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Aston Villa Topple Pep’s City | What are the Vikings Doing? | Undefeated NBA Teams: Who’s for Real
11 Plays3 days ago
Premier League CHAOS! Villa STUN City — but was it a fluke or a statement win? The lads dig into the Premier League Performance of the Week and preview whether Bournemouth can add to City’s misery this weekend!
NFL DRAMA! Breece Hall comes up clutch as the Jets edge the Bengals, while the Vikings’ Wentz situation sparks outrage — is it acceptable to play a guy through that kind of injury?
Unbeaten NBA Teams EXPOSED?! In this week’s episode of Got’s Got The Ball? Shane and James break down the perfect starts for the Thunder, 76ers, Bulls, and Spurs — but which team is for real and which is just living a massive lie?
Power Rankings SHAKE-UP! There’s movement at the top — who’s climbing, who’s crashing, and will Shane finally score a point in Gan Seans this week?!
Tune in now for hot takes, bold predictions, and absolute sporting mayhem from start to finish!
🎧 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!
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🌍 Based in Ireland | Talking global sports weekly
(0:00) Intro
(3:53) PL Performance of the Weekend
(10:13) City vs Bournemouth Preview + Predictions
(17:16) The Vikings Mishandling of Wentz
(24:29) NFL Clutch Player of the Week
(31:36) Gan Seans: Our Underdog Picks
(35:35) The Undefeated NBA Teams
(35:55) Sixers in Backcourt Heaven
(39:47) Can the Bulls Keep Performing?
(43:16) Wemby’s Spurs Look Unstoppable
(49:12) OKC Picking Up Where They Left Off
(54:00) NBA X NFL X PL Power Rankings
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Transcript
Introduction and Subscriber Goals
00:00:09
Speaker
All right, welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball? Shane and James. James and Shane. The two of us. We're back here. There's not four of us. don't know why said four different names. It makes it seem like we have two Jameses and two Shanes, but we're back.
00:00:22
Speaker
Shane, what is the story? Not a whole lot. I think I just did the best intro of all time that's never going to be seen by anyone on the internet. So ah we're currently on the road to 100,000 subscribers. So when we get to 100,000, we'll share my intro there for you.
00:00:35
Speaker
We're only like 199,500 away, so we'll keep plodding along until we get to Maths was the worst life
Club's Playoff Excitement
00:00:43
Speaker
ever. heard yeah Outside of that, I spent the weekend watching 3D on Friday and Tuesday getting to playoff final.
00:00:54
Speaker
you know It's progress from the last couple of years. This is our first playoff final since the club was founded as well. so it's And it's a massive opportunity against Spain out there. think we have, I think the club are putting on supporters' buses. There's already three buses full. There's going to over 200 pretty fans at the game and at loan again, which is...
00:01:11
Speaker
Brilliant. There was 200 down in Colve on Tuesday as well, which is incredible for Tuesday night. So hopefully they can get over the line now. The atmosphere the fans have been creating the last couple of weeks has been insane. um and So you had to give them their props every now and again.
00:01:25
Speaker
and They've just been absolutely brilliant and hopefully they can keep it up when we go to our loan now. But back to the more important point, get us 100,000 subscribers. Thank you very much. Yeah, yeah, that's it. We're on the road. As soon as you get one subscriber, you're on the road. And same with 3D. As soon as you get one win, you're on that road, lad. And one more win. Exactly. We're nearly there. Just one more after that. So it makes a great end to the season for you. So, no, that's... It's class. It's really good to see. And hopefully you get that final...
00:01:53
Speaker
game by beating Bray and get there to play against them the the team that gets relegated from the main division. Now, if you're from another country and listen to this, you're probably like, what on earth is that system?
Football and NFL Recap
00:02:05
Speaker
um But yeah, if you finish second last in the top division, you have to play the team that wins the playoffs of the second division. So yeah, a bit convoluted, but hopefully it works out in Trady's favour The topics we touched on this week then are, we started with football.
00:02:23
Speaker
We talked about our performance of the weekend. So we went in depth on Villa beating Man City, how impressive they've been recently. And then we stayed on City when we did our game preview. So they're playing Bournemouth this weekend, second versus fifth in Manchester.
00:02:38
Speaker
So we we previewed that game and gave our predictions. We moved on to the NFL then. We talked about how the Vikings have handled the Wentz situation. and Very, very poor ball. Mishandles.
00:02:49
Speaker
Mishandles is a better way to put it. Exactly. Yeah, we were not impressed with that. So we talked about that.
Jets Highlight and NBA Updates
00:02:54
Speaker
Then Shane got the moment he's been waiting for. Clutch player of the week. Went to a Jets player. You'll have to wait to see which one it was. But the Jets got their win.
00:03:02
Speaker
Shane was absolutely over the moon. We moved on to Gonshance then. Gave a score update and gave our picks for the week. Then finished up on our sports topics with the and NBA. We talked about the teams that are undefeated so far. So we have my Sixers, of course, very happy that they are there. and The Chicago Bulls, the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder inevitably. And then we wrapped up with the power rankings, gave an update.
00:03:28
Speaker
We've got our and NBA teams in there now. So there is some. some change so give give it a listen let us know if you enjoyed at the end leave a thumbs up as usual all that good stuff that we usually say I'm going to throw it in here now before we get into it we really do appreciate if you can give a comment repost share anything at all just let us know what you think give your opinions in the comments so we can have something to to respond to we'd love to hear from you so let's get straight into the episode So let's start with performance of the weekend in the Premier League.
Aston Villa's Winning Streak
00:03:56
Speaker
We both kind of thought of a few options here, but ultimately Aston Villa have not really gotten a whole lot of pop from us, I don't think, in the last few weeks when they have been going on a run.
00:04:07
Speaker
It's probably because they started the season with three points in their first five games. But since then, they've won four straight in the competition and then six out of seven in all competitions. So foot four straight in the Premier League.
00:04:20
Speaker
They frustrated City. They only had two shots on target. They still managed to win. A cracking goal really was the difference in this game. City didn't really look like scoring. Bayern won Haaland kind of one-on-one after the goal and Martinez came up trumps on that one. So what did you make of the Villa performance overall?
00:04:40
Speaker
Yeah, so Villa have kind of done the reverse of Liverpool, where they started off really badly and have now just gone on a mad run, whereas Liverpool started really well and then have gone into this run of form. So I think that's why Villa have been kind of gone under the radar a bit, because people are just looking like, they did nothing the start the year, they're clearly not very good, Emery's in trouble, blah, blah, blah. And now, I said, four wins in a row, they've beaten City and they've beaten Spurs in that time as well, and they've looked really solid going forward and defensively.
00:05:05
Speaker
Matty Cash is in the best run of form we've ever seen. ah for himself obviously not for any player ever but so his pass to Dina for the goal that beat Spurs last week was yeah ridiculous then his goal this week is just a thunderstorm like it's they're just a shell shocked City from the start I got him into my fantasy team like three weeks ago when they started keeping clean sheets and I had him in for a couple of weeks but then I benched him against City was like nah this is the Haaland time now the rest my defenders did okay so wasn't annoyed but when I saw that goal I was like i here this guy is on serious form and he was scoring goals for
00:05:38
Speaker
Poland as well I think in the yeah international game so i was like you need to get in him him in there fairly quick I think you made a good point about them being better defensively for me that's a lot down to Pau Torres he was kind of a rock for them at times last season and he only started twice in the first six games they got zero wins he started every game since and they've won six out of seven so I think there's a correlation there It's really hard to get a left-footed centre-back who is really, really good. and they're They're in search short such short supply and he is definitely one of them that just keeps going and going. He makes such a difference from Mac there, as you said. He's just so solid. He was so solid at Villarreal before he moved Villa as well. it was
00:06:23
Speaker
bit of a surprise he ended up at Villa and not at United or City or Liverpool at that time. Yeah, Arsenal wanted him as well. Villa really reaping the rewards. Yeah, Villa really reaping the rewards of that now and he's just, such a rock for him. Himself and Mings,
00:06:36
Speaker
ah when he plays, it's such a good, really good, solid partnership as well. It's Conce at the moment, too. I think he's superb, to be honest. i Yeah, he's he's only 28, so like he's he's probably not at his peak yet, and he's just getting better and better every year that goes on.
00:06:51
Speaker
Can play right back as well when they need him. Obviously, they don't need him at the moment with how well Matty Cash is doing, but... How he's not England's starting centre-half, especially if they play a trio, he's not getting in there.
00:07:01
Speaker
It baffles me, to be honest. i think he's absolutely class. I'll tell you that, Cash is now their top league goalscorer with two goals, which is... it's like their golds They're spreading the goals around a lot. Ali Watkins, still I think he's still without a goal this season. He looks to have lost a yard of pace, but...
00:07:18
Speaker
Brindia looks like a man reborn, just popping up over left, right and centre. He's been brilliant since he came back. And he also has two goals as well from the season. So they've just come out of nowhere, to be honest. like When they were on that run of form, it looked like they were want to be stuck that rush. And all of a sudden, Emery's just turned it around and they to look really good.
00:07:39
Speaker
Elias has been completely kicked out at the moment, whatever is after happening there. He wasn't even on the bench at the weekend. Obviously can't be on the bench this weekend against Liverpool. I wonder if it's just a ah betting in period or if Emery has just decided he's not for me.
00:07:51
Speaker
But outside of that, I really enjoy watching them. I think they're really good a really good team. Yeah, they're so solid as well. They don't really mess around too much. Like when they get leads, it's very hard to get it back off them.
00:08:04
Speaker
Like only giving up really that one big chance. And then the other one that Torres cleared off the line was a big moment as well. So I think they were good value for their win in that game. They held City in check for a lot of it. Haaland only had four touches in the Villa box. So they did very well keeping him quiet.
00:08:24
Speaker
And yeah, you mentioned Buendia. That was a beautiful pass that he played out to cash for the goal. Just great vision. And they look dangerous from another corner as well as actually, I think, a shot hit off one their own players. So the set-piece coach is obviously earning his money there, doing his job, as the similar to Arsenal. You know, it's the way to pick up points at the moment. Brentford too.
00:08:46
Speaker
So they're going to keep that up. And yeah, if it's working for
Preview: Aston Villa vs. Liverpool
00:08:50
Speaker
them, why not? Big game now against Liverpool. way and they're on the same points so a win would jump them ahead and as you mentioned that would be some turnaround if you had to said that after the first five games of the season like Villa were in the dumps Yeah, big time. And Liverpool are still looking as shell-shocked as they did after that Palace game. So it's definitely there for Villa to go to Anfield and pull out a result. As you said, if they go 1-0 up like every other team has done to Liverpool in the last six weeks, then it'd be very hard for Liverpool to come back and turn it around, especially when...
00:09:24
Speaker
there's not a single player in the Liverpool squad that seems have any level of confidence at the moment. and Seems to have an ability to, bar Dominic Subozda, really, none none of them have the ability to take a game with a scruffle neck at the moment. So, if Villa just go there, defensively solid, Austin McPhee is doing wonders with the set pieces, Liverpool are susceptible to set pieces, like, there's everything is written there for Villa to go and i pick up the victory at Anfield. But obviously, I hope...
00:09:48
Speaker
The clock's come back so Liverpool go back to when they were good. It didn't look like it last night now but it wasn't much changed the team so hopefully the Premier League the clock's come back and Liverpool will be good again. Yeah, it's going to be a good game and Saturday at 8 o'clock.
00:10:00
Speaker
Again, nice time for a game like on a Saturday evening to kind of fill a gap because you don't have any NFL coming in at that time or anything like that so um let's see how it goes. Big game for both teams but we're going to preview another big game this weekend.
00:10:15
Speaker
Two teams that have been flying and Until last weekend where Villa, as we just mentioned, knocked off City. Before that, they were in absolutely cracking form. They started off the season mixed. They lost two of their first three games, but they didn't lose at all in all competitions. Nine games unbeaten until Villa took them down last weekend. And then if you look over to Bournemouth...
00:10:38
Speaker
They've lost one Premier League game all season, their very first game to Liverpool, and then they're unbeaten in their last seven since then. You'd think, you know, if you said to someone at the start the season, second versus fifth in the in this game week, Villa versus Bournemouth, you'd think, God, Bournemouth are doing very well to be in fifth.
00:10:56
Speaker
That's not the case. They're in second and City are in fifth. And another win here for Bournemouth or even a draw would really show that there they're not messing around this season. They're really pushing for those Champions League spots.
00:11:10
Speaker
100%. Do you know who Man City's second highest scorer in the Premier League is this season? Yeah, Esteve, the Burnley centre-back with own goals. Yeah, yeah, it's own goals as their second-highest scorer.
00:11:21
Speaker
And to follow on for that, should anyone really be afraid of Man City? Or should we just be afraid of Haaland? Because like yeah i think his team selection at the weekend was wrong. i Not starting Doku, who's their best dribbler.
00:11:34
Speaker
was a criminal decision I think, setting Savinho ahead of him just seemed really, really strange. Maybe he was riding the wave. Savinho was Man of the Match against Villarreal in midweek, so maybe riding the wave of that. But not starting Docu in this game baffled me.
00:11:48
Speaker
And even Phil Foden has been been in good form and he moved him around as well. Obviously, no Rodri and no Nico is going to hamper your chances as well because real to kind of like no real sitting six.
00:11:59
Speaker
Rinders isn't really someone who can just sit in and just like make things happen and the way Rodri does. So they were they were down a couple of players, but like outside of Haaland, Reinders, Foden, Nunes and Turkey have one goal each and that's their next highest actual player or goal scorer.
00:12:16
Speaker
Haaland has 11. So i don't know, like i know City went on that great run, as you were just saying, but it was all Haaland scoring goals. And if it wasn't him, then there was no one really popping up in any sort of danger.
00:12:28
Speaker
So it feels like as Villa showed at the weekend, if you stop Haaland, you stop City. Yeah. And Bormer, Bormer, more than capable of doing that this weekend as well. Yeah, i'm I'm thinking of Bournemouth like they're they're doing so well.
00:12:41
Speaker
But I always find it that they do struggle when they get ahead in games. Now, they did very well against Forest. They had 53% possession, which is up from their usual 50 shots. So they actually did at least try to take a little bit more control than usual.
00:12:56
Speaker
But even when they're like way up in games, they kind of still have that chaos about them. And that's how Palace managed to get the 3-3 draw. in that other game had the weekend before. i mean, just that's the only part that worries me for Bournemouth is that if they did get a lead or, you know, that they get into a good position, they continue to play this kind of chaos and they leave themselves open, especially if City do play Daku. I think that would be the smart thing to do here because there's going to be space for him.
00:13:26
Speaker
and But again, like you mentioned, Haaland has 11 goals in the Premier League and City only have 15 in total from their own players, which is, you know, it's just mad to think that four players have one goal each and Haaland then has 11. It's just there's no other option there. And that's such an easy way to stop a team. If you know where the goals are coming from, that's how you stop it.
00:13:51
Speaker
So if Bournemouth can do that effectively, then it is on for them here. But At the same time, i'm looking at their XG. They're the second biggest over performers in the league. They have 16 goals, but only 11 XG.
00:14:05
Speaker
It might not be sustainable, but then again If you watch them against Fulham a few weeks ago, um I think that was a Friday night game. They had three crackers, so they scored three unbelievable goals from 1xG. So that does then kind of sway that. So it is a small sample size so far.
00:14:20
Speaker
um I think they're good value forward there in the league. And Sanessi will definitely be looking to make Haaland somebody that he focuses his game on this weekend. But who do you think the game is actually going to go to? What do you think the final score is going be?
00:14:35
Speaker
So I am doing a James Kellett here and I'm sitting on the fence. I'm going for a two-all draw, I think. yeah i don't think City will win it. I think if there is going to be a winner for me, i know it's at the Etihad and this is mad, but I think if anyone's going to win, it'll be Bournemouth because i think Bournemouth have more tracks than Man City have.
00:14:51
Speaker
ah Their front four junior groupie who they've just made in the lab and thrown into Bournemouth first team has just... just He's on fire last couple of weeks. And then the three behind him of Tavernier, Semenyo and Clíver are all in really good form as well. So their front four, that's four players that can score a goal.
00:15:08
Speaker
Whereas it looks like for Man City, it's only one. So jump four outweighs one in many metrics. Now Haaland only needs one a half chance most of the time he will score. Man City are really missing Julian Alvarez. Just someone that you can kind of look and say, okay, Haaland's going to get 40 goals. Who's going to get 15?
00:15:25
Speaker
Like they are really missing someone that can do that. Dacu is never going to get you 15 goals. Sabino doesn't look like his ability to get you 15 goals. Foden is just miles off if whatever's wrong with him in the last two years as well. He's not going to get you 10 goals, if five goals even. So they they need someone to step up and be kind of the second man.
00:15:42
Speaker
And I don't think that person's in their squad at the moment. No, I would agree with you, unless they're trying to look at youngsters and none of them seem to be goal scorers. Really, it's just more they play on the wing or for some reason get shooed into a full-back position once again.
00:15:57
Speaker
Do you know how many times Bournemouth have beaten City since they got promoted to the Premier League? Zero. if a guess Just once. Zero. Just once. That was last season.
00:16:08
Speaker
2-1. But that was at home for Bournemouth. They haven't beaten them a single other time since they got from all those. And I don't think they're going to do it this time either. They just don't have enough...
00:16:20
Speaker
sustained pressure to win. I think it'll be frantic, similar to the way they played against Liverpool. They might go 2-0 down, but they'll easily get two goals back. But I don't think City have enough to knock them off. So I'm actually sick sticking with what you said. I'm going with Look, when you have to sit on the fence, you have to sit on the fence. When you think it's going to be a draw, you think it's going to be a draw. 100%.
00:16:40
Speaker
and Now, I'm not short of making mad statements, as you'll see going into my gone chance wins from last weekend, but this is just another game where I think either team probably has enough. And Haaland kind of has a knock as well, so if he's actually ruled out, then I'm changing this to 3-0 Bournemouth, because he was going to score for City. But if it's Haaland involved, a couple of goals for him, a couple of goals for Bournemouth,
00:17:05
Speaker
But... Yeah, that's that's what we came down to there. Both of us have a draw, so 2-2. Back any other score other than that and you'll probably have a better chance. 100%.
Vikings' Injury Controversy
00:17:15
Speaker
But let's move on to the NFL then.
00:17:17
Speaker
This is an incident that happened not too far from here. Carson Wentz, played in Dublin, flew over to London where he got absolutely pulverised. On October 5th, he suffered a shoulder dislocation that included a torn labrum.
00:17:32
Speaker
and a fractured socket. So you think, okay, this is where the team shuts him down. The Vikings and Kevin O'Connell say, no, JJ McCarthy's close enough to being ready to go.
00:17:43
Speaker
Let's get him back in there. You know, he you have to play through injuries. And if you're a little bit injured in like he had a high ankle sprain, but he was 90% there, let's say. No, you put back in the guy who literally has an absolutely destroyed shoulder. He has to wear a massive like pad and harness and all sorts on his shoulder. He looked like the bionic man.
00:18:02
Speaker
And they play him for two more games. He's in clear physical pain during the games against the Chargers, the game against the Chargers last weekend or last week on Thursday Night Football. And only was it before the last series that they took him out of game.
00:18:16
Speaker
Like he was clearly in such physical pain every time he got hit. He was sacked five times and he was literally writhing in pain on the pitch. And they continued to put him back in, back in, back in.
00:18:27
Speaker
And I don't care what he said this week in his press conference, that it was his decision. It's malpractice by the Vikings and it's malpractice by Kevin O'Connell. it's It was horrendous to watch and I'm really disgusted that they allowed him to continue to play in that state.
00:18:44
Speaker
Yeah, so this is what O'Connell said. So there was never a point in time where medically we were going against the grain of what was in Carson's best interests and ultimately what Carson wanted to kind of see through.
00:18:56
Speaker
When a player is as is as banged up as that, it's it's not in his hands. You take it out of his hands. Like, if JJ McCarty was 90% with a sprained ankle, why aren't you putting him in? Like, why are you risking Carson Wentz at 20% over JJ McCarty at 90%?
00:19:13
Speaker
um It's a clear lack of any sort of care towards him. It's complete lack of respect for the player as well. He's in his 10th season in the league and... you're you're literally going out there trying to end his career by putting him out in that kind of a stage. I know that's a massive jump and a massive reach, but putting him... I think we're so dumb hiss spot it was three weeks with this skidded shoulder and he was they were putting him out there over and over again.
00:19:35
Speaker
That's like I said in one of my tweets last week that the amount of injuries in the NFL, that something needs to be looked at about it. So we had Cam Scatterbo go, ofs Cam Scatterbo at the weekend on top of all the ACL injuries we've had.
00:19:47
Speaker
And then you teams going out like this and putting a player in there who is seriously injured. This will create a shoulder is no joke. like it's he shouldn't It shouldn't be there for him to get slapped around by other lads who are 200, 300 pounds. He should be in a sling sitting at home and couch watching. He should not be playing football. and as I said at at the top, I don't care if he's like, oh, I'm good to go, I'm good to go. It's like, you're not.
00:20:10
Speaker
Yeah, it shouldn't be his decision. No, it's not his decision. And Kevin O'Connell's nonsense statement then as well actually riled me on more than Carson Wentz saying it was his decision because you're in the game long enough to know that so like you've ended the season. and You could have ended his, you could have genuinely ended his career if if that's you all to get any worse. And if it's already out of place, imagine someone just hitting this I just, I can't fathom I think it's disgusting what they did. yeah Honestly, disgusting.
00:20:39
Speaker
I actually think his career is done, to be honest, because the last few years that he had a chance to play, he was quite poor. And now this, like, horrendous injury that he's going to have to go and...
00:20:52
Speaker
and get work done on it and he might not even be back for the start of next season what team is going to take a punt on him there's going to be other guys that are available he may not play again um and Kevin O'Connell has done him a disservice by saying that you know oh he wanted to see it through well what about the duty of care towards your players like it's just not acceptable and to see JJ McCarthy as well on the sideline there was There was one time I think Justin Jefferson caught a ball and he he went onto the sideline. He dove, he kind of felled.
00:21:23
Speaker
And JJ McCarthy like jumped over and landed and then start like celebrating, like dancing and stuff. And I'm like, your ankle is clearly fine. You're fully kitted out. Yeah. If you weren't fully kitted out, then you'd say, OK, what's what's happening here? Like he he really might not be coming back. But I feel like they're not telling us something. And the thing they're not telling us is that he was fine two weeks ago and that he was good to go. But they just didn't trust him. And they thought maybe they can get something out of Wentz.
00:21:49
Speaker
And that's, that's, you know, that's just some assumption that I'm making and it might not be true, but if you're reading what's in front you, like if you're looking between the lines, that appears to be what is going on. And another thing that really annoyed me is Kirk Herbstreet. I do not like him on commentary on Thursday Night Football. I never really did, but he was so critical of him.
00:22:11
Speaker
He said, you know, that he was showing too much emotion on the sidelines and that he was getting emotional and that Just really going to town on him, saying that he needs to keep his emotions in check as a leader and things like that.
00:22:24
Speaker
He was in such physical pain. That's why he was getting a emotional. He thought he's thinking the same things we're saying. His career could be over. He might not get another chance. The pain he was in, God knows how bad that was.
00:22:36
Speaker
you know And this guy is going at him on the commentary as well. it's just That's another thing that he should come out and apologize, I think, at this point, because that was not acceptable either. Yeah, 100%. Like no no one knows what's going on in someone's head. and You shouldn't be coming at someone for being emotional on the sideline and saying, oh, well, oh, he just upset. He threw another interception or whatever nonsense you come out with. Like you never know what's going on on someone's head. You never know.
00:23:00
Speaker
You didn't know his shoulder was dislocated and that's why he was upset. You shouldn't really be coming at people for their emotions. It's one of the things that like so people always face is like, oh, he's, oh, he's too emotional to be this or he's too emotional to that.
00:23:13
Speaker
he was literally showing but as much bravery as he could by going out there dislocated shoulder. he wants to come off on the sideline and have a little bit of a cry for himself because of the pain he's in, then absolutely let him away, let him off. like Don't be coming at him for such and trivial things. And then, as you said, he should apologize because it comes out then and, as you said, like dislocated shoulder, torn labium and fractured socket.
00:23:35
Speaker
yeah cra So even if even even if the shoulder is back in the socket, the socket is destroyed as well so to it's it's not sitting in anything like it's literally just sitting there on it's literally sitting on the edge of a fork like yeah exactly like so and this as you said the bionic arm he was wearing like yeah i was looking and was like it's a very strange get up for someone who like joe obviously didn't think he was injured it's like why on earth is he wearing that like what where is this the next thing now and then you hear after you're all right so that's literally what was holding his arm together yeah it's It's scandalous. It's genuinely scandalous. I can't believe, cannot believe it.
00:24:10
Speaker
Yeah, no, I agree with everything you said there. And these things are ultimately going to keep happening unless somebody gets called out on it and gets a lot more heat. Whether that be the commentators, the coaches, and I'm not even going to put it on the players because, like you said, he's brave and that's why he wanted to play. It's up to his coach to step in.
00:24:29
Speaker
But let's move on to something a bit more positive.
Jets' Victory Celebration
00:24:32
Speaker
Your Jets, they got their very first win. And it's only right that we did clutch player the week to Brees Hall. What an absolute beast of a performance. And we were questioning a few times this season, maybe he wasn't fully up to it. Now I would like to see it against...
00:24:46
Speaker
another defense that's not the Bengals, but not everyone is buttoned up 18 attempts for 133 yards, 7.4 yards per carry, two touchdowns on the ground and throwing an interception with his very first career throw.
00:25:01
Speaker
That Through a touchdown, an interception. Through a touchdown, you say be true an interception. Yeah. Sorry. he still have Yeah. Still had some rants on the mind there, but yeah, through an interception.
00:25:12
Speaker
I just said it again, through a touchdown. Yeah. He was just incredible and the Jets really needed someone to step up because Wilson was out, Reynolds was out.
00:25:23
Speaker
So Fields was coming back in. He he knew he didn't the full trust because if Tyra Taylor had been fit, Tyra Taylor would have started in that game. So he was coming in probably at 50% confidence. He's like, I need someone to just help me make plays. And Brees Hall was like, yeah no bother, give me out that ball there and i'll I'll show you what I can do. 133 yards and he'd made five catches for 34 yards as well.
00:25:45
Speaker
so Yeah, five catches for 34 yards as well. sore ho i think he had I think he had two catches in the game.
00:25:54
Speaker
Okay, don't know what I saw then, but yeah, did John, what he just looked like himself. im Every time he ran, it was with purpose. And as you said, 7.4 yards of carry makes everything so much easier.
00:26:05
Speaker
im The last couple of weeks, you've getting two yards or three yards of carry, and then your second down, you're two and seven, whereas instead now you're you're two and two or two and three, and you can throw it to Mason Taylor or you can go at yourself with Justin Fields or anything. And...
00:26:19
Speaker
My God, I just really hope they can back it up now. Even the touchdown pass was mad. He's running forward, stops, jumps, hops it over the top, and there's Mason Taylor just stood around waiting for it to come to him.
00:26:29
Speaker
He's good player. He's another man that looks at him. It was Mason Taylor with five catches for 34 yards and the touchdown. Apologies, not Brees Hall. yeah I think he's he's he's looking, like i said in the summer, I wanted him to bring in tight end that could patch passes.
00:26:45
Speaker
um Because we've we've never really had that. We've only ever had the block and ti in tight ends. Mason Taylor looks like one who can actually be Mark Andrews in this league if things keep going by the way they are, but Yeah, I'm just, I was so happy. him I only saw kind of bits and pieces of it because i was down in Cork for Jazz.
00:27:00
Speaker
And then I saw the message in the group chat. was like, you would like J-E-T-E-S-J-S-J-S-J-S. And Charles was like, are feeling, Shane? was like, there's no way they won that game. The last time I saw it, they were down by 12 or 15 points. And I went in and...
00:27:12
Speaker
39-38 and it wasn't even a last minute field goal which kind of I could see them as well so it was it was great to win it and on their own backs and the defence putting in a stop as well on the last play to stop Flacco getting into field goal range oh yeah it was just I watched it the next morning I was just elated just watching every single player is like this is this is this is what football is I had forgotten how much fun it was Yeah, there was there's like few big moments, like and one of them was getting that stop. like They had allowed the Bengals to do so much, but coming up in the biggest moment to get a stop is not something the Jets have been doing recently, so that's massive.
00:27:49
Speaker
Regardless of how many yards and points they allowed, that was a big moment, and that will fuel the defense going forward. Justin Fields as well. I know we're talking about Brees Hall here, but it was massive for Justin Fields. I was really happy for him, especially when he came out and said that,
00:28:04
Speaker
that He had been in his closet lying on the ground crying during the week. like Woody Johnson was saying ridiculous things, throwing him under the bus. like You're supposed to put things on your coach. Yeah, he's a clown.
00:28:16
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. like He he is literally a clown coming out, blaming your quarterback, saying that any coach wouldn't be able to do anything with him. X, Y and Z. That is not your thing to say as an owner and to throw your quarterback under the bus like that.
00:28:31
Speaker
For him to come out, drive the team up and down the field at the end of the game when they needed to get the win, when they needed to get a big comeback, he was the one that fueled him along with Brees Hall. So I was really, really happy for him and because that was that was a big moment for for anybody. Not saying it's going to make him an unbelievably good player going forward, but it was just great to silence an idiot that comes out and speaks against you like that when he has no right to do so, such as with the nonsense.
00:28:59
Speaker
Yeah, and it's just it's it's a confidence builder for as well because... The last game he started, is and he just couldn't get a pass off. i'm Complete and utter, just his brain just fell away from him. He could not throw a ball. And then this week, he as you said, he he does the last last drive, gets him down to the four-yard line, and then Brees Hall just tops it over the top. It was just incredible. But then the Jets go and shoot themselves again, and they've traded away Michael Carter, the seconds, to the Eagles.
00:29:25
Speaker
He was like, like, I know, okay, they've gotten John Mechey, but... he's the de He's one of the cornerstones of the defence and getting rid of him for someone that's like he's he's not even a wide receiver three and you're bringing him in to get him for one your better defensive players is bit of a mad move but we'll see if they can back it up this week coming now.
00:29:46
Speaker
Oh no, it's a bye week so we'll see if they can back it up the week after this week. Yeah, i think that was maybe a bit of a ah panic thing for the Jets that they were probably on the market for a wide receiver. And the Eagles are always so smart. They take advantage of things and they probably sniffed that one out and saw something they could get in return. But that i like you said, I think it could be a nice springboard to hopefully get a few more wins and not end the season with just one or two wins. Like hopefully he can kick on now for Aaron Glenn's sake as well, because I was harsh on him.
00:30:18
Speaker
a couple of weeks ago or last week and because he called that game against the broncos so poorly it was just a horrible coaching display and then he went out this week and put his onions on the table literally with that play call at the end like that was an excellent play call for breece hall he had obviously that comes from and the offensive coordinator but He had to sign off on that and say, this is what we're going for in this situation.
00:30:46
Speaker
and And then to know when to go for two points instead of an extra point, he did that twice, converted both of them and that helped them win the game. Very good coaching, very good situational football, and he deserves his flowers there too.
00:31:00
Speaker
um So Brees Hall, Justin Fields and Aaron Glenn, all a bit of a redemption week. So hopefully they can rest up now on the bye and continue to do this going forward.
00:31:11
Speaker
It's just really good to go into the bye week on the back for win as well. The atmosphere around the place will be lifted so much and they'll just be like, okay, but we're 1-0 now. Just go from here and see. like just The seven day losses are gone.
00:31:25
Speaker
Let's just go. We're 1-0. Let's go from here and see what we can do. Yeah, no, I agree with you. It's always positive to keep the good vibes for an extra week as well or around the place is is is good. But since we're moving into Gone Chance, no Jets, as you mentioned, so you won't be able to pick them, even though you love to do it.
00:31:41
Speaker
And you probably would have a third time this week. I didn't pick them last week and they won. Yeah, the one time you didn't. ah Last week, I had a decent week again. I went with Brentford to beat Liverpool, paid off.
00:31:53
Speaker
I went with Villa to beat City and it paid off. So two big wins there. Both of them were like three to one. And then both of us picked the Niners to beat the Texans. Texans somehow managed to grab a win there. That seemed like a shoe-in, to be honest. I thought, here, surely a five-pointer now at this point. But no, only two for me.
00:32:10
Speaker
And the other two that you went for, um Cowboys to beat Denver and West Ham to beat Leeds, did not come out. So you had a back-to-back duck eggs and back-to-back two-pointers for me puts me 6-3 lead.
00:32:22
Speaker
So what's yours for this week?
00:32:25
Speaker
um I'm just starting wonder if I'm ever going to get a point again. And my confidence is gone. gun chance, my picking powers... This week I've gone with Wolves to finally get a win at Fulham. I know they lost 4-3 last night, but the the fight they put in showed that they do actually have something about them. Three goals against a really good Chelsea team as well, so they're to beat Fulham, who are five to six at home.
00:32:50
Speaker
I've gone for the Chiefs to beat the Bills. So the Chiefs are 8-11, the Bills are 11-10. It's another one of these top toss-up matches and so some of the games this week are just impossible to call. It's just everyone who's a favourite is probably going to win. So the fact this one is so tight is a good bet. And then finally the Broncos at 11-10 to beat the Texans at 8-11. Yeah, I really like one. Why mess up that Chiefs one?
00:33:15
Speaker
No, you're I think you're right. I think the Chiefs... Oh, the Chiefs are the favourites, are they? Chiefs are 8-11. Yeah, Chiefs are favourite, yeah. Do you want to pick a third one there?
00:33:26
Speaker
Okay, okay. yeah just i just see but and and i just I'll just jump to the Bills instead. Completely go against everything I just said. It's still a toss-up, so a toss-up can happen up the Bills.
00:33:38
Speaker
but when you're When you're doing ones like that where it's two really good teams, like you're taking one of the underdogs either way because it can go either way. So it makes sense to just go with the Bills. I like the Broncos to beat the Texans. I also have that one.
00:33:52
Speaker
It's a very similar situation to the Niners and Texans last week. I was surprised the Texans are favorites, probably just because they're at home. And we were wrong last week, so hopefully we can be right this time. I've also gone with the Bengals to beat the Bears.
00:34:04
Speaker
I'm just not sold on the Bears at all. Like, they lost to a backup Snoop Huntley-led Ravens with a really bad defense last week. And... Now they're playing a Bengals team that you know they they did lose in a bad way to the Jets, but they still have something about them. And Flacco still is pretty good. I know the Bears' defense has been decent, but they've relied heavily on turnovers. So if he just keeps going to Jamar and Tee Higgins and Chase Brown holds onto the ball, the Bengals are going to put up points here.
00:34:35
Speaker
And then lastly, I've gone for Villa to beat Liverpool. You just basically made this argument for me earlier. I don't really have to go into it. It is i know literally a match made in heaven with the the set pieces, the physicality of Villa that Liverpool don't seem to have outside of Sabaslay.
00:34:54
Speaker
um i think it is a really good matchup for Villa to get a goal and defend and just keep their wits about them the same way they did against City. So it's the formula that worked for me last week and I'm going to go with it again this week. So my three, if you put them together, are...
00:35:09
Speaker
21 to 1 so that's the that's the odds in total um I didn't give the odds for the individual yeah i think mine was around that as well yeah I'll give my individual odds it's 10 to 3 for the Brentford win oh sorry I'm looking last week 7 to 2 for the Villa win against Liverpool 13 to 10 for the Bengals win against the Bears and 11 to 10 for the Broncos win against the Texans So let's move on to the NBA then.
00:35:36
Speaker
and There's a reason I'm wearing this Sixers hat. It's not, as I said to you before we started, and I'm not dressing up as a Sixers fan for Halloween.
76ers' Impressive Start
00:35:43
Speaker
I am delighted that basketball is back at this season. I was not last season at the same time.
00:35:49
Speaker
But right now, things are going very well. We're going to talk about the 4-0 teams um so far. Let's start with the Sixers. I think what Maxi is doing is absolutely unbelievable.
00:36:00
Speaker
He's leading the league with points per game, 37.5 on 47% from three. He really is James Harden disciple at this point. What James Harden taught him when he was there...
00:36:11
Speaker
was nothing short of amazing and how he's incorporated that into the game. The step backs, the ability to get to the line that he never had before. And then add in over eight assists per game two. It's just been absolutely immense.
00:36:24
Speaker
Vijay Edgecombe taking big threes. He's not afraid of the big moment. The combination of those two in the backcourt, 182 points for the first three games. It's the most ever by a starting backcourt in the NBA since they started tracking stats.
00:36:39
Speaker
unbelievable stuff from the rookie and Maxi is the true leader of this team and i' I'm really excited for the season ahead. Yeah, Maxi has two 40-point games, 40-plus point games and a 39-point game as well um in two, four weeks.
00:36:54
Speaker
And then Vijay Etchcombe has just come in and said, as we said last week, he we didn't draft him straight away in our fantasy league and he's out to prove a point against us, averaging 25 points and two steals a game as well.
00:37:05
Speaker
All this with Joel Embiid is on a minute limit. There's no PG. They've just, they've come out with their points, sorry. They're a team with a point to prove.
00:37:17
Speaker
it's It's very clear and they are really going out here proving it as well, the way they're playing. They've been superb. Their overtime win last week, the did the the block at the very, very end, I can't remember who it was, got his hand up above and just batted it down against Washington. yeah Just like things that they weren't doing last year. Last year they just watched it drop down and then say, OK, let's go and get a two-point ourselves and then just not gotten it.
00:37:41
Speaker
Like, one thing I've written here at the top, so you play the Celtics, the Hornets, the Magics and the Wizards. um On paper, even if they're games you should win, you still have to go and win them. um The NBA is very, very harsh in that if you don't show up with the right kind of mentality, anyone can beat you. The Hornets can beat you, the Wizards can beat you, anyone can beat you. But if you go out there and say, this is a game that we should win, let's just go and do it. More often than not, you will go and do it. Like the Rockets the last few weeks,
00:38:08
Speaker
Sorry, last two games have been like, yeah, these games we have got to win. They went out and just put up the points to win them. I think mentality is a loss in the NBA and the Sixers have it in spades.
00:38:20
Speaker
Yeah, they really do this time, this season. Like you mentioned, Embiid not fully there, Paul George to come back, and Jared McCain, who's probably one the most important players on the team because of what he offers with his non-stop movement and shooting.
00:38:35
Speaker
He's coming back too. The team has just like great vibes around At the moment, all the players are gelled, and I think that's down to Maxi. He was organising workouts yesterday. all summer with the team.
00:38:47
Speaker
You could see in the Nick Nurse's speech after the Wizards win, Maxi kind of got involved to cheer on and be the kind of leader to speak up in the huddle. Like, you have to have good morale to do what they did so far this season.
00:39:02
Speaker
13-point comeback in the fourth quarter against the Celtics, 10-point comeback in the fourth quarter against the Hornets, and 16-point comeback in the fourth quarter against the Wizards.
00:39:13
Speaker
They would not have won a single one of those last season, I can promise you that. They were not in the middle space to do that, and now they are. They need to clean up the defense a lot, but I think Paul George is massive for that. When he comes back, he'll offer a lot of defense. They'll probably really not look to him much offensively because they have so much talent.
00:39:31
Speaker
He's just a very strong defender. He always has been. So with him and Embiid getting a bit more mobile, that should improve. But the offense has been one of the best in the league so far. So that was something I wasn't really expecting and something I'm present pleasantly surprised with.
00:39:47
Speaker
Another team that is a big surprise is the Bulls. What have you made of them so far? 4-0. i I have no idea where this has come from. When we we were talking about him in the NBA preview, it was just like, it was someone we had to talk about, not someone we wanted to talk about.
00:40:02
Speaker
And then, geez, the way they started, Josh Giddey's on fire, 19.5 points and eight assists a game to start off. Fusevic has 10 defensive rebounds a game, so that's obviously helping him a lot, as well as 18 points, so he's doing it both sides of the ball.
00:40:15
Speaker
They just look way more solid than I think anyone expects them to be. I don't know if they have enough to keep it up for the whole season, we'll have to wait and see, but starting 4-0 is just just out of nowhere is a bit mental, to be honest. a stamp Yeah, I didn't see this coming.
00:40:30
Speaker
Yeah, i'm I'm so shocked with their defense as well, more than anything. They've only allowed... 111 points per game. It's the sixth best in the league. Last year, I know it's only four games, so it's a small sample size. But last year, they were the third worst in the league, 119 per game.
00:40:46
Speaker
So it's a promising improvement, at least, to start the season. They're the second highest in assists per game with 30.5. That's a lot down to Giddy, as you mentioned, and Vooch as well. He's he's a very very good passer.
00:40:58
Speaker
Giddy got paid as their main man. Like you mentioned, all the statistics there, he he could be a guy that's close to averaging a triple-double across the season if he keeps this up. And then Bozellis looks have like he's taken another step, two 20-point games.
00:41:12
Speaker
And I think Kobe White, when he comes back, he's their minion three-point threat, probably their hottest offensive player when he gets going. He hasn't even played yet. So... You know, they took down three high-level East teams as well. The Pistons, Magic and Hawks.
00:41:25
Speaker
All had high expectations coming into the season. The Magic and Hawks look to be stumbling a little bit. The Pistons mixed bag. But nothing to take away from the but the Bulls in terms of the opponents they face too. Because they've they've put it up against everyone and all teams that they're going to be pushing against to get into the playoffs.
00:41:44
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's a bit like what we were just saying with the Sixers, where these are games last year that there's no chance the Bulls would have won them. and Going into it on paper, you'll be like, oh, they're having to hope in these three. And they've just been they've just been excellent. They really have to be excellent. since As you said, defensively, they've come on leaps and bounds. Offensively, they've clearly come on leaps and bounds as well. And...
00:42:04
Speaker
Yeah, but maybe they fall away, maybe they get a top seed, who knows, because it's the Bulls at the end of the day and they always seem to just finish in the playing positions. But yeah, I just, I can't believe, like...
00:42:16
Speaker
when we were doing this, were like, okay, we'll talk about the three undefeated teams. And we're like, well, if the Bulls get in there, we'll add them as well. It's like, yeah, there's no way the Bulls are going win in four in a row. So I didn't prepare my Bulls stats until about an hour before we recorded. So like, there's no way they're going, they're going four and oh. And now they're, yeah, they're just, they're absolutely on fire, on fire. And it's good to see because they're they're, they're, they're a really good organization in the NBA as well. So be great to have a good Bulls back.
00:42:43
Speaker
Yeah, that's true. They've kind of they've kind a sat in purgatory
Spurs' Success with Wembanyama
00:42:47
Speaker
for a long time. And like you mentioned, constant in the play-in. But now, hopefully they can kick on here. And I think the the positive thing as well is the signs they showed towards the the end of the last regular season. Like I thought once they got into the play-in, they might grab the eighth seed because they were doing so well in the back end.
00:43:03
Speaker
So they've continued that on here. So I think they' they're their good value right now if they continue playing even... at 80% of this level to get in maybe six or seven seed in the East.
00:43:15
Speaker
and Another team then that's also foreign all is the San Antonio Spurs. And now we're on our third team that did not even finish in the playoff positions last season. And these are three teams that are completely undefeated so far this season. And what else to say about the Spurs other than Wemby?
00:43:36
Speaker
Unbelievable. 31 points per game. 14 boards per game, and nearly five blocks per game with over a steal as well. He's only taken three threes per game so far, so that's probably going to go up because we saw what he had last season. and and He can do absolutely everything. He's a freak on both ends.
00:43:55
Speaker
Teams are scared of him offensively. And then... When he's coming at your defense, you're you're just finished. Like you saw what he did to Anthony Davis the very first game of the season. One of the best defenders in the league.
00:44:06
Speaker
He just went straight into his chest, was not one bit scared of him and absolutely destroyed him. So how do you stop him? Like how, like where, how high can this first team go with him if he stays healthy?
00:44:18
Speaker
Yeah, I sent you a picture on Instagram before we started and not sure if you saw it, but it was Wemby standing beside Davis and Davis looks like he's six foot one and almost a child when he stood beside Wemby.
00:44:29
Speaker
it' like it Wemby is actually, he's not fair because his arms are so big that he doesn't have to jump for blocks. Like that one where he he finished up with the three pointer, where he just put his hand up, slapped it down, off he goes and just taps it in. Like, as you said, would you stop him? and I don't know.
00:44:45
Speaker
um I don't know if there is a way to stop him. I think you just have to cop for this. He's going to score 31 points, so you try and stop Stephon Kassel, who's averaging 18-6-5, try and get get in his face a bit and just let just see what Wembe can do if he's kind of almost on his own up there. i i really didn't see this coming from them either. I don't think i think I had him in my playoff prediction, but it but wasn't a confident one either. It was day sneaking in as the the bottom seed and just kind of finish him with 50% record. But, Jesus, if Wemby keeps going like this, then they could very easily be a top four or five seed.
00:45:23
Speaker
he if If he stays fit, plays 75 or 80 games, and averages what he is, with the 14 rebounds, the five blocks, and the points on top of it, then, it's just, it's, the sky's the limit. The sky really is limit with them and with him the way he's playing.
00:45:40
Speaker
Yeah, like you would look at, like going back to Maxie, like looking at the points, that's not sustainable for him across the season. Like if he manages high 20s or even 30, it would be an unbelievable season.
00:45:51
Speaker
The thing about Wemby is you wouldn't be surprised if he sustained this across the season because he's just a freak. The only thing that's going to stop him, i think, is... if he keeps growing like he's still growing he got bigger this this offseason and the bigger he gets the harder it is for him to keep healthy and keep his body right and so if he can just put a cap on himself here they need to put a brick on his head as the old grannies would say yeah that he's grown up but like they need to to do something and in terms of how they manage his body too i know there's probably no case studies here for this but
00:46:25
Speaker
They need to figure out a plan to make sure he stays healthy and fit because that will be the main challenge. In terms of his skill, there's nothing to stop them. Best defensive team so far, only 104.5 points per game allowed.
00:46:38
Speaker
Dylan Harper has been very impressive for me too coming off the bench. 26 minutes, 15 points per game, five boards, five assists and a steal. He seems to be very smart. He knows exactly what his role is. And I said in the underdog conversation for a Rookie of the Year that he would be the one to push flag because i think...
00:46:58
Speaker
maybe Flagg might find it difficult to know what to do in this Mavs team, which seems to be the case so far. And Harper kind of knows exactly what he needs to do and he's given more opportunity off the bench. And when he is on the floor with Wemby, it's very easy for him. And I think my point also about the fact that the Spurs might use De'Arne Fox as someone to trade down the line kind of is ringing true because you can see how good Castle is and his relationship with Wemby. And now Harper as well, don't need...
00:47:29
Speaker
De'Aaron Fox and he's going to be worth a lot on the trade market too so now obviously they could use all three but it would I think going forward into the future those two at Wemby looks like a very very strong core to this team Yeah I think Wemby is making it easy for everyone around him with the way he's playing as well you can like You just know if if he is he if he's looking for you with a pass, he's going to find you. So you have the confidence that, okay, I need to know my next move because he's definitely going to get it to me. Or if I give it to him, he's going to make something happen.
00:47:58
Speaker
Or if we lose it in the turnover, he'll just put his arms out and just grab it like Michael Jordan in Space Jam where his arm stretches out for the dunk. that so When we're just a walking Space Jam character, like it's...
00:48:09
Speaker
It's bit ridiculous, but I think they're actually, like they're really good value for what they are. All these teams are good value for the 4-0 start, but they're extremely good value for their starts. And yeah, the sky really is the limit for them.
00:48:23
Speaker
Obviously, they're not going to win championship or anything, but... was going to say, luckily for them, when we can touch the sky. But... ah Yeah. Such a cliche stupid thing. Sorry.
00:48:37
Speaker
Oh, God. That's such a Shane Fleming comment. That's the most Shane Fleming you've ever been. Yeah, I was thinking before this episode like that, you know, should start throwing in like more like ridiculous, like a like old man comments to down the pub. Be like, oh, you know, he knows the team or like, you know, oh yeah he's he's he's got the he's got the bottle for it.
00:48:59
Speaker
Like just things that absolutely make no sense. But like when you say it, you're kind like kind of doesn't make sense. But yeah, I think that they're probably going to be a force to be reckoned with as long as Wemby stays on the court.
00:49:11
Speaker
Then our last undefeated team, no surprises here.
Thunder's Championship Form
00:49:15
Speaker
Oklahoma City Thunder is picking up right where they left off. They're the only five in all team. Just unbelievable so far. How are you feeling about them?
00:49:23
Speaker
They're a bit boring, aren't they? You've won the championship last and you come back there you're just like, oh yeah, winning is easy. Go to double overtime against the Rockets after...
00:49:35
Speaker
taking the Rockets back from a healthy lead and it's just like, oh yeah, so look it's just in a couple of extra minutes in the legs. We're going to win this anyway. Shea averaging 35, 6-4 a game. ah They're boring. They're the Man City Bas... No, I'm only joking. They're obviously not boring, but it's just... It's outrageous the way they've kind of just... They've just clicked back into gear to start the season the way they finished last year and...
00:49:56
Speaker
da like Chet is now everything at double-double and Top of Shea is 35 points as well. Caruso is the oldest player in the rotation. Caruso is the oldest player in the rotation. I think he's 31. And he's such a good option off the bench as well. They've so much going for him.
00:50:13
Speaker
and they They really look like the defending champs they are. They've come back and said, we're the champions. You're not stopping us. And starting 5-0 then is just like, yeah, I told you we weren't going to stop you. Yeah, no, you're right. I think the level of players that didn't play a major part last season has been something that stood out to me too.
00:50:32
Speaker
Because you have... And Aaron aaron Wiggins, 28 minutes per game, averaging 14 points per game and five boards. That's very impressive for somebody who played kind of a minor part throughout last season.
00:50:46
Speaker
I liked his three-point shooting off the bench, and but really he's not someone they went to too much. But another one is AJ Mitchell. What is going on here? Like, the guy played...
00:50:58
Speaker
You know, last season, 16 minutes per game, he was putting up five shots, trying on defense, looked like somebody who could be good in the future. Then this season, he steps into the lineup, 26 minutes per game, 18 points per game, 1.2 steals.
00:51:14
Speaker
He's attempted nearly 15 field goals per game so far. And last season, he was only attempting five and he's only added an extra 10 minutes. So he clearly had this in him all along. And they're like, no you don't need to do that. Like, we want you to work hard on defense and...
00:51:28
Speaker
be somebody who moves the ball, you can take some shots. Now he's like, they're like, all right, you have the green light early this season. We won a championship. We're going to show what you can do now too. and So these guys, like they just have a conveyor belt of talent and all the picks that they've had over the years and still to come is, yeah, it's it's scary stuff.
00:51:46
Speaker
and And if you look at guys who haven't even played as well, like, J-Dub has been injured. He hasn't played. Chet missed one game. Caruso missed three games. And unfortunately, last year, they got Nikola Topic with their 12th overall pick in in the draft in 2024.
00:52:03
Speaker
He had surgery and they could afford to allow him to have surgery because they had such a good team and he missed the whole season. Looks to come back this season. And unfortunately, he has testicular cancer and just was announced today. So...
00:52:16
Speaker
Really unfortunate for the young guy. um He's getting treatment at the moment. He's out indefinitely. So, fingers crossed, we see him soon too. um And he he fights through this because, yeah, he's he's a very good player too. He has a lot of talent and just imagine adding him to this team and it would be even better.
00:52:32
Speaker
Sorry, i I just found, I didn't know about Hoppish there, so I was like just looking it up. That's really, really sad. and Yeah, they're only going to keep getting better over and over again because... It's just such a young rotation and they're a young rotation have won a championship. Shea is the star of the NBA at the moment. He's absolutely outrageous what he's doing. um Himself and Wemby are the face of the NBA for me. I know Jokic is as well, but these two are just two young nads who are kind of like they're only really beginning their careers and they're already looking like two absolute world beaters. So I just don't know how you stop this OKC team.
00:53:09
Speaker
Joe, we just don't know how to stop the Spurs because we're not basketball experts, but I don't actually think even a back basketball expert can work out a way to stop this OKC team. They're obviously favourites to win the title and...
00:53:23
Speaker
It was, yeah, how'd just stop um yeah unless you stop him? Yeah, I find it hard to see how you do stop them unless, as you said, you are the Nuggets because they look to be clicking and Jokic hasn't even hit top gear yet. So that's going to be interesting when when we inevitably get that matchup at some stage, hopefully the Western Conference Finals. But two unbelievable teams and as you know it wasn't the case with the Sixers but the other two teams very good defensively and once again another great defensive team fifth in the league in points per game allowed with 110.8 so very good defense clearly works let's move on to our last segment then of the week power rankings um I'll throw to you first give us your last week and and what you've gone with this week
00:54:10
Speaker
Yeah, so obviously we have a big change this week. So we're going back to the 2-2-2 from the sport. So I've made big changes as well. So last week I was Lions, Chiefs, Arsenal City, Colts and Bournemouth. We both had the same same team, just in different orders.
00:54:24
Speaker
ah This week have the Colts on top. 7-1, they're genuinely just the best team in football at the moment. They're absolutely outrageous. I unfortunately have had to move Arsenal up to second because they just keep winning um with set piece after set piece after to set piece and they are boring. and Whatever about the OKC winning being boring, Arsenal are the most boring team I've ever seen in my whole entire life. We'll have to see a segment on them and a separate podcast for me to have a go at them properly.
00:54:51
Speaker
The Lions are up to third for me. Sorry, the lines are down to third for me. Nothing against them. They're just absolutely class. Then I have the Spurs in there at four. 4-0 start. Wemby's a freak.
00:55:04
Speaker
Villa at five. Just when I was looking them up for doing the segment, it was like, wow, the run of form they're on is outrageous. And I can only get two teams in. And finally, have the Sixers in there as well. You'll be happy to know. Again, 4-0 start. It's okay. It's expected from...
00:55:19
Speaker
expected from OKC, so I'm not sure if I can put them in just yet. Just the fact that the Spurs and den denied the Sixers come in here, for me, I didn't give either of them much of a prayer. So the fact that they are this hot right now, they dig it in there. So that's the Colts, Arsenal, Lions, Spurs, Villa, and 76ers.
00:55:36
Speaker
Nice, nice list, nice mix. Slightly different than mine too, which is good. I'd like to see a bit of variability. and Just to run back on the... and know we said we were going to put NBA team in gun chance this week, but we need and kind of more games because the rule we used for that, if you weren't familiar, was...
00:55:54
Speaker
the team has to be five wins worse off than the team they're playing against on the weekend. So because we don't really get the odds in time to do it for the episode for the weekend ahead. And we we don't want to give you for like Friday night. want to give it on or I mean ones that are on Thursday night because you'll have missed them by the time you listen on Friday. So we're going to wait for another few weeks before we incorporate that.
00:56:14
Speaker
and But as Shane said, we do have them back in here in the power ranking. So last week for me, i had Arsenal, Chiefs, Lions, Colts, Bournemouth and Man City. This week, I've put OKC first. and I'm going with my same theory that I had before, just that if you win a championship or the league or the Super Bowl and then you keep winning coming off that, I'm going to keep you in where in where you deserve to be until you show me otherwise or another team that's more powerful.
00:56:43
Speaker
So that's why they're there. That means Arsenal dropped down one. and They were in first. I don't see any point to drop them because they keep winning. So I'm going to put them second. That's only because OKC are new.
00:56:54
Speaker
Chiefs then move down to third. There's nothing to stop them either. They're still just as good. but again OKC come in Bournemouth have moved up for me from 6th sorry from 5th up to 4th unbeaten in 8th in all competitions um up to 2nd in the Premier League just absolutely having a stormer the Colts are still in there for me They're very good. They're just boring, and but they're very, very good. And they've they've they've had wins that are not against very powerful teams. So that's kind of what has them a little bit lower for me.
00:57:26
Speaker
and But fair play to you for putting them first because they are one of the best teams in football. So it's nice to have them in there. in the top spot and then lastly i also have the Sixers in 6th place um I couldn't come all this way into the episode where the Hat have the whole hype and not put them in it's between them and the Spurs but I really think the Sixers what they're doing without some of their best players is very powerful so I think they deserve that last spot I actually, I like your OKC shouts and if they keep going the way they're going, they will have to jump to my top spot next week because i might have hit it with the Eagles, but I had Liverpool in at first for as long as I could.
Power Rankings and Episode Wrap-up
00:58:04
Speaker
So I think it is probably OK for OKC to go back in as well.
00:58:08
Speaker
But I think, yeah, two good lists. You got one your points the night. Oh, yeah. i
00:58:18
Speaker
accident I wish I was that funny. Yeah, it's okay for OKC. Here we go. We'll leave it on that wonderful note. um Thanks again for listening, lads.
00:58:28
Speaker
Pleasure as always to have you alongside us listening every week. We will be back again next week with another episode. where We're close to 50 now. This is episode 45. So we're going to hit 50 by the end of the year. And that is very exciting stuff. So thanks for listening every single week. And we will catch you again next week.
00:58:47
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball with Shane and James.