PODCAST · sports
Read and React
by Read and React NBA Podcast
Read and React is an independent podcast focused on the philosophy, strategy, tactics, trends, and minutiae of the NBA. Hosted by Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber.
Episodes
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The Top 30 Players in the NBA
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss and debate the top 30 players in the NBA going into the 2024-25 season.
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Knicks-Wolves Trade, Big Extensions, and Shakeups at ESPN
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber break down the blockbuster trade involving Karl-Anthony Towns, Donte DiVincenzo, and Julius Randle, and where it leaves the Wolves and Knicks heading into the 2025 NBA season. Then they discuss the recent extensions signed by Steph Curry, Joel Embiid, and Jamal Murray…
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Breaking Down the 2024 Olympics
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the United States' gold medal win in the Paris Olympics, including LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant's ageless performances, Jayson Tatum's lack of playing time, and the state of international basketball. Plus: What the U.S. men's basketball team could...
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Making Sense of the NBA Landscape After Free Agency
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber traverse the post-free agency landscape, breaking down the biggest signings, trades, and dominoes yet to fall in the league, including: how Paul George reshapes the 76ers; whether the Nuggets are still in the top tier of the Western Conference; the Pelicans trading for...
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Knicks Moves & Draft Recap
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber recap the two-day event that was the 2024 NBA Draft, including which players might fit the best on their new teams, how some of the more experienced rookies might help their new teams next season, Bronny James' fit on the Lakers, and more. Then, they dive into the…
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2024 NBA Draft Preview with Brad Rowland
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber are joined by Brad Rowland of Locked On Hawks and Dime UPROXX to discuss the most interesting prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft, including the two Frenchmen at the top of the board, first-round sleepers who could make an impact, the Hawks' options with the first pick, who...
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The Boston Celtics are NBA Champions; Plus: Coaching Hires, Trades & Extensions
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber break down the Boston Celtics' run to their 18th NBA title, including Jaylen Brown winning Finals MVP, how last offseason solidified the team, their incredible balance, Joe Mizzula's coaching, and much more. Then they dive into the Thunder trading Josh Giddey for Alex...
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Boston Goes Up 2-0 In the NBA Finals
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber break down the Celtics' wins over the Mavericks in the first two games of the NBA Finals, including how Boston has defended Dallas' pick-and-roll attack, Luka Doncic's brilliance, who the "best player" on the Celtics is, and much more.
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Mavericks-Celtics Finals Preview
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber break down the tactical and strategic battles that could swing the NBA Finals, including how the Celtics will defend Luka Doncic in the pick-and-roll, why Kristaps Porzingis is so important in the series, and much more. Plus: a discussion on how modern championship teams...
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Conference Finals Previews, Continued Parity & Ant's Ascent
As the NBA playoffs start to heat up, Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss how the Wolves dethroned the Nuggets and where Denver goes from here, the parity in the NBA over the last six seasons, the strategic and tactical areas that will determine the Conference Finals series, and much more.
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Nuggets Reassert Themselves & Thunder Get Even As The Second Round Heats Up
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the Denver Nuggets' dominant bounceback after falling behind to the Timberwolves, the Thunder's gritty Game 4 win over the Mavericks, and where each second-round series could be headed. Then they touch on the Hawks jumping to the top of the lottery, Trae Young's...
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Previewing the Play-In & First-Round Matchups
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber break down and predict every first-round and play-in matchup of the NBA postseason, including how the 76ers might look with a healthy Joel Embiid in the lineup, the high stakes of Mavs-Clippers III, how Giannis' injury impacts the Bucks' chances against the Pacers…
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2023-24 NBA Awards
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber pick and discuss their unofficial awards ballots for the 2023-24 NBA season, including a disagreement on who should win MVP, LeBron James' All-NBA candidacy, whether Victor Wembanyama is already the Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner, which young players improved…
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Untangling the East Playoff & Play-In Races
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the jam-packed races for the 3-8 seeds in the Eastern Conference, which play-in teams pose the greatest threat to the top seeds, the Magic's sudden rise, potential fit issues in Cleveland, and much more.
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Sorting Through the Top of the West & Boston's Potential Weaknesses
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber debate whether the Oklahoma City Thunder's inexperience will matter in the postseason and whether the Nuggets have taken a step back or just taken their foot off the gas. Then they check in on the MVP race and look at the Celtics' potential weaknesses in the playoffs....
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How Joel Embiid's Injury and the Trade Deadline Have Reshaped the NBA
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber break down the most impactful trades of a relatively quiet NBA trade deadline. Then they discuss Joel Embiid's meniscus injury, how much the 65-game rule is to blame, and how it affects the MVP race.
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Knicks-Raptors Trade, Thunder Praise, and Standout Rookies
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the impact of the OG Anunoby-Immanuel Quickley trade on the Knicks, Raptors, and NBA as a whole. Then they break down the Thunder's rise to the top of the Western Conference, the new crop of stars in the NBA, how today's league fits into the arc of NBA history…
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IST Check-In, Boston's Offense, and a Changing of the Guard
Just over a month into the NBA season, Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the NBA In-Season Tournament, how it has changed the regular season, and who could win it. Then they assess how Boston's 3-point heavy offense might translate in the playoffs and the new wave of lead guards taking over the NBA.
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Clippers & Bucks Start Slow While 76ers Hit Their Stride
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the Clippers' struggles since trading for James Harden, Tyrese Maxey's early breakout and the Sixers' improved offensive continuity, why the Bucks have yet to find a rhythm on either end of the floor, and other key storylines from the three weeks of the NBA season.
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James Harden Gets Traded to the Clippers
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber react to the Sixers trading James Harden to the Clippers, discuss how the trade affects both teams on the court, and assess potential next steps for the 76ers.
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2023-24 NBA Season Preview
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber prepare for the new NBA season by bouncing around to the most interesting, exciting, and confusing teams in the league. Can anyone crack the Milwaukee/Boston tier in the East? Do the Hawks have a path toward short-term relevance? How will Chris Paul fit with the…
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The Untouchable Mann, Shams Spotlight, and Calvin Booth's Candid Remarks
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss a busy week in NBA media, including Calvin Booth's inflammatory comments to the Ringer, profiles on Shams Charania and Adrian Wojnarowski, Terance Mann's reported trade (un)availability, and much more.
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How the Jrue Holiday Trade Affects the Celtics & the Rest of the NBA
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber break down the Celtics' huge trade for Jrue Holiday, including where it leaves other Holiday suitors, Portland's handling of the Damian Lillard situation, and how much better Boston will really be next season. Then they react to Devin Vassell's 5-year, $146 million...
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Damian Lillard Is A Milwaukee Buck
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber break down every angle of the blockbuster trade of Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, including how Lillard will elevate Milwaukee's offense, where Jrue Holiday could be traded next, what the Suns might see in Jusuf Nurkic, and much more.
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Top 30 Players in the NBA (2023)
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the top 30(ish) players in the NBA, including some rising young stars in the league, LeBron's gentle decline, and whether anyone else is on Nikola Jokic's level right now. Plus: What these rankings can tell us about the state of the modern NBA.
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Harden, Dame, and Summer News Catchup
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss James' Harden's recent comments to a gathering of children about his relationship with Daryl Morey and how that connects with Damian Lillard's situation in Portland. Then they react to Jaylen Brown's historic new contract.
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Dame Asks Out, Rockets Go For It, and More From NBA Free Agency
On the 250th episode of Read and React, Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss Damian Lillard's reported trade request and what fallout could come from it, the best signings of the NBA offseason, the Rockets' perplexing free agency moves, and more.
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Big Trades Around the NBA, Plus Draft Reactions
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss how Bradley Beal, Chris Paul, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jordan Poole might fit into their new teams before breaking down the picks they liked the most and least from Thursday's NBA Draft.
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2023 NBA Draft Preview w/ Brad Rowland
Brad Rowland joins Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber to discuss Victor Wembanyama's historic upside, the candidates for the second overall pick, potential sleepers in the late first round, and much more on the 2023 NBA Draft.
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What the Nuggets' Title Says About the NBA's Future
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the Denver Nuggets winning their first championship, the magic of Denver's team construction, the challenges the Nuggets could face keeping this team together, and much more. Then, they bounce around this week's slate of NBA news items.
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Miami Bounces Back, Plus More Coaching Hires
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the Heat's adjustments in Game 2, Jimmy Butler's quiet series, the brilliance of Denver's supporting cast, potential ramifications of the NBA lottery, and much more.
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NBA Finals Preview, Coaching Hires & Historically Evaluating Nikola Jokic
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber are back to discuss a riveting NBA Finals matchup between the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets, how the current era of basketball affects the way we think about players historically, the Succession finale, and much more.
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Lakers-Nuggets Preview
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber go in depth on the Western Conference Finals, including how Anthony Davis' defensive presence could disrupt Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets' offense, whether an older LeBron can exploit Denver's defense at the rim, who could benefit more from a long series, and much more.
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Celtics Cruise Past 76ers, Monty Williams Out & More NBA News
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss an action-packed week in the NBA, including Sunday's Game 7 between the Celtics and Sixers, more coaching changes, what's next for recently eliminated playoff teams, and much more.
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Bud Dismissed, Nuggets Rolling & More From the Playoffs
On this episode: Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the Grizzlies' decision finally hold Dillon Brooks accountable, whether the Bucks made the right call letting Mike Budenholzer go, expectations for the rest of Sixers-Celtics, and what the Nuggets-Suns series says about the state of modern offense.
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Heat Topple Bucks, Warriors Pull Ahead & Second-Round Previews
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the Bucks' collapse against the Heat, expectations for the ongoing first-round series in the West, and the factors that could determine each second-round series.
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Bucks & Grizz Respond Without Stars, Suns Pull Ahead and Dillon Brooks Pokes the Bear
The NBA playoffs are rolling! Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the last few days of games, including Brook Lopez's importance on both ends, Karl-Anthony Towns' struggles against the Nuggets, Dillon Brooks' comments about LeBron, and more.
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The Beam Is Lit, Draymond Suspended & Hustle Westbrook
Following an electric first weekend of the NBA playoffs, Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the implications of Draymond Green's suspension, how Joel Embiid has dominated the Nets, Russell Westbrook's impact as a hustle player, and much more.
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1-8 & 2-7 Series Previews
Happy NBA Playoffs! Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber dive into the 1-8 and 2-7 matchups, including how the Lakers match up with the younger Grizzlies, whether the Wolves' defense can slow down the Nuggets, and more. Plus: some thoughts on the last episode of Succession and where the series might go from...
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2022-23 Regular Season Awards (Pt. II)
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber wrap up their 2023 (fake) awards ballots with Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defensive & All-Rookie teams, and more.
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A Wild Last Day of the Season; Play-In, 4-5 & 3-6 Series Previews
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber bounce around Sunday afternoon's wild slate of games, then break down what to expect from Sixers-Nets, Cavs-Knicks, Suns-Clippers, and Warriors-Kings. Topics include whether anyone in the East can touch the top four seeds, which matchups and advantages could swing...
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2022-23 Regular Season Awards (Pt. I)
It's time to hand out some (fake) awards! In part one of this episode, Ben Ladner an Jon Sauber discuss this year's MVP race and All-NBA teams, including: Does anyone else belong in the MVP conversation with Nikola Jokic & Joel Embiid? Who will fill the bottom of the ballot after LeBron James,...
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Light the Beam!
The Sacramento Kings are going to the playoffs! Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss Sacramento's rise in the West, Mike Brown's Coach of the Year case, what the Beam Team's success tells us about modern NBA offense, an much more.
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Untangling the West, News Catchup & the Embiid-Jokic False Choice
With just a few days left in the NBA regular season, Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber are back to evaluate the constantly-shifting terrain of the Western Conference, including the Grizzlies righting the ship during Ja Morant's absence, the Lakers showing signs of life, and potential playoff matchups.…
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Worst Matchups for the East Contenders, Plus Grizzlies & Clippers Skepticism
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber continue last episode's discussion on the teams each NBA contender shouldn't want to see with the Celtics, Bucks, and Sixers' toughest playoff matchups. Then they dive into the state of the East's middle class and the Clippers' recent struggles.
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LeBron's Injury, Snyder to Atlanta & Each West Contender's Worst Matchup
As the NBA season enters the home stretch, Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber break down every angle of LeBron James' foot injury -- where it leaves the Lakers, how it changes the playoff race, and what reveals about the Lakers' mistakes over the last two years. Then they discuss the Hawks hiring Quin...
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New-Look Mavs & Nets, Surging Bucks, and League Pass All Stars
The All-Star is break finally here! Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber take stock of the new-look Mavericks and Nets, the surging Bucks' championship hopes, and whether the Celtics are the clear title favorites. Then they discuss some of their favorite under-the-radar players in the NBA.
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KD to the Suns, LeBron Breaks the Scoring Record, and Much More From the Trade Deadline
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss a wild trade deadline, including: how the Kevin Durant trade changes the Western Conference landscape, whether the Lakers' improvements around LeBron and Anthony Davis put them in title contention, the most surprising non-moves of the deadline, and much more.…
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Kyrie Irving Gets Traded to the Mavericks
Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber react to Sunday's blockbuster trade that sent Kyrie Irving to the Mavericks, and asses how the move impacts Brooklyn and Dallas this season and beyond.
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2023 Trade Deadline Outlook
As the NBA trade deadline rapidly approaches, Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber discuss the biggest questions and storylines of the trade landscape, including how the Raptors could set the direction of the market, which teams OG Anunoby would make the most sense on, whether the Jazz and Bulls will buy or...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Read and React is an independent podcast focused on the philosophy, strategy, tactics, trends, and minutiae of the NBA. Hosted by Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber.
HOSTED BY
Read and React NBA Podcast
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Read and React have?
Read and React currently has 274 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Read and React about?
Read and React is an independent podcast focused on the philosophy, strategy, tactics, trends, and minutiae of the NBA. Hosted by Ben Ladner and Jon Sauber.
How often does Read and React release new episodes?
Read and React publishes regularly with 274 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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You can listen to Read and React on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Read and React?
Read and React is created and hosted by Read and React NBA Podcast.
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