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
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Hosts: Chris Vernon and David Jacoby
Producers: Stefan Anderson and Jeff Shearin
Social: Keith Fujimoto
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