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On The Ball with Ric Bucher
The Man Behind The Shooting Prowess of Every Final Four Team
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Ric interviews John Carter, CEO of Noah Basketball Technology, about the shooting technology used by 28 NBA teams and hundreds of college and university programs, including all four men's Final Four teams. The two discover that they have a host of similar connections in the basketball world and that Bucher -- and his collegiate basketball-playing daughter -- used prototype versions of Carter's technology without knowing it.
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NBA Finals 2025: What Happened In G4, What Has To Happen In G5
26:19|Ric discusses the factors that led to the Oklahoma City Thunder tying their best-of-seven NBA Finals series with the Indiana Pacers at two wins apiece and what will decide who wins the supremely pivotal Game 5 in Oklahoma City.
The Mastermind Behind The Pacers' Success
28:01|Ric discusses the moves that Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle made to win Game 3 and shares how he came to know Carlisle both as a person (and pianist) and coach.
The Beauty and Intrigue of the 2025 NBA Finals
29:09|Ric discusses why the NBA Finals could prove to be transformative for the league and the blueprint for building championship teams.
Why The Pacers' Game 1 Win Wasn't A Fluke, What It Means For The Series
23:29|Ric discusses the shocking last-second win by the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals over the heavily favored Oklahoma City Thunder -- why it happened and whether or not the Pacers' chance of winning the series should be re-evaluated.
Triple Shot: Why Pacers Have A Chance, SGA Is In Top 5 PG Convo, Bronny Has To Play Next Season
29:18|Ric discusses why the Indiana Pacers could make the NBA Finals vs. the heavily favored Oklahoma City Thunder more competitive than expected, why Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could be in the conversation for top 5 point guards of all-time if he wins this year's title and Finals MVP, and why rumors that the Lakers are hoping guard Bronny James -- son of LeBron -- can be in their playing rotation next season has to happen -- for Bronny's sake.
Ant Edwards is Being Robbed of What He Needs Most
22:21|Ric discusses the danger of anointing young NBA stars as can't-miss future champions or league MVPs as illustrated by the current projections for, and analysis of, Anthony Edwards with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Quad Shot: New vs. Old Media, The Real Overrated Player, The Real Foul Merchant & Malone on the Mike
30:09|Ric discusses four topics: the differences between new and old media; what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has that Anthony Edwards doesn't; Gilgeous-Alexander's label as a foul hunter; and former Nuggets head coach Mike Malone's prospects of landing another head-coaching job.
Quad Shot: The False Ant Narrative, Unfounded Jimmy Criticism, Caitlin-Angel Misappropriation, Crushed Conspiracy Theory
29:03|In this four-topic episode, Ric discusses a manufactured story line for Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, the unrealistic expectations Warriors fans had for Jimmy Butler, the misappropriation of the latest Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese conflict and the kibosh on small-market fans complaining the NBA favors big stars and big markets.
Triple Shot: Pop's Farewell, Giannis' Identity, Luka's Motivation
31:27|Ric dives into three current topics on the NBA landscape: remembrance of his personal experiences with Gregg Popovich, recently forced to step down after an extraordinary run as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs because of health issues; the debate over whether Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks would be best served continuing to join forces, and a disturbing secondary debate inspired by one of Ric's TV clips; and, finally, the question of why Luka Doncic's level of conditioning continues to be an issue.