irate. I’m gonna give him an 8.” (44:34)
• Howard: 8–9/10 on crash out, “His eyes crashed out... that was the scariest fucking look.” (45:20, 46:17)
• Logan: 6/10—less replay value than some classic bench-clearing brawls.

“In real time, I thought this was going to get really ugly. … [Jokic’s] eyes get a 12.”
— Howard Beck (45:20, 46:17)

c. Bench-Clearing Charlotte Brawl (referenced):

• Logan: “…crash out of the year. That was a generational crash out.” (48:00)

6. Mailbag: Spurs, MVP Narratives, and Coach of the Year

(48:48–58:37)

• Mailbag from Jake (Howard William Edmiston IV):
  Why doesn’t Wemby get more MVP consideration for exceeding expectations, like Jalen Brown on the Celtics?

• Howard’s MVP Explanation:
  Wemby’s case is strong but different: his team was already loaded with young talent, and MVP voting is a tangled mix of stats, team record, narrative, and games played. If the Spurs finish first in the West, Wemby could very well win.

  “It’s a bunch of things that are all kind of baked in. … I think Wemby ultimately is going to finish top five for sure, and he’s got a chance to be top three. … If the Spurs finish first in the West, there’s a good chance that Wemby could actually win MVP.”
  — Howard Beck (54:28, 56:56)

• Coach of the Year:
  Mitch Johnson is a real contender given the Spurs’ leap.

• Fun asides:
  Howard on growing up named Howard, attempts to go by “Howie,” and shoutouts to friends and listeners.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Thunder’s villain emergence:
  “It’s just a big corn off. … The whole league right now.”
  — Logan Murdoch (23:26)

• On officiating star bigs:
  “When you play that type of style, and you’re big, you’re gonna walk out of there with a lot of bumps, scrapes, bruises, and, you know, in some instances, probably have a good case for complaining that you didn’t get enough fouls called for you.”
  — Raja Bell (27:17)

• On crash out memes:
  “This is actually constructive for Draymond … This shows a maturity from Draymond and everyone else involved.”
  — Logan Murdoch (43:23)

• On Mailbag MVP narratives:
  “It might seem similar, but it’s just not the same narrative.”
  — Raja Bell (57:22)

Important Timestamps

• 01:05–16:26: Lou Dort/Jokic incident and breakdown of dirty/reckless/physical play
• 16:26–24:10: The Thunder’s image and “villain era”
• 24:13–31:16: Officiating big men and star frustration
• 31:16–35:14: Western Conference race recalibration
• 38:14–48:06: “Rate That Crash Out!” game—Draymond, Jokic, and meme culture
• 48:48–58:37: Mailbag: Spurs’ overachievement, MVP dialogue, Coach of the Year, and “Howard” name talk

Tone and Style

The episode is spirited, irreverent, and packed with insight—balancing technical basketball analysis with humor, relatable anecdotes, and honest debate. The hosts lean into NBA meme culture and bring in personal experiences, all while giving the listener meaningful perspective on what makes a “crash out” memorable and how narratives shape the way we view the league’s stars and teams.