Best Justin J Johnson Podcasts (2025)

1
What We Think We Know About the 2025-26 Season | Group Chat 1:19:16

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26m ago1:19:16

1:19:16

Justin and Rob are here to discuss some of the rumblings of the offseason and talk through what they think they know ahead of the 2025-26 season. They discuss Luka’s fitness (7:04), competitors in the West (19:29), Kuminga and the Warriors (34:12), the top of the East (53:23), and much more. Hosts: Justin Verrier and Rob Mahoney Producer: Isaiah Bl…

1
The 2025 Realy Awards and Sue Bird Stops By 1:33:29

6d ago1:33:29

1:33:29

Logan Murdock, Raja Bell, and Howard Beck put a bow on the 2024-25 NBA season with their fifth annual Realys Awards. Who will win the highly anticipated Crash Out of the Year Award? Later, Hall of Famer and friend of the show Sue Bird stops by to talk about WNBA All-Star Weekend, evolving as a podcast host, and much more! Show Start: (0:53) Newcome…

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Joanna Macy, In Memoriam — Beauty and Wisdom and Courage (and Rilke) to Sustain Us 50:57

9d ago50:57

50:57

This rich, gorgeous conversation will fill your soul. The singular and beloved Joanna Macy died at home at the age of 96 on July 20, 2025. She has left an immense legacy of beauty and wisdom and courage to sustain us. A Buddhist teacher, ecological philosopher, and Rilke translator, she taught and embodied a wild love for the world. What follows is…

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Buy the Hype or Bet the Under? Real Ones Team Totals for the 2025-26 Season 1:25:21

20d ago1:25:21

1:25:21

Logan and Howard play expert gamblers in predicting which teams will hit their over/unders for the 2025-26 season. Will the Hawks be soaring over 46.5 wins with their new additions and the East being seemingly wide open? Can Denver get back into title contention with 53.5 wins? What will it take for the Lakers to hit their o/u 48.5? Can Philly add …

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Taste of Cherry (1997) | Dir. Abbas Kiarostami 2:04:02

20d ago2:04:02

2:04:02

In this episode, we discuss Abbas Kiarostami’s Taste of Cherry, including Mr. Badii's treatment of the three supporting characters, the visual motif of dirt, and the film's self-reflexive ending. See where Taste of Cherry is available to watch. Supplemental Material: • The Criterion Collection's Taste of Cherry Blu-ray • Taste of Cherry (The Criter…

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Ross Gay — Hope Portal, Episode 7 10:19

21d ago10:19

10:19

Ross Gay is a poet, community gardener, and teacher who brings another way of wisdom to the conviction that we have to know what we love and what delights us. And that we have to tend to that as fiercely as to what is broken and what we’re called to make better, what we’re called to make more just. Knowing what we love and knowing how to take delig…

1
The Best and Worst Moves of the Offseason (So Far). Plus, the Clippers Are Up to Something. | Group Chat 1:14:17

24d ago1:14:17

1:14:17

Justin, Rob, and Wos are here to react to the three-team deal that sent Norman Powell to the Heat and what it means for the Heat, Jazz, and Clippers. Then, the guys give their best and worst moves of the offseason. Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and Wosny Lambre Producers: Kyle Williams and Ben Cruz Social: Keith Fujimoto and Jomi Adeniran Lea…

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Announcement | Taste of Cherry Delayed 4:01

27d ago4:01

4:01

We wanted to let everyone know our discussion of Abbas Kiarostami's Taste of Cherry is delayed. In this brief episode, Joe gives some insight into why and when to expect the episode. Thank you for your understanding. Additional Audio Sources: • Taste of Cherry Trailer (The Criterion Collection's Blu-ray) • Taste of Cherry | Modern Trailer by CP Tra…

1
The Most Confounding Teams of the Offseason So Far | Group Chat 1:07:09

28d ago1:07:09

1:07:09

Justin, Rob, and Wos are here on Day 4 of free agency before this holiday weekend to talk about the most confounding and confusing teams in the league right now. Intro (0:00) Bucks (3:08) Kings (23:10) Heat (30:05) Warriors (36:35) Raptors (45:20) Suns (55:20) Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and Wosny Lambre Producers: Isaiah Blakely and Ben Cr…

1
Joy Harjo — The Hope Portal Ep. 6 17:09

28d ago17:09

17:09

Our teacher this time is the extraordinary Joy Harjo. She is a musician, a visual artist, a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, and she’s also former Poet Laureate of the United States. From the beginning of her life, from childhood and even before, she has carried and retained a sense of space and time and life that is so much vaster than present…

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Free Agency Frenzy: Dame Waived, Turner to the Bucks, and LeBron’s Unhappy? | Real Ones 1:00:58

30d ago1:00:58

1:00:58

Logan and Raja are back with the free agency edition of Real Ones. Myles Turner is officially headed to the Bucks, and Damian Lillard has been waived by the team. What’s the future for Dame? The Nuggets traded Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson and a 2032 first-round pick. They also brought back Bruce Brown, who helped them win a champi…

1
Free Agency Bonanza, Day 1! Cam Johnson Traded to Denver, the Lakers Are Adrift, and More. | Group Chat 1:14:58

1M ago1:14:58

1:14:58

Justin, Rob and Wos are here with their immediate thoughts on Day 1 of free agency. They start with the Cam Johnson-for-Michael Porter Jr. trade and Denver’s outlook moving forward. Then, they talk about the Rockets getting deeper (20:48), what the Lakers' plan is (31:10), the Hawks' interesting offseason (48:40), and much more. Hosts: Justin Verri…

1
Is Ace Playing His Cards Right? Plus, Raja’s Richter Scale for Recent Trades. | Real Ones 1:01:39

1M ago1:01:39

1:01:39

Logan Murdock and Raja Bell discuss the first round of the 2025 NBA draft and in particular the Ace Bailey story. Ace didn't work out for any teams before the draft and landed with the Utah Jazz at no. 5. Did Ace make the right decision by not working out for teams and still ending up as a top-five pick? Raja questions the mentality of some of the …

1
The Bizarre Deals of Draft Night, Atlanta’s Chances in the East, and Offseason Teams to Watch | Group Chat 1:22:47

1M ago1:22:47

1:22:47

Justin, Rob, and Wos are here after night one of the draft to talk about some of the deals that happened. They start with the Blazers' surprising selection of Yang Hansen. Then, they discuss the Pelicans' trade to move up and draft Derik Queen, the Celtics' recent trades, the Hawks' moves and how good they can be now, and much more. Hosts: Justin V…

1
Joanna Macy — Hope Portal, Episode 5 12:03

1M ago12:03

12:03

Our teacher and inspiration for this session is Joanna Macy. What she embodies is a wild love for the world and a fierce hope that rises irrepressible from that. And she carries and lives an important reminder to us that when we love, we will also know pain, and we will know grief that can feel too awful to bear. When we talk about the muscle of ho…

1
Are the Thunder Primed to Repeat? Plus, KD Lands in Houston. Is This His Last Stop? | Real Ones 1:13:49

1M ago1:13:49

1:13:49

Logan, Raja, and Howard are back, and they open the pod with a discussion about Oklahoma City and the Thunder’s championship celebration. Would Raja have celebrated the same way OKC did? Plus, Jrue Holiday was traded to the Blazers for Anfernee Simons. What will the Celtics do with Simons, who’s on an expiring contract? Kevin Durant was finally tra…

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The Thunder Are Your 2025 NBA Champions. Plus, What’s Houston’s Ceiling With KD? | The Group Chat 1:25:10

1M ago1:25:10

1:25:10

Justin, Rob, and Wos celebrate the Oklahoma City Thunder becoming the 2025 NBA champions. They discuss the Thunder’s defense, Tyrese Haliburton’s heartbreaking injury, and much more. Then, they briefly look ahead to what next season looks like for both teams. They wrap up with the massive news from earlier in the day of Kevin Durant being traded to…

1
Seven Questions That Will Decide Game 7 of the Finals. Plus, the Lakers Sale. | Group Chat 1:15:43

1M ago1:15:43

1:15:43

Justin, Rob, and Wos are here to preview Game 7 by answering seven questions as we head into Sunday’s game. They talk about what they learned from Game 6 (15:35), who the finals MVP will be (48:50), some predictions (52:10), and much more. They wrap up by giving their thoughts on the sale of the Los Angeles Lakers (55:45). Hosts: Justin Verrier, Ro…

1
Pacers Annihilate Thunder In Game 6. Game 7, Here We Come! | Real Ones 54:47

1M ago54:47

54:47

Logan is joined by The Ringer's Tyler Parker (Oklahoma native and Thunder fan) to discuss the dismantling that was Game 6. The Thunder looked great in the very early portion of the game, but things unraveled for them very quickly. What did the Pacers do to make the high-powered Thunder offense look pedestrian. Has the media overdone it with player …

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Ocean Vuong — Hope Portal, Episode 4 11:29

1M ago11:29

11:29

If hope is to be defining and forceful in the world we have to remake ahead of us, we must also speak hope into being. Ocean Vuong is a fascinating and singular person. The sweep of his work is about bearing witness to the other side of violence and the possibility of joy while taking nothing away and continuing to bear witness to the fullness of w…

1
Jalen Williams Drops 40 in a Statement Game. Plus, What’s Going on With Tyrese Haliburton’s Injury? | Real Ones 1:14:48

1M ago1:14:48

1:14:48

Fresh off of minimal sleep and deadlines to meet, Logan Murdock and Howard Beck are back with another edition of 'Real Ones' from their hotel rooms in Oklahoma City. OKC’s All-Star forward Jalen Williams erupted for 40 points, helping OKC to a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals. What was the environment like at Paycom Center witnessing that performance? Wh…

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J-Dub’s Shining Moment Has OKC on the Brink of a Title. Plus, Does the Desmond Bane Trade Make Orlando a Contender? | Group Chat 1:09:11

1M ago1:09:11

1:09:11

Justin, Rob, and Wos are reunited just in time to watch the Oklahoma City Thunder move one win away from an NBA championship. They discuss Jalen Williams’s monster 40-point game that paired beautifully with SGA’s 31-point performance, before getting into Tyrese Haliburton’s injury-riddled night that left him without a field goal in Game 5.They clos…

1
The Thunder Out-Pacer the Pacers to Tie the Finals | Group Chat 1:08:20

2M ago1:08:20

1:08:20

Justin and Rob are joined by Tyler Parker to recap the Thunder pulling off their own shocking comeback to tie the series 2-2. They discuss SGA’s excellent fourth quarter, Jalen Williams’s and Chet’s major contributions, and much more. Hosts: Justin Verrier and Rob Mahoney Guest: Tyler Parker Producers: Isaiah Blakely, John Richter, Victoria Valenci…

1
The Knicks’ Coaching Crossroads and KD’s Next Chapter | Real Ones 1:04:58

2M ago1:04:58

1:04:58

Logan Murdock, Raja Bell, and Howard mf’n Beck are back with another Friday edition of Real Ones. Who will be the next head coach of the New York Knicks? After firing Tom Thibodeau and seemingly being denied the opportunity to speak to the head coach of any other franchise in the NBA, what direction will they go in? Does Leon Rose deserve the benef…

1
Naomi Shihab Nye — Hope Portal, Episode 3 9:15

2M ago9:15

9:15

In these next few sessions, we investigate some orientations and ways of being that are companions to hope. If hope is a muscle that can be exercised to become stronger and more supple, these qualities might be thought of as fascia, or the tendons — complementary ligaments that make the whole viable and sustainable. The wonderful poet Naomi Shihab …

1
“The Pacemakers” Take Game 3. Plus, Predicting Offseason Headlines. | Group Chat 1:12:16

2M ago1:12:16

1:12:16

Justin, Rob, and Wos return to react to the Pacers taking a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals. They discuss another great Tyrese Haliburton performance, Bennedict Mathurin and TJ McConnell's vital contributions off the bench, and more. Then, they take a look at some hypothetical offseason headlines about the Knicks' coaching search, Kevin Durant trade des…

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Walter Brueggemann, In Memoriam - When the World We Have Trusted In Is Vanishing 1:06:25

2M ago1:06:25

1:06:25

The great Christian scholar of the biblical prophets died on June 5, 2025. Yet, in the lineage of the prophets who called humanity to face its hardest realities, this profound, warm, and timeless conversation is a stunning offering straight into our present. “The amazing contemporaneity of this material," Walter Brueggemann says to Krista in this c…

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Will SGA Continue to Dominate the Pacers? Plus, the Knicks Search for a New Voice. | Real Ones 1:09:58

2M ago1:09:58

1:09:58

After falling to Tyrese Haliburton’s miracle shot with 0.3 seconds left in Game 1, the Thunder bounced back in a major way in Game 2 with a dominant victory thanks to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 34-point effort. What was the difference from Game 1 to Game 2, and which team has control going forward in this series? Haliburton hasn't had a dominant ser…

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A Married Couple (1969) | Dir. Allan King 1:59:41

2M ago1:59:41

1:59:41

In this episode, we discuss Allan King’s A Married Couple, including King's approach to documentary, the film's use of crane shots, and whether Billy and Antoinette "perform" for the camera. See where A Married Couple is available to watch. Supplemental Material: • The Criterion Collection's Eclipse Series 24: The Actuality Dramas of Allan King • I…

1
The Unkillable Pacers Storm Back Again to Win Game 1 of the Finals | Group Chat 50:44

2M ago50:44

50:44

Justin, Rob, and Wos record together in L.A. immediately after Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers pull off another late comeback, and this time, they take a 1-0 lead in the Finals. They discuss how the Pacers continue to do this, what adjustments the Thunder can make, and much more. Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and Wosny Lambre Producers: Isai…

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adrienne maree brown — Hope Portal, Episode 2 13:43

2M ago13:43

13:43

adrienne maree brown shines a light on an emerging ecosystem in our world over and against the drumbeat of what is fractured and breaking. She works with the complex fullness of reality to move towards a wholeness of living. In exploring the idea of hope — the meaning of it, the practice of it — it feels important to begin with someone who works to…

1
NBA Finals Verrierables! Plus, Who Should Replace Thibs in New York? | Group Chat 1:24:14

2M ago1:24:14

1:24:14

Justin, Rob, and Wos are here, and the Verrierables are back, to preview the NBA Finals. They start with the news of the Knicks firing Tom Thibodeau (3:12). Then they dive into the Verrierables (17:40), getting into how each team matches up with the other, some legacy talk (1:01:42), predictions (1:15:05), and much more. Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob …

1
Thibs Gone?! Knicks Turmoil, Finals Preview, the 'Inside the NBA' Farewell at Turner | Real Ones 2:15:11

2M ago2:15:11

2:15:11

Tom Thibodeau was relieved of his duties as the head coach of the New York Knicks after the team made a conference finals run for the first time in 25 years. Logan Murdock and Howard Beck react to the news and try to figure out what ultimately led to Thibs's firing after having a fairly successful run and bringing the Knicks out of mediocrity? Can …

1
The Improbable Pacers Finish Off the Knicks. Plus, an Early Finals Lookahead. | Group Chat 54:03

2M ago54:03

54:03

Justin, Rob, and Wos react to the Pacers punching their ticket to the NBA Finals with their win in Game 6 over the Knicks. They discuss Conference Finals MVP Pascal Siakam’s excellent series, Tyrese Haliburton and much more. Then they look ahead to what’s next for the Knicks this offseason (21:50) and wrap up with some early thoughts on the NBA Fin…

1
The Knicks Push the Eastern Conference Finals to Six. Plus, What’s Missing in Minnesota? | Real Ones 1:11:36

2M ago1:11:36

1:11:36

Logan, Raja, and Howard open the pod with some Miami traffic talk and a debate on which NBA cities have the worst traffic. The guys then recap Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, in which the Knicks defeated the Pacers and staved off elimination. What did the Knicks do differently in Game 5 to secure victory against the Pacers? Does the duo of…

1
Krista Tippett — Hope Portal, Episode 1 13:58

2M ago13:58

13:58

Beginning today, and for the next six weeks in the On Being podcast feed and Substack, we’re opening a reflection/course experience curated by Krista and drawing upon her conversations with several visionary humans: adrienne maree brown, Naomi Shihab Nye, Ocean Vuong, Joy Harjo, Joanna Macy, and Ross Gay. Together, they extend rich and actionable i…

1
Thunder Punch Their Finals Ticket. Can Any West Team Stop Them From Here? | Group Chat 1:12:42

2M ago1:12:42

1:12:42

Justin, Rob, and Wos react to the Thunder winning the Western Conference and advancing to the NBA Finals. They also discuss how teams could plan to stop them in the future. Then, they discuss the Wolves' offseason questions and how the roster could change this summer. Lastly, they wrap up with some quick thoughts on Tyrese Haliburton’s flawless Gam…

1
Thunder Just One Win Away From an NBA Finals Appearance. Plus, Can the Knicks Reclaim Home Court? | Real Ones 1:16:59

2M ago1:16:59

1:16:59

Logan Murdock and Raja Bell start the pod by reminiscing about Allen Iverson's Philly days, and then they immediately shift to the Western Conference finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder have taken a commanding 3-1 lead in the WCF following a Game 4 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday night. How has OKC taken Anthony Edwards out of his offe…

1
Wolves Wallop the Thunder. Plus, How a Pacers Finals Run Could Alter the East Long-Term. | Group Chat 1:12:29

2M ago1:12:29

1:12:29

Justin, Rob, and Wos are here to react to another blowout in the Western Conference Finals. They discuss what went right for the Timberwolves and what happens next in this series. After that, they talk about the Pacers' 2-0 series lead over the Knicks. Then, they take a bigger picture look at what lessons teams can learn from the Pacers in terms of…

1
Thunder Surge and Take a 2-0 Lead in the Western Conference Finals. Knicks Face Pressure After Humbling Game 1 Loss. | Real Ones 1:25:33

2M ago1:25:33

1:25:33

Logan Murdock, Raja Bell, and Howard Beck are back with another edition of Real Ones to discuss both conference finals series. The Oklahoma City Thunder, led by league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, are currently up 2-0 on the Minnesota Timberwolves. How have they been able to bottle up Minnesota's offense while hitting another gear late in games. Wi…

1
Roberta Bondi — What is Prayer and How to Begin 33:33

2M ago33:33

33:33

Buried treasure from the On Being archive! Krista writes of this conversation from the earliest pre-history of On Being: In the years in which I was on a whole new spiritual and intellectual adventure that changed the direction of my life — years which led to the creation of this show — I befriended a delightful, brilliant, straight-talking theolog…