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NBA Playoff COLLAPSES + United Beat Liverpool & Rockets Rant
16 Plays27 days ago
Episode 75 – NBA Playoff Chaos, Champions League Drama & Rockets Rant
Episode 75 of Who’s Got The Ball? sees the lads tackle another massive week across the NBA and football.
The show opens with the NBA Playoffs as the lads break down the key matchups between the Timberwolves and Spurs, along with Knicks vs 76ers. Attention then turns to two unbelievable playoff collapses as both the Celtics and Magic blow 3-1 series leads in Round One.
There’s also a passionate rant from Shane aimed at the Rockets organisation, questioning where the franchise is heading after another disappointing postseason showing.
On the football side, the lads react to all the action from the Champions League second legs before chatting about two huge Premier League fixtures: Manchester United’s big win vs Liverpool and a preview of Manchester City vs Brentford.
As always, the episode wraps up with Gan Seans and the latest Power Rankings.
Another packed episode full of reactions, analysis, arguments, and playoff drama.
🎧 If you’re into:
Premier League, NBA & NFL talk
Weekly predictions & reactions
Underdog picks (Gan Seans 👀)
Power rankings & sports debates
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🇮🇪 Irish-based, talking global sports every week
(0:00) Intro
(2:56) Michael Joins the Show
(3:30) Spurs & Timberwolves Locked at 1-1
(13:54) Can the Sixers Make Another Comeback?
(24:09) Celtics & Magic Blow 3-1 Leads
(39:08) Shane’s Rockets Rant
(41:49) Gan Seans: Our Underdog Picks
(44:45) The Champions League is Set
(54:15) Man United’s Huge Win Over Liverpool
(1:04:12) Man City vs Brentford Preview
(1:07:15) Power Rankings
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Humorous Disclaimer
00:00:09
Speaker
Alright lads, welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball. If you can't tell, my nose is blocked, so if you don't like listening to people with blocked noses, you might as well tune out now, because it's going to be like this for the whole episode.
00:00:20
Speaker
Shane is here too. What is the crack, Shane? Yeah, I have the worst hay fever i've had in about eight years today, I think. So definitely click off if you don't like to hear people sniffling or having to it's struggling to finish sentences because they're actually running
Weekend Activities Recap
00:00:33
Speaker
out of breath. um i had a big weekend last weekend. We had Riverfest and Limerick obviously. I was out the Friday to Sunday and that 3D match on the Monday.
00:00:42
Speaker
ah it's bm It's been the longest week of my life in work. Look, we're here. We're back for another episode. I don't think the two of us will ever be at 100% healthiness again. I think this is just how we have to live now. just have to get over it and deal with
Weekend Sports Highlights
00:00:54
Speaker
it.
00:00:54
Speaker
Yeah, we compared our weekends last week for sporting ways. like I had ah the Sixers winning a Game 7, United beating Liverpool and Leinster getting to the Champions Cup final.
00:01:05
Speaker
And then Shane, on the other hand, had... a unfortunate events of Liverpool losing and T United and the Rockets getting knocked out but look at least Limerick came through and gave Clare a good battering so I'm sure you enjoyed that one. It's true he finally won the game as well with a 92nd minute goal which was absolutely great off to what loan now on Friday.
00:01:26
Speaker
Nice one. Nice one. Racking up the miles. Number Yeah, know. Fair play.
Focus of the Episode: NBA and Football
00:01:30
Speaker
We had a fairly good episode, as usual, for you if you're an NBA and football fan. Unfortunately, no NFL this week, but there's not a whole lot going on over there. We will have a guest on next week for the NFL, so you'll you'll get your fix there. But this week...
00:01:44
Speaker
We started with the NBA, Michael joined of course, and we started by touching on the Spurs and Timberwolves series, and then we touched on the Sixers andni series and and how we think game three is going to go on each of those and the rest of the series there.
Spurs vs. Timberwolves Series Analysis
00:01:57
Speaker
and We talked about both the Celtics and Magic blowing 3-1 Leeds. And then we moved on to give Shane his monologue on the Rockets and and get his grievances out before we drew a line under that and i forgot about it for the rest of the of the season, and hopefully. And then from there, we got Gunn Shansen. Myself and Shane gave our three picks for the weekend.
00:02:18
Speaker
Football, UCL, Champions League, semi-final wrap-up. A little look forward to the final, but mostly what our thoughts on the semis. United beating Liverpool. We had to recap that one, of course, unfortunately for Shane. And then we did finish by giving a preview of Man City and Bournemouth because it is a big one in the title race. and in important friend first Brentford. Sorry, my bad. Brentford and Bournemouth both going for Europe. But it's it's it's a specific push for Brentford. If they can stop City this weekend, it will go a long way to them. And City do want to keep the pressure on Arsenal. And then we wrapped up with the Power Rankings as usual. So we'll let you get into the good stuff.
00:02:56
Speaker
So let's jump into the NBA action now that we're back into the second round. It's our first episode since the seven second round started so a lot to touch on but as we've been doing the last couple of weeks we do record this on a Thursday evening so we won't have the most up-to-date information on the Thursday night games so instead We'll focus on the Wednesday night and they will again be played on Friday So you'll have the information and our thoughts fresh heading into tonight's games for you guys so the two series to touch on right now are First of all the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves So we're locked at one one Game one was a shock win for the Wolves Champagny had a chance right at the end to take a three to win it by a point for the Spurs It was a clean luck but
00:03:45
Speaker
Hit it off the front of the rim. And then last night was an absolute demolition for the Spurs to tie it up. um Scoring a lot of points early and kind of wrapping the thing up before it was even halftime.
00:03:57
Speaker
And they ended up winning by 38 points. So, yeah, it was it was a huge win. But what was your takeaways from Game 1, first of all, Shane? Game 1, I think the Timmerwolves were so up first.
00:04:10
Speaker
I think they kind of, they came in with the attitude of we are underdogs, so if we don't start fast here, we're getting nothing. And they kind of did, and then they just held the spurs at bay. Then when Benjana couldn't really, like once he was kind of double teamed or he was set screens, he wasn't really able to get around them.
00:04:26
Speaker
But then when he was able to get around he was getting like 12 blocks, even if 10 of them were fouls, I'm not sure what I think of that video I saw, but he was still there to get them. But I think this Timberwolves just managed it really well in game one.
00:04:38
Speaker
And then last night they they couldn't. I'd say the Spurs literally sat down and watched the whole game back and said, this is how we win it. And in fairness, some day went out and did it. And they did exactly what the Wolves did in game one then, just started quick. And as you said, it was nearly done by halftime.
00:04:53
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like both of these games couldn't be any different. I mean, game one came one was such a fun watch. I mean, the Wolves are just going at the rim. Wemby's going for every block, and they
Impact of Spurs Players
00:05:07
Speaker
don't care.
00:05:07
Speaker
They do not care. It's the same attitude they carried in from the Nuggets series, and it worked. I mean, Wemby looked absolutely gassed on the offensive side. And then you start game two and the first bucket of the game is a Wemby putback. It just set the tone of like, oh, that's not happening again, by the way.
00:05:27
Speaker
And my prediction on the spares goes in again because Wemby just looks amazing playing over 30 minutes. Like shaky game one and this game, he just looks fantastic.
00:05:40
Speaker
They're shooting really well. Like they're also shooting way better than i thought they were going to coming into the playoffs. Champagny premier three point shooter right now. He's shooting 53 percent on 13 shots. But still, he's just making every single thing he puts up.
00:06:00
Speaker
I feel like my only thing is De'Aaron Fox. Sometimes I'm watching the game and you do not hit me as the best guard on this team. I'm looking at Devin Vassell. I'm looking at Harper.
00:06:13
Speaker
And I'm kind of like, oh, yeah, I i forget De'Aaron Fox is on this team. And he's taken the same amount of shots as both of them. And he's also averaging 13 points per game right now in the series. It's a little bit disappointing for a guy who forced his way over there to the Spurs.
00:06:32
Speaker
But still looks like the Spurs are just going to breeze through this round, honestly. I don't know I'd say they'll breeze through it, but I do think they will get through think the Wolves have shown enough that they can actually, they can put up a fight if they're willing to just go out and work the hard yards, which clearly they didn't do last night. But they almost kind of packed it in last night and said, OK, let's move on to game three and show them what we're made of again. So I wouldn't like, I don't think this is going to be 4-1 by any stretch of the imagination now, but I'll let James have a word now since I jumped to passing quite rudely there.
00:07:03
Speaker
No, you're good because I agree with you. And i think this can go seven, to be honest. If you look at previous champions of the last three years, they've all lost the game by like 39 or 40 or 40 something points at one stage in the playoffs. Even OKC last year lost the game to the Timberwolves by like 40 something points.
00:07:25
Speaker
Like there's games where you do have to throw in the towel because it's just not working for you. and And like last night, if you look at how the Timberwolves were playing, They were turning the ball over far too much. So Spurs had 29 fast break points and the Timberwolves had 22 turnovers. It was also a night where the Timberwolves shot 16 of 31 from the line, so nearly 50% on free throws versus the Spurs 27 of 33.
00:07:55
Speaker
And you also look at the three-point variance. I know you said that Spurs were shooting it well, Michael, yet they were last night. But in game one, they weren't. It was... 41% from three last night and 28% in game one.
00:08:08
Speaker
Like there's a big variation there. And I think the Timberwolves will back themselves that they can apply defensive pressure enough to cause the Spurs to drop another game or two. and If you get more minutes from Edwards, it's only going to help.
00:08:24
Speaker
And I think going back to Minnesota is also
Sixers vs. Knicks Game Analysis
00:08:26
Speaker
very helpful. I think every year for the last two years, once it gets to the second round, we've written off the Timberwolves and both of the last two years, they've pushed it and they've shown what they can do and the year prior as well. So I don't think we should write them off just yet.
00:08:41
Speaker
I do agree that Wemby had a great game last night. He was much more efficient. He only played 26 minutes, but he still had 19 and 15, which is crazy. and But the guy I'm most impressed with, it you talked about guards. I'm really impressed with Dylan Harper.
00:08:55
Speaker
Game one, he was their best player. 18-4-4 on 7-13 shooting. Stood out, kind of took the game to himself when he needed it. Similarly to how Edgecomber is doing it. It's crazy how these two guys are rookies.
00:09:11
Speaker
then 11-7-5 and two steals in game two. and So he's just everywhere. He's doing everything. And I think he's their most impressive guard, maybe outside of Castle.
00:09:23
Speaker
Right now, yeah, Fox does need to to do a little bit more, but when you have guys doing this much, I don't know that how much of ah of a front seat Fox needs to take, because then it might take away from the others.
00:09:36
Speaker
I feel like the only reason I'm really questioning... i think it'd go to six. I really... i feel it deep in my bones that this does not go to seven. But it could go to game six. I don't know. I feel like there's there's only three teams this playoffs that doesn't have an injury to their starting five. That's the Pistons, the Cavs, and the Spurs.
00:09:59
Speaker
I just think... I don't want to under- as I saw that as well. The last two years, everyone's written off the the Wolves and they've made it to the conference finals. I really feel like this was a statement game and I feel like the Spurs are more game two than they are game one in the next two games. I just feel like we're looking at 3-1 next week and we're like, oh, okay.
00:10:25
Speaker
I, the Minnesota kind of run has come to an end. The the other thing I want to say is Minnesota fans call aunt Wolverine because he's always on the early side of come back of every injury.
00:10:38
Speaker
He, we might get more minutes with Ant. We also might not because runner's knee is a pain, man. And he looks like he's coming back early from it. And I'm not sure if that's going to get better if he's playing all these minutes. On top of that, Julius Randle looks gassed.
00:10:57
Speaker
Someone who's like really stepped up and played a lot of minutes over the last few games. And like at the end of that game, The siren goes. Normally, players you know go to shake their hands or go to the dressing room. He just sits down on the bench.
00:11:10
Speaker
He just absolutely gassed, sits down on the bench for five minutes, just trying to catch his breath. I just think the run is running out of steam, if you get me. I think another thing, you you could look to Julius Randle another way, though, that he sat down because he's embarrassed. Losing by 38, Steve kind of just...
00:11:28
Speaker
You kind of like when to dress you address him now, I'm going to say something very, very stupid. So I'll take five minutes here, compose and stuff and then go in and tell this team we can turn around and do it again. i think Timbers would be happy to come out of this, these first two games won one and come back to Minnesota. I think they'll be more than happy.
00:11:44
Speaker
that it's 1-1. They've they packed this in after half. They're not even going to think about this twice. They'll obviously watch the game today, but then be like, this this doesn't happen again. We've been in Commons Finals the last two years. We're a team more than capable of winning against a team of rookies in second and third years. They're going to think that they can do this.
00:12:01
Speaker
No one saw him beating the Nuggets look what they did. They absolutely annihilated Nuggets towards the end of that season. So i don't know. like I do think the Spurs will get through, but I think you're making it sound like this is a Timberwolves team that have fluked their into the playoffs through the play-in or something, that they're not a good team. And state they quite clearly are. i think you're I think you're quite wrong this time. I'm delighted to say for the first time ever, maybe.
00:12:24
Speaker
i say Someone's got to take big swings. I was so upset. Going for the Spurs and saying that they're going to win out is not a big swing as saying the Turbulbs are going to push against them.
00:12:36
Speaker
like You're just so high on Wembley right now. Game 1, he was abysmal. and He also goaltended for like four of those blocks, which is crazy. The ref was awful. and but We can't be complaining about the refs.
00:12:53
Speaker
No, we can't complain about the refs or else I'm going to bring that into SGA conversation. So we're not going to do that, okay? We can't speak into him. There's difference between the goaltend and the way fouls are called in the league. A very big difference. It's not up to him. If the ref's not calling I'm going to goaltend. This is the whole media thing of Wembley. He is really good, but let's not make it out like he's the best player in the league yet because he's not.
00:13:16
Speaker
okay ah i I think that on your Randall point about him being gassed after game one I will say that at least after game two he only played like 20 something minutes so he should be ready to go for game three and but yeah let's let's jump over into the Sixers I want i want to say one thing the biggest thing I've seen all playoffs Devin Vassell pre-jumping that was so sick Yeah, check that out if you haven't. He's mid-air at the apex of his jumper and catches the ball and shoots straight away because the clock is winding and hits the three.
00:13:52
Speaker
So yeah, that was pretty nice. No such kind of shot for the Sixers down the stretch last night. Good God, that last few minutes was bad. and So Sixers are down 2-0 to the Knicks. You can see Michael has his Philly jersey on.
00:14:07
Speaker
Look, game one, I had it written off. I didn't even bother to stay up or even imagine that I would stay up for it because I knew coming off of game seven, less than 48 hours before, and the Knicks had been resting for extra days. Obviously we're gonna get hammered in that game so I'm glad Nurse pulled everybody after like 25 minutes.
00:14:26
Speaker
Game two was there for the Sixers without Embiid. Before I throw it to you guys I just wanna talk about everything that happened after that 6.52 mark. Cause that's when Kelly Oubre hit his 3 to put the Sixers up by 3.
00:14:39
Speaker
From that point, Josh Hart hits a three to tie it. Edgecombe misses a three. Cat misses a two. Oubre misses a three. Brunson then makes a two for the Knicks.
00:14:49
Speaker
Vijay misses another three. Brunson misses a two. Maxie misses a two and then misses a wide open three off a Paul George offensive rebound. Brunson hits a two out of the timeout.
00:15:00
Speaker
Vijay misses a three. OG misses a two out of the timeout. And then there was an awful second chance point that was given up to Bridges. Like the Sixers could had that two or three times. They didn't get it.
00:15:12
Speaker
And the Knicks are up by six with 2.56 to go. The Sixers don't score that whole time. The remaining possessions for the Sixers were Maxi turnover, Barlow turnover, Maxi 1 free throw, Maxi layup, PG missed 3, Maxi missed 3.
00:15:28
Speaker
So the Sixers shot 13 of 27 from the floor, down near 50% from 3, up until that final 6 minutes, in which they shot 0 7 from 3.
00:15:40
Speaker
They just could not buy a shot. They should have won this game against the Knicks and without Embiid. Yeah, really frustrating to end. I'm going to throw it to you first, Michael, obviously as a Sixers fan, and here your thoughts.
00:15:51
Speaker
Yeah, I'm going stayed up to watch this game and the first half was actually I was enjoying it. It was feeling good. It was feeling close. Adam Bona was actually playing good minutes. Drummond was playing good minutes. I was feeling great about the team.
00:16:08
Speaker
And then it came to the last. I have written down here because this is how much I watched the end of up until the halftime. Then I just went to sleep because I knew the game was over.
00:16:19
Speaker
It was fifty seven fifty four to with three minutes left. And I remember thinking to myself, oh, yeah, we just got to get up this lead before the half, get a comfortable lead for the third quarter, and then we're good.
00:16:32
Speaker
The next bucket we scored, two minutes had passed, and Vijay makes a layup to bring us to 59, and the Knicks are at 60. We can't be doing that in a game where we need to steal it from the Knicks on their home court. End of the half is 62 to 61 to the Sixers. So we're still up by one point. But I was just like, okay, if the mild pressure scenario of halftime made us not score for two minutes, I'm just going to go to sleep.
00:17:04
Speaker
And I was right too, because if I stayed up, James said, if if he stayed up, if I stayed up and watched the end of that fourth quarter, i would have been so upset. But I'll just leave it at that. Game three is so pivotal with no OG.
00:17:19
Speaker
If we, Maxi needs to shoot better from three, shooting 10% this series. If we can get game three and four, it's a series. If we drop one, it's a really tough battle to come back 3-1 again.
00:17:35
Speaker
Shane, any thoughts? 12 points in the fall in the fourth quarter. We talked, but we actually haven't talked. We about talk about what the Rockets did in their game six, where they put up 78 a game they needed it to win.
00:17:48
Speaker
Putting up 12 points in a quarter that you know is so important. Is it pressure? Is it nerves? Is it lack of confidence? Or is it just really, really bad basketball? And none of them are anything you can do if you want to get out of this and get to a conference finals.
00:18:03
Speaker
The Knicks only scored 19 points themselves. So as you said, it was definitely there for the taking. And your first three quarters, 33, 29, 28. How are you dropping from that to 12 points in the fourth quarter?
00:18:14
Speaker
i I just think, I haven't actually watched this from back, so I was in the office today, so I didn't get a chance to stick it on the television. But just looking at the stats and what you just broke down there, just it just sounds like it was a really, really abysmal end to a game that, as you said, was definitely there for the taking because the the Knicks clearly weren't scoring either.
00:18:31
Speaker
Yeah, that was one of the notes I had here that they only needed 19 in the fourth to win it, which is not acceptable at all. You know, Brunson, of course, did his thing down the stretch. He got eight in the fourth and three or four from the floor and two free throws. He's so reliable in big moments, but he was just cooking Barlow because Spona and Drummond were in foul trouble and Barlow had like A couple of good minutes, he had a nice block, but then he just launched the ball out of bounds on a turnover for absolutely no reason. And then he's just getting cooked by Brunson. And it's just like, why Barlow and Bona are not two players you should have on the court during a playoff matchup at any point.
00:19:12
Speaker
It's just the Sixers rotation is just way too short. And I'll say the main reason they lost that game you gave a list of reasons that could happen, could be a chain. My reason is that Tyrese Maxey played 47 minutes.
00:19:27
Speaker
That's why. If you can't get your star player to have at least five minutes rest during the game so he can play well down the stretch, what what are you supposed to do? Of course he's going to be gassed. He's playing defense the whole game. He's trying to do everything on offense. He's running as fast as he possibly can. He's the fastest player on the court.
00:19:46
Speaker
And if we didn't try to trade away Jared McCain, You could bring him on, give Maxi some rest, have some actual shooting, knock down a few shots, and then you could go from there. But we don't have anybody to bring on.
00:19:59
Speaker
The only other option on the bench is Kyle Lowry. So, like, there's nothing that the Sixers can do whatsoever if... Nurse is not going to sacrifice Maxi in less important minutes. And if the roster isn't deeper and it's never going to get deeper because we are where we are right now.
00:20:16
Speaker
So, yeah, I think that's ultimately going to be the shortcomings of this
Predictions for Knicks vs. Sixers Series
00:20:20
Speaker
team. I think the Knicks are going to win it in six. And I think they're a stronger team. I was scared of them going into this because of how well they played the last few games against Atlanta. They showed their offensive power.
00:20:30
Speaker
But if the Sixers can do defensively what they did in game two again, they'll definitely grab a couple of games because and the Knicks aren't great on defense. Their offense is their game and the Sixers did limit them quite well. But yeah, it's it's it's very disappointing that i didn't grab game two because that would have changed things a lot.
00:20:49
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's Nixon 5 and I think you just said the reason why and it is the fact that only 8 players played minutes you last night when Embiid is out injured and 47 minutes for Tyrese Maxey as well. I think that is going to come back and bite him unfortunately.
00:21:04
Speaker
i like I don't think this Knicks team is great. I'd like them to win it at the start the season. That was kind of based off how good they were at the end last season. I don't think they're anything special here, but I do it think they're over the line. And if the Sixers can just build more depth rather than better starters, then I think they'll be in a really good position to start next season there.
00:21:25
Speaker
Yeah, I think that's the biggest thing. i mean, there's a lot of talk in like Sixers fandom right now about the McCain trade as well as he's playing in in the OKC series. and I'm not... I understand the need to trade McCain. He's a third small guard that you have on the team, and you kind of feel like you can't have three of them on the team at the same time. Great to have him right now. But still, I understand where you're coming from. It's not receiving a player back. Like, if you are actually bought in this year, you're you're bringing somebody back in who you can use. Instead, you sign campaign who wasn't playing in the m NBA, who then immediately gets injured, And now you're stuck with Kyle Lowry.
00:22:09
Speaker
And you traded away McCain for nothing now. So now, like, i i don't know. We're at this point now where I was so off the Sixers and then we won Game 7. And that's my Super Bowl right now. And I really want to believe that we can win Game 3, especially with no OG.
00:22:29
Speaker
But that, like, comes back into what I'm reading with the Knicks. If the Knicks give the ball more to Kat, as a result of no OG, we're actually so screwed.
00:22:40
Speaker
Like, i was looking at the statistics for Cat is crazy. I have his like total... Here we go. I have his total field goal attempts here. He has the same amount of field goals attempts as Like, he has under Mikael Bridges, obviously OG Anunobi. Like, he's the fourth option on this team right now. And his his efficiency is fantastic.
00:23:08
Speaker
Like, if this turns into Kat gets eight more, ten more shots a game, yeah, it might be Knicks in five. we it We better get one game at least. We better show up.
00:23:20
Speaker
I think Embiid has to get one game, but... I don't know. I think this injury might boost the Knicks in this series instead of pull them down. Yeah, i think if Embiid does play and Cat takes more of the ball, then it's big trouble because he's just going to drive at the way that the Celtics were afraid to do.
00:23:37
Speaker
And that was that was an issue in Game 1. So let's see. Let's see how Game 3 goes and then reassess from there because I think that is going to be pivotal because if the Sixers can limit the Knicks again,
00:23:49
Speaker
with their defense and actually make shots at home because role players statistically make more shots at home. So if you get a few from Grimes and a couple more from Oubre, then that's the swing of a game like that. So let's let's see how this goes. um But I do think i think we're all on the Knicks to progress
Celtics and Magic Playoff Collapse
00:24:08
Speaker
here. But let's swing back in time and talk about how the Celtics and Magic both blew a 3-1 lead.
00:24:15
Speaker
ah have Let's start with the Celtics when we're on the Sixers topic because they blew it to the Sixers. They were 3-1 up, thought they had it. After 3-2, they still thought they had it.
00:24:27
Speaker
And at 3-3, I think that's when they started panicking and they realized that we don't have this anymore. ah It's all down to to three points. They live and die by taking the threes.
00:24:38
Speaker
In games they won, they shot 36, 43, and 45% from the three. And in games they lost, they shot 26, 28, 29, and 27 in that series with the Sixers. Not one game over 30 where they lost. Everything comes back to that three-point shooting. The least they shot in the game was 39. The most they shot was 53 in one game from three. It's just...
00:25:01
Speaker
they need to have something else that like, why know Michael, you texted me like jokingly and said they could do with that Tatum mid-ranger now that they literally drilled out of them so bad, so badly over the last few years, but they could do with that.
00:25:15
Speaker
Just that's something to be slightly different. Yeah, I, this, you're taking me back right now. Wow. Had friends over for game seven and everything was prepared for a 24 point loss really in my bones prepared for it. And, uh, oh my God, it couldn't have been better. Yeah, I sent a text to James where, like, the Celtics have really leaned into this three-point shooting. And, like, we were joking about the at Jason Tatum's mid-range. But there's a point in the third quarter of Game 7.
00:25:49
Speaker
And it felt like for seven minutes, nobody took a shot in the paint. Like, Peyton Pritchard drove twice, went under the rim, looked at him, dribbled back out, and passed it around. Yeah.
00:26:03
Speaker
There needs to be more variance. And I think with Jason Tatum, that is what he brings is you have two players who aren't afraid to drive it at any point in the game. They're comfortable taking it to the rim or taking it to the mid-range.
00:26:16
Speaker
But when you have the Sixers can play up so high on all the three-point shooters and you're making all these role players who didn't drive at all in the regular season drive at Embiid for three games straight.
00:26:31
Speaker
It's very, very different in a playoff series. And I think we saw that. And I don't think there was anything Missoula could do except lean more into it because he just didn't have the personnel to deal with a seven foot 280 plus pound man.
00:26:47
Speaker
Okay. Garza barbecue chicken. Vucevic couldn't get on the floor. Barbecue chicken. Keita did okay. Barbecue chicken. I don't want to hear about it, okay?
00:26:59
Speaker
I feel bad for Missoula. He's getting a lot of flack for having a big personality, but I actually don't think... Like, what was he who is he supposed to play instead? Like, the Celtics really got snookered, and I think they got the worst matchup for their, like, style. I think if they play any other team, they beat them in round one.
00:27:22
Speaker
And also Jalen Brown was put on Embiid towards the end of the game and he's like trying to rip his jersey off him, throwing himself on the ground like when Embiid doesn't even touch him. Embiid is just bodying him, backing him down to the rim. And then Brown gets hops on his stream like two days later and starts crying about the way the refs handle the games when he is one of the worst offensive foulers in the league and did nothing but flop for most of the series.
00:27:51
Speaker
And he got fined 50k for his troubles. Also, he said that This was the best season of his career, or his favorite season of his career, when they lost in round one. It's just because Tatum wasn't playing and he could take all the shots he wanted. He prefers this to the year they won the championship and he won finals MVP.
00:28:09
Speaker
Like, that says everything you need to know about this guy. Let's just ship him off for Giannis at this point because he's the problem over there right now. Shane, what do you think of Jalen Brown? I don't know.
00:28:21
Speaker
I've never thought much of Jalen Brown, be perfectly honest. I don't like him as like in the role he ever has ever played for the Celtics. Don't get me wrong, he's quite clearly a very talented player, but he has such small man syndrome for a man who's so tall, if that makes any sense. like he's He wants to be the main man so badly. 27 shots, 12-27 in Game got points.
00:28:46
Speaker
The biggest, that wasn't the Celtic's biggest problem. Luka Garza was the Celtic's biggest problem. He played nine minutes, he was minus 15. They went 13 for from Everything that could have went wrong went wrong. And I was human because the rocket had just been knocked out and I didn't want to have to come on here and listen to me talking. ah So i like it's not that I wanted to decide just get through because I don't actually like him as an organization. I just I just find him annoying, to be honest. And when Jason Tatum was out, i kind of knew you were going to get through.
00:29:19
Speaker
Three of the Celtic starters didn't score in game seven. Okay, one of them played nine minutes and Harper played four minutes. But Schneider, whatever, Baylor.
00:29:30
Speaker
Baylor played 22 minutes, didn't score. Went zero of three from three. Like everything they could have went wrong went wrong. Derek White couldn't buy a shot. Five of 16 from three. Yeah, it was just, it was abysmal. And then only scoring 100 points again in a game, you need to win.
00:29:45
Speaker
it'ss it's never going to help you really, especially at home as well. You're saying there about your role players score better at home. Not not for the Sixers, apparently. so thatset Yeah, you look at Derek White and he shot 5 of 16, but he was the only one keeping the minute in the first half. like yeah He was at least making a few shots, but then in the second half he was ice cold. When Vijay went on him, he was in help.
00:30:09
Speaker
ah we drugs JT was only out for the last game. yeah Yeah. Like it was three, one still. A lot of people are like, Oh, you know, no JT game seven. That's right.
00:30:21
Speaker
Hey, they had two games. They had a game at home and a game away. And the Sixers dropped one when Embiid was out as well. So yeah. and When it was three, one, everybody was saying, Oh my God, here we go again. Sixers bounced out in round one. Embiid can't play. Then he comes back and dominates and everyone's like, Philadelphia might be the best starting five in the East.
00:30:43
Speaker
No, hang on a second. It's just a crazy bounce back from from what I'm reading online. It's just like, no, give us give us like, oh, they shouldn't be here. I'd rather that. Thank you.
00:30:55
Speaker
There's so much flopping now that you win a series. Everyone just changes. But the Magic also threw away a 3-1 series lead. I think the the least the less time spent on this, the better, because this was just abysmal.
00:31:08
Speaker
They're just a terribly bad offensive team. 112 points in the first game. 83, 113, 94, 109, 79, and 94 is and ninety four is how many points they scored in each game. 97.7. They didn't even average 100 points. The worst in the playoffs.
00:31:30
Speaker
100.1 offensive rating. Also the worst in the playoffs. Yet they still got to a game seven against a 60-win team in the Pistons. Look, I don't know what more needs to be said. The Pistons...
00:31:43
Speaker
They ground it out in the end. They did well defensively. i think it was a really tough matchup for them more than anything with the with the big bodies that the Magic have. I think they'll have a lot less trouble with the Cavs because I know they do have Mobley and Allen, but they don't really play that big at times, especially Mobley. So I think that the Pistons survived a scare, but the Magic are ultimately so bad on offense that that's the real teller of this series and they need to sort that out because it's year after year after year that they're awful on ah offense.
00:32:15
Speaker
Yeah, i think it's I think it's safe to say that these were seven terrible games of basketball, which is really, really impressive in it like in a seven-game series. like I think the reason it's seven games is because you're almost guaranteed three or four close, good matchups.
00:32:30
Speaker
Not this one. This was seven terrible games of basketball where one team was grinding out a game every single night and What was in the last game? Did they go 33 minutes or something without scoring? The Magic.
00:32:42
Speaker
The Magic went 45 minutes of forty five minutes of real time with of real time in the third quarter without scoring it an actual field goal.
00:32:54
Speaker
That's just like yeah a primary school team that plays basketball wouldn't do that. They wouldn't, let alone an open actual professional team of basketball is getting paid and an absolute ball of money in a game seven to get into round two where everyone has written you off.
00:33:09
Speaker
The Pistons aren't doing anything special either and you just go and chuck it in like that. And I know basketball is it's all about momentum and once momentum swings, it can it's very hard to kind of swing it back. But when you do swing it back...
00:33:21
Speaker
They can go with you then for 10 minutes, but at no point did they look like the momentum was ever going to come back in their way. And this was kind of game over, good night, see you later from very early in that third quarter when they could not put up a shot.
00:33:33
Speaker
Like they still somehow went 31 of 75. Like they got 75 shots up, but they just could not get them to drop. And this Pistons team, they're probably going to get to a conference finals, but my God, they're not a good team to watch.
00:33:50
Speaker
Much better to watch against the Cavs, I think. Yeah. Against the Magic. I mean, the Cavs are another thing. I thought James Harden would be the problem. Donovan Mitchell really has to step up. But back back to the magic, I feel like the last time we talked, it was right after game five, if I remember, because it was Paolo's last good game. And I said, he had a good game. He shot 17 for 31 when he dropped 45 points. But I said, is this really Paolo? And couldn't have proved me right.
00:34:22
Speaker
Annie faster. Game six. You're up by 20 at halftime. I turned off the game. Wasn't watching it. Blow the whole thing. And in even in the replays, you can see at a point in the third quarter when they're going through that drought where they're like, oh, no.
00:34:40
Speaker
Oh, it's happening. We might blow this. And they just watch it all happen. Paolo shoots four for 20. Oh, for nine from three. I don't know.
00:34:54
Speaker
Maybe it is the coach. Maybe you just fire the coach, bring a new coach, and you fix it all. I think, are they signing Taylor Jenkins? Did I read that? Well, that's the Bucs. That's the Bucs. Okay, never mind.
00:35:07
Speaker
Bring in Doc, whatever. i don't know. like i And then Game 7, he shot okay, but it it was just a sad going out. It really felt like Game 6 took all of the the confidence that the Magic had. And yeah, Pistons might make the Eastern Conference Finals. And they still, in my head, they're still the flawed team that we saw in the first two games of of Round 1.
00:35:37
Speaker
But Dennis Jenkins looks okay. Duncan Robinson looks great in the in this Cavs series. So maybe they're putting it together late. Jalen Dern, you still suck.
00:35:49
Speaker
Sorry, man. You still suck. ah Scored a series high 15 points. You are an possible all NBA player. You were an all-star.
00:36:00
Speaker
Come on, man. You've got to. He shot one midrange. I thought it was going to go well. Missed the next six. We have to do better, man. You've got to show up for Cade. It can't be Tobias Harris.
00:36:14
Speaker
Because Sixers fans know there'll be a ah game three where you say, Tobias, I need eight. And he'll give you six on on three middies. So you've got to step up.
00:36:26
Speaker
I love how you've spoken to Jalen Darren there like he's ever going to actually see us. think that was it that was really it was like that was really invested in, come on, please do better for a man that doesn't even know, i i devil will probably never know anyone's existing life. I'm sure if he saw it, he'd appreciate it.
00:36:42
Speaker
Yeah, I'm very well. And on the Polo thing, like... ah you like You look at game six, right? And you went, how bad he shot. There's no one else on that team that could hit a Baron Doerr with a basketball.
00:36:58
Speaker
So he's the only one that was able to shoot. He had to keep putting up shots. I know he played badly, but you cannot blame him and for this. like The rest of the team is just awful. I think it was from... like Midway through the third quarter until, like, a few minutes into the first quarter of Game 7, that anyone, that Paolo scored all the piss the Magic's points. No one else scored any points for him.
00:37:23
Speaker
Like, what else is he supposed to do? None of these guys can actually play basketball. Like, they need to trade France because he can't shoot. He's decent defensively, but he can't stay on the floor because of his injury issues. If they can get, like...
00:37:38
Speaker
a Few firsts for France or a good swap with somebody and just use Paulo and Suggs as your defensive kind of anchor and go from there. I think you'd be in a much better position because they can't just be having all this money constantly being out in France and then blaming everything on Paulo and he's trying to carry the ship. Like he was fourth in points per game this playoffs and he shot 42% from the floor. Like it's not great, but it's not bad.
00:38:04
Speaker
he He did the most he could with 9-6 and two blocks and steals. I don't think it's all on him. But we're looking at, that's what we say about Jalen Green in the playoffs. Every second game, Jalen Green goes for 30 and then he has 14 when you need him. Yeah, but he's playing on the team where players can actually shoot and he won't let them shoot.
00:38:25
Speaker
okay It's not the same thing. yeah Fair enough. but I just feel like the lows are so low with Paolo and this team looks so much better with Franz on the floor as well. However, I do think the team that is coming out the top that's not in the playoffs right now is the Bucks because not trading Giannis. There's like five teams in the playoffs that if they go out, could be right there. i mean, Franz for Giannis and maybe some other pieces, like could see them trying to get him. I could see a lot of teams if they go out in round two trying to talk to the Bucs about this.
00:39:04
Speaker
Yeah, and some teams that went out in round one, including the Rockets. But we did plan on having a Rockets minute to break them what went wrong there. But I think we'll just let Shane have a little quick monologue and we'll wrap it there because we've gone we've gone deep on the and NBA. We'll get your thoughts, Shane. We'll just listen.
00:39:23
Speaker
I think the fact that they're not going to blow it up is an absolute shambles. The fact that it is it looks like they're going to keep all this young core and go again. I understand that one side you believe in them, fair enough, great stuff. You're the wrong coach if you believe in them because he doesn't believe in them.
00:39:39
Speaker
And if he's staying and Rafa Stone is staying, I dread to think what this summer is going to be because what on earth are they going to do? If they're not going to trade any of the five young nads, who they going to trade? what are they going to bring in? If we start next season with the same starting five as we finish this playoff season, forget about it, we're going nowhere.
00:39:54
Speaker
and Kevin Durant probably needs to go to somewhere. I don't know if if he will. They might try and give him another year. or don't see how they possibly can when he played so many regular season games and then decides to just just sit out the playoffs basically.
00:40:06
Speaker
know it wasn't his fault, but he's like, how are you getting yourself injured in training coming up into a game two when you've already lost the first game so badly? That game six was a shamble. 78 points. You can't do that in the game you need to win.
00:40:19
Speaker
Like, there's so many problems that it doesn't look like they have any interest in fixing. And i' have no interest in watching them if that's how they're going to continue going on. Because it's... This is not the way you win a championship. You don't...
00:40:31
Speaker
Go out in the first round two years in a row and say, OK, well, we've brought in KD now. Rafa Stone says he didn't say championship or bust. I reckon he genuinely did say championship or bust and he's gone bust. And I was like, I'm just going to go back to my word and go with the same starting five and bench players again.
00:40:47
Speaker
So, so little of the trades they made last summer were worked. And pre-agency, we were sitting here saying, why aren't they going for Cam White? Why aren't they doing this? And they did nothing. And it's come back to bite them because they could not shoot for the life of them across those six games. It was actually pathetic to watch at times, especially the first three games.
00:41:06
Speaker
I think they put up 100 points once maybe in the six games, maybe twice. think it might have been twice in a row. And then finishing up with 78 points. Forget about it. If you go with this... exact same thing again. I don't know. like It's the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again, inspecting different results.
00:41:22
Speaker
its it's That just looks like what they're doing again. Yeah. well Well, look, you got it out. The season is over. Probably going to be over for the Sixers soon too. So let's let's reassess these two sides in the offseason because there's a lot to be talked about. But let's draw a line under it and enjoy the rest of the playoff basketball for what it is. Let's all i'll do this together, guys.
00:41:45
Speaker
ah Leave it there. So of Michael heads out the door, we're going jump on over Ganshan's. Last week, we both had the three same picks, so it's going to be easy to run through how we both got So we both had the Raptors to beat the Cavs in game six, which did come off.
00:42:06
Speaker
We bought the Magic to beat the Pistons in game six, which we just talked about with Michael and how they completely blew that one. So that did not come off. And then Forrest to beat Chelsea we bought ahead, which did come off. So we were a Magic capitulation away from two five-pointers. But the score is 41-30 at the moment to me. I'm 11 points up, and but only three weeks of Premier League action left. So you're going need to pull something out of the fire here. yeah what have you got for us this week?
00:42:33
Speaker
and I'm going to go with the Sixers to beat the Knicks tonight. So the Sixers are four to five the Knicks are even money. I did say a couple of minutes ago that it would be done in five. I think this is the one that they will win before the Knicks will just pull it back together again then.
00:42:47
Speaker
I've gone with Sunderland to United. United qualify the Champions League now. They're kind of happy. We'll talk about them in a couple of minutes about where we think their season lies. But I just i just still like this Sunderland team to get one over on them.
00:43:03
Speaker
And I've got McBurnley to beat Villa. Based on the fact that Villa are playing probably as we speak. They're about to kick off in 10 minutes in the Europa League's and second leg against Forest.
00:43:13
Speaker
They weren't great at the weekends losing to Spurs, even if they did rotate half their team. I could see them doing something similar and just kind of taking their eye off the ball here and letting Burnley get one over on them. So Sunderland, Burnley and burn the and to Sixers.
00:43:26
Speaker
Nice one. So we've got different three different ones here. I've got West Ham to beat Arsenal on Sunday, 17-4. Arsenal are I just think this title race isn't over yet without another hiccup somewhere from Arsenal. And I think this is the most likely West Ham need to turn it around.
00:43:46
Speaker
They did get battered by Brentford like 3-0, but it wasn't actually a battering if you see the highlights of the game and the way it went. like West Ham hit the woodwork three times. It was a lot closer than it than it looked on the score sheet, so I'm going with them to win. Leeds away at to Spurs on Monday night.
00:44:03
Speaker
Spurs should not be favourites in any game whatsoever this season. They're 5-6. Leeds are 11-4. They are away, but I think they get a win. and keep their good run going. Earlier on the Sixers and Knicks were both the same price for me but it is right on that line so I didn't have it when I when i went with them or I would have jumped on the Sixers but I'm going to stick with what I had and go with the Timberwolves who are 31 to 20 and the Spurs were 20 to 37 so I think that the Timberwolves get the first one at home
00:44:35
Speaker
to get this to 2-1 in their favour. So those are my three picks, West Ham, Leeds and the Timberwolves. So two Spurs losing for me. We'll jump on over to the football side of things.
00:44:48
Speaker
To start talking about the UCL semi-finals, so... Obviously, we know the final now, Bayern against Arsenal, Arsenal.
00:44:59
Speaker
Arsenal and Atleti was 1-0 to Arsenal. I thought it was an awful game of football. Arsenal went through 2-1 in aggregate, just defending for their lives at home, not really offering a whole lot in the second half.
00:45:14
Speaker
And I think Atleti should have had two clear penalties. The first one... and Gabrielle's arm is clearly around Simeone and he pulls on his shoulder and Simeone just makes a meal of it and then the second one Gabrielle kicks the player for Atleti not sure who it was he dives on Griezmann and then afterwards Griezmann gets fouled by Califuri who did Gabrielle kick?
00:45:40
Speaker
I think it was Simeone again Okay, and he and then he throws himself on the ground as if he got fouled. And the ref buys that and gives a free out. Well, it should have been two penalties in that one. And then the other one should have been a penalty. I just think the referee was awful, coupled with Arteta, man-marking Llorente on the pitch line during the game. about How he gets away with that, I don't know.
00:46:02
Speaker
It's just hard to watch this this kind of football. I just don't want to understand how he gets away with running up and down the touchline like he's actually playing. like There is literally a technical area there for the manager to stay in.
00:46:14
Speaker
Arsenal's one is massive. He has no excuse for not being inside this. like I was za taking taken the mick out of the UCD manager at a tree the game recently for going outside his box every couple of minutes when the corners been taken. He was laughing away. was like, yeah, yeah. And then the fourth official eventually called him on it.
00:46:31
Speaker
Arteta was just running up and down the touchline and I know Simione was as well so I can't say it's all about Arteta. The two of them were at it but what's the point having a technical error if you're going to be allowed to do whatever you want? you know at the end of the game there five minutes at a time? Yeah.
00:46:45
Speaker
The ball was on the pitch for 90 seconds of the time there was added on That's including the extra minute and 22 or whatever the referee played. 90 seconds ball was on the pitch. Arteta doing stepovers, let the ball run through his legs and the Arsenal ball boys hiding all the balls. It's absolutely, it's scandalous. What's the point having, again, what's point having a multi-ball system if we want to let him hide the balls when it comes to the crunch time at the end of the game?
00:47:08
Speaker
The two penalties, I thought the referee was terrible in both games. We'll talk about the other one in minute, but this is just, this is just typical Arsenal.
00:47:16
Speaker
horrific to watch and they have been all season if they do a double here i actually I don't know what we'll do with football come next season then because this would be actually be the end of it if this is way football is going to go and Atletico aren't much better than them either yeah I think the the way they play it is just awful Gabriel diving all the time is just really hard to watch for The size of him, the way he throws himself on the ground when anyone even goes near him, how the refs are buying that is just sad.
00:47:45
Speaker
You know, I'd give Arsenal their props earlier in the season when they were playing well and actually attacking. And when they played against Bayern earlier in the season in the group stage, it was a great game. But everything past Christmas, when they could smell some kind of a trophy coming their way, they've just gone back into this horrendous football to watch. And like all their players out of the dugout and like booting the ball into the crowd. yes like it's just it's It's unacceptable, to be honest. But let's move into the PSG and Bayern one, because I think...
00:48:15
Speaker
PSG, while they did defend, it wasn't the same way that Arsenal did. because Firstly, you're away from home. and Secondly, they created so many chances that they could have won by three or four goals themselves, the way they countered. and i think they were super. Their their two centre-backs were super.
00:48:33
Speaker
No diving around. Proper defending from Pasho and Marquinhos on Kane. Pasho got man of the match. They were crowding the Bayern right-hand side, so Alise really couldn't get anything going the whole game. i think Bayern should have utilised that, and maybe with better management, they they could have went more to Diaz, but they didn't.
00:48:53
Speaker
And I did say to you that I think they waited too long to make their subs. They could have brought Davies on at halftime. you know Carroll was only back from injury, but if he gets five minutes, he can he can do 15. Musiala shouldn't have been on as long as he was. He had a good five minutes in the first half, and that was about it.
00:49:09
Speaker
But what was your thoughts on this one? I just wanted to have a quick word about the way PSG have managed this. So PSG have basically become... like This starting is not one that plays in the league.
00:49:20
Speaker
And I think having that luxury makes such a difference. But the way they play then is absolutely... It's it's a mesmerising. And it's clearly working for them. Marquinhos has played nine matches in the league since Christmas.
00:49:31
Speaker
I think it's total of 90 minutes or something while he's played. And he started 14 of their 16 Champions League games. So he's basically just become... He plays in the Champions League, Zabari plays in the league and Zairemri and Zabari have the two most minutes for in the league.
00:49:44
Speaker
I think I saw somewhere recently Dembele started 10 league games all season out of 33. like So the way that they have the differential kind of basically by the balls, for want of a better phrase, means that they can kind of get away with making 11 changes in the league and then but just putting out this 11 in the Champions League, which is incredible to watch then.
00:50:04
Speaker
The way they defended like Normally a team, all the players of this talent don't defend. They're all back helping everyone. Their right winger helps their left winger. Kravash Scalja is, I think he might be my favourite player to watch in the world at the moment. There was one in the second half where he sets up Dewey, where he just dances through the middle of the pitch, both feet, and then just rolls it to Dewey. He's just unbelievable to watch. and His pullback for Dembele is just absolutely superb. But Dembele's movement is incredible as well. He pretends to go back close and pulls himself back to about 16 years out and then just rifles it past Neuer.
00:50:38
Speaker
I thought we saw the Louis Theos that I hated at Liverpool a lot last night. I think his end product was so bad last night and Olise couldn't get going either. He was the palace Olise that they signed from Reading. said to him and the lads, if you have Leimer and Nicholas Jackson in your squad, then you're not getting to Champions League final.
00:50:57
Speaker
I just i just don't i don't think they're players that are going to help you get over the line against a team like this PSG team. And I was right. I hope they batter Arsenal now. i I think they will win. I think they're a much better side of no matter what Arsenal try out there. They're going to try and defend for their lives. And PSG are just going to cut through them like they do with every other team.
00:51:17
Speaker
i think... Like... I agree with that Leimer was poor defensively, but I feel like he was in a tough situation that game. Being up against the pace and power that Kavar Skelly offers and then the overlap from Mendes. And he wasn't really getting a whole lot of help from Alisa.
00:51:38
Speaker
I think he he was given a pretty much impossible task. And... and I don't know. i think they do have some weak points in their squad, but I do think that if they managed this better, they could have won.
00:51:51
Speaker
i think that there's there's ways that they could have won this, and and they it just wasn't their night, and I think you're right about Diaz and Alise with whi poor poor output. I think they should have went to Diaz more. I know it wasn't always working out, but he had Zaire Emery on toast a good few times, and he wasn't getting the help that Nip Mendes was on the other side from Fabian Ruiz, so... I think they could have went to him a little bit more and and tried something there. But look, I think the better team won in the end. The team that worked it better and and set it themselves up to be better.
00:52:24
Speaker
They did the business at home and they they set themselves up in a way that they got the goal early and then they defended and they knew that Bayern needed two and they weren't going to give it to them.
00:52:35
Speaker
So credit to them there. And i think I think they will get the win in the final. that That one touch Diaz had where the ball was coming over his head and he just took it down and ran behind was unbelievable. And the only one I've seen online, obviously because PSG won, is Due doing his little flick when he was down on the end line. But I thought that Diaz one was incredible as well. And it showed, as you said, if they went to him more. He was he how he was he did have the beating of Zaire Emery at times.
00:53:01
Speaker
But then Marquinhos and Paco were so good for helping Zaire Emery as well. like He's a centre mid by trade and he looks like the most naturally talented right back in the world at times and he was playing there last night. I just think this PSG team, the way they've brought these kids through is unbelievable as well as all the superstars they have as well. and Enrique came in and said he was changing the culture and he he might be about to go back to back in Champions League and getting rid of the Neymars, the Messis, the Mbappes has worked wonders.
00:53:30
Speaker
One quick word and Fabian Ruiz and we'll move on then. I thought he was exceptional last night for a lad who was out for so long. He just comes back in and he's so, so good. And if Spain start him at the World Cup, I think he could be the reason that they might go a long, long way because he does everything. He breaks it up, he passes it and he doesn't do anything fancy. That midfield tree for PSG is just out of this world at times. And the other two being so small, it makes no sense that they're winning headers at the back post and just winning all their jewels in midfields. They're just an exceptional football team.
00:54:01
Speaker
Yeah, I think when Spain won Euros, I think most of it was down to that ability of Ruiz in midfield. He was unbelievably good. So yeah, I think they need to start him again if they want to go far.
00:54:14
Speaker
We'll move on to last weekend's game. Super Sunday, United beating Liverpool. Look, I sent you on message, we both agreed it was a 3-2 battering. United could have been 4 or 5 up at halftime. They were really good in the first half.
00:54:29
Speaker
I don't think Liverpool were at the races at all. Outside of Sabasley, I couldn't pick out one player that had a good game. They were poor all over. United gifted Liverpool two ridiculous goals to let them back into it, but luckily they got their goal from Maynou to get the win. I think they did deserve that. Casemiro struggled a little bit at times, but Maynou I thought was exceptional and was deserving of man of the match. I think yeah United now confirmed into the Champions League, so it was a massive win for them to get it done over Liverpool.
00:55:02
Speaker
That first half from Liverpool is... and In a series of bad first halves this season, I think that might be the worst of them. Surely you out and say, don't give Anthony Schubach from set pieces, don't give any shots.
00:55:14
Speaker
And almost the first set piece, the ball breaks the edge box and what a shock. Someone turns their back on the shot and it deflects off and goes into the corner. I think I was making a list earlier and i I'm not going to read them i'm all out, but I think I got to about 14 goals where the players turned his back and deflected off him and passed the goalkeeper. And...
00:55:32
Speaker
like They had absolutely no bottle to stand there and get hit with this. They always turned their back. Grabenbert did it to Dewey in the Champions League when we were half kind of half on top of PSG at that stage.
00:55:44
Speaker
We were joe doing something at the start the game. You can see that goal, they went to a shell then. The same here. can see that goal just went into a shell and just let United walk all over them. Liverpool, yes they were unlucky, the second goal should have been disallowed by the letter of the law.
00:55:59
Speaker
It's not what I want to see disallowed. I said it to you as well, it is a handball but it shouldn't be disallowed. Liverpool deserve nothing and got nothing. and They have just been so poor this season. McAllister in particular has been absolutely horrific. but Let's talk about the positives for United real quickly. and kabbby may knew Like, that last manager is his own worst enemy me for not playing him. He'd still be in the job if he if he was willing to play Kaby Menuh. It's quite clear to say that Kaby Menuh is really, really talented. He'll probably start for England at the World Cup.
00:56:32
Speaker
Casemiro, at times he looked over-end, but he is also... like he' He's at the age where he he kind of should be getting over and Liverpool didn't do enough of it when it got to the point where they didn't just they just didn't put the ball behind Casemiro enough and run it to centre-backs and that was Liverpool's fault. But Casemiro, since he decided he was leaving, it's like the weight has been lifted off him.
00:56:54
Speaker
And he's just like, hey, I can just play my football on now and get my next big move and it's really working. I can't believe the Premier League put up as their first ever post that says qualified for Champions League. I don't think that's something that should be happening. But Joe Asik, you're back in it and you're going to finish the season playing 40 games, which has clearly helped. So we'll we'll see what next season brings when you're back in Champions League. You have an extra eight games guaranteed almost before Christmas. So we'll see what kind of signings you bring in. But you have the basis of a really solid team.
00:57:25
Speaker
Yeah, and I think the money is important too now. They have the ability to spend with the Champions League money and and they can reinforce the squad, which is which is a plus. and I think on the Sasko goal, I think if that was ruled out, you might as well forget about football because it's like...
00:57:44
Speaker
microscopic fingernail touch that you had to zoom in like 15 times to actually even get a glimmer that it could hit his finger. And then after the game, Slott is whinging about refereeing decisions.
00:57:58
Speaker
Like... Sorry? Liverpool have been absolutely crap this season, but... So many times decisions have gone against us. where let mean, that decision is ridiculous. And look, if they give that, that's an outrageously bad decision. And there's a number of times that Liverpool get decisions for them. And there's a number of times they get them against them. It's the same with any other team. If you're whinging about decisions when you are a god-awful manager who has spent £400 million and your team is in the shitter,
00:58:29
Speaker
Why are you crying about decisions after the game? As a fan, I don't know how you can sit there and say that that's what you want your manager to be doing. It is a loser mentality. And it's why you're going to slip further down the table next year and you're going to sack him after six months. because he one here i wouldn't say The one thing I will say in his defence is he did say after that, that isn't the reason we lost the game. We lost the game because of stupid decisions.
00:58:52
Speaker
And the stupid decisions are turning your back on every single shot. McAllister's pathetic clearance that falls to Cobb Emanuel is actually disgraceful. How on earth he's still starting centre mid for nearly every week for Liverpool.
00:59:04
Speaker
They looked so much better when they dropped him and played Sabah's leg beside Gravenberch in the hold-in too. McAllister hasn't looked like a footballer at at any point this season. And whatever injury he had last April, they were so secretive about it, he quite clearly hadn't come back for it. He cannot run.
00:59:21
Speaker
And he's he's starting every single week and he's driving me more and more insane every week. I'm not going to say he's tainting his legacy because I don't know if Joel Filham can have a legacy of Liverpool after to two years, but he's doing us himself no favours with way he's playing at the moment. And it's not just him.
00:59:37
Speaker
like They're all turning their backs on shots all season. Van Dijk against Sunderland. but get Why are you standing side on and letting fella have a shot that he can just kick it off you, basically, and it's going to wrong-foot your keeper?
00:59:49
Speaker
They've done it all it's season. I'd say there's not a single player in a squad that hasn't had a shot deflected off him turning his back. and That is that has to be on the manager. It must be on the manager. If he's not saying, like, why are... Like... Oh, I'm just so angry with him for this. It will tell a lot how he performs in the summer with Argentina if he throws his body on the line and does the best he can and plays the way that he has at times for Liverpool and in his first season. Like did last season.
01:00:17
Speaker
Then... then it's kind of an attitude thing if that's what's going to happen because he's not making the effort when the season has gone the way it has and the difference in points from last season to this season look I'd If Liverpool keep him, I'm delighted as a rival fan because this is 10 Hag all over again. And I said it to you since Christmas that this is exactly 10 Hag season two and ever it's everybody's fault other than his own.
01:00:44
Speaker
And, you know, you can say then, oh, we made silly decisions. But if you lead with constantly complaining about the officials, like you're just, you should be digging your own grave if that's what you do. But he's not.
01:00:56
Speaker
And I just think that Liverpool would be best served to get rid of him. But obviously as United fan, I'm happy to see him stay there because i don't think he's the guy to turn things around at all. I look, I've said that if we're going to give him till October, then we'll give him till October. I don't like the decision personally.
01:01:14
Speaker
I think he's quite clearly a man who doesn't get anything more than the sum of his parts. The way Jurgen Klopp did at times where he put out an 11 and be like, oh, what on earth is that? Like the one he put out against Everton and Dirk Grieg, he scored twice and Sikiri scored. And it's like, he's He has the best players available to him, we'd say 90% of his best He was down his tree three best attackers and two best goalkeepers at the weekend. plus you don't want You've no confidence he's going to put a Liverpool team on the pitch and you say, this team is going to be better than it looks on paper.
01:01:47
Speaker
It's like they always just show up to what they look like on paper. And that's not the kind of manager you want. If your manager needs to spend another 400 million this summer to add to the 450 you spent last year so he gets 11 world-class players on the pitch and doesn't get anything more out of him, then I don't think he's the man for the job.
01:02:05
Speaker
Look, the way things are going, it doesn't look like you're going to sack him, so I'm just trying to stay as positive as I can for the moment. But if we start next season the way we started this one, I know we won our first three or four games, but they were all late goals.
01:02:18
Speaker
The writing's been on the wall all season for this Liverpool team, and Bournemouth are flying up now. there's don't need It might be too late for They're six points behind us with three games to go, so they probably won't catch us now. And I think we'll scrape into the Champions League just about, but...
01:02:34
Speaker
If Bournemouth had won one extra game more than they have of their 12 jaws, if they'd won three of the 12 jaws, then I think Liverpool could be in real trouble dropping their Champions League race. Because Liverpool at the end of the season is not fun.
01:02:47
Speaker
like It's three teams who are really pushing for something. Palace might be on the beach by the time we play them. But it's so you don't even have alice it's Chelsea, Villa and Brentford. We have to hope that Brentford needs to lose to us to finish sixth to win, to get Champions League last game of the season. Because if Brentford needs something for that game, they'll out and beat us as well. and Villa will need points, Chelsea need points. It's not the way you want to end the season. United, Chelsea, Villa and Brentford, especially when you've been so crap all year.
01:03:16
Speaker
And these are three teams that are actually, well, not Chelsea, Villa and Brentford are two teams that are actually, they know what they know how to play, they want to play for their manager. They show up, they block things, they don't turn their back on everything.
01:03:29
Speaker
Liverpool would scrape into Champions League, but I don't think they deserve it. Yeah, well, on a positive note, United have made it back in there, and the first time they did the double in the league over Liverpool in 10 years, so it was it was a big game for them to get the win, um and a big change from when Carrick came in. I'm sure we'll have plenty to talk about in the summer, relating to him or whoever else comes in. Yeah,
01:03:54
Speaker
I think Bruno being so close to that 20th assist that he almost got it only for that tip from Woodman. Thank God for that tip from Woodman. That would have been superb to get against Liverpool. I reckon he gets it in the last three games, at least 20, if not to 21. He's just been so good this season. and So, look, let's move on to looking at this weekend and City versus Brentford on Saturday.
01:04:18
Speaker
This is a huge game because I think... Brentford are team that are on a good push because they're so high up the table, but they haven't actually played that well over the last couple of months. They did all their work earlier in the season, and then they did get a great win against West Ham recently, and but they're in a great position.
01:04:37
Speaker
City just salvaged a 3-3 draw versus Everton. which they just shambolic defending against Everton in the second half. And Njaye could have had another goal as well where he's one on one.
01:04:48
Speaker
And that would really seal it if they had four. But Daku's two goals were superb. I think City are going to come out here and deliver and put pressure on Arsenal on Sunday and at least get this to the final day with two points in it. And let's see what happens.
01:05:03
Speaker
I hope City don't do what Liverpool tried to do in 13-14 when they went three-and-one up against Palace and try and think the goal difference is all that matters here now and throw it away because i don't think at this stage the goal difference is going to make any difference. and i think i think they would have both had to win out for the goal difference to make a difference and obviously City have let themselves down with drama and everything.
01:05:23
Speaker
yep i think i yeah I think everything you said about Brentford is really, really fair that they haven't played well recently. But the fact that they're only a point off Brentford and both of them are going for the sixth position, they both won last again. I think Bournemouth play on the Saturday as well. So Brentford will know that they'll need to at least match Bournemouth's results. or like I'm sure they'll take seven. But the fact that Brighton so bright and then Chelsea are so close to them as well,
01:05:52
Speaker
the whole that whole section the table is so tight that I don't think Man City could ask for many worse games than this Brentford one. I think there's so many teams from like Sunderland down that they would have just taken and walked all over but I don't think they're going wallop this Frankfurt team. I think they'll win because it's Man City and they need to win but I just hope they don't go out there and do something stupid like concede early or do something silly. I just don't want Arsenal to win this league title and we we really, really need West Ham to somehow do us a favour this weekend.
01:06:25
Speaker
Yeah, i think I actually think City will win this one easily enough. I think they'll start fast. I do like Brentford, but they're awful away from home compared to their their home form. 31 of their 51 points coming at home. They're 13th in the away table.
01:06:40
Speaker
Meanwhile, City have only lost once at home all season. So I think they get this done. I think they start fast and Brentford quickly shift their focus to Palace next weekend where they could definitely get a win with Palace kind of focusing on the the conference league. I'm going with City to win three na here in this one.
01:06:57
Speaker
I'm going 2-1 City. I think they will sneak over the line. I don't think it's going to be a walk in the park unless they score in the first 10 minutes. Then I think it could be anything. yeah you see Yeah, that's my thoughts, that they will score early. So I think that's where we differ on this one. But let's see how the weekend pans out.
01:07:15
Speaker
We'll wrap up with our power rankings then. and Last week, I'll go first here. So last week I had OKC, Man City, San Antonio, Spurs, Brighton, United and the Knicks.
01:07:27
Speaker
A few changes here, a few new teams. Thunderstay first of all, because they're just waltzing through this playoffs right now. It's not fair. And Arsenal move back in and they go to second because, look, they got to the Champions League final and they're top of the Premier League. All they have to do is win out their last three games. So they deserve to be here.
01:07:45
Speaker
United are third. So they move up after clinching the Champions League and and most likely get in third spot. They just need four points from the last three to get that. The Knicks move up to fourth. They look brilliant their last four games. um And for Sixers fans, hopefully they don't continue to get go that way, but they do look great. Bournemouth in fifth.
01:08:05
Speaker
Not lost since January 3rd. They're up to to fifth in the Premier League. They look super. And Pistons are in sixth. I think... They ground out a victory by moving back in from a 3-1 deficit against the Magic.
01:08:20
Speaker
And then from there, they kind of steamrolled the Cavs in the first game. Although it was close at times, they just looked way better. So I think they're a powerful team and they're going to get to the conference finals. So I have them at 6-1.
01:08:33
Speaker
Yeah, I'm just going to rattle off my six and I don't want to talk about any of them. So I've thundertopped very clearly. I've arseled in at second, top the league in the Champions League final, blah, blah, blah. Spurs at third, Bormitt stayed fourth for me for literally all the reasons you just said. And then I've Pistons at five and United at six. And we will wrap up the episode there. Thanks so much for coming. much I'd like to get more of your thoughts on that list. You know, Arsenal and United being there, really good. yeah I'm sure you enjoy that. I think there might be pigs flying outside as well. But to be fair, I've had United in for a lot of the season. I just hate the fact that Arsenal are the most powerful team in the Premier League at the moment, despite the fact they play really bad football.
01:09:12
Speaker
Yeah, agreed. And that's, I think, where we'll leave it. Another episode wrapped for you. No NFL this week because there's not much going on, but we'll have a guest on next week to talk NFL. So keep an eye out for that one. Shane, I'll throw it to you to wrap it.
01:09:26
Speaker
Yeah, thanks so much for watching again. That's 75 episodes in the books now, which is mental. 100 feels so far away, but it also isn't. It will be in by the end of the year, I would imagine. I haven't done the maths on that yet, but we'll see you again next week and we'll have our three sports back and we'll know more about the NBA than we do now.
01:09:46
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball with Shane and James.