data-mm-id=”_tn0m8rrzg”>As things currently stand, the margin between the Western Conference contenders for the eighth seed in the playoffs is razor-thin. The Portland Trail Blazers are currently in sole possession of the final playoff spot at 34-39, but the Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs are all less than one game behind them. With only two more days of seeding games remaining, just about anything could happen.With that in mind, we should all band together and collectively manifest a Suns-Blazers play-in series. It's the best possible outcome, and while it's anything but assured, it's not as unlikely as you'd think! If the Blazers and Grizzlies both lose their final games but the Suns win, we'll get Phoenix vs. Portland, with Portland only needing to win one out of two possible games to advance. The Suns would need to beat Portland in consecutive matchups to squeak into the playoffs. The Grizzlies have looked bad since Jaren Jackson Jr. left the bubble to undergo meniscus surgery. I'm as big a Ja Morant stan as you'll find on this here site, but I don't particularly want to see Memphis get obliterated by Portland or Phoenix for two straight games. The Grizzlies will be going up against the Bucks tomorrow in what is essentially a win or go home game. Milwaukee will probably rest its starters and Giannis Antetokounmpo could be suspended after he headbutted Moe Wagner in a Zidane-esque fit of rage Tuesday night. Memphis is well-positioned to walk away with a win, but the team's play of late hasn't been encouraging. The biggest obstacle between a Portland-Phoenix series is the Blazers having to lose their last game for it to happen. If the Blazers lose, they risk not getting into the play-in series at all, so they won't be taking it easy on their starters when it comes to minutes. Their final game comes against the Nets, who have been trotting out exactly two starters from the pre-bubble roster with a bunch of bench guys/G-Leaguers filling in the gaps. They've been feisty and have won more games than they should have, but it'll take a cold streak like we haven't seen from Damian Lillard before for Brooklyn to have a chance. But still, I'm telling you there's a chance! I don't really care about bringing the best "team" into the playoffs or whatever. I'm sure either squad would make life difficult for the Los Angeles Lakers, but neither is beating LeBron James in a seven-game series. But having Devin Booker and Lillard face off with a playoff berth on the line would be the peak of NBA bubble entertainment. Both dudes have been unconscious in the bubble. Lillard has dropped 112 points over the course of the last two games, including a 61-point barrage against Dallas Tuesday night. Booker has averaged more than 30 points a game in Orlando. The Suns are fun. The Blazers are fun. It would be a damn treat to watch Booker and Lillard trade baskets with their seasons on the line. It's a bit of a longshot, but through our collective mental capabilities, we can will it into existence. I believe this to be so. Give us Blazers-Suns!
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The Selecao captain shouldered the responsibility as Brazil snatched a narrow win over an undermanned Uruguay, who displayed their trademark fight despite having almost a whole team out through injury.
It was a far from vintage performance from Brazil and their talisman on a dreary night at Emirates Stadium Oscar Tabarez s side made sure of it with Neymar s second-half penalty proving the difference.
La Celeste s lengthy absentee list included goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and centre-back duo Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez, as well as midfield pair Nahitan Nandez and Camilo Mayada due to their impending Copa Libertadores final duties for Boca Juniors and River Plate respectively.
But Tabarez s team …
Caoimhin Kelleher has proven himself as a very good goalkeeper in a Liverpool shirt many times. However, not only is he firmly behind Alisson Becker in the pecking order, but the Merseyside club have also completed the signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia, before sending him back to the La Liga side on loan for the season.
With Mamardashvili set to arrive to Anfield next summer, Kelleher will be expected to leave, being clear that there s very little chance of him becoming Liverpool s No. 1 ever.
Here s what the Ireland international has to say on the matter.
Sometimes from the outside looking in, it looks like that s 100% my decision but at times it s not always in my hands
Caoimhín Kelleher confirms he was keen to leave Liverpool this summe…
Wayne Rooney has emphasised how much he is relishing the challenge he has taken on as boss of a Birmingham outfit with sights very much set on the Premier League.
The former England captain was appointed as Blues’ new manager on Wednesday on a three-and-a-half year deal after leaving DC United last weekend.
That was two days on from the Midlands club, who were taken over by US-based Shelby Companies Limited in July and had seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady become a minority owner the following month, sacking boss John Eustace while lying sixth in the Championship table.
Wayne Rooney. Birmingham City Manager.
— Birmingham City FC (@BCFC)
Rooney returns to management in his home country having previously been in charge at Derby from 202…
Neymar has grown to become a household name in world football, so it can be easy to forget that his professional debut came just 10 years ago.
The 27-year-old has won two LaLiga titles, Ligue 1 and the Champions League in a trophy haul that reflects his outstanding talent, while his statistics over the course of a decade tell a similarly spectacular story.
As the Brazilian reaches a notable anniversary a decade on from his first appearance for boyhood club Santos, we take an Opta-powered look at his career in numbers.
Santos
At the age of 17, Neymar da Silva Santos Junior came on as a 59th-minute replacement for Mauricio Molina in Santos 2-1 win over Oeste on March 7, 2009. It was the start of something special and it did not take the teenager …
Sean Dyche has criticised Everton’s ‘leaky’ defence following a second defeat after going two-nil up in back-to-back games.
Everton lost 3-2 to Aston Villa after leading by two goals after 30 minutes, having also lost 3-2 to Bournemouth after leading by the same advantage prior to the international break.
In doing so, Dyche’s side became only the second side in Premier League history to lose back-to-back games after leading by two or more goals in both.
Following Saturday’s defeat to Villa, Dyche feels his side are lacking the cutting edge at vital moments.
“Today, we make a mistake and they capitalise on it. I said to the players, the killer instinct in both boxes is what’s vital. The key moment was to go 3-1 up. We didn’t and we made a m…
Liverpool are interested in signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Liverpool are looking at Dewsbury-Hall as someone who would make their midfield department better and stronger.
Former Premier League and UEFA Champions League winners Liverpool have been scouting Dewsbury-Hall for the past season and have been impressed by how well he has done and the progress that he has. Leicester will play in the Championship next season after getting relegated from the Premier League.
Dewsbury-Hall made 28 starts and three substitute appearances in the Premier League for Leicester last season. The 24-year-old scored two goals and gave two assists in those matches. During the 2021-22 season, the midf…
Rafael Leao earned a place in the Serie A history books before he and Stefano Pioli confirmed Milan s breathtaking start at Sassuolo was cooked up on the training ground.
The Portuguese forward scored after just six seconds as the leaders stunned their hosts, with Milan going on to secure a 2-1 victory.
Brahim Diaz touched the ball from kick-off to Hakan Calhanoglu who charged through lines of Sassuolo players before feeding Leao, who sprinted in from the left.
Leao took two touches as he entered the penalty area before driving a powerful shot beyond Andrea Consigli, with head coach Pioli revealing it was among a handful of ploys Milan had prepared.
Pioli told Sky Sport Italia: Let s say we have four or five kick-off situations and every now and then we …
Rodri and Tanguy Ndombele made their Premier League debuts on the opening weekend of the new season and two of the division s biggest new arrivals will go head-to-head when Manchester City take on Tottenham.
Ndombele came to Tottenham s rescue against Aston Villa, his equaliser paving the way for a late Harry Kane double as Mauricio Pochettino s side came from behind to win 3-1.
Two-time defending champions City, meanwhile, had a far easier outing against West Ham – Raheem Sterling scoring a hat-trick in a 5-0 triumph, with club-record signing Rodri fitting straight into Pep Guardiola s engine room.
Now, the two midfielders will do battle on the pitch on Saturday, as two of the Premier League s elite clubs lock horns in Manchester.
CITY TO …
Lionel Messi should leave Barcelona for a reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, says former Camp Nou assistant Juan Carlos Unzue.
Six-time Ballon d Or winner Messi sent shockwaves through world football by handing in a transfer request at Barca this week.
City are viewed as frontrunners for his signature, with Messi reported to have called Guardiola – Barcelona s head coach during a decorated period between 2008 and 2012 when Messi became widely regarded as the finest player on the planet – to give him notice of his intention to leave the club he joined as a 12-year-old.
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Stefano Pioli insists Milan are in confident mood ahead of their Europa League last-16 tie with Manchester United, despite having to contend with a growing injury list.
Milan are without Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mario Mandzukic, Ismael Bennacer, Hakan Calhanoglu, Theo Hernandez and Ante Rebic for Thursday s first leg.
The Italian side travel to Old Trafford with just two strikers in their squad – Rafael Leao and academy product Riccardo Tonin, who has yet to feature at senior level.
However, Milan were also far from full strength for their 2-0 league win at Hellas Verona last weekend and Pioli is hoping to build confidence from that victory.
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