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Giants & Jets’ Draft Needs | What Next for Giannas & the Bucks? | Champions League Quarter Final Breakdown
13 Plays10 days ago
Episode 70 – NBA Giannis Drama, NFL Draft Predictions & Champions League Reaction
Episode 70 of Who’s Got The Ball? is packed with the latest from the NBA, NFL, and European football.
We start with the NFL, as Shane and James break down their own teams, covering NFL Draft predictions, key offseason needs, and what it will take to compete next season.
For the NBA, Michael joins to discuss the biggest story in basketball right now—Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumours. Could a blockbuster move be coming? Plus, 3 quick-fire questions to get the debate started.
We finish with football, reacting to the Champions League quarter-final first legs and analysing the huge Chelsea vs Man City clash.
Also in this episode:
- Gan Seans returns with a big moment in the season
- Updated Power Rankings as competition heats up
If you enjoy sports debate, bold takes, and weekly analysis across NBA, NFL, and football, this episode is for you.
🎧 Listen if you’re into:
- Football (soccer) analysis
- NBA previews & predictions
- Weekly NFL reactions
- Underdog betting tips
- Draft-style sports debates
- Power rankings across multiple sports
- Sports content from an Irish perspective with global takes
🔁 New episodes drop weekly!
Follow/subscribe so you never miss a breakdown of the latest in the EPL, NBA, and NFL.
💬 Connect with us:
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📩 Send your takes → wgtbpod@gmail.com
🌍 Based in Ireland | Talking global sports weekly
(0:00) Intro
(3:14) Jets’ Ideal First Round Pick
(9:12) Giants’ Draft Wishlist
(18:56) Michael’s Quickfire NBA Thoughts
(25:56) What Next for Giannas & the Bucks?
(48:10) Gan Seans: Our Underdog Picks
(52:51) Champions League Quarter Finals Breakdown
(1:08:15) Chelsea vs Man City Preview
(1:12:14) Premier League X NBA Power Rankings
Recommended
Transcript
Health and Sports Recap
00:00:09
Speaker
Alright lads, welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball. Me and Shane here once again. Shane, what was the crack? Not a whole lot. Still nursing this bug or whatever it is I picked up in Prague. I finally got my prescription sorted.
00:00:22
Speaker
It's the same one we both had the last time we were sick. The one that tastes like vanilla, so at least it doesn't taste too bad. But the size of tablets are massive. Over weekend, just watched Limerick beat Cork and then Cove go and hammer treaty as revenge. so I ended up watching the second half from the cold clubhouse because I had no interest in standing in the cold after when they were 3-0 down at the time. So yeah, on to Cork now tomorrow night. doesn't get any easier. What about yourself? Big weekend?
00:00:49
Speaker
Yeah, a bit of hardship for you, all right, going to those games and the way you're playing at the moment. But yeah, last weekend, just really watched a bit of sport, was at home with the family for Easter, so it was nice. I also did watch that Limerick game, they're absolutely brilliant. And yeah,
00:01:10
Speaker
Yeah, big game now for Carlo this weekend.
Leinster Championship Preview
00:01:12
Speaker
First game of the Leinster Championship. So I'll be going home for that on Sunday. And Dr. Cullen should be a great atmosphere. Already beat Wicklow in the league. So if we can do that again, we book a game against Dublin. So that would be massive and just for the day of it. So hopefully we can get that one done.
00:01:29
Speaker
Apart from that, probably look at a bit of Leinster considering they're into the quarterfinals of the the Champions Cup. We're considering tickets, but just too much things to do this weekend and already going to a couple of games of different sports, american but an American football game as well between UCD and and the Trojans in UCD will catch a bit of that as well so yeah a lot of sport can't turn another game on top of there or cashing might kill me so yeah she'll actually he never talk to you again
00:01:59
Speaker
But yeah, let's move on to what we chat about this week to give you the rundown.
NFL Draft Needs Discussion
00:02:04
Speaker
So we went through the Giants and the Jets, what they need and what we'd like them to get for the play for the NFL draft because we are, I'm a Giants fan, Shane's a Jets fan. So we started to focus on our own teams this week and and say what we wanted and the teams needed going forward.
00:02:21
Speaker
From there, we welcomed Michael in.
New Segment Introduction
00:02:22
Speaker
and he had a little bit of a new three-part segment that ran quickly. He might be bringing that forward. It was interesting. So let us know what you think.
NBA Playoffs and Analysis
00:02:31
Speaker
and then after that we talked about Giannis the whole situation surrounding him before we get into the playoffs next week and for the NBA so it's really getting into the best part of the season over there then we gave our gone chance picks after my first five pointer last week absolutely flying there so I am then over to the football Champions League quarterfinal breakdown of the first leg and which teams we thought could make a comeback in the second leg that's that's still have a chance I think They're all still up in the air, but we had some opinions there on that. And then a preview of Chelsea versus Man City on the weekend, and which is coming up on Super Sunday and what we think the score is going to be. Wrapped up with the power rankings as usual. Packed episode, so let's jump straight into it. Okay, so we're going to start with the NFL this week. We've got...
00:03:17
Speaker
draft season coming up last week we did a redraft of last season's draft the top 10 so before we get into any prospects um or looking at the actual draft itself which isn't for another few weeks we want to look at specifically who we want for our teams because i'm a new york giants fan if you don't already know shane is a new york jets fan and rare like we mentioned it but like we rarely talk about them in too much detail because they're really haven't been interesting in the whole last year that we've been doing this so i think we'd like to give a chat about who we think should go there and i think both teams are pretty big fan bases so i'm sure this will be of interest to more than just the two of us but i'll let you go first um because the jets picked number two so that's before the giants so Who would you ideally like to see them pick at number two? And if you want to go further, other things they need to fill during the draft, I'd love to hear it.
00:04:11
Speaker
So I think the main thing that the Jets need to sort out this year is the fact that they couldn't get an interception and they were third last in terms of sacks last year. I think wide receiver is important as well, but I think getting the edge position sorted is probably the most important thing they can do. And I've i've i've always said I'm no expert in college football, but I was looking up during the week to see. an nineteenthth david paley And one that's going to be very, very high on their list of people to pick up. So he's a he's a defensive end He ran a 4.5 second 40, which is absolutely huge was considering how quickly he can clearly get off the line.
00:04:48
Speaker
And if if not him, then maybe the linebacker, Arvil Rees. I think one of the two of them is likely going to go as their second pick and just kind of slot straight into that Jets defense. Maybe it slow start the same way Abdul Carter did last year for the Giants and just work way in.
00:05:06
Speaker
And once they're in, then I think they'll be unstoppable. But... The Jets never seem to do anything right, it really wouldn't surprise me if they went out and just went straight for a wide receiver, picked up McKay Lemon or something like that, or or Chris Bell and just forget about their defense again. And Aaron Glenn's sitting there scratching his head wondering what's going on and everything just kind of goes to poo again. bos I do think if if they have any sense, they'll be looking at David Bailey as their second pick.
00:05:35
Speaker
Obviously, if they had the first pick, they'd be going Mendoza, which I think every team in the NFL would probably do at this stage, bar maybe the Biddles. But I just think with the fact with the second pick, he's gone off the board, it will be hopefully an edge or a linebacker to pick up in the first round.
00:05:49
Speaker
Yeah, hopefully they don't do anything stupid and go for Jeremiah Love because... He's like such a good player, but like he can't be picking a running back at two like the Giants did with Saquon. Just like, yeah, okay, he was great for the Giants, but did it work out in the long term? No, we made the one playoff with him. like So it's not exactly helpful. like If the Jets are going to do anything here, it has to be something that's, I think, on the defensive line or the offensive line.
00:06:15
Speaker
And you've highlighted two great options on the defensive line. I think Arvel Rees is probably the most likely off the edge. just because he's little bit higher draft stock, but I think you can't go wrong with either of those guys. And if they go offensive tackle, like, I think if they go with Maui Noah, that would be a great pick and it wouldn't be someone that people want, really, because they wouldn't be like, oh, thank God, like, we got not another offensive tackle, but he can play along the line and that would be smart. So, yeah, I think...
00:06:45
Speaker
Later then in the draft, obviously, i think you probably need to be looking at wide receiver. 100%. Yeah, I think wide receiver above cornerback. I think there's always value in the draft when it comes to cornerbacks further down. Ones that are kind of, they didn't have the most amazing college careers, but they have the speed, they have the hands that you can pick them up in the third round and they just slot in. Yeah.
00:07:10
Speaker
there's not much competition on this Jets defense that they're going to be coming in and they're not going up against the Sauce Gardner anymore and things like that. So anyone who's even semi-confident coming in can catch a ball, get us an interception is going to look like a star in this Jets team.
00:07:25
Speaker
The Jets are just, they have more holes than they have positions filled really. Like it did no matter what they pick, they're going to they're gonna be someone that's going to slot straight in. in their rookie year and hopefully have a big season because this Jets roster, I was so high on it coming into last season as I'm sure if you watched our recap of our predictions, I was just really excited about what we were coming in and there was nothing to be excited about for the whole season.
00:07:54
Speaker
First team to go a whole season without an interception is absolutely insane considering Anglen was a defensive coach. Yeah, to haunt the whole thing was just mad last year. They need to rip it up, not fully, but kind of get get a semi restart.
00:08:08
Speaker
Like last year was a false start, maybe. This is the year they kind of just get things going and if they do anything stupid in the first round, I'm actually just going to lose my mind over him because give and when you look at what Cleveland did last year like it wouldn't surprise if the Jets went and did that and picked four quarterbacks and four quarterbacks in four rounds and just said oh we we actually forgot about everything else so hopefully not but we'll wait and see Yeah, honestly, if the Jets actually followed the cleveland Cleveland's first round plan, but nothing after that, it would actually be good because when they got the trade back with the Jags from the second spot, that was actually a very good trade. So if the Jets could swing something like that where someone is desperate for Arbel Reese or someone gets really antsy and they want Jeremiah Love and they don't want to wait and they move up, like if the Jets could move back like six or seven spots and get a first from next year, like that would be
00:09:01
Speaker
they'd have so perfect they'd be perfectly lined up for next year than to either push to the yeah top and get the QB they want or just keep stacking on the roster. So, yeah, I think we'll look at the Giants side of things. I think it's a slightly different look because Giants are kind of stacked along the defensive line. So there's no reason for them to worry about the likes of Reece or Bailey. I think for me, there's a few things they could do here.
00:09:30
Speaker
If they went with Jeremiah Love, I think it would be a waste because i wouldn't like them to pick a running back that high. I know we probably need an extra guy. We have Scadabo and Tracy, but I'm not sure what way Tracy's going to be used. He might be used as more of a pass catching back and Scadabo's coming off an injury. i think we'd be better served to get somebody later if we're going for a running back and just, you know, hoping for another Scadabo in the fourth or fifth round. Mm-hmm.
00:09:58
Speaker
I just think love can't be done, and but it would be a huge selling point in New York to say oh we've got this probably the most talented guy in the draft and you know he's going to be a running back. But I think what really needs to be done is look at that middle of the defense or cornerback. So I think Caleb Downs would be a reach at five. I don't think they should stretch that far for him on safety.
00:10:23
Speaker
Cornerback is an issue, but I think... They could go for Mansoor Delaney out of LSU. He looks unbelievable if you look at his tape. But overall, I'd love to see the Giants use the fifth pick to grab Sonny Stiles.
00:10:37
Speaker
I think a lot of people are mocking him to the Giants. Hard-hitting linebacker, somebody who wants to just play smash-mouth football. He's able to read the game so well.
00:10:48
Speaker
I think the Giants for a long time haven't had that like linebacker that can you can trust them in the middle of the field. like There's times there where guys were coming off the practice squad and they were wearing the green dot on the field because the Giants didn't really have a proper linebacker to call plays. Michael McFadden was injured last season. If he comes back and we get Sonny Stiles, I think that could be a dangerous che ah linebacker. i think Stiles would hit the ground running.
00:11:13
Speaker
And that would... really give us something that we have been lacking for a long time a leader on the defense even though he would be a rookie and I've mentioned now we know i be I think if the Giants grab him either that's a very smart pick it's a very John Harbaugh pick it's not a sexy pick that fans will be going crazy about but it'd be smart I wouldn't be annoyed at that either but Sonny Stiles is the guy that I want at number five yeah I think we're both in a position now where I'm not looking for the sexy picks.
00:11:42
Speaker
I wanted it last year. i want them to pick up a tight end, just go completely balls the wall and just get a tight end that can catch balls. I've said that over and over again. This year, just want them to actually fill the holes. They don't really have a hole.
00:11:57
Speaker
Let's see. Grow and That sentence is just getting worse and worse. You're on about sexy picks and then tight ends catching balls. And then you're like... eight husband Honestly, that wasn't intentional. I'm just going to go back and talk about Sonny Styles again for a second. NFL nfl commentators, if you like clip up some of this stuff, it's so funny the things that they say. Yeah, I think Sonny Stiles 244 pounds would be a really, really good pick up for the Giants.
00:12:27
Speaker
I do completely see where you're going firm with the fifth pick as well, because your offense isn't in a massive, like it's not in a bad position really when you look at it on paper. Obviously you would like a running back, but Your wide receivers are grand. You have you have Jackson Ders. He's a really, really good quarterback. You have Scadabo coming back. Hopefully, for your side side of things, the same kind of player he was just before he got that injury.
00:12:52
Speaker
Tyrone Tracy had a really, really good rookie season. If he can get anywhere near to what he was that again as a backup running back, then he's like you two really good options there. so I think starting out the defense the same as the Jets is something that should be really, really high on the list. And with a coach like Harbaugh as well, you can't really go wrong. If you pick up someone like Sonny Stiles and he gets three months at Harbaugh or four months before the season starts, he could be quite the player he was before when he came out of college, before he even plays his first snap in the NFL.
00:13:22
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. I think as well with the Giants, like if if they look further down the line, like you mentioned wide receiver, like a few months ago, Conan asked me who I wanted at the fifth pick.
00:13:34
Speaker
We were texting and I was like, oh, Carnell Tate. This is like, we need another wide receiver. But then I think signing Darnell Mooney... is a very smart move because he's a solid like second to third receiver. Slayton is around the third receiver level. Obviously we have neighbors and and we've got some other pieces there that can that can do a job and likely is going to be a big target. So I think wide receiver can be later in the draft.
00:14:00
Speaker
We probably do need at least one. I like Jeff Caldwell out of Cincinnati. He's He's a monster. I was just looking for big guys, to be honest, down in each position and seeing who's like the biggest and still has speed. He was one of the fastest and he's six five I think he may not be one of the best options, but the NFL has gone so physical now. he I think he could learn that to to catch passes better than he did at the college level, but he has the size for the NFL. And that's also why I look at somebody who I think the Jets could look at too.
00:14:32
Speaker
Maybe around the third round, fourth round, to carry O'Davis, cornerback out of Washington. He's six four six five pretty fast. And I think in the NFL, it's needed against these big receivers nowadays and a lot of tight ends who can catch the ball, like we mentioned last week, how many there is right now. Yes, I was just going to bring that up.
00:14:52
Speaker
I was actually just going to bring up that point as well. I know every time I secure that position for the rest of my life, I'm going to be done. But I think it's it like just like you said, I was going to bring it up as well, that we were we were talking so much last week about the tight ends and how good they are now catching the ball, that they are like just oversized wide receivers. So you do need people who are going to be big and be able to just even challenge them for the ball, that they're not getting in free catches every single time and free runs at the slower players so you do definitely need to start bringing size in and if you can get a wide receiver who's six foot four six foot five fast as well as Isaiah likely as well and then you have the nimble little neighbors as well on top he's not little but he's little compared to the rest of them then i think you're in you've a really really good basis then to start it and then you've Scadabal who's about four foot eleven when he's standing beside rest of who can just run between people's legs at some point with the way things are going so
00:15:46
Speaker
Yeah, I think looking at the big physical wide receivers, tight ends, cornerbacks, I think that's the way forward in this draft. Yeah, and building in the trenches is is important too. Like we both mentioned the importance of the line. And I think one final point I'll make is that I know some teams draft like guards for a guard position along the line, but I think drafting tackles, guys who played tackle in college and so letting them start at a guard if they have the ability to do so, is it's an easier position in the NFL um and it's something you can work up to then play and tackle in the future. So I think that if they, if you look at guys who played offensive tackle at a decent level and then let them play guard, which is where the Giants have an issue because they have Thomas and Illumina are a tackle, whereas guard is kind of light.
00:16:33
Speaker
If you can go for someone, I don't know, like, don't know how good Blake Miller is. He looks solid out of Clemson, some of the stuff I've seen, but there's also questions about him. But one thing I did read is that he's a guy who would play like with a broken wrist, play through anything. He missed, like, he played the most snaps, I think, of any player on the offensive line ever for Clemson. And he missed like one practice in his four years. Even he had a broken wrist around the season. So not him per se, but he's a big tackle that can play guard and actually will play through injuries. So I think people like him later on, they can play guard. He can take a punt on them. And if you had four or five guys there in the room with guys that are already there, then...
00:17:19
Speaker
you can't go wrong there. I think eventually you're going to get at least one or two additions to your line. And then you have your two bookends already with Illuminar and Thomas. So I think if the Giants get a couple of ah offensive linemen, they go with styles. And then the rest of the draft is to fill the needs at cornerback, wide receiver, safety, running back, and whatever you can get up, maybe one, two, three of those positions. Then I think you can't be... You can't be too annoyed at but they need to get that first bit pick right. But I think with Harbaugh, I don't have any worries that they'll get it wrong.
00:17:51
Speaker
Yeah, I think once you get to the later stages of the draft, it is about just taking the best player available. a bit like what you do if you're playing Madden, where you get to the sixth round, you're like, okay, he's who's the best player here? And you just you just grab him. and i think...
00:18:04
Speaker
If it comes down and there's only three corners left in the seventh round and you still really need one, you just say, OK, you're the best the rest. We're going to take you, we're going to give you the hardball we're going to see what he can do with you over the offseason and see if he can make you a competitive player. And I don't have that same confidence in the Jets.
00:18:21
Speaker
that you can say, okay, we're going to take the best of the rest in the seventh round, give him to Aaron Glenn and see what he can do. is just like I lost all my hope in Aaron Glenn when a defensive coach couldn't get an interception last year. So my confidence is literally the lowest it's ever been as a Jets fan going into this season. So watch him go and win 14 games.
00:18:40
Speaker
Yeah, still, as I got to mention, they're going to get that many wins. But yeah, I think having hope low is better, to be honest. That's I'm trying not to get too hopeful about Harbaugh, but i do think he'll elevate the team.
00:18:51
Speaker
So yeah, that's our that's our NFL section. So let's welcome Michael in. So we've got our man Michael back again for the and NBA segment. It's been a couple of weeks, but... Don't worry, if you want more, Michael, he'll be here every week during the and NBA playoffs. So for the next couple of months, he'll be hitting your ears in every episode. So Michael, bi-weekly turns to weekly segment. How are you?
00:19:14
Speaker
I'm fine, thanks. I'm i'm excited for NBA playoffs to start and for my reign to continue on this podcast. I can't wait to bother you about every minute new detail of NBA basketball.
00:19:28
Speaker
But I wanted to start off a little bit. We're going to be talking about Giannis later, but I wanted to start off a little bit broad. I'm going to go with a quick NBA roundup. So I'm going to hit you with my favorite stat, story, and quote over the last week, and we'll get your opinion on it very quickly. So firstly, my stat, in a very sad loss to the Mavs, LeBron drops 30 points and 15 assists.
00:19:50
Speaker
Only two other players have hit that this whole season. Jokic, twice, and SGA. Give me your opinions on that, boys. Let me tell you. that the The King's dominance continues.
00:20:02
Speaker
Is this you trying to say that LeBron is going to play for another 20 years because he's he's done the same thing as Jokic and SGA? He's not in that conversation anymore, I don't think. I do think he's still brilliant, quite clearly, but I think he's past the point where you can put him into the bracket with the the new young faces of the league.
00:20:22
Speaker
I think Quint is there he'll always be a face of the league but he's not the face of the league anymore if in that's my opinion personally I think the one thing I'll say about LeBron is if at 40 years old your deterioration is into like prime Aaron Gordon, then I think you're doing pretty good. so i think is he he's been good enough for for his age, more than good enough.
00:20:47
Speaker
and That stat line kind of just shows it. He's still got it. The Lakers are just a joke right now with the injuries. yeah yeah Good luck to the playoffs. Speaking about the Lakers and the Mavs, actually, it comes to my favorite story, which is Austin Reeves was scanned on his oblique after getting injured in the OKC game. And the Mavericks medical staff, it was found out, scanned the wrong side of Austin Reeves.
00:21:16
Speaker
And the Lakers had to take him in for another scan before ruling him out. No worries. The Mavericks have come out with a statement saying that the medical staff followed correct procedures. So they've investigated and they've found that they've done nothing wrong. Just a shocking, shocking circumstance completely. I just thought it was a joke.
00:21:37
Speaker
Yeah, I don't understand how... how we how When I saw that story, it looked like a sent-out report, just to be like to get more like down on the maps, to be like, look how stupid they are and everything that they've done. But no, that's what they did. And if they found no issue with their internal process, who's going to tell them different? like It's their own...
00:21:58
Speaker
Like it's their own and medical staff and it's their own procedure. So obviously they did it wrong. They're going to say, no, we didn't do it wrong. We did. Maybe they're going to say we did what he told us, whatever. But the guy is, he could barely walk. You could see after that injury. So yeah, just, yeah, like, like you said, lot of injuries for the Lakers and the Mavs just do what the Mavs do. And you just have to leave them to it, to be honest, at this point.
00:22:23
Speaker
Yeah, it's one of those things where if this was their own player, there's absolutely no hope they'd made that mistake. They were given that 10% effort and concentration. That's why it happened. They couldn't have cared less if Austin Reeves is has a broken leg on his left leg. And they're like, oh, no, his right leg is absolutely fine. Off you go there and not do anything with it.
00:22:43
Speaker
If Anthony were probably trying to make the Lakers play him again for another game or two before realising and then make him miss the rest of the season, maybe it they're not that malicious, maybe they are just stupid, but I do think it's down to about 10% concentration and effort level went into that. But if it was one of their own players, that was Cooper Flagg. They did it on both sides. They tested his heart and his head and his his arms to make sure they're still at the same level. They'd have gone all to town, but the fact it was Austin Reeves was like, oh, just get him in and get him out. They couldn't have cared less.
00:23:13
Speaker
Just shocking from a billion-dollar company. And Anthony Davis is definitely saying, whew, right here. Like, this is just shocking from a team who just had AD on, who was injured all year. And my last favorite quote of the week now, Brad Stevens,
00:23:34
Speaker
Fantastic answer to a reporter when asked about character traits that the Celtics look for when acquiring role players, both in the draft and free agency. So the exact quote is competitive character where team matters.
00:23:49
Speaker
You're growth oriented. You come to work every day and your ambition doesn't necessarily exceed your self-awareness. Yeah, I think that that's Derek White summed up that whole tweet, that whole quote.
00:24:02
Speaker
you like you couldn't And the guys on the bench, if they can get loads of mini Derek Whites out of the likes of a Jordan Walsh or Baylor Shireman so on, then you know you're hitting the jackpot even if they're not up to that level. But that's just Derek Whites summed up.
00:24:17
Speaker
And obviously that's what a lot of their players do and that's why they are so good. Yeah, that's one of those things. I'm going to bring it to football for a second. When Jurgen Klopp came into Liverpool, he had a bit of a no dickhead rule. So he didn't view all the players where he signed them. And if they had any sort of flaws in their character or anything like that, he'd be like, no, I don't want them. go Go find someone who's going to actually play for the team.
00:24:38
Speaker
Be selfless. <unk> Yeah, so it's the same kind of thing where if you if you surround yourself with good people, you are going to be more successful than bringing in a load of individuals who are just out there for themselves and...
00:24:49
Speaker
so Like like the the Ronaldo thing where it's like, we i know but we we we won 4-0 but I didn't score so I'm not happy. Like that's not the kind of player you want on your team. I know for him it's different because he rarely ever went the game but without was scoring a goal of at one point in his career. So he was kind of maybe led away with it more than anyone else would. But it is about just having no dickheads around you and...
00:25:10
Speaker
like We can see this year what the Celtics have done in particular, are considering they were without Tate for so long, to be second in the Eastern Conference with 54 wins, missing their best player. Look what happened to Pacers when they lost their best player after being in the finals last year.
00:25:25
Speaker
It's it's char night and day from what everyone else is doing. So if you just surround yourself good people, actually think it's the only route forward. I think that's absolutely brilliant.
00:25:36
Speaker
Yeah, and I'd like to say the last part, your ambition doesn't exceed your self-awareness. Cam Thomas, that is why you are not in the league. Stop right there.
00:25:48
Speaker
All right, so moving on to our main topic for today now. ah This season has been quite a bumpy ride for Giannis, from the trade request to how messy the trade deadline was and Calci and all of that, to now all the recent news with the injury and his relationship with the Bucs kind of coming out of the roadwork.
00:26:08
Speaker
Everything just feels like a cherry on top of the Bucs' 30-win season. Let's start from the beginning. What's your opinion on this whole nasty breakup? And what do you think was the core reason? Do you think it was the core reason that the Bucks failed this season?
00:26:26
Speaker
So yeah I don't think it's the core reason they failed. I think they actually have a pretty poor team at the moment. I think what led to this whole, like the relationship getting to the point where they are absolutely going to have to have to split in the summer was when he was coming out saying, I'm healthy. I want to play in the box. Like he's not healthy. He won't do the three on three practices.
00:26:45
Speaker
It was just like they're they're clearly trying to tank together DraftKick. He clearly wants to play because it's just the kind of person he is. I think once that happened, he was like, this is no longer with the organization for me. I want to be at a team who,
00:26:58
Speaker
is challenging for championships, trying to win every single week or every single game. I know they play about four games a week, so not once a week he's going to have to win. He's trying to win every single match, every single time. He's just surrounded by losers.
00:27:09
Speaker
And I think this kind of just put in it, this kind of just cemented in his head that, yeah, it's not just losers on the court for me, it's losers in the front office, it's losers in the back office. It's the coach is a loser. Everything about him is just losers. He's like, what am I now? He's 32.
00:27:24
Speaker
what am I now? He's whatever I just said, but he's 32 now. He doesn't have long left to get another championship. And I'm sure he'd love at least one more, if not two more before he does hang up his basketball or his shirt or whatever it is and move on. So I think it is, i think it is down to them shutting him down and him coming out saying, no, put me on that court and i I'll show you who's, who's shut down.
00:27:48
Speaker
Yeah, I think, uh, The rice mile boat me and Michael gave at the sight of Doc Rivers there was great. He said the coach was a loser. That was great. But I think that in the the issue in itself and the question of you asking is everything...
00:28:07
Speaker
is everything kind of gone wrong because of him? I think the way you've answered it, Shane, is right. But also all of that is because of him, because everything they've done is to appease him.
00:28:18
Speaker
So yeah they've tried so hard to build everything to make him happy. Like they wouldn't be in this situation if they didn't go after Lillard. And they went after Lillard to try and make Giannis happy.
00:28:30
Speaker
And then nobody could have saw that ending the way it did with the injuries. And then Lillard being unhappy. And then they stretch and wave him so that they can sign Myles Turner, who is a fine player. But he's not somebody that's going to turn a team around alongside Giannis. Like, you need a lot more than that.
00:28:48
Speaker
And the fact that they went out and lost so many games this season in such an embarrassing manner. The Shams piece that kind of came to light this week that brought a lot of issues up, specifically some of the things you're probably going to mention, Michael, is fairly damning about the way that Doc Rivers had spoke to the players about telling them to check check his resume online instead of actually trying to win them over. Seems like a common occurrence for him. and And then you've got Bobby Portis like going crazy at the players because they just weren't showing any effort whatsoever. And and there's really mad quotes in there. Like there's one that I know it is.
00:29:29
Speaker
from a team source saying that the crux of the issue is feeling Giannis doesn't want to be here on any given day. So it all does really come back to him, this whole bad smell around the franchise and the bad attitude. And like, he can pretend to be as nice as he wants and say that he wanted things to go well and he wanted to work out with the books and he wanted to res resign. None of that is true. He had a gentleman's agreement since his contract like six years ago that if a big move came in for him, they would let him go if he wanted to go. And he he wants to just be made out to look like the good guy and they're willing to do that for him. And to be honest, at this point, the front office is going to look bad for them, but they should just throw him under the bus because he's not doing everything the way he should in the background.
00:30:14
Speaker
ah Just before you come in there, Michael, just want to just throw one more point out that... Another a thing that has always annoyed me about him, and it's not just this season alone, it's that wherever he goes, his brothers have to be with him.
00:30:26
Speaker
So you're wasting roster space on two other lads who aren't good enough for the G League, but they're on NBA rosters because they're his brother, where they mightn't have had to waive Damian Lillard to sign Miles Turner if they didn't have the two other...
00:30:41
Speaker
Now, maybe they would have because obviously Damien Lillard has been paid a lot more than those two are. But if they didn't have them there taking up space, maybe they'd have been able to bring in Miles Turner on top of Lillard. But I doubt it. But that's just annoyed me all throughout his career. And it's one of the reasons I've never wanted him to sign for the Rockets is because I'd want the other two coming along and taking up the space of...
00:31:01
Speaker
Not anymore now, but like Cam Whitmore at the time, who I thought was going to be an absolute star. If one of these Giannis brothers come in, they're going to have to they' going to want to place on the bench every week, and that might be pushing down Terry Eason or a Cam Whitmore as well. But that's a nonsense thing he does everywhere he goes, too.
00:31:18
Speaker
Yeah, I'm kind of, i feel ah really in between with all of this because on on one hand, it's a nasty breakup, but I think there's enough fault on both sides. James has a really good point with Giannis is the reason they brought in Dame and is also the reason they made so many moves in the last year to try and be competitive.
00:31:41
Speaker
But it it really just feels like Giannis definitely could have handled this better. And I think it it comes into my next question, which is how would you like to have seen Giannis handle this? He's treating it like a European professional team, which the NBA is not.
00:32:01
Speaker
Like at the way from his quotes of how he's talking, he talks to his agent and whatever happens, happens. Yeah. I think it's clear that he's spoken to his agent. He's given his destinations of what he wants. And what he wants to think is, everything else is no longer up to me. It's between my agent and the organization. I'm just going to keep playing basketball.
00:32:23
Speaker
And that's you could see that in his attitude for the first half of the season. But as time has went on and he's not getting what he wants and his public perception is going down, he seems to be getting really desperate to do kind of anything to say hey I'm actually not a bad guy and it just makes him look so much worse than if he just said nothing and didn't comment on any of it but did it have an impact on their season? Yes. Their main impact on the season?
00:32:57
Speaker
Doc Rivers We don't need to talk about it. Adrian Griffin was doing fine at this basketball club before Doc Rivers got in. Doc Rivers, historically, a horrific coach. In the last six years, even worse so. I mean, we'll just go to the one story. And I know the story that you guys are thinking of. Doc Rivers, early on in the season, telling his players after a loss, look at my resume, look at what I've done, look at what I'm doing.
00:33:28
Speaker
reported six players reached out to journalists. Six players on that team of the 15 there reached out to journalists to say this is some bullshit.
00:33:42
Speaker
Like, the Giannis situation did not help, but I think any competent coach could take Giannis and get to the play-in.
00:33:54
Speaker
Like, The fact that they are so low in the standings and the team isn't horrible. Like, it's not that there's absolutely devoid of talent, but I don't know.
00:34:10
Speaker
That pushes me onto my next question for you, which is like, how would you like to have seen Giannis handle it completely behind the scenes or James Harden, fat suit? Like, what do you think your opinion is on that?
00:34:23
Speaker
I think he should have... basically made his intentions clear. And like you said, i think I mentioned at the start of the season, but you've alluded to it there, that we've rarely seen a European superstar. We've never seen a European superstar in the and NBA push for a move the way the US players do, because it just doesn't work the same way. And I think if he just did that,
00:34:46
Speaker
That's what the media would have been used to. That's what everyone would have been used to. And although it's probably not common for him to behave that way, that's the way he's starting to behave now. And it looks bad because he started out in such a different way, like you've noted.
00:34:58
Speaker
So he either, he should have picked a lane and he should have been honest. and He tried the whole time to come out and go like, oh, I don't want to go anywhere. And then the next week, it'd be like a report from Sham saying that, you know, Giannis could move. Like, that's not coming from nobody. That's coming from his agent.
00:35:14
Speaker
So it's just like he wanted to talk out of two sides of his mouth constantly. If he was just straight up about it, whether that's good or bad, that would have been a lot better. And i know you've mentioned Doc Rivers a couple of times here, and I do agree that he's...
00:35:27
Speaker
Just as as much to blame for the bad season, if if not a lot more so. But that quote about him is like, you know that guy who does the like the skits think.
00:35:41
Speaker
And he does like the Doc Rivers skit like after they lose in the playoffs. And he did like I think he did one when he was with the Sixers. And it's literally like exactly like that, where he's just like, I'm not to blame. Everyone else is to blame. Check what I've done.
00:35:54
Speaker
And that's a joke. And this is what he actually does in real life. So it just goes to show you. But any other thoughts, Shane? Yeah, so I think the way he could handle it better is...
00:36:06
Speaker
like not coming out in public so often and saying all this healthy things, kind of keep it on the back burner. Clearly the organization are trying to get a draft pick to help you next year. So why are you coming out and throwing him under the bus over and over again? and I think by him trying not to be the bad guy, he really has become the bad guy.
00:36:23
Speaker
And like the way James said, it's perfectly he's talking out of both sides his mouth over and over again. and Like, no one has won in this battle. It's going to be a really messy breakup at the end of the season. i can't imagine he's there next season at all. There's no way he's he's sitting around and hanging on any longer. And it's hurt the books in terms of, like, his value has absolutely plummeted, I would imagine. Like, they'll still get a nice haul from but it won't be what they would have gotten if they traded him at the start of the season.
00:36:53
Speaker
Start of the season, just finishing, and as opposed to the start of next season. And... Like he's just been, he's always trying to not be the villain. And here he is now being the NBA's biggest villain. and like There's a tweet from a fellow called Duncan Alexander and it's, someone is always the crisis club.
00:37:12
Speaker
The aim for everyone is to not be the crisis club. And the Bucks have just, because of him, have just, they've almost become just the effervescent crisis up everything team Every single week there's another story coming out. It's not about Doc Rivers. i don't want to mention his name again. It's about Yannis or it's about the team. or And he's he's getting so much information from from so many people that there has be at least still six players who are talking to him.
00:37:37
Speaker
Because there's no way he's getting all all the information he's getting from one person. No one is that brave to keep coming out and giving them the stories over and over again because that's ah that's a surefire way to be caught and dumped.
00:37:49
Speaker
So that there's at least four or five players still feeding him information every single week. He's just dripping it out. I reckon he's another 20 stories in the locker waiting for the offseason when things are going quiet. There's no trades. He's like...
00:38:02
Speaker
Joe, what I'll do, I'll i'll drop one of the Yanis stories again now and that will get me my my million views on Twitter again and keep the money up, blah, blah, blah. Yanis has completely and utterly ruined it for both sides.
00:38:14
Speaker
His legacy in Milwaukee is going to be, he's keep when he goes back to the new team, he's going to be booed off the court. i think I think that's a guarantee. And the Americans don't really do that. There's going to be white flags and booing and everything. And it's just going to be a really, really toxic place to be when he goes back there for his first game. I'd actually love to be there.
00:38:32
Speaker
Whoever he goes back with, I'd love to be there and see the reaction to him. Before you move on to the last question, Michael, I just want to say I think it's probably the first time Duncan Alexander has ever been brought into a Milwaukee Bucks conversation. so you're Probably the last time as well.
00:38:49
Speaker
No, i I actually thought that was a fair point. And even your point about there's always a crisis club. I think at the start of the season, the crisis club was the Clippers because every week we were getting Clipper story after Clipper story. But I mean, they look fantastic now and it really transitioned to the bucks very quickly after that trade request so and i think you're spot on chain We get into our final topic, a question about this, which is Giannis, where does he get traded this offseason? Who trades for him? Does he ride it out with the bucks and then hit free agency? And for some facts for people out there who don't know, and just to refresh us, there's the core four that were at the table at the trade deadline, which is the Miami Heat, the Golden State Warriors, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the New York Knicks. There's a new report coming out that the Boston Celtics are very interested in Giannis this offseason, probably more so if they don't end up winning the NBA Finals.
00:39:46
Speaker
And then two more reports. The Bucs refused to include roland Ryan Rollins for a trade for Ja Morant, which is why Grizzlies dipped out. And the Bucs denied a trade for Hiro, Ka'elwer, and multiple first-round picks and pick swaps at the trade deadline.
00:40:03
Speaker
So that's kind of a little summary of the situation. Tell me what you guys think now. What do we think we're going to see at the end of August? I don't understand why they turned down that heat trade because that was when things were just starting to get horrific.
00:40:18
Speaker
That would have been one hell of a trade for the Bucs. They get in two good players, a load of first round picks, a load of picks in general, and just that rebuilding with Tyler Hero as kind of core. I think he's a really good player. He was six man a year only a couple of years back and he's sat in week in, week out now.
00:40:35
Speaker
I think the Celtics is the most likely because he's not one to go he's nas going to want to go to somewhere like the Grizzlies where he's not contending for a championship. He's not going to want to go to the Heat now because even if they are in the play-in or the play-off, they're in their 10th seat at the moment.
00:40:52
Speaker
That's not the kind of place he wants to be either. He wants to be at the top of the table winning 50, 55 games and pushing on and trying to win another championship. From my side, I just don't understand the Boston Celtics wanting him so badly.
00:41:06
Speaker
It's worked so well from this year. Tatum's back. It's working just as well. Are they really going to go and pair it all up to bring in this one guy who's 32 years old, a couple of injuries this year? Is that the kind of move you make if you're trying to push on and win championships? I'm not 100% sure, but I am open to hear your opinions on this. I could be completely wrong.
00:41:25
Speaker
I agree with you. I don't think the Celtics go near him, despite the report. I think... Bringing it back to the Brad Stephens quote, I know Giannis is a is a a player and one of the best in the world, but his personality may not fit what they're looking for right now, especially if they keep Tatum and Brown.
00:41:43
Speaker
And I don't think they trade one of those two guys away, given the season that Brown has had and that Tatum is back. So I don't know what else the Bucks realistically accept for him. I do agree that they should have accepted that Heat trade. i don't know how much better he could have gotten for the future. and And the Heat could have that problem then to deal with. I don't know what much else they would have had some kind of a decent roster, but there would have been a lot of holes there. I know that...
00:42:11
Speaker
The Bucks asked for Vijay Edge come from Philly. They denied that. Thank God. So that was another that was another report that was out there. And they asked for Evan Mobley if the Cavs came to the table.
00:42:24
Speaker
So, yeah, it's it's I'm not sure. It's questionable some of the deals they're trying to do. I don't know if they get much better than that heat trade. But ultimately, I think... The Knicks make the most sense for me because I just see the Knicks crashing out in the playoffs where the issues we see in the regular season come to a head in the playoffs. They lose, they don't get to where they want to be and they throw all the toys out of the pram and they go, look, we need to get Giannis in here because that's who we want and that's where he wants to go.
00:42:54
Speaker
And I don't know, they don't have much draft capital, but they're going to have to give up something in terms of solid players. So maybe it's Kat and... whatever other firsts they have to offer down the line and somebody else on the fringes. i don't know what they do exactly, but that's the most likely for me.
00:43:13
Speaker
I think I'm completely on the opposite side of both of you because I think there's no way Giannis gets the Knicks. Like, I understand that they could flame out and try and throw the whole pram at the Bucs.
00:43:28
Speaker
But looking at their assets, like, I genuinely don't know how they would trade for Giannis. They don't even have their first-round pick next year.
00:43:41
Speaker
They're, that like, they gave up a load of picks for Mikael Bridges, who doesn't look like that great of an asset that they could turn and flip him. so unless they're willing to part ways with an OG and an OB as well, maybe, because I don't think a Carl Anthony Towns is enough,
00:44:01
Speaker
for just that and a pick for Giannis. I'm sorry, I'd rather just keep Giannis for the rest of his contract. I think the Boston Celtics realistically also doesn't happen. But the one interesting wrinkle is they did get off Isaiah Thomas early.
00:44:22
Speaker
And there's smoke around Jason Tatum not being happy that he's the second option this season, which is, you know... He's only played for the last month, man. But that's...
00:44:35
Speaker
has I'm just saying the only world I could see the Celtics happening is if Jason Tatum really islamists is not like there's not comparable to Jason Tatum at all like Jason Tatum won them their first championship in so long no matter how corny is or how you think of them like Isaiah Thomas was never at his level that's not comparable of the two situations I'm just saying, I'm just saying, guys, I'm just saying we're we're one Jason Tatum crash out on Instagram away from him being traded for Giannis. OK, like if they flame out in the second rounds against our beloved Sixers, it's happening.
00:45:14
Speaker
and if if if If I was the Bucks and the Celtics came to the table and offered me Tatum for Giannis, I'd be doing the Luka job and just not telling anyone and just signing off. Because Giannis doesn't want to be there.
00:45:27
Speaker
Tatum is a star and someone that can change your whole culture. So I just think, yeah, if the Celtics were willing to do that, then then give me that. But I don't think they would ever, ever do that. And on the Knicks point, I think...
00:45:41
Speaker
If you give up, even if they don't want Cat, which I don't blame them if they don't want them. If they went out and said, give me Bridges has been terrible. If they went and said, give me Bridges and OG and you're 20-30 first.
00:45:54
Speaker
Like, if the Knicks are desperate, they would do it. I see that, but ah my most likely option is actually the Minnesota Timberwolves. I think there's a Nas re-trade there.
00:46:07
Speaker
and Depending on how their playoff looks, especially if they get bumped in the first or second round, I think... I think Anthony Edwards is going to demand something to change. They need tend to give them something. I think a trade package around Nas Reid and some picks, I think the Bucs would be looking into that and pairing him up with Ryan Rollins and the rest of the guys on that roster. I think for me, that's the most likely option. And I think Minnesota is good enough that Giannis would be interested in actually playing there.
00:46:41
Speaker
I think the big thing for me, i don't I don't disagree with you there, but the big thing for me is that this is going to drag on and on because the Bucs are going to have an idea in their head of what they want and what they think his value is.
00:46:54
Speaker
And there's nobody going to stump up anything close to it at the start of this offseason. It's going to come down to he might even be in Minnesota for the first five or ten games of the season before they, not Minnesota, in Milwaukee, before they do get this trade done because...
00:47:09
Speaker
The Bucs are going to try and play hardball. They're going to want as much as they can get for the star of their roster for the last 10 years plus. And there's no one going to offer it. like There's no one getting near to anything close to what that heat trade would have given them. So we this is going to drag on and drag on and drag on. And I'm on already bored of it and it hasn't even started. So I can only imagine what it's going to be like when it is when it is in in full flow and everyone is coming out the woodworks trying to get him. As long as the Rockets stay away from I'm sure you're the same with the Sixers, as long as they stay away from him as well. I'm just going to sit back and I'll wait for Michael to come on every two weeks and tell me the latest up update on Giannis because I'm not going to be looking it up myself for the whole offseason. I can't be bothered with this.
00:47:49
Speaker
Well, it's going to be a great podcast fodder for us. We have nothing else to talk about. so Yeah, fair enough. ah I think we'll leave it there for for our segment with Michael this week. But yeah, as I said, he'll be here every single week. So you won't have to wait too much longer to get more from him. But thanks again, Mike. And we'll talk to you next week.
00:48:09
Speaker
See you guys. Okay, so gone chance. Another week has gone by. and finally, we had our first five-pointer. You didn't realize, did you? Because I didn't say it to you.
00:48:20
Speaker
was holding it until this episode. I went three for three. Sixers to beat the Timberwolves. Nuggets to beat the Spurs. And the Hornets to beat the Timberwolves. One, two, three. Five points on the board. Shane, you got one. You also had the Nuggets to beat the Spurs. But you had Liverpool to beat City.
00:48:38
Speaker
yeah that one was. That smacked. um grizzlies to beat the books books won one of the only games i've ever seen them win in the last three months and so yeah i'm 33 26 ahead the lead is seven you're gonna need to pull it down out of the bag here down the stretch to to catch me at this point so we let you go first this week since you're you know so far behind me i I was only like, I i normally write down picks you have as well so I can check them and I didn't write them down last week. So the fact you got a five pointer is definitely my fault. It was just too late by the time I realized I wasn't writing them. I was like, oh, forget about it. It doesn't matter anyway. We're only going to get one each again.
00:49:17
Speaker
I've gotten two Premier League and one NBA this week. um I've gone with the Hornets. 43 and 37, I assume, because I've brought them down as 43 and 73, and that's more like a baseball record than it is an NFL one. But I've gone with them to beat the Pistons because the Pistons have the the top seed wrapped up.
00:49:36
Speaker
The Hornets are still playing to try and get into the higher bracket of the play-in. They're just going to more to play for it than the Pistons have. They're both really good teams. I think the Pistons might even rest a couple, not for the whole game, but they might be taking them out early and putting them back in. So I just backed the Hornets to get over the line. And this one clearly hasn't done me well since like week five, but when I predicted the Pacers to win whatever game that was. And then everything is just falling apart. It's like I sold my soul to the devil for that one Pacers win when they were never brutal. bus
00:50:07
Speaker
Over in the Premier League, I've gone with Bournemouth to beat Newcastle. Bournemouth are Newcastle are Newcastle at home have been good recently. Bournemouth against Arsenal, you mean, yeah?
00:50:19
Speaker
Sorry, yes. I was thinking. it yeah Yeah, Arsenal, they're just brutal to watch. They were terrible again in a midweek. We'll get on them in a couple of minutes.
00:50:30
Speaker
This is a really, really exciting Bournemouth team. If they can get at that Arsenal back line, they were going to be... Maybe not a full eye, but a semi eye on the the second leg of that quarter final as well. I just think it's it's it's there to be done for Bournemouth. So I just put them in. And I've also got my leads to beat United. You laugh every time I go against United, but I do have a basis for it this time.
00:50:56
Speaker
United have been terrible off the back of having two week break. They've gone training in Ireland this week, so I can guarantee our people who are listening from outside of Ireland that it hasn't been a warm weather break for United in the training.
00:51:08
Speaker
they i just think United going to start slow. Leeds going to start faster, way they did Elland Road. And if they can get a goal or two up in the first half an hour, very unlikely, I know. But if they can, they're also fighting for their lives as well. So I just i just think at 4-1, I just think it's a really, really good bet.
00:51:24
Speaker
Fair enough, yeah. um I've gone one the same. i also have Bournemouth to beat Arsenal because, don't know, I just thought the way Arsenal played against Southampton and then again against Lisbon, it just signifies that they're not in a good spot at the moment.
00:51:39
Speaker
um And they'll blame injuries even though they've only got like four players out. But I think... Hornets are a really good value. 6-1 is a great bet here. And then I've also got the Hornets, but I have them to beat the Knicks. The Knicks are 51-28, Hornets 43-37, as you said. and The only reason I didn't go for the Pistons one is just because I think they might give Cade a decent amount of minutes to try ramp him up for the playoffs.
00:52:05
Speaker
But i yeah, I think either way, the Hornets are a good shout. So I'm going with them against the Knicks. And Really to spoil the Knicks. I feel like it could go down to the last game to see who gets and the three seed, the Cavs or the Knicks and Hornets beating them on the last day of the regular season would be kind of funny. and Then I'm going to what worked for me last week and I'm going back to the Nuggets beating the Spurs.
00:52:27
Speaker
Nuggets Spurs sixty one and nineteen I was going to go Nuggets over OKC, but I think OKC will treat that like a playoff game, whereas the Spurs may arrest Wemby after his injury. So I think the Nuggets will have a good chance of that. Like, they've already beaten them twice in the last couple of weeks, and they've won 10 in a row.
00:52:45
Speaker
So I think I'm going with Nuggets here to beat the Spurs. So let's see how we get on with those. But you did mention that we'd come back to Arsenal, and we're going to touch on all the teams... Thank God didn't start
00:53:05
Speaker
first up we've got madrid againstpiy munich so oh god you didn't start with ael This was in Madrid, Real Madrid that is, playing against Bayern and look, it was too one to Bayern, that scoreline flatters Madrid, I think you'll agree, Bayern had so many chances, Madrid did have chances too, it was a great game to watch but Madrid seemed to have a massive issue at fullback.
00:53:31
Speaker
They've got Trent on one side, Alvaro Carreras on the other side. They're both very attacking. And then you're completely isolated at that point. So I think coming up against Alise and Diaz was a recipe for disaster. And I don't know, I think Real are the type of team that can always turn it around. But I think they've got so many issues this season that I'm not sure if they can do it this time.
00:53:54
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know how Vincent Kompany has turned this Bayern team into the best team in Europe because last year he didn't seem to have any sort of tactical plan. Everything was just kind of gung-ho, just go forward, score goals, see what he can do. And I know he won the Bundesliga, but they were terrible in Champions League.
00:54:11
Speaker
Oli says, come on, leaps and bounds in the last 12 months. He is absolutely frightening. Now, Diaz... is kind of like I've been apologizing to my friends all season because I said all year wanted him gone. I bro probably said on this podcast I wanted him gone. I'd have him back now in a heartbeat. He's looking like some player and then Nabry and Kane are just a perfect foil for those two on top of it.
00:54:33
Speaker
They're just some front four. The thing that shocked me about this was when i was looking it up after, the stats are so even and it didn't feel like a game the stats were even. So they both had 20 shots.
00:54:44
Speaker
They've had four, Madrid have four big chances, Bayern three. The passes, 454 to 493. I'm going to mention passes in all of these because when we get on to PSG, it's the most embarrassing thing I've ever seen in my life. And even the distance covered was really close and possession. So on paper, it's really even game, but it's one of those, again, where the eye test tells a completely a different story. yeah Bayern absolutely dominated them.
00:55:07
Speaker
Diaz, for it's just as much I was praising, he kind of butchered two or three chances in the last five or ten minutes to feed in Alicia or feed in Kane with... Overhit passes that we need to see overhit our balls behind the players.
00:55:18
Speaker
This could very easily be to Bayern and it would be completely tie over. But I do back Bayern to get through in the second leg here. Yeah, they were they were both of our picks to win it out. So I'm going to stick with stick with them to win this. But I think it it makes for a great second leg that Mbappe did get that goal. And and I think...
00:55:37
Speaker
The thing as well is that the XG was a little bit different. It was like 3-2. It was like 2.99 to 1.98 or something. yeah So it shows that Bayern did have better chances when they did create them. So, look, I think this is going to make up for a very, very interesting second leg. And everyone's going to be watching that as they were already and not this next game, which I'm going to get on to. And that's Sporting Lisbon against Arsenal. Arsenal got the win. Kai Havertz coming up with last-minute goal, as he's as he's known to do.
00:56:08
Speaker
I think it was a a poor game all around. I watched the highlights back afterwards because I was watching Madrid and Bayern. But Sporting hit the bar. had a couple of good chances towards the end.
00:56:19
Speaker
i think... One thing that's unforgivable is Giacra as being offside for that Zubimendi goal. He's receiving a pass on the line and he's nearly on the edge of the box. And for some reason, he's behind all the defenders. And he completely undoes a beautiful finish by Zubimendi for being offside there.
00:56:36
Speaker
And i think it's likely to be a similar result in the second leg. Fairly pointless game to watch because it's going to be Arsenal just trying to stodgy it up, especially at home.
00:56:47
Speaker
as they're known to do, throwing themselves around a good bit this season. You know, it's not the Arsenal of old that we used to watch, with which was great football. It's just i'm I'm really kind of getting a bit fed up of watching them play because it's it's way too stodgy and it's just not really any intent there most of the time. So I think Sporting will try their best, but I don't think they'll be able to break down Arsenal.
00:57:09
Speaker
No, I'm not watching a single Arsenal game for the rest of the season. It's an absolute fact. not even taking the piss. I have absolutely no interest in watching that football team or the way they play football. They can just, justify like if if they go on and win this and win the Premier League the way they're playing football, then football really is dead. We said we had our whole topic last week, or couple of weeks back, was, is football crap?
00:57:31
Speaker
If Arsenal go and win either of these two competitions, then I i think we can say for certain that our football is is well and truly on the way out. yeah I don't even want to talk about them. I'd rather talk about Liverpool getting battered around the place than talk about this Arsenal team. Yeah, I was just about to say, I don't think there's anything else needs to be said about this game. So, like you said, let's move on to Wednesday.
00:57:52
Speaker
PSG 2, Liverpool 0. How this was 2-0, I will never know. Other domination. PSG were so much better than what we saw in the group stage. And it was the same as last year, which is... interesting so let's see if they can repeat what they did I can't wait to see them against Bayern if Bayern pull it off against Madrid and PSG hold out against Liverpool I think that would be a really really good semi-final but they're such a good team they should have had one if not two penalties I think that last push from Kanata is a stonewall penalty I think it probably is a penalty. I wouldn't say Stonewall because what he it's not the slightest or the slightest touch. It doesn't matter. It's a clear penalty. i I think the only reason he doesn't give it is because of the one that he's had overturned on him, the referee. I think he's afraid to give it. I think if he if he doesn't give that one for the great tackle by Kanate...
00:58:45
Speaker
then I do think he gives the second one, even though the first one didn't count. It's probably still in his mind. I think also the first one is, if it's in the Premier League, it's a penalty 100 times out of 100, because they don't really overturn things like that. Because he contacts his knee first, and even though it's minor...
00:59:04
Speaker
which in the Champions League they say, right, yeah, let's they have different referees and a different standard. They say, yeah, then he won the ball after and it was a minor touch. But in the Premier League, they go, he touched them, that's it. Like, he blew in his direction. he's So I think that's that's also worth noting as well. I think Liverpool are very lucky to get out at this. Yeah. so I think t the only positive to take is that if Liverpool can go 1-0 up in Anfield, then the tie is still on. Do I see it happening? Probably not. 744 passes by PSG in 90 minutes. that's
00:59:38
Speaker
I remember when the Man City had a game a couple of years back when they were doing their their absolute peak best. as state The Gundogan and the Bayern midfield and Gundogan made like 97 passes and they made like nine hundreds I've never seen a team, this is a Liverpool team that spent hundreds of millions in the summer and Slott was like, I want to try and get to PSG's level of full backs flying all over the place, blah, blah, blah. It's not worked at all. 74% possessions.
01:00:07
Speaker
Their goalkeeper is useless. he's He was a backup keeper all season. He's useless. Liverpool didn't test him once with a shot. Not once, not one shot in target. 0.18 xG to 2.2. Four big chances to none. 18 shots to three.
01:00:22
Speaker
Four saves from Ahmed Ashwili. And we were actually really lucky that he was able to stop some of them. Dembele hit the post. the Nuno Mendes one at the end of the game. There's just chance after chance after chance after chance. And this Liverpool team need to go into the second leg completely different attitude because they literally played like the way a Mets or a Lorient go to the Parc de Promp, sit in and just try and play for nil all. You're 1-0 down after 11 minutes. Why you're not going to a back four, pushing ping pong up and go back to your 4-2-3 and trying to do something then? Because
01:00:56
Speaker
That was the most pitiful Liverpool performance I've seen a long, long time. And as you said, they're so lucky it's only 2-0 and that they're still in with it. a 10% chance of of somehow getting through but then they have and face Bayern and Madrid so is there even really a point at this stage? Yeah I don't think there's any chance that they get by PSG because they set up a 5 at the back to try and nullify them and they gave up that many chances if Liverpool go at 4 at the back they might get a goal or 2 but PSG could score 7 there's no way that Liverpool get out of here with anything I just can't see it
01:01:33
Speaker
They're just... thanksgiving The way they just play is just shocking. Slob is just a lot of amateur. Even if he tried go man to man and say, okay, fear it's for the first half an hour, want you mark Hikini.
01:01:45
Speaker
then Hakimi pops up at centre-forward and Kravish Veya is at right-back and you just pull that over place. I've never seen a team played football way does pee team play football play football, where the only two people who stay in position are the centre-backs and everyone else is like, oh, Nuno Mendes wants to go up front, Desiree, hop in there, left-back for next five minutes and give him a chance, he wants to get a goal.
01:02:05
Speaker
They bring on another left-back to get off their belly and just put Nuno Mendes up on the left wing because they can. Like, it's it's it's it's wild. it's It's one of those where... I've been banging on for years and I'm sure everyone else is that formations are only for the TV.
01:02:19
Speaker
Formations don't exist. This PSG team are the literal epitome of the fact that formations don't exist because outside of the two centre-backs and maybe Vitinha in a small way are only ones that kind of keep their position.
01:02:32
Speaker
Vitinha is some footballer. Unbelievable. My goodness. he He's the closest thing we've had to Xavi since Xavi retired. The way he sits in, dictates everything. He's small, but he's so strong. like You look at himself and Jaron Evers in the midfield, you're like, you'll just you can bully that.
01:02:52
Speaker
Sambaslai was appalled. Well, all the midfielders were appalling him last night, but Sambaslai was just running around like he had the chicken after a ball that he was never going to get to. The one where Zaire Emery lets it run past him when Sambaslai is sliding in, it's just like, oh, that is just... That's dreadful. They were just dreadful at the start to finish. There's point where Zaire Emery literally out-muscles Kanata, and you're like, yeah how does this even happen? These guys are in such good shape.
01:03:17
Speaker
Yeah, i think... I think that PSG are just a joy to watch, to be honest. And Van Dijk did not know what planet he was on. He was... There was times there where I saw, and it was like, you're set up at five, and he's over stuck to Kanata's arse on the right-hand side, and Joe Gomez is on his own on the left, and there's a massive gap.
01:03:40
Speaker
And a couple of times PSG tried to run through it, and just the pass was off. And, like, I just... Like, this is just abysmal, like... None of this is working. Just blow the whole thing up.
01:03:51
Speaker
like I just think that for how much money was spent, like a slot just needs to go because someone else needs to come in and sort this out because it's a mess. I couldn't believe they came out and at the start second half in the five at the back again.
01:04:04
Speaker
I thought for sure he was going to go back to 4-3-3. Just put Brim Pang up on the right wing. He was basically playing there anyway and just get the three in midfield. He was playing Sabaslay as a false nine from what I can see.
01:04:15
Speaker
The man's ever played his life. I'm pretty sure Hugo Ekotique was playing on the left of the front three. Virch on the right. The way he played it, Virch has never played right for Liverpool. That's where he was playing.
01:04:27
Speaker
Sabozai has never played false nine for Liverpool. That's where he was playing. Ekotique has never started off the left. That's where was playing. The three there have played in the positions at different times.
01:04:39
Speaker
So put first on the left where he's played most of his time. TK at front where he's played most of his time. Sabazai as the kind of... of Almost as the wing-back and put Fringpong further up. None of what he did made sense yesterday and it was just...
01:04:52
Speaker
The final nail of a lot of nails that I put into this coffin in the last couple of weeks. But that that was the one I was like, this is Liverpool football club we're talking about. Like, this is not a Mets or a Lorient, as I said.
01:05:04
Speaker
Monaco gave more of a goal when they go there. Lons gave more of a goal when they go there. I couldn't believe he set up like a Burnley playing away at Man City. And it it was embarrassing to watch from start to finish.
01:05:15
Speaker
Yeah, let's move on to the last one. So Barca against Atleti. It was 2-0 to Atleti away in the camp now. i think the red card for Cabarci, I thought it was kind of harsh, to be honest. I know that they are running through, but I don't feel like he has full control yet or that he's running one-on-one for a guaranteed goal. I think a yellow card would have been fair enough, in my opinion there.
01:05:39
Speaker
But once you give Alvarez that free kick, he is just lethal. He is such good person. And then after that, it was a strange one. Atleti were the second best the whole game, even though Barca were down to 10 men.
01:05:53
Speaker
Sorelot's goal came out of nowhere. i think Barca can definitely turn this around because they showed already in the Copa del Rey. Atletico were 3-0 up after the first leg and Barca came and beat them by by four.
01:06:05
Speaker
So i think they could just do that again. Atleti are going to be very tough to break down in the next in the next round. um So yeah, I don't know. I think Barca are the most likely to turn the deficit around, even though they have one of the biggest deficits or the giant biggest with Liverpool. I actually think they're the most likely to turn it around.
01:06:25
Speaker
Yeah, 6% possession, 1.16 xG to shots to 5, 7 saves from Oblak for 1 from Barcelona. like it was It was complete dominance. It's one of those, how is the scoreline 2-0 after what I've just seen in the highlights? It made absolutely no sense. But yeah, I actually i back Barcelona to turn this around.
01:06:45
Speaker
i don't think any of the other three on the losing side are going to turn it around. I'm obviously hopeful Liverpool do, and I'll watch it with complete hope and... expectation that they somehow pull off a miracle but I do think the Spar Sonatine will is are the only ones that are going to turn this around. Yeah and did you see as well at the end where the Atletico they clearly took the kick out All Black clearly took it and then the centre back was in position and he picked the ball up with his hands and placed it again.
01:07:14
Speaker
That's a penalty. the Tyrell on rings. Yeah. Yeah, it's a penalty and they didn't give it. They didn't even look at So I think Barca were kind of hard done by. And another note I have on this is Rashford looked really dangerous. So I hope he he keeps it up um and they want to they actually finally pay instead of keep trying to get a second loan. I think that but that was Simeone's first win.
01:07:37
Speaker
at the Nou Camp as well. And he he just sprinted down the tunnel after it was over. He was clearly still very unhappy as well with how it went. and i I don't blame him, him but i'd say I'd say he still tore him to shreds in the dressing room despite the fact they won 2-0 because they're going to have to be 100 times better the same way Liverpool and probably Madrid are going have to be as well. So we'll see if any of the three them can turn it around. Unfortunately, Arsenal are going to
01:08:03
Speaker
ruin their way ruin football their way to get into a semi-final so what' just have to wait and see yeah let's wait and see that's great and so last up on the football side of things how will Chelsea fare at home to Man City this Sunday it's a super Sunday matchup an interesting one because it could be the f FA Cup final if things go chalk in the semi-final where Chelsea have Leeds and City have Southampton so it could be a bit of a preview to that Both teams got on very well last weekend, obviously, but Chelsea played Port Vale, whereas City played Liverpool. So there's a massive difference in the level of team that they played. So I'd be much more confident if I was Pep. Enzo's still out with a suspension from the team, which I think would be a massive miss for Chelsea. Yeah, it's it's just such a Chelsea thing to do, to be honest. And I just think that they're in for a...
01:09:00
Speaker
I don't know. I think they're in for a bad end to the season. i could see Leeds beating them in the cup and I could honestly see this going badly for them in a number of other games. I just think that Roe Senior doesn't have any control over this team. So I think City will be looking to grab a win here and then gear up for their game against Arsenal the following weekend to really make the title race something interesting.
01:09:21
Speaker
Yeah, so two points I was going to make start off my segment you've said. I will be backing Leeds in Ganshan's that week to beat Chelsea in the Cubs' semi-final. I really, really fancy them. And it's the fact that City have this and then Arsenal.
01:09:35
Speaker
they're not going to want to give up the chance of getting back to within six points by losing this and the gap becoming 12 more than likely. No, they won't actually because we both want Arsenal to lose. yeah So if Arsenal do lose, City are going to come out here and just steamroll Chelsea, get it back to six points and look forward to getting to the Emirates then the week after and do doing Arsenal. But we we'll talk about that on next week's pod, obviously, because it is quite clear the game of the weekend.
01:10:03
Speaker
I don't see how it goes well for Chelsea, especially when they are suspending their their captain, basically, because he he made a comment that, like, why wasn't Cucuraya suspended for saying that he thinks Enzo Mreska should still be in his job? Like, you know, what's what he said is far worse than what Enzo said. Everyone wants to live in Madrid, as Jose Mourinho said.
01:10:20
Speaker
I want to live in Madrid. I'm not going to be suspended for the podcast for two weeks. Like, Joe, it's kind of, it's a bit ridiculous. Like, obviously, the pork game Port Vale game, they're the one that would mean you up front with how they played so fair enough but taking them out of the game against possibly still the best footballing side in the Premier League because obviously it's not Arsenal I think that's absolute madness and it is going to cost them in this 3-0 City Yeah, I'm basically right there with you. I've got 3-1. just think that City didn't concede to Liverpool, and that's why I said, OK, they'll concede this week, because I think Chelsea will create ah probably a similar amount of chances that Liverpool did in that game. So I just see them maybe just taking one, just when the game is already maybe dead and buried, or it's 2-0 and makes it interesting for 10 minutes. But I just think that City are...
Football Predictions and Debates
01:11:13
Speaker
Definitely going to win. I could even stretch this to 4-1. I just think they've got it in the bag. And i will say, when we talked about Leeds, props to both of us, because we both predicted Leeds to draw a West Ham and win on penalties last week, which is pretty bad. so And Suchek lost the penalty shootout.
01:11:29
Speaker
Good enough for him. and but One more thing on Chelsea is, have you seen these Liam De Laff stories coming out now that he's a trap? Now that no no he's a trap again, he wants play for Ireland. Yes, he can shove it. Yes, there you are, bud. Thanks very much. you You had the opportunity to help us in the playoff and you you just you were like, no, I'm good enough for England. The opposite to what that other snake did from The club who shall not be named anymore. Let's move
NBA Power Rankings
01:11:57
Speaker
on to the power rankings.
01:11:59
Speaker
Yeah, but I will say, well before we move on, like if like if when Ferguson is actually fit and i'm able to play, like the lap is our third choice striker behind yeah Ferguson and Parrott. So yeah, he he he should get used to sitting on the bench if he wants to play for Ireland. So yeah, let's move into the power rankings, as you said.
01:12:16
Speaker
and so last week I had... Thunder, Spurs, City, Nuggets, United and Arsenal. So a couple of changes. Thunder are still first. They're up to 64 wins now. Just unbelievable. They made mincemeat of the Clippers last night. Shea was with another 20-point game. Chet was unbelievable. Then the Nuggets, I moved them up to second. I think they're on an absolute tear. 10 wins in a row. Jokic has been unbelievable. So in the last 10 games where they've won those 10 games...
01:12:47
Speaker
The amount of points, rebounds and assists he's put up are more than any other player has ever put up over a 10-game stretch in NBA history. He's just he's charging for the MVP and they're charging for this playoff spot. They're getting me getting me back on board with them after I was ready to write them off. um And beating the Spurs twice helps too.
01:13:06
Speaker
And then next up is City. They stay where they are. And then the Spurs just go into the Nuggets spot. I just swapped the two of them around. I think the Spurs are still unbelievable, but just the Nuggets have beaten them the last couple of weeks.
01:13:18
Speaker
Then United and Arsenal remain fifth and sixth. Arsenal are just in there. There's no one else to put in, to be honest, from the Premier League because there's not been many teams played recently. So let's see how this weekend goes. But that's my
Team Performances and Episode Closure
01:13:30
Speaker
sixth.
01:13:31
Speaker
Yeah, so I have made one personnel change, but I have kind of switched off there the running order a bit. So I have the Thunder, number one, obviously, as well. I have brought the Nuggets in over the Lakers, quite obviously.
01:13:43
Speaker
um I had until like maybe two hours ago, I had the Rockets slash the Nuggets in that position because I was like, who am I going to throw in here Rockets are on a seven-game run. But then I said to myself last night, if if the Nuggets win again last night, which they did, it would have to be them because it is on a 10-game streak. so They have come in at second for me.
01:14:02
Speaker
The Spurs dropped down to third. Sorry, they stayed third. They were third last year. I've just gone with the three. NBA is the top three because the Premier League game hasn't really happened. We're just off to back the international break. So it is still the three.
01:14:14
Speaker
City are fourth, United fifth and Arsenal sixth. Arsenal again, like you were only there because everyone else is crap. And they are of the league and they're in the quarter-final Champions League. So, yeah, it's I'll keep the list off again. you So it's Thunder, Nuggets, Spurs, City, Arsenal.
01:14:30
Speaker
Sorry, City, United, Arsenal. Yeah, we're fairly similar at this stage. things Let's see if the Premier League can throw up an interesting team over the next few weeks to to get in there. and But yeah, that's another episode.
01:14:43
Speaker
Plenty covered off. Hope you enjoyed it. and As I said, Michael will be back again next week and every week for the playoffs. So stay tuned for that. Plenty of and NBA action as the regular season ends this weekend. But I'll throw to you to wrap it in.
01:14:56
Speaker
Yeah, so it's been a long enough episode, so I won't keep you too long. Just again, like, subscribe, all the usual, if you wouldn't mind, i would be absolutely great. And we'll see you next week. Welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball with Shane and James.