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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Liverpool produced yet another late show to beat Aston Villa 2-1 and maintain their six-point lead at the Premier League summit.
That margin could have been greater were it not for Manchester City s own fightback at home to Southampton, with Kyle Walker s goal four minutes from time sealing all three points for Pep Guardiola s side.
Manchester United reverted to type after a recent mini revival, slipping to an insipid 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth, while Chelsea were 2-1 winners over Watford at Vicarage Road.
Our Premier League Data Diary sheds some light on the detail behind the major stories from this weekend s big games.
LIVERPOOL LEAVE IT LATE AGAIN
Liverpool s stunning start to the season continued with a last-gasp win over Aston Vil…
Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo has firmly denied an accusation of rape and says it is an abominable crime .
The Portugal star was accused by Kathryn Mayorga of sexually assaulting her in a Las Vegas hotel in 2009.
Ronaldo initially described the claims, first reported by German publication Der Spiegel last Friday, as fake news via an Instagram video.
The 33-year-old has now published a statement on social media in which he denies the allegations against him and hits out at a media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense .
I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me. Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in. Keen as I may be to clear my name, I refuse to feed the media s…
Aleksander Ceferin is set to be re-elected unopposed for a third term as UEFA president.
The governing body on Friday announced that Ceferin is the only candidate for the role for the elections that will be held in Lisbon on April 5.
Ceferin took over as UEFA president in September 2016 and started a new four-year term in February 2019.
The Slovenian s tenure will be extended to 2027, with the deadline for candidates to oppose him having passed on Thursday.
Noel Le Graet, the president of the French Football Federation, faces a challenge to keep his seat on the FIFA Council.
Portugal FA chief Fernando Gomes will be hoping to secure the votes to take Le Graet s place.
Meanwhile, the deadline for the submission of candidatures for seats on t…
Uruguay made sure it was anything but a friendly for Neymar.
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 …