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NBA Playoffs HEAT UP + Rosenior Sacked & Arsenal’s Massive Test
15 Plays1 month ago
Episode 73 – NBA Playoff Reactions & FA Cup Preview
Episode 73 of Who’s Got The Ball? sees Michael join the lads to break down a massive week in sport.
They kick things off with the NBA Playoffs, diving into the opening games of several key series. There’s a deep discussion on Rockets vs Lakers and 76ers vs Celtics, alongside thoughts on Pistons vs Magic, Thunder vs Suns, and Spurs vs Trail Blazers.
The focus then shifts to football, where they react to Brighton vs Chelsea and discuss the Liam Rosenior fallout. The lads also break down the FA Cup semi-finals and look ahead to a huge clash between Arsenal and Newcastle.
A packed episode covering all the biggest stories, reactions, and predictions.
James' marathon donation link: https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/james-haughton-kellett
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Power rankings & sports debates
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(0:00) Intro
(2:54) Sixers Steal a Game in Boston
(12:29) Houston, We Have a Problem
(27:11) Can the Blazers Win Another?
(32:31) OKC Torch the Suns
(40:04) Cade Gets the Pistons Back in Rhythm
(45:09) Quick Fire Playoff Thoughts
(49:52) Gan Seans: Our Underdog Picks
(53:09) Brighton Rise & Rosenior Falls
(57:23) FA Cup Semi-Final Picks
(59:50) Arsenal vs Newcastle Preview
(1:05:12) Power Rankings
Recommended
Transcript
Welcome Back Shane!
00:00:09
Speaker
Alright lads, welcome back to another episode of Who's Got The Ball. Shane, he's back off IR. The two of us are here for this episode.
Weekend Football Recap
00:00:17
Speaker
How are you feeling? Yeah, a bit better now. i and There's no point asking what I did last game because all I did was lie down and watch football on an iPad. That was my whole weekend last weekend. So at least Liverpool managed to do the decent thing and beat everything. Other than that, it was very quiet.
00:00:32
Speaker
I am back off IR. I don't want to go to be getting starting minutes yet. I just still need to go through the 3v3 and 5v3 contact before I move back onto the starting five. But it is good to be back in the rotation.
00:00:44
Speaker
Yeah, good
NBA & Special NFL Draft Episode
00:00:45
Speaker
to have you back. Michael joins us again for our and NBA chat this week. So and he held it down last week for our and NBA chat. loaned Wolf the football if you didn't listen. and But we do have some NFL draft stuff that I touched on with Conan earlier this week. So if you saw an extra episode dropping into your feed on Wednesday, and that's what that was, especially on the and NFL draft.
Running for Charity: London Marathon
00:01:09
Speaker
um all things first round so give that a listen if you if you want your NFL fix for the week but I want to say that Friday the day this comes out that afternoon I'm flying to London for the London Marathon I'm going to be running it and I'm doing it to raise money for children with cancer UK so I'm going to just leave the link in the description to donate if any of you would like to do so no pressure whatsoever but if you'd like to to do that the link is going to be there and for a very worthwhile cause so that's what i'm going to be doing this weekend very much looking forward to that and and getting the miles into the legs by the eight by mile like 16 i'm not going to think that i'll be looking forward to it but right now i'm looking forward to it so and we'll get into the agenda for the week michael joins first as i said we do touch on the five playoff series that have no game on thursday night we're recording this on thursday evening as usual
00:02:05
Speaker
So we don't want to go too hard on the games that are on Thursday night because we don't have the most up-to-date
NBA Playoffs: Sixers vs. Celtics
00:02:10
Speaker
info. So the other five series, we went deep on those, especially on the Sixers and Celtics and the Rockets-Thunder because we do have some vested interest with our fandom there. And then after that, gone chance, we gave an update on the score, myself and Shane.
00:02:25
Speaker
Shane was back to actually give his... is is um entries this week so that was nice um he did blame the injury on why he did badly last week but we'll leave him we'll leave him do that one um football then after that we had some performances to look at from last weekend lemar senior sacking and then fa cup semi-final weekend and a big game for arsenal all to preview so plenty there before we wrapped up on the power rankings so it's pretty full episode we know you're gonna enjoy it so let's jump straight into it okay so and nba time the playoffs have started we've got some happy faces and some some not so happy faces here on the podcast we'll get into these series and you can figure out why but michael is back once again and we'll be back every week for the playoffs as we've said so
00:03:11
Speaker
Let's get into the first series that we're going to touch on. We're recording this on Thursday. There's three games Thursday night, so we won't go too hard on those three series because we won't have the most up-to-date info. Let's go on the ones we know everything and we'll still know everything when this release is Friday, unless some crazy injury news comes out, which could happen if you know the Sixers. But let's start with the Celtics and Sixers.
00:03:37
Speaker
after two games. The first the first game was just... domination by the Celtics with the Sixers having one of the worst shooting performances ever recorded in the playoffs. Based on shot quality, they were in like the bottom 20, like of all time.
00:03:54
Speaker
so it was absolutely horrendous. And then flip that on its head. Game two, 19 of 39 from three. and the Sixers take care of business in Boston without Joel Embiid.
00:04:05
Speaker
Maxi silences the crowd late in the fourth, but Vijay Hicom was, was hot. the whole game. My favourite moment, that Maxi step back right at the end on that Celtic, that poor Celtic that got subbed in, I don't even know the guy's name, first ever playoff minutes, he touched earth and the commentator is just like, that is just grotesque and I must have watched it back like 25 times. But yeah, let's throw it to you Michael because you're our other Sixers fan here today.
Turnovers and Player Performances
00:04:36
Speaker
Oh, man, what a moment. You know, you see you see the Sixers have such a bad shooting night the first game. And you just go like, well, it can't just happen again, right? And there were moments me and James were watching it live and we were texting back and forth. and i actually have our chat up right here. so Some of the the quotes out of that chat is legendary. I won't even get into it. But like...
00:05:05
Speaker
The Sixers, I'm so happy for the win, and yet it just seems like coughing baby versus Atomic Bomb. Like, it just seems like we got so lucky that the Celtics didn't hit on a ton of open. I feel like Sam Hauser missed like five open threes.
00:05:23
Speaker
And I'd like to inform everybody, if you didn't think Jalen Brown was that guy, Jalen Brown is that guy, man. Had a crazy dunk that left me and James stunned in like the second quarter.
00:05:38
Speaker
And then even at the end of the game, every time it felt like the Sixers were about to run it out, he just have some crazy and one or a deep three. And it was just like, oh, my God, is average. Is this the time when we lose it?
00:05:52
Speaker
But I'd like to also give a huge point. Adam Bona, you're acting like Jackson Hayes from two years ago. Okay, man. He's just running around doing stuff.
00:06:03
Speaker
Like, there's so many little things I could get into. I'll just leave this to you, Shane. There's seven seconds left, right? Before the halftime. at The Sixers, are we up by one are we tied?
00:06:15
Speaker
no we were something like that No, we were like up by seven with the chance to push it to ten or something. Yeah. Yeah. Maxi brings the ball over half court. Bona immediately creams Derek White into the floor. Just for no reason.
00:06:31
Speaker
Why? Like, you just let him shoot the deep three even contested.
00:06:38
Speaker
i just... I can't leave it at that for now. He can't any more minutes. Before talk to you, Shane, he can't have minutes. If Embiid comes back at any point, he cannot step on the floor.
00:06:50
Speaker
He is not an NBA basketball player, and it's as simple as that. But everything apart from that for the Sixers was superb.
00:06:59
Speaker
Yeah, so he was still 22 minutes in this game and I'm surprised he did get the point where he was still playing when he got to like 16, 17 minutes. Like, how was he still out there? Three rebounds, zero assists, zero for four from the field.
00:07:14
Speaker
Just pathetic. He was the only one of the starters that didn't have, no he wasn't actually, Paul George also didn't have, they were both zero in the plus and minus but at least Paul George is doing something.
00:07:24
Speaker
This fella was just out there to cause havoc and he was causing more havoc for the Sixers than he was for the Celtics and that's really not his job. Like there's enough Celtic lads to cause enough havoc for the Sixers that they don't need one of their own doing it as well.
00:07:37
Speaker
As James said, as Michael kind of said, like there was no way what happened in game one was going to happen you again. It was just about if you could keep Boston out enough to get over the line and keeping Boston under 100th, it must be some confidence boost going into game three now and when you're bringing them back home as well.
00:07:53
Speaker
So yeah, like I still don't think you will get through it. I'm sure you're probably in the same ball at the moment. post this This is the kind of performance that shows, like, you had kind of ups and downs throughout the season. He had dips and he had all that kind of things. But he really are a good basketball team.
00:08:09
Speaker
Just get Embiid back in here at some point. And who knows, he could very easily push this to seven and and maybe, maybe knock him out. But we'll have to wait and see on that. I just thought, like, the Celtics didn't play badly.
00:08:21
Speaker
But the Sixers just played him really well, especially in the fourth quarter, keeping him to 20 points as some going. Especially when, Joel, the Celtics, when they're going downhill looking to get over the line and something.
00:08:31
Speaker
But Anthony scored 20 points in the fourth quarter. It says more about the Sixers than it does about the Celtics, I think. And I mean that in a good way. Yeah. And two two big things in the fourth was when the Celtics cut it to two, the Sixers went on an 8-0 run.
00:08:45
Speaker
And then after that, they hit another three. Kelly Oubre, so it was an 11-0 run. So that really like silenced the crowd and ended the game. Those two maxi threes were huge. And then to look at in general, I think the main part of this game that changes the Sixers' defense, they put so much effort in and they have great defenders.
00:09:07
Speaker
And some of the shots Brown hits, he's not hitting them another night. I know some other Celtics missed their shots, but some of the shots he hit, there's people like draped on him. He has no space and he's just...
00:09:17
Speaker
banging in shots and he is a great player but that's not consistently reliable the Celtics shot from three they'll shoot a lot we know they had 16 of 44 in the first game and 13 of 50 in the second so they shot six more in the second game but neither game they made an outrageous amount of threes so If the Sixers can keep doing what they're doing on defense and using this drop coverage that the Celtics are doing on defense to their advantage, then i think we're in business to make this a bit of a series because...
00:09:51
Speaker
If you're going to keep dropping on Maxi and Vijay and giving them wide open threes off screens, they're going to bury them. And then if Keita wants to step up, Maxi's just going to torch him. So that's why they're not stepping up because they're scared of the pace.
00:10:04
Speaker
But when you're actually hitting threes, you're going have to step up pretty quick. So I'd like to see how the Celtics adapt to that in the next game because that was why really the Sixers scored so many points. Any closing thoughts? I think another huge...
00:10:17
Speaker
I think the huge thing was the lack of turnovers from the Sixers as well. So there was only one person who had two turnovers. It was Edgecombe and the rest were just one each for George Bonnet.
00:10:29
Speaker
how we do How he only got one turnover was actually probably the most surprising thing. Maxie had one and then Edwards and Drummond off the bench, sports i'm sorry, Drummond and Grimes had one each. like We're going to come on and talk about the Rockets in a second. KD had nine on his own, he had seven as a whole team.
00:10:45
Speaker
but get That that is makes such a difference. If you're not turning the ball over stupidly, you're obviously going to score more points, you're going to get better looks, you're going have more opportunities. and like That might be a sustainable level to keep turnovers under 10 for seven games in a row, but you can keep it in or around that, I think it really, really helps going forward.
00:11:02
Speaker
Just minding the ball is so important. Yeah, 100%. Yeah, I don't really have anything to add. You guys kind of touched on everything I was going to kind of hit.
00:11:13
Speaker
The Bona thing is a big thing as well, mainly because Dominic Barlow went out. I think he scratched his eye. haven't heard anything about it, but Jermyn Brown raked him across the face, and he's been out since. So, I mean...
00:11:28
Speaker
Adam Boda, I don't believe in you, but if you can string together like a good 20 minutes and we can have Andre Drummond hit another two threes in a game, I'll be happy. Okay. It's really upsetting as well because the way our team is structured, I think right now at full health, the Sixers definitely could beat the Celtics because their weakness is probably their center position. Yeah.
00:11:51
Speaker
But the best player in the series is currently out with appendicitis. So I don't know. Everything hurts for me as a fan, and I'm waiting to get destroyed. But for now, i will live with the reincarnation of Allen Iverson screaming as he shuts up Boston.
00:12:11
Speaker
Okay, that was a high I'm not going to forget for the rest of the playoffs. Oh, my God. Yeah, unbelievable moment. And hopefully we get at least one more good game out of this team when we get back to Philly. And then hopefully we see him beat and make something out of it. But we'll move from that into a not so hot topic.
00:12:30
Speaker
The Lakers are two up against Shane's Rockets.
Rockets' Struggles and Trade Speculations
00:12:34
Speaker
Yeah, it's not been pretty at all. The Rockets couldn't crack 100 in either game. Both games in l LA. So going back to Houston next.
00:12:41
Speaker
Shane, the floor is yours here. So it I'm just going to start with a stat. So since the start of the finals in 2022, Ayamidoka 5 of in the games. In of those games, his team haven't scored scored and against against golden states in twenty twenty five eighty five and ninety three against golden state and on the seat of far ninety eight and ninety four against the lakers like It's just, it's unsustainable. Like, I don't understand why he has set Reid Shepard. Like, 11 minutes is all Reid played the other night.
00:13:21
Speaker
You have KD, as I just mentioned, nine turnovers. They don't shoot threes. They're not getting to the free throw line. them Like, Barrett, well, Durant had eight of nine from free throws. That's fine. The rest of them aren't getting to the free throw line.
00:13:34
Speaker
What has happened to Sengun? Like, if what was what was he in the second game? his he always like He's always looked like he's running in treacle. like He always is slow.
00:13:45
Speaker
But he just seems, when his confidence is down, he seems to be even slower. The one where he Aaron Holiday falls and he falls on top for him is just... it's that' like I don't think that moment is going to top this season. I couldn't believe what I was watching.
00:14:00
Speaker
And the Reid Shepard thing is just driving me insane. Terry Eason, 27 minutes, Reid Shepard, 11. Reid has been a better player than Eason all season. like The only, like, it's, I don't, like, you can't blame his defense because none of the rest are defending either.
00:14:17
Speaker
Like, so you can't say, oh there's only putting him out there. We can't defend. Like, you're letting Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard score 25 and 23 on you. As well as LeBron, obviously, 28. I just, I don't understand. I don't see where there's just the attacking is just all over the place. A bit like my sentence at the moment. It's just it's just coming out of all angles. None of them know what they're doing when they get forwards. They don't drive to the line.
00:14:42
Speaker
And Shingun's punt fakes are just the worst you'll ever see. It's literally just like this. And it's like, it's so obvious. Like you don't throw ball like this with two hands. I'd love to hear what you think. I think we are in the depths of despair here because this isn't a team that is going anywhere. And I was listening to a Rockets podcast last night.
00:15:03
Speaker
Bordeaux was your man's name. can't remember the other fella's name. And they were saying at the start the season, we're like, oh, we're contenders. Then we're like, let's get a top four. Let's just get into the playoffs. Let's get out of the first round. And I was like, oh, it's great to be in the first round. Like they've dropped the bar so many times this season to make it seem like it's going to be a good season.
00:15:21
Speaker
And they can't even they can't even meet the bottom rung of the ladder, which was get out of round one. they They're probably not even going to do that now. And it's just, you know what, it feels like a waste of 82 games. Because what do you in it for if you're going come out here and just show up like this in the playoffs after being so good at times, nine and one coming into the playoffs. And this is what they put out against the Lakers team. They're missing their two most important players. It's just absolute nonsense.
00:15:49
Speaker
Michael, what do you think?
00:15:53
Speaker
We'll start with the Rockets, first of all, because there's so much to talk about. First of all, KD, congrats. You were correct.
00:16:04
Speaker
You are an asshole, though. You outed your entire team's, like, problems. You have done nothing to fix it, which is partially on the front office because, heads up, everybody knew going into this year, you guys did not have a point guard.
00:16:19
Speaker
Nine months have went by. You do not have a point guard. So like, on that sense, KD's right. It's not his fault. These guys can't shoot. What am I meant to do?
00:16:31
Speaker
But also, you're getting doubled every time, man. You're the best player on the floor. Well, like, made for the Rockets. But the best player on the floor for the Rockets, you're getting doubled. You can't do anything. And you're upset because other people can't shoot.
00:16:47
Speaker
Hey, man, this is why they brought you in. They brought you in because you're an automatic scorer and you should be able to do this. However, since we found out in the Brooklyn Celtics series from a couple of years ago, if you just double Kevin Durant, his playmaking isn't good enough for him to actually help his team win.
00:17:08
Speaker
Who's on the floor for that? Marcus Smart. Who was his head coach? Imei Yudoka. So Imei, now that you... Drew up the game plan against KD, and it got demonstrated for you twice in March. Back-to-back games.
00:17:25
Speaker
You have now had two months to plan and you have nothing. You still refuse to play Reed Shepard. You still just put the ball in Kevin's around hands and hopes that he does something.
00:17:40
Speaker
It's actually so embarrassing. it It is actually embarrassing. I'll leave the Lakers until we we come back around. But like... I can't believe this is an NBA team that I really thought at the start of the season was going to at least go second round Western Conference Finals. like Yeah. I think... I'm a dog. He said he was really happy to keep the Lakers to 101. It's just weak hand shoots. And I let James come in there because all he cares about is defense. like And that's... Go on, James. That's the perfect perfect segue into my first point was because...
00:18:19
Speaker
The 11 minutes that Shepard got was because Imei did the thing that he always likes to do. When Shepard makes one mistake on defense, he's just like timeout, pulls a mouse, sits him down, berates him on the sideline and the man doesn't get back into the game again.
00:18:34
Speaker
Like he made like one, like I think he he he missed an assignment on smart, smart, like banged a three, calls a timeout just to like prove the point and then literally like tear into him on the sideline. Sorry, but like,
00:18:48
Speaker
You're playing Terry Eason out there, the same guy who, when the game was like 92-97, he thinks that the Lakers are going to kill the clock, so he falls asleep, and LeBron just cuts to the rim. So if he's the guy that's out there for your defense instead, he he's literally putting people in danger out there with his shots because he can't even hit the rim.
00:19:07
Speaker
And you're sitting Reid Shepard on the sideline. like It doesn't make one ounce of sense. This coach is not... the guy to take a team to any extent or any run in the playoffs because he focuses way too much on something that's outdated in the league. The league now is gone three point heavy and this is the worst three point team shooting team I've watched in a long time. Like the trailblazers are bad, but at times they can get hot.
00:19:35
Speaker
The Rockets cannot shoot threes. 11 of 33 in the first game, 7 of 29 in the second game. It's just abysmal. And to be honest, at this point, Shane, I'm sorry, but if they could grab a game or two and then lose 4-2, I think that would be a better outcome for you than what one of these other teams is going to do to them in the next round, because it's going to be an absolute demolition.
00:19:59
Speaker
It's okay seeing in the next round. yeah there so far so five parts What we possibly expect to happen there? Dengun is your center. He's the one, he's in under rim. He's meant to be either getting free throws or just like the little ones that all of a sudden he's forgotten how to just do the little pap it in. He was 9 for 20 and 0 for 1 from 3.
00:20:20
Speaker
like why is it but If he's not adding more than 20 points your game, look like i don't want I'm not saying be Jokic, but look what Jokic adds to... Even when he's not scoring, he can do stuff defensively. But he is obviously always scoring, which helps as well. But 9 of 20, and most of them are just, they're inside the pretraw line.
00:20:41
Speaker
And he hits the rim or bounce them off the back either too heavy or too light. He's very rarely perfect. And don't even get on to me about trees because how this team can still be so bad at trees two years later is incredible.
00:20:55
Speaker
Unless it's Reid Sheppard and he wasn't hot in this game now and I don't blame him because he only got 11 minutes. But outside of Jabari scored 3 of 7 and he was our best shooter from 3. Terry Easton 2 for 6. Durant 1 of 4. This is just embarrassing numbers. Shingun tried 1 as I just said, got 0. Okoge 1 3.
00:21:15
Speaker
Like, Clint Capella, so was he only scored his first three in his career in the last game of the season. He's in the league of about 12 years because it's his first ever three.
00:21:27
Speaker
like you You said to me but after game one, if I get rid of Shane Gevin to bring in Giannis and i I was just straight, I was like, no, like I believe in this, that. I do think now there's time to get rid of him and get in a tree shooter, try and get in Giannis or something like that.
00:21:42
Speaker
Because this team in its current iteration, it's it's going nowhere. Like even before game one, we were saying Josh O'Koge cannot be starting playoff games. And here he is playing 24 minutes in game two, scoring seven points.
00:21:55
Speaker
So ineffective. It's actually, it's it's unbearable. I liked him the start the season, but I thought he was like a short term fix. I thought Finney Smith was going to come in and do something. Clearly that hasn't worked.
00:22:07
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. It's just that this team, as it is at the moment, is is so far off. was like I presume when they brought in Kevin Drander, like, this is the year now we go and push on. If Anton did gone backwards.
00:22:18
Speaker
Like, they finished with the same record as last year. They're going to go out in the first round like they did last year, having given up their first round pick, giving up Dylan Brooks, who i think is a massive loss to this team.
00:22:29
Speaker
Even if he's not doing, he's not putting up any trees at the sun, but he's the one that sets the standards. Dylan Green, Another man who set the standard last year. Well, not really set the standard, but like he would do he would do an almighty job on this team because he can hit trees.
00:22:46
Speaker
Dylan Brooks can hit trees. They've gotten rid of their two three-point shooters and... I don't know how Eamon Thompson is so bad at trees. Like, how can you be? i reckon yeah i reckon if you put me, give us a hundred shots each, I actually think I'd put down more trees than he does.
00:23:01
Speaker
And that's, I'm not even joking. like I actually think I'd put down more trees than he. I'd miss the first 10 warming up and then I'd, I might get 15. he's He's getting about one out of the hundred, I'd say.
00:23:13
Speaker
I know Michael would beat him in a two-point contest. I just, I can't believe how bad it is. And I'm going to stop talking because I've done enough and... off and we are trying to keep these short and condensed, which I clearly haven't done. So I let you have the last word on the Lakers there before we move on.
00:23:27
Speaker
Yeah. like just wanted to write before I let you say Mike, cause I know you have some thoughts on the Lakers. I just thought two things quickly as Luke Kennard was exceptional. Nine of 13 from the floor on game one, five of five from three.
00:23:41
Speaker
And then last night, eight of 13 and three of six from three, 27 23 points. just superb I think if he was like one of the first options on like a poor team he'd be shooting like he'd be putting up like 27 28 points a game over a season and six bench points in game two from the Lakers and they still won that's just yeah my subty but yeah Michael any closing Lakers thoughts No, my last thing to say is, as Doc Rivers has retired, i think a new one is here. Ime, you're living off that finals run that was not you at all.
00:24:18
Speaker
But whatever, man. I guess I'm sure there will be some other tanking team that will bring you in and think that you're the answer for them.
00:24:28
Speaker
Just keep milking it. just keep You got to learn from Doc Rivers on all of that like press speed. Bringing it to the Lakers. And that's where the wardrobe change comes in, guys.
00:24:41
Speaker
Well, he changes wardrobe. Do you do think I'm a Doka does get sacked if they go out in the first round again? Yeah, i I think that he does. I don't see how they could keep them be honest. Michael Cantor, if anyone's wondering why. Absolute mastery.
00:24:54
Speaker
Absolute mastery. Everything that you wish Sangoon did on the Rockets, it's all LeBron, okay? Not only is it the Rockets' nightmare, it's also the Lakers' front office nightmare because he proves to them, hey,
00:25:10
Speaker
You can't replace me in free agency. I am the best option. You'll have the best third option you'll ever have. And he proves it in both games. Like he is just dismantling this Rockets team.
00:25:25
Speaker
It's crazy. There's a a six possession sequence in the third quarter of game two. where LeBron just calls a DeAndre in pick and roll. The first three are like mispasses or bobbles, whatever.
00:25:39
Speaker
He just keeps calling it again. The fourth one is a drop-in, easy two. The fifth one is an easy kick-out, easy three. And the sixth one, Sangun is no longer on the floor.
00:25:52
Speaker
He has been subbed out because LeBron is just abusing everybody on this team. Jabari Smith steps up. He's taking him to the post. He's just... He's so smart at this age and he's so aware of his limitations, but you really just expected the sixth best defense in the league to do something against a team that's missing 56 points in scoring.
00:26:22
Speaker
It's crazy. Also, like you said, Luke Kinard, 77% from three in two games. Like, looks like all-star right now if he keeps this up. Like, genuinely just going absolutely nuts. He's the best three-point shooter on the floor.
00:26:40
Speaker
He still shot five of them yesterday. Don't know. Like, I just... It's just a crazy... It's so crazy to watch a 41-year-old go out and dominate this young team with so much athleticism. I just... It's wild.
00:26:58
Speaker
Yeah. and There's no world in which the... 41-year-old LeBron is supposed to be dominating 37-year-old KD in this series, but he did in game two. so Let's move on to Spurs versus Blazers.
00:27:14
Speaker
These ones, obviously we don't have the support of either of these teams, so we'll probably go a bit less on these.
Victor Wembanyama's Concussion Impact
00:27:21
Speaker
But nonetheless, this one is born one Wemby concussion um takes him out of the game after only playing 12 minutes in game two. It looked pretty bad. He smacked his face on the floor and he was really like discombobulated. He couldn't even sit up.
00:27:36
Speaker
I reckon if he does even miss one game, he should be fine for the game after that because I don't think the concussion protocol will keep him out any longer than that. And that shouldn't affect the spurs series the Spurs' ability to win the series. But it doesn't make the next game interesting because I think they're only one and a half point favourites now for game three.
00:27:55
Speaker
um It's in Portland. They were 99-90 up, the Spurs were, with five minutes left, and the Blazers went down a 16-4 run to end it. Before I throw it to you guys, Scoot Anderson, unbelievable.
00:28:09
Speaker
I said it on the podcast before we got into the playoffs that I'm more interested in him than I am Danny Avdia last night, or two nights ago. tardy one one rebound, zero assists. That boy knows how to score.
00:28:23
Speaker
He doesn't know how to do anything else. Okay, that's a bit harsh on him. Sometimes he does play make, but that he was just on fire in that game and 78.9% true shooting, which is unbelievable. So yeah, he was he was the one that carried them in that. But what do you guys think of this series? What ways is it going to shake out?
00:28:42
Speaker
So I do think that Blazers will win game three if Wemby is out. But I do still think that the Spurs will obviously get through this because they are the better team. Adela has only he got to the line for five three shows in the last game. Like he normally gets about 20 games. So he'll bring that up to his his average again in game three and get it over the line.
00:29:01
Speaker
But then once Wemby is back, I just think this Spurs team, think they have too much for most teams in these playoffs. But I think they'll definitely to get past the Trailblazers.
00:29:12
Speaker
Yeah, i I feel like without Wemby, it's definitely definitely a chance that the Blazers win the next game. i think the big thing is Denny didn't really have that great of a game. um I know Scoop popped off, but like...
00:29:27
Speaker
The fact that they won and he played so average, if he has a good game, I think he could be a lot closer. but the big thing with the Spurs is, like the Rockets, these guys, a lot of these guys cannot shoot, man. Stefan Kassel is being guarded by Donovan Klingen, who is leaving him at the three-point line and just staying in the paint.
00:29:52
Speaker
Yeah. Like, it's... Shocking. You really feel the shooting difference without Wemby on the floor, just because he can shoot from anywhere. But... Especially with Calvin and Donson, he's really cold. And he just won six-man of the year, but he can't hit threes so far in these first two.
00:30:11
Speaker
Yeah. really struggling right now. I think the big question is, and a big X for the Spurs is, Luke Cornett has suddenly become ultra important because in minutes in the regular season with neither Wemby or Cornett on the floor, they are minus 39.
00:30:29
Speaker
thirty nine Like a crazy statistic because the sample size is so limited. But... like I think they've just been so used to feeding these guys into their seven-foot big, whether it's their starting one or their off-the-bench one, that these minutes without Luke Cornett, he's going to have to play 30-plus, I think, because the minutes without him might get really rough for a team as like being big and long as the Blazers. They want to take to the rim. If you don't have that seven-footer there, they're they're just going to keep going at you.
00:31:05
Speaker
yeah Yeah, I agree. I think i it was those moments are going to be more important now too because Cornette, obviously, without Wemby, can't play 48 minutes. So if they're going to get... If the Blazers are clever about this...
00:31:19
Speaker
They could stagger Klingon's minutes in a way that he's on the floor for more of the non-cornet minutes and just demolishes them. But yeah, i I do think the shooting is is an issue and I need to see more from D'Iron Fox. He was okay in game one. is He didn't score much, but Wemby's out there. So he got his eight assists and that was kind of all he's there for. But in game two, only 12 Wemby minutes. He still scored the same amount and then he had four or less assists. So that's not good enough. You need to step up when Wemby's not out there.
00:31:51
Speaker
and Any other thoughts, Shane, before we move on to the next? No, i think I've said all need to say. i do think this will get through, but if they don't have Wembe for Game 3, everything you've said rings true. where they really They are going to really rely on Cornette and they are going to need De'Aaron Fox to step up as well, as well as Stephon Castle, who, as Michael said, was really poor the other night. So they are going to need the rest in to stand up because you don't have a season like they've had just relying on one person. They need to remember what they did in the regular season when Wemby was out and get back to that kind of level of doing things and they should be absolutely fine then.
00:32:26
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. Let's move on to another big series in the West, which is OKC versus the Suns.
Performance in OKC vs. Suns Series
00:32:33
Speaker
This one is two and old to OKC. It's very difficult to see the Suns winning any. Maybe 1.
00:32:41
Speaker
I said OKC in 5, I think, at the start, but I just think they'll walk this by the end. Booker needs to do more. i get he was frustrated with some of the calls last night, but he's just not good enough on the offensive end in either game.
00:32:55
Speaker
You cannot have a game at any point when you're Devin Booker and you've been with the Suns for this long and you only take 14 shots. Meanwhile, Jalen Green and Dylan Brooks takes 23 each.
00:33:10
Speaker
That's just not something that should ever be happening. Okay, Brooks got really, really hot, which is why he kept taking shots late in the game. and he's the one that clawed them back into it. So sometimes you'll exclud excuse like a random sample like that. Green was not shooting well last night.
00:33:25
Speaker
He was taking some ridiculous shots. He hit some nice shots, because if you take enough of them, some of them are going to go down. But he took some woeful shots, and his shooting percentage was bad. He should not have taken 23. He was a one of eight on three.
00:33:40
Speaker
Yeah, so if Booker was like, you know, a real leader of this team, he would have said, stop shooting, give me the ball, let me make the decisions. But that's not what happened. And SGA on the other end, 37-5-9 just absolutely destroyed them.
00:33:56
Speaker
The Tundra just did what the Tundra do, really, didn't they? it's just It's kind of what they've done all season long, really. dave just They do enough to get over the line. And when you have someone like SDA, like you're always going to be in a really, good position.
00:34:08
Speaker
He's probably going to win MVP. Or did he win it? Did I see? Oh, no, he won't touch player the year today, sorry. Or last night. I just think... As you said, it's very hard to see the Suns picking up even one game at this stage. I do hope to do because I don't think they deserve to lose 4-0, but anyone that comes up against this Thunder team could very easily lose 4-0.
00:34:27
Speaker
Yeah, i think I think it's inevitable that they get swept. I'm right with you, James. I just feel like Devin Booker kind of has to do a bit more the offensive side. Another thing with Jalen Green, got seven turnovers, man. Can't be chucking the ball up that much and have seven turnovers. Like, it's is's bad luck for the team. But you want to think in your head, like, oh, yeah, Devin Booker, we should be feeding him the ball. He's got five turnovers. yeah Like, he's also...
00:34:57
Speaker
The Suns had this whole era where they, after Chris Paul, they didn't need a point guard. Like, point guard by association. Devin Booker can point guard a little bit. Didn't really look like it.
00:35:09
Speaker
I mean... It's upsetting to see the Suns that you see in so many regular season games like claw and fight their way into tough and close matchups. like You look at them now and really, i don't think that the surrounding cast played horribly enough for them to lose the game that bad other than Jalen Green, really. But Devin Booker, you you have to take charge of the team, man.
00:35:39
Speaker
You've got to just say, I need the ball. You got to give me the ball. I need every second possession. If I don't touch the ball, it's a bad possession. Like so something's got to happen because I mean, you were, you scored 70.
00:35:53
Speaker
You, you were like bam for us one season. Come on, man. Like you're that guy the Believe in yourself. My God. Even saying this about Devin Booker is crazy.
00:36:06
Speaker
I do think that that that take you called on him was was in his head for the rest of that game as well. I think he didn't, he just couldn't let go of fact that he threw the ball back in and called a take on him.
00:36:16
Speaker
I think that really, really got him. And like the fact you could see it in the interview after, he was still so annoyed. But like, that's the kind of thing that when you are in the league 11 years, you need just be able to put that to the back of your mind and just say, okay, it's gone against me.
00:36:30
Speaker
Blah, blah, blah, give me the ball and going to make it back up and score four threes in a row instead of, what did he hit? He hit zero of three from three. And that's not good enough if you are going to be later the leader of this team.
00:36:42
Speaker
Jalen Green, one of eight. Dylan Brooks, five of nine. like He's the only one that was able to hit threes last night, actually. Yeah, sorry. But yeah, sorry, I was looking at the pre-charts a second. i was like, oh wait, he was 8 of 10. But no, he he was definitely 0 of 3.
00:36:58
Speaker
But yeah, it's just this OKC team can do what they did for three quarters anyone. It's just about kind of just you have to keep your foot on them and try and stay in a game because it's all very good playing one good quarter. When it's the four quarter and you still lose by 13, it doesn't really make much of a difference you're going into that quarter 23 down.
00:37:18
Speaker
Yeah, I agree with that point. It's a great point because if they actually played well in the other quarters, not not like perfectly, but were more careful with the ball, they could have actually made a run there that scares OKC a little bit rather than, oh, we just cut it to 10 and then Dort hits a rainbow three like on the next play and it's all over.
00:37:38
Speaker
Like it's it's like 22 turnovers for Phoenix is why they lost. There was 22 points off those turnovers for OKC. And then on the other side, OKC only turned it over 10 times and the Suns only scored nine.
00:37:52
Speaker
That's a 13 point difference. That's the game right there. So if you take care of the ball a little bit better... then you're giving yourself a fighting chance. But it is easier said than done for the majority of time against these OKC defenders who are very handsy and they know how to get into passing lanes very well. But Jalen Green, just come on, man, just do better.
00:38:16
Speaker
And it's up to Devin Booker to sort that out, like you said, Michael. Any other thoughts? Yeah. Yeah, I was going to say quick shout out to Malawak, the rookie. Looked great in limited minutes i get against the Thunder. But as for the Thunder, J-Dub tweaked something in his hamstring. Is out, possibly out for the rest of the series because OKC don't really need him for this.
00:38:42
Speaker
But AJ Mitchell looks great. so Looks like he's ready to take up some of those minutes, man. He it looks like he's been waiting for this opportunity and he's taken it. Five for 12.
00:38:53
Speaker
Not fantastic, but I expect like an uptick in his production. Another thing, OKC is treating this like it's regular season. 10 players played, like, more than 10 minutes each as well. Like, i it's it's shocking that they're doing this in round one and just wiping the floor so convincingly, you know?
00:39:17
Speaker
But SGA as well, my average 30 this series, especially with J-Dub out for the rest of it. He looks unbelievable, man.
00:39:29
Speaker
I know everyone hates his free throws, but, like, man, he's still one of the best mid-range shooters in the league. He just does whatever whenever he wants, gets whatever. So skilled with his footwork, with creating angles and and using his dribble to get open. eye I don't know. It's a master at work.
00:39:49
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. It's a joy to watch it and hopefully we'll we'll see it for a long time to come in the playoffs because that's that's what you watch it for. umm Last one then of the games that aren't on tonight is Pistons versus Magic.
Cade Cunningham's Leadership & Magic's Inconsistency
00:40:05
Speaker
This one is 1-1. First game was kind of crazy. The Pistons scored 83, I think it was, and the Magic won that one without cracking 100. The Magic just tried really, really hard, but the Pistons looked like a team that hadn't played in like two weeks, which they pretty much hadn't. And Cade had only played like three games since he returned from injury.
00:40:28
Speaker
And then normality resumed in game two. The Magic actually did still fight. like They played as hard as they could. Jalen Suggs has been super. I think he's been fighting really hard and he's been playing the best he can. And they may grab one of these games at home just for the fight of of a guy like him.
00:40:45
Speaker
But France has been pretty poor offensively. 12 points in game two, 4 of 11 shooting. And... Cade, despite Jalen Doran being quiet and only scoring 11 and 8 in Game 2 and Game 1, Cade has just looked unbelievable. And he's been somebody that carried the load of shooting in the first game. Even though they didn't get the win, he did pretty much everything offensively.
00:41:10
Speaker
In Game 2, finally, the other guy shook the rust off and he was able to dictate the game like he usually does and find players when they need it and when they're open. So I'll throw all this one to you, Michael. Do you have any thoughts on this one? i think it's kind of a Pistons in six at most at this point.
00:41:27
Speaker
Yeah. i I also think it's a Pistons in six. I think the Magic needs to decide whether or not they want to be a good basketball team. Because, man, I've never seen such variance in a team between games. Like...
00:41:44
Speaker
Even in this game, oh going through it, I mean, they're looking good, everything's looking great, and then you come out at halftime, it's tied up, the Rockets go on a 30-3 run.
00:41:58
Speaker
I thought you were all this big hoopla-like defensive team. 30-3
00:42:06
Speaker
Did we luck through the play-in? What happened? Because, like, i thought you were bad. You demolished the Hornets. And you win game one. And now you're bad again. and So are we just going to be bad for the next three games? And you're just going to limp out of here?
00:42:22
Speaker
I don't understand. I mean, Anthony Black had a huge stretch of the season where he was performing. Seems like a blip, I guess, because that that is just hasn't materialized late in the regular season or the postseason.
00:42:38
Speaker
I don't even put that much blame on Franz Wagner. The Magic from reports completely mishandled their injury, rushed him back so he could play in Germany in the the NBA Europe game.
00:42:49
Speaker
The injury was way worse than they thought. They sidelined him supposedly for the rest of the season. He came back early again before the postseason and. Isn't playing that great. I'm not surprised. I'm not sure if he should be playing, but.
00:43:07
Speaker
The team just looks rough. The Pistons, however, looking pretty good. Tobias Harris, if we could have got this production from you three years ago, I wouldn't be complaining as much. But sure, okay, do it for the Pistons. That's fine.
00:43:20
Speaker
I've kind of got the same point as you. Cade is amazing, and Jalen Duren just want to see a bit more offensively out of you. Okay, have four offensive rebounds. That's great.
00:43:31
Speaker
You were averaging five in the Knicks series last year. This is your first time hitting four this series. Just keep Mountain on that, okay? Love to see 15-plus points this next game, you know? If he's going to use this game to kind of get into the postseason and keep performing like he did in the regular season, they could have a great round too. But if he just stays at this, I think it'll be really rough for the Pistons moving forward.
00:43:57
Speaker
Yeah, I don't have a whole lot to add. This is the Pistons' first home playoff win since either 2002 or 2008, which I thought was a wild stat. which i told was a wild sas Other than that, like the scoring in this game was absolutely hilarious. The fact that it was level at half time and the both quarter 25-21, 21-25. It didn't slip didn't show a whole lot. If anyone in Ireland stayed up to watch this, I do feel for them. They both had a quarter where Magic just scored 18 and then in the last quarter was fourteen to the to the magic it was
00:44:30
Speaker
I can't imagine it was much much of a spectacle, but I agree. I think the Pistons will get through it. The Magic do need to work out where they're going. And I think we have... Yeah, I just think this is one of these series that's just going to it's just goingnna limp over the line. People will forget it even happened and we we'll see what happens in round two with the Pistons then.
00:44:47
Speaker
Yeah, I will say on Cade, he sold me on a three-legged bet because I had three Duncan Robinson threes, which he cashed. Jalen Suggs, four rebounds. He had six. And then I had Cade over 28.5 points. He had 27 and he missed four free throws, which was four of eight from the line.
00:45:08
Speaker
Yeah, okay. Let's move on to the other three games that are on tonight. what i think what's a good thing to do is, because we want it we don't want to do too much on this, one of us will take each game and give a very quick thought. So I'm going to just throw it random. Michael, I'll throw it to you on Cavs Raptors.
00:45:29
Speaker
Ooh, Cavs Raptors. Okay, so first of all, I think we've heard the clip from Brandon Ingram complaining that he's setting screens and he's not happy with his role in all this.
00:45:40
Speaker
Brandon Ingram, I don't know what to tell you, man. You got to talk to your coach about that. Shouldn't be talking to reporters about that because the last thing you want to do is tell the other team exactly what you don't like doing.
00:45:51
Speaker
Because now... all If you're the Cavs, you're going into the locker room and you say, hey, guys, whoever holds Brandon Ingram to under five, like four shots in a quarter, I'm giving you 200 bucks.
00:46:05
Speaker
And just watch Brandon Ingram make the Raptors implode. It looks really good for the Cavs right now. But every James Harden team looks great at the start, you know?
00:46:17
Speaker
i everybody seems to be clicking. Mobley is performing. Donovan Mitchell and Harden look like the duo that the Cavs were banking their trade on. But it It just feels so meaningless.
00:46:35
Speaker
I just know the 2 for 11 game from Harden is going to come out at some point. And I know Cavs fans are going to be super upset. And they're going to say, we we couldn't imagine this coming.
00:46:47
Speaker
And everybody who has been dealt with Harden over the past few years will say, no, it always always happens at the end. But I think the Cavs win this. I would be shocked if the Raptors pulled us off.
00:47:00
Speaker
And Final, final little tidbit. Jakob Pertl legitimately looking like the worst center in the playoffs right now. think he had five points in game one.
00:47:16
Speaker
I actually don't know because with the contract that Jakob Pertl has and he doesn't have the the bonus of, oh, he's young. He can grow into it. Nine points in two games, I think.
00:47:29
Speaker
that's shocking man you're supposed to be a starting center Colin Murray Boyles rookie again might have to start taking way more of those minutes because it's just not looking great with him I'll throw nuggets and timbrels to you Shane the most glamorous one Yeah, this is this only going one way after everything that the Timberwolves have come out and said after pulling the game back against them. They basically told the Nuggets what to do and what not to do. The Nuggets are going to come out here.
00:47:57
Speaker
Oaks are going to drop fifty eleven in 42 or something wild like that. they're just going to walk all over the Timberwolves in Game 3. I literally will keep it that short. The Timberwolves have done so much talking since Game 2.
00:48:09
Speaker
It's outrageous. I've never seen the likes of it. I've sent down a couple of clicks to Ian. It's just... Where is this cockiness coming from? Like, ah honestly, I know Ancy Ebert is always cocky. He's hilarious. But it wasn't a good luck to come out and basically celebrate winning one game.
00:48:24
Speaker
it's It's not a good mentality to have. And I just think the Nuggets are going use that as all the fuel they need to get this one over the line. OK, perfect. I'll wrap up then on Hawks-Knicks. I still have this go on seven. i had so i had the Knicks in seven.
00:48:40
Speaker
I don't know if I'm changing or sticking with that, but I'm just going to say that I think it goes to seven. I have no idea. But my one thought on this is that, please, Coach Brown,
00:48:52
Speaker
All you have to do is just play your best players. This is not the regular season. We don't need to see minutes from Jose Alvarado. We don't need to see plenty of Jordan Clarkson minutes for his confidence. Can we just play basketball with our best players and win?
00:49:09
Speaker
I would be going crazy if I was a Knicks fan right now. You are not the OKC. This is not, oh, we won a championship last year. All our players are good. We have so many first round talents. We want to get them some playoff minutes and we're just going to demolish the Suns anyway.
00:49:25
Speaker
This is life or death against the Hawks who could kill you at any moment. And you're still out here going, maybe we'll get Diawara out there for another three or four minutes. Just play, just play your best players and you might actually win.
00:49:38
Speaker
That's all I have on this one. So that's another week of and NBA action wrapped up. We will be back again next week with everything could be completely changed at that point and we'll have all new takes. So stay locked in for it and we will be back. So as Michael departs us, we're getting to Ganshance before I move into our football chat.
00:49:58
Speaker
Last week wasn't as good for me. I had two five-pointers in a row, so only one point and was not ideal. But Shane, you dropped a duck egg, unfortunately, for you. So i am now 11 points in the clear, thirty nine to twenty eight I did have Bournemouth away to Newcastle.
00:50:15
Speaker
I don't know why I didn't put a bet on it. I was going to because I just thought it was guaranteed. I didn't. They they got the win at 11-4. And then I had Warriors to beat the Suns and Sunderland to beat Villa, which didn't come off.
00:50:28
Speaker
you have Raptors to beat Cavs in game one, Sixers to beat Celtics in game one. Unfortunately, if it was game two, you would have been sorted. And then Sunderland to beat Villa the same as me, which didn't come off. But what have you got this week? You mentioned before we started, it was a hard week and I agree.
00:50:46
Speaker
Yeah, so with last week, I'm going to blame the fact that I was i'm injured and that's why I missed the podcast last week on my poor performance. Not picking Bormitt for me is is outrageous because all I've done is talk down Newcastle for weeks and I don't even go against them and I get the chance then. But this week, yeah, it was really difficult. i'd hos and look when before even looked at the odds just like surely I can get Leeds here. They're going to be a great price. But no, they're not even underdogs against Chelsea in an FA Cup semi-final. So we'll talk about Chelsea a couple of minutes. I've gone for Wolves to beat Spurs in the Premier League.
00:51:18
Speaker
Not Timberwolves to beat the San Antonio Spurs, which might happen at some point. But Wolves that are Spurs are Wolves, I know they're just freshly relegated, but they look like a more put-together team than Spurs do at the moment. And if they get going at all, then Spurs could be in trouble. Spurs' confidence is non-existent. And when even when they do take a lead, they can't hold on to it. So I could see Wolves just carefree now. They're two midfielders that are going to the World Cup with Brazil, despite de fact they're getting relegated Wolves. So they've only better midfield than Wolves.
00:51:51
Speaker
I've gone with the Trails Blazers to win Game 3 against Spurs, which you have just heard me talking up when we were talking about the and NBA a couple of minutes ago. The Blazers are the Spurs are 8-11. I just think it's a really good bet if Wemby is out. And I've gone with the Spurs, sorry, the Suns at 72 to beat OKC in Game 3.
00:52:08
Speaker
First game back in Phoenix, I just think if they're going to win one, it's going to be this one. So yeah, just please do me for I've gone with two of the same. OKC are 1-5, sorry.
00:52:19
Speaker
OKC are 1-5 in that. apa No worries. um I've got two of the same. I also have Woves to beat Spurs because I just think that everyone is in on it now in the Premier League. They're all just... It would be funny if Spurs got relegated so they're going to try their best even if they're already gone. um I've also got Blazers to beat Spurs for the same reason and as you, I think this is a great chance for them so they need to capitalise while Wemby is out plus some of the arguments we laid out In our NBA section, I think highlights that.
00:52:48
Speaker
And then my last one is Sixers to beat Celtics 12 to five. Celtics are one to three. And that's in game three. i think so. Just the Sixers going back home.
00:52:58
Speaker
And I'm still not sure what Celtics do about that defensive issue that they're that they have. so I think I'll just take the Sixers while they're hot and just hope that it pays off for me. and But let's jump into the into the football side of things. We're going with Brighton as our performance of the kind of weekend, but it was their Tuesday game that we're actually going to look at because they got a 3-0 win over Chelsea and...
00:53:26
Speaker
Basically did Lehmann Rowe senior out of a job and it got Brighton into the Europa League qualification spots. They're on 50 points now. Six wins, one draw and one loss in their last eight of the Premier League.
00:53:38
Speaker
Chelsea got an absolute battering. and First time since 1912 that they lost five games in a row in the Premier League without scoring. So no wonder he got sacked. But Brighton, absolutely flying it. Brighton, they're on a series on a form and...
00:53:51
Speaker
like it's hard to believe that they went to Spurs and Drew when you look at what they did last night because they are they're just a team that are purring at the moment. 2.14 XG to 0.37. Five big chances Chelsea had none. Verbrogan might as well stayed at home. He made no saves against a Chelsea team that just looked completely and utterly by this manager he had to go after that performance and he probably should have gone after the one at the weekend against United as well because they were so poor in that as well the early goal just settled Brighton down so much and after that then there was literally only one winner the whole way through imagine having Danny Welbeck suing on you like whenever losing 3-0 if you're going to let Danny Welbeck go and do that to you when you're getting absolutely battered then I think it says a whole lot and
00:54:37
Speaker
There's so many things in this game that I could touch on as the worst part. Brighton earned a team that are known for passing, but they completed 532 passes in this game. That's PSG levels of passing. That's not what anyone should be do just should be letting Brighton do to them, especially in team who've spent the bones of a billion quid.
00:54:56
Speaker
14 tackles, Chelsea made seven. like they just They really did not want to be out there. And even 47% possession for Chelsea, they were brutal start to finish. I couldn't believe what I was watching.
00:55:08
Speaker
like i Normally, if i' if it's not Liverpool that I'm watching, I'd have like football on and do something else as well. And this was just so mesmerizing to me. i was like, I'm not doing anything else. I need to watch what this Chelsea team we're going to do next because ah couldn't believe what I was watching. Garnaccio.
00:55:23
Speaker
My good God. god like i was I was delighted when he was at Jenaid last year and how bad he was. He is. Did you see that Roy Jennings clip today where you put out about how much he hates Garnaccio? I'll send it on him when we're done. It's it's absolutely, it's it's it's brilliant. We might share it on the socials even so everyone else can see it as well. It's hilarious just how much he hates Garnaccio. But I don't blame him him and he's not the only one.
00:55:46
Speaker
We said this a couple of weeks back and it could have been during the transfer window that what Chelsea have been doing is buying players then selling the likes of Maduweki and bringing in Garnaccio. A player who's of equal level if not worse, just a tiny bit younger and making maybe 10 million on selling Maduweki and bringing in Garnaccio.
00:56:04
Speaker
And then they think they're going to be a top club. Like that's that's not how it works. Liam Ressignor... the manager, not a manager, he was a manager along, along, among many of his other coaches as well, like, Jesus, he was, he was something else, and, like, have to go and play Leeds now at the weekend, I'll let you touch on first and on to the every Cups then, this, this Brighton team are an actual, they're a problem in this league now, from now to the end of the season.
00:56:29
Speaker
Yeah, i was looking at their last fixtures. They've got Newcastle, who are not very hot at the moment. Then they've got Wolves and Leeds, who Wolves are are gone, and maybe they'll get their banter in against Spurs before they get that game. Then Leeds will probably be safe by then.
00:56:46
Speaker
And then you United in the last game, who will probably be solidified in the top three or four at that point. So like they might cruise to three or four wins there from the last four.
00:56:57
Speaker
and get that Europa League spot, which would be immense for them. But yeah, one stat I saw when I was looking back at Chelsea's results, and I was actually shocking. Five out of their last eight games were lost by exactly three goals, and four of them were exactly 3-0.
00:57:12
Speaker
That is just absolutely nuts. That is just horrendous. Like 24 million in the back pocket for a senior after doing four months of ah of a six-year deal. But you mentioned that they're playing in the FA Cup semis the weekend against Leeds. So I'll actually be in in London for the London Marathon this Sunday. So that game will also be on in London at the same time. So I'm sure it'll be absolutely bedlam.
00:57:37
Speaker
across London, obviously in different areas, but across the whole the whole place. it'll be a good buzz around. But I really like Leeds to get the win. I liked them to get the win before Sr. got sacked. Now he's gone. like it even more because although he wasn't helping matters, I just think this team is too young and has no leaders. Whatever kind of a leader he was, it was probably better than having no manager at all.
00:58:00
Speaker
So I just think Leeds are going to capitalize here and get themselves into FA final. I just can't see Chelsea winning this game at all. There's nothing in my mind that can envision this being the saviour for them of the season. I just think their season is shot to bits. And this Leeds game will probably avoid them the embarrassment of of getting pummeled by City in the final because I think the other semi, while it's great to have Southampton there, I ultimately think City will probably make light enough work of them.
00:58:31
Speaker
Yeah, so but but my City preview for this is six words. It's ah City will walk it too easy. So that that that's that's my City of opinion. like As you said, it's great Southampton are there and it's great to see Finnazzas and Ryan Manning are going to get a chance at Wembley this season for the first time. You might get a second one in the playoffs as well, the way things are going.
00:58:50
Speaker
But I also agree with everything you said. i think it would have been easier for Leeds if Resenia were still there because man McFarland is really liked by the players so they might put in a bit more effort but I still just think this Leeds team are on a high that last minute goal they got against Bournemouth it will feel like a win from it put them nine points clear as Spurs even if it is a game played more than Spurs have. i just I just can't see Chelsea having enough fight in them to go out here and actually make a game of this. I think it's only going to go one way and I think it'll be too nill to Leeds.
00:59:22
Speaker
Yeah, it's going to be over in 90 minutes. Leeds. Yeah, I think if have to give a score, I'll go to nell as well because I just think Chelsea can score and... Leeds are, yeah, there they'll be up for it. think I'd like to see Leeds in, I know two massive rivals of United, Leeds and Man City, but I'd like to see that in a final of an f FA Cup. It'd be good, like a good clash.
00:59:42
Speaker
And Leeds try to pose problems by being tough to break down for City. So yeah, that would be an interesting matchup. But we've got a Premier League game to preview as well.
Arsenal vs. Newcastle: Can Arsenal Recover?
00:59:53
Speaker
Arsenal versus Newcastle. Look, Arsenal need to stop the bleeding right now or they're out of this title race. Their results in April are abysmal. They started off April by losing 2-1 to Southampton in the FA Cup quarters.
01:00:10
Speaker
They beat Sporting 1-0 away from home in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg, which they kind of rode their luck in that one. They lose 2-1 at home to Bournemouth in the league. Then nil-niller against Sporting just to creep through another one that they rode their luck in. And then they lose 2-1 to City away to give City back control of the title race.
01:00:31
Speaker
Look, the game before that as well was a 2-0 loss to City in the Cup Finals. So they really, really need to do something. They're playing like a team that just wants to try and sneak as many 1-0 wins as they can and see things out. But they can't do that anymore. They have to start playing football because they're the ones on the back foot. So this game is pretty big because i I'm pretty sure there's reports that Eddie Howe is meeting with the club hierarchy after this game. And if Arsenal win, he could be gone.
01:00:57
Speaker
So this is two managers that are playing for a lot right now with their teams. Yeah, Arsenal haven't won a domestic game in April in the last three years.
01:01:10
Speaker
Whoa. I know there's an international break that kind of breaks it off, but even still, there's still three league games in there. An FA Cup game at times, and a Carabao Cup game every now and again, but although the final is only done by then. They haven't won a domestic game in three years in April.
01:01:25
Speaker
Like, that's it's absolutely mental, and... dave They really need to come out here against Newcastle and did they need to try and put them to the sword. They can't come out and do do what they did against Bournemouth it's not going to work. I know this Newcastle team are really poor as well, but if you if you give any team any sort of inspiration of getting something and they go on the lock and especially a Newcastle team who have like once they are on the lock, they are kind of they are good to sit in and hold out. they have dirt dirt Their front lads are really good at pressing. Anthony Gordon in particular is really good at pressing.
01:01:57
Speaker
If they asked to go 1-0 down here, they could be in real trouble. And I'd say their confidence is in bits after that City game as well. And they're not scoring goals. Kjocker is going to come of the season with 20 goals in all competitions somewhere, but he's he's not the answer.
01:02:11
Speaker
He was never the answer. He said before season kicked off, he wasn't the answer. And we are no geniuses. So the fact that we knew meant that everyone else knew as well. This is going to be a slogfest of a game. I think Arsenal will nick it, but I don't think it looks well for them to go on and do anything. I don't think they're going win the league now.
01:02:28
Speaker
thanksly Yeah, I don't think they will either. But I do i do think that Newcastle are facing a ah tough situation because of Anthony Gordon ultimately kind of ruling himself out of the last game because he's looking for a move away.
01:02:43
Speaker
and then Eddie Howe's comments saying that they don't want any players that don't want to give their all for the club. which is kind of pointed, it seems like it's pointed at Gordon. So it's quite an interesting one.
01:02:54
Speaker
I think maybe Newcastle and Eddie Howe are the type of team that have the mentality of if Gordon isn't available again, they'll go out in spite of him and try their best to win this game and because they'll have time to prepare for it.
01:03:08
Speaker
I don't know if they have enough to actually win it with how good Arsenal can be defensively, but Arsenal will have to play some football too. So... I think a massive chance to go ahead of City since they're in the f FA Cup, just again, even with a game in hand. But I just have a 2-2 for this. I just can't see Arsenal winning the game.
01:03:27
Speaker
I don't think that they have enough mentally. And I think Newcastle are going to put up as much of a fight as they can for IDH. Because I think a lot of the players are still for him, despite the fact that he's probably gone.
01:03:38
Speaker
So I'm going with 2-2 and Arsenal fans to be really, really upset after it. yeah i was I was thinking during the week, would it be funnier Arsenal lost the league on all difference, goals scored, or actually just lost the league by three points? And haven't come to a decision next there. So I'll have a decision next week in which I think will be funnier with bob for them to lose the league in what way.
01:04:01
Speaker
i do think they'll win this. I think they'll win it 2-1. i just, I think... they couldn't ask for a better game in the league than Newcastle this weekend, I think, because Newcastle are just struggling so badly. They're down in 14, three losses in a row.
01:04:18
Speaker
like I just don't see how this i don't see how they turn this side around. We said, like it if Leeds are still in the battle for going down, then Newcastle have to be on the periphery. They're only two points above Leeds. Okay, I know they're 11 points clear as far as, so but what I'm saying is is kind of hyperbolic, but the fact that they're just not being spoken about really and the fact they're 14th after finishing Champions League last year says a whole lot about them they're not a good side and I think Arsenal will just get over the line here yeah fair enough yeah I think they're coming in at a really bad time Newcastle so I think i'm on your point of what would be funniest, I would love to see them lose on goals scored because you just know Arsenal fans are going to be like, well, we had a better defence, so how come it's like yeah on goals scored? Well, that's the point of football to try and score goals, so that's the way it works.
01:05:05
Speaker
They're going different to the exact same at the moment. Yeah, so that would be that would be hilarious. But and let's move into our final section, which is the power rankings. I'll fire ahead first. Last week, I had Thunder, Nuggets, Spurs, City, Brighton and Bournemouth. We both bought Brighton in last week, which I think was good timing because they're they're continuing to fire on.
01:05:26
Speaker
This week, few changes. I've got the Thunder still first, just cruising in the playoffs. City move up to second because they've taken top spot in the Premier League, won a cup in the semis of another Just probably the best team in football right now. Third then is the Nuggets. They just moved down since City move up really. and I know they did lose one game but I think their end to the regular season was superb.
01:05:52
Speaker
Fourth I've got Brighton moving up because they are on fire at the moment and they deserve to be this high in my opinion. Fifth then I brought in the Cavs because they are 2-0. Not many other their teams really dominating as much as they are in the playoffs right now. So even though it is against a weaker side I think they deserve their due to get up to fifth.
01:06:12
Speaker
And then I put United in at sixth and because that win against Chelsea really solidifies Champions League. So i think it was massive. for them so I brought them back in at 6th at Bournemouth because Bournemouth just continued to draw a lot which is kind of frustrating if you're a Bournemouth fan but they could be in Brighton's position if they could have just had a few more wins but that's my top 6 Thunder City Nuggets Brighton Cavs and United I'm so disappointed in you Why?
01:06:43
Speaker
if you had If you had left Bournemouth in six, it would have been the first time ever we are one to six, the exact same, because I'm Thunder City, Nuggets, Brighton, Cavs, Bournemouth are in six instead United for me.
01:06:54
Speaker
Man. I took their last and bought them Bournemouth. I honestly, I thought you were about to finish it off because you boring it last week. It's like, oh, here we go. No, so but my top five are the same as yours.
01:07:07
Speaker
Just like the exact same reasons. Well, the episode's been long enough. It's going leave me to go over what you just said. But I just kept boring with it in there because they are 14 I'm beating in the league now. which I think for a team of their size, is is it's really some going in a league like this. That's nearly half a season.
01:07:23
Speaker
like That's since the turn of the year, really, since they lost them in the other unbeaten. We must try and get Harry back on again and actually talk to him about this because I'd say he's over the moon. They're a really good team. Areola leaving.
01:07:35
Speaker
They brought in a really good replacement, I think, in Marco Rose as well. so yeah They came in for me instead of Arsenal. I couldn't wait to get Arsenal out. I'm so happy. Yeah, and on the Bournemouth point, they do things that like a competent team do. They have a succession plan in place already. When you see other teams, that you just know their manager is going and they're going to be scrambling for a guy like an Areola. Jose Mourinho.
01:07:59
Speaker
Yeah.
01:08:02
Speaker
Newcastle unfortunately if that's the way it ends up if Areola ends up at Chelsea and they end up with Jose I don't think too many Newcastle fans will be happy but yeah we'll leave it there for this week thanks again for tuning in two episodes this week for you so hopefully you enjoyed both them but we'll be back again next week with the regular Friday morning episode so Shane I'll throw it you to wrap it Yeah, so just thanks so much again for all the support. we We do appreciate all the comments on the TikToks all that kind of stuff. And yeah, I'm hopefully back now, won't be out again for another a couple of episodes anyway. So if if you missed last week's that wasn't there, I am back. So keep it going. Road to 100,000. Here we go.
01:08:44
Speaker
see i See you all next week. Welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball with Shane and James.