Met The Criteria Podcast

In a high-pressured final episode of MTC we have a lot to talk about.. All things Warriors - including appreciating the greatest shooter ever to play the game. Where does he rank all-time? Has the Warriors dynasty been taken for granted? Will they repeat? Draft talk - Vinny's Rockets got Jabari. Can he help them make a jump next season? Brooklyn - it wouldnt be MTC if we didnt talk Nets for a good half hour now would it?! (Funnily enough Theo wasnt as keen this time..!) Where did it all go so wrong? Who is to blame:- Kyrie or the organisation? Free agency update - Zach gets his bag with the Bulls, Brunson is a Knick and the Twolves make a big move to pair together two big men. Will it work Goodbye from MTC - after nearly 2 years, 3 crowned champions and over 85 episodes the time has come to say goodbye to the podcast. We want to thank everyone who has been involved with MTC right from the start, family and friends for supporting, people who have appeared on the pod (some multiple times to help us out of a hole!), our awesome sound engineer Ethan for helping improve the audio production, and to every one of our listeners! Its been a blast. For one last time: shout out to the boys x

In this episode of MTC we discuss the endings to the conference finals and the impressive Boston Celtics performance in Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals. Has the start of this series changed our predictions? Is Al Horford ageless?! Enjoy the rest of the series, boys and girls! Shout out

It felt like a lifetime but we finally managed to create time to record our first pod in a while! We are back to talk all things conference finals Who is left? What has impressed us so far for each team? Who are our picks, for the series and for the new Conference MVP trophies? Sadly we cant get to recapping all the playoff moments so far this season but lets hope there's more on the way! Shout out!

The 2021-22 regular season is in the books, so its time to reflect on our favourite team's performances, the MVP race, and more. We also look forward to the play-in tournaments in either conference and make our way-too-early picks for the NBA Finals! Whats yours? Let us know... Shout out to the boys

Vinny is back and in command with special guests alongside him always! Theo & Jared join in the discussion around: -Kevin Garnett's #5 being retired; our thoughts on the ceremony and where The Big Ticket ranks as an all-time C -Brooklyn emphatically beating the 76ers; should Simmons have gone to watch from the bench? -Draymond is back; his impact on the Warriors and his nickname potential... -Phoenix; Put some respect/respec' on their names! All this and more on another fun conversation of NBA news. Shout out! @MetTheCriteria

We are joined this week by a key cog in the UK community, someone who has seen massive changes to his team's roster recently! Ben joins the pod and talks all things Harden trade, his feelings for Simmons, the narrative around Philly sports fans and much more. We also take the opportunity to discuss the highlights of the season so far, our MVP picks with 20 games or so left and of course grab a little Finals prediction from Ben.... not what you might expect! Share your MVP picks and best moments of the season in all the usual places: @MetTheCriteria Shout out to the boys x

Well, we missed quite a lot between this episode and the last! The NBA went mad over the trade deadline, including a potentially title-changing deal in the Atlantic division. Before we got to that - and we DID get to it - we discuss some of the other moves around the league.. -Schroder for Theis (yes, Vinny thought this would be relevant!) -Ibaka to the Bucks -Sabonis/Haliburton deal between the Pacers & Kings Let us know your opinions and thoughts on all these deals and of course the Harden to Philadelphia mega-trade. Shout out to the boys!

This week on MTC we chat about the recent "news" regarding James Harden. Is Philadelphia a viable option for his impending free agency, or is this just the rumour mill going crazy? We discuss the confirmed all star starters, and more notably any omissions before concluding with a look at some of the NBA stars who are carrying a bit of timber in a new All-NBA Team. Shout out to the boys!

MTC is back with a bang to discuss the following topics: Which injury will have the biggest impact on their team: Dame, Draymond or Durant? Which statement win was the biggest: Charlotte, Milwaukee or Brooklyn? Who make our all-star reserve teams East & West? (Spoiler: Theo picks only Nets players for all 24 positions!) What defines an all star? All this and more. Please rate, share and follow the pod. Shout out

This week we take a deep dive into the red-hot Bulls and their MVP candidate, DeMar DeRozan. Vinny & Theo give the Bulls more love than Jared has ever heard before! We discuss the return of two elite guards in Kyrie Irving & Klay Thompson and the impact these moves will have. Next up we chat about Steph's breaking of the 3-point record and where that record might end up one day before we close with some all-star talk. Let us know your starting 5s and also your thoughts on how many 3s Steph Curry will end his career with. Shout out x

It's MTC time again and we start this one where we left the last one (kind of)... Suns Warriors. What did we see out of their recent series? Do Phoenix have the perfect defensive weapon to put on Steph in a playoff setting? We also discuss the Portland situation - should they trade Dame? CJ? Nurkic? All 3?! Which of our 2 All NBA "out with COVID" teams would you pick in a 7-game series? Let us know. Finally we talk about exciting games coming up on the schedule.

Kicking off this week's episode we moan about the weather.. before discussing the scuffle between LeBron James & Isaiah Stewart. Did the NBA get the suspensions correct? Before their home-and-home set this week, we also talk about the leagues top 2 teams.. the Golden State Warriors & the Phoenix Suns. Is Vinny correct... can any team run these squads close out west? Let us know in all the usual places, or use the Spotify poll. Shout out

It's a spicy talking point to kick off this week's pod.. Nikola Jokic vs Markieff Morris - does Jokic deserve the huge levels of criticism? Was it high-time a Morris twin got a taste of their own medicine? (Spoiler: yes) This week we also talk about our most surprising teams that have started this season well, and conversely the squads that have got off to slow starts before closing with some MVP talk - it's never too early! Shout out to the boys....

The season is here and so are we, joined by an extra special guest to kick off and close this week's episode (stay tuned for that!) This episode features some of our awards predictions before we discuss the two biggest NBA superstar headlines: Kyrie & Ben Simmons. What are your feelings for next steps for each franchise/player? Let us know in all the usual places. Shout out to the boys!

It's time for the yearly preview pod of the upcoming season. We talk through our picks for the top 10 teams in each conference - did we miss anyone out? We also each (apart from Vinny) select an under-the-radar team that we will keep an eye on League Pass for. Finally we select players who we think have something to prove in the 21-22 NBA season. Who would you say has most to prove? Let us know in all the usual spots! Shout out

Season 3 (or is it 2.5) of MTC is back! On this summer recap pod we discuss our favourite draft selections and talk through the biggest names who have/haven't resigned at time of recording. We finish the pod by giving our opinions on two players who seemed certain to leave their respective franchises last time we spoke but who ultimately have stayed put... for now Shout out x

In our final pod of the season we discuss the Bucks closing out the NBA Finals in style behind one of the most dominating Finals games in history by Giannis! Jared decides to open up a serious can of worms regarding James Harden's Giannis comments a couple of years ago, which naturally gets Mr Nets' back up. Also.. Did Giannis do it the hard way? Can CP3 be the best player on a championship team? And when will MTC return? Tune in to find out. A HUGE thank you to each and every one of our listeners throughout this season! Shout out to you all.

On this week's episode we discuss games 4 and 5 of the NBA Finals in detail and all the big plays and talking points around it... Giannis' block, Jrue's strip and alley-oop, CP3 going missing, Booker stepping up... And it isn't an episode of MTC without a crazy trade suggestion from Vinny! Shout out to the boys

Part-way through the 2021 NBA Finals and the biggest talking point so far has been the up-and-down performances from Giannis' team-mates. We discuss what needs to change from Middleton and Holiday in road games to help the Bucks take control of the series. Phoenix have been excellent so far, but should the Suns be worried about injuries, CP3's turnovers or Booker's game 3 flop? If you enjoyed this episode. please share and help promote the pod. Shout out to the boys

This week we say goodbye to two playoff teams who have really gained the respect of many fans.. the Clippers and the Hawks. Then its time to debate the Finals... Who will come out victorious? Which team had a more favourable route to the Finals? Will Giannis be back in time to make a case for Finals MVP? All this and more on this episode of Met The Criteria. Shout out!

Another week of MTC and another Kevin Durant Twitter discussion is necessary. This time, it feels like he has been the victim of a little bit of unnecessary hate from 6-time champ Scottie Pippen... do you agree? We touch on some of the big moves in the coaching seat around the league, in Indiana, Dallas, Portland and Boston. And finally we discuss the latest performances in the conference finals. Can Trae shimmy his way past the Bucks? Are the Clippers done with or without Kawhi? Let us know your thoughts in all the usual places!

WARNING: Not safe listening for Brooklyn Nets fans until approx (30:30). This week we discuss the "failure of a season" (Vinny's words) by the Brooklyn Nets and whether they still classify as favourites for the title next year. Meanwhile we have plenty of teams and players to discuss for this year's chip: -Now Milwaukee have progressed, can Giannis take them all the way? -Is Rudy Gobert a playoff liability? -Ben Simmons - has he played his last game in Philly? -Mama, there goes that Mann - Terrance comes up big for the resilient Clips -Are the Suns the most feel-good story of the playoffs? All this and more on MTC this week. Thank you for listening and sharing - shout out to the boys!

Another week flies by in the NBA playoffs and we bid "adieu" to another team out West, the Mavericks. Can the Clippers carry their momentum past Utah? Or will the Jazz thrive behind Mitchell's stratospheric rise to playoff superstardom? We also address the Jokic MVP and what more he can do to help the Nuggets fight back against the white hot Suns. In the eastern conference, its a case of a dominant big man's apparent foul-bating, helping the 76ers to look ominously like a conference finals team for the first time since 2001. In the other eastern semi-final, Vinny boldly states that the Bucks will wrestle control back despite the superior scoring and performance of Kevin Durant. Do you agree? Let us know in all the usual spots. Shout out to the boys!

Round 1 is done, and the semi-finals are underway. This week we discuss... - the shocking exit by the defending champion LA Lakers. Does this affect LeBron's legacy? Should Frank Vogel shoulder some of the blame? - the Mavericks' lack of support for Luka Doncic, who would be a good fit alongside the up and coming superstar? Is he a top 5 player already? Then we preview and predict the next round of playoff series. Give us yours in all the usual places: @MetTheCriteria Shout out to the boys

This week we dive into the first week of NBA playoffs, including the sweep of the Miami Heat. There are key questions to answer on all sides of the bracket: -Are the Knicks done or will they extend the series? -Is it Pandemic P or Playoff P this year? -Is CJ McCollum good?! Find out our answers to these and much more with the MTC team. Shout out to the boys!

It's an anniversary pod.. kind of. This time round we go over the same format as our first ever shows: Playoff previews. As well as discussing the play-in game so far, we debate our picks for the Finals, dark horse contenders, most anticipated matchups and, of course, players to blow up and players to flop. Thanks for listening and please share and subscribe!

It's over. The 72 game sprint of a regular season is finished and the playoffs are just around the corner. This week on MTC we take a look back to our pre-season predictions and talk about the biggest surprises and letdowns in terms of player awards, conference seedings and the MVP race. As mentioned, the playoffs are nearly here.. but the small matter of that pesky play-in tournament has to be resolved (Sorry LeBron!). Check out our picks for that too. Thanks for the support throughout this season to all our listeners. Shout out x

This week on MTC we discuss some more complaints about the play-in tournament - what are your feelings? Let us know on the socials. We also give Vinny his moment in the sun and praise Russell Westbrook's impressive performances in recent months. Shout out to the boys... (this podcast is definitely not sponsored by ancestry.co.uk...)

On this week's MTC, friend of the pod Oli joins us we discuss the career-high performance from young Kevin Porter Jr in Houston, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to have a 50point-10assist game. In terms of the highlights, we tackle the question over what another Porter Jr - Michael from Denver - is missing from his game to take that final step to being a superstar. For the lows, we debate whether De'Aaron Fox should stick it out long-term in SacTown and Theo has a very unusual dietary preference... Shout out to the boys... and yeah, the Line of Duty ending was disappointing!

This week on MTC we take stock of the current playoff picture as at time of recording. Which Western team is the strongest to make a run through the play-in tournament? How much longer are we giving the Bulls? As well as the usual talk about the best and worst bits around the league this week, we have a special All NBA team/trivia crossover.. stay tuned for this one if you are big fan of UK hoopers. Shout out to the boys

This week we discuss yet another accidentally-prophesied injury. This time round Jamal Murray has been struck by the MTC curse! How will this affect the Nuggets' title hopes? Who is next?! Theo was Mr Trivia this week including a cracking run-down of some of the mid-range specialists throughout the league. As always, please subscribe and share our pod. Shout out to the boys!

Another week goes by in the NBA and whilst Theo dodges having to defend the Nets' poor showing this week, our special guest more than makes up for it - the only and only Ginger Shaq! GShaq talks to us about his journey to Bulls fan-dom, how he came to be part of the NBA UK Fans crew, and hits us with a semi-spicy NBA Finals prediction. A great conversation with a great member of the community. Enjoy! Shout out to the boys

This time round of MTC we discuss the latest beef affecting NBA stars.. Russell Westbrook vs Stephen A Smith, and KD vs Michael Rapaport. We also discuss the Space Jam 2 trailer before offering our usual run-down of the highs and lows around the league. Let us know your thoughts on all we discussed and anything else NBA related. Shout out to the boys!

On this week's MTC we kick things of by reminding ourselves of Vincent's scarily accurate words on last week's episode... before we talk through the most surprising and best moves from deadline day. Which ones did we miss? As always we sift through our highs and lows before a special song near the end documenting everyone's favourite Briarfield-an: Vinny! Shout out to the boys

This week on MTC we discuss the ankle sprain suffered recently by LeBron James and whether this really impacts the Lakers' title hopes. We also give our opinions on the PJ Tucker trade. The usual highs and lows from the last week are followed by the return of Real Talk, featuring a new intro (tasty!). Shout out to the boys

Well, well, well, another delayed episode of Blank the Criteria due to a late game time decision but we are all fighting fit and back with another weekly round-up of the biggest headlines, ups and downs around the Basketball Association of the National Variety. Theo debuts a new micro-segment highlighting a strange statistic, and your favourite segment: Blank the Criteria is back! Jimmy Butler stars this time round. Get involved with the debate in all the usual places, shout out to the boys!

A slightly longer than normal episode of MTC - but what with all that All-Star-ing, what do you expect? To kick things off, we give our opinions on the sacking of Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, and the Nets signing the GOAT. We fly through all-star in one night for the NBA - was Cassius Stanley robbed? Which 3-point shooter does Vinny think got the jitters? And who offers more; James Curry or Steph Harden? Theo then hits us with the one you have been waiting for: All-NBA All Star Snubs All Time All Day All the Way All In Team. Finally, seeing as though we have arrived at the half-way point (ish) of the season, we talk through the favourites for the player awards, most surprising and disappointing teams and, but of course, some more Nets talk with Theo. A fun episode, please share and subscribe and support the pod! Tell your friends! Shout out to the boys

MTC as Vincent always says: We back! On this week's episode we discuss our ideal candidates for the dunk contest and the three point shootout - should Zach LaVine go in both? We also react to the reserve announcements and discuss any potential snubs.... Our special All-NBA teams return too - this time it's a selection of the best undrafted talent in today's league. And as always we talk through the highs and lows from the action on the court. Did we miss anything? Get in touch and let us know! Shout out to the boys

On this week's MTC we discuss the snubs and the reserves for the All Star Game. Let us know who you would pick: Doncic or Lillard? Our highlights for the week feature a very petty choice by Theo, he REALLY isn't a fan of a certain eastern conference guard... Subscribe, share and shout out your boys

Join us for another week of MTC where we discuss the highs and lows around the league, including the incredible ball movement contributing to the Jazz being the hottest team in the league. We address Kevin Garnett's recent comments at the top of the episode - is he right that players from his generation would struggle in the modern NBA? Stay tuned also for a new segment, spin the wheel NBA teams (name being workshopped)... Shout out to the boys!

The second part of our home and home series with NuGeneration is here. We give EJ & Kendall the floor to let you all know the fine content they bring in sports, movies and more! And of course, MTC is never complete without some hoops talk and discussions about the highs/lows of the week. Make sure you stick around till the end for a VERY spicy football take from Kendall.... Shout out to the boys!

On this week's episode, as well as all the usual content you expect from a Monday MTC, we discuss and debate our all-star starters for either conference. Who are yours? Tell us in all the usual places who we missed... Shout out to the boys!

Another week goes by and Stephen Curry moves another spot higher on the all-time 3-pointers made list. When will he eclipse Ray Allen? We discuss at the outset. Next up our highlights and lowlights. Vinny's low in particular was a sore spot. Finally some trivia on league-altering trade packages - how many can you guess? Shout out to the boys. x

Where else can we start this episode than with the MEGA trade involving James Harden. We give our views on all 4 sides and get insight on some key questions for the Nets and Rockets as each franchise move forward. There was also some actual basketball played this week (believe it or not!) so you can count on MTC to highlight some hights and spotlight some lows for you. Keep on sharing and subscribing. Shout out to the boys!

For this week's episdode, we kick things off discussing the impact of the coronavirus and health/safety protocols on the league's recent games. We discuss our highlights of the week, including Steph announcing himself with 60 against Dame and his Blazers. Next up we talk through some of the letdowns, highlighted by a disappointing injury to one of leading candidates for the Most Improved Player award. Be sure to vote in our Twitter poll for your favourite pick of ours for the highlight/lowlights of the week, share your thoughts, too: @MetTheCriteria Shout out to the boys

It's the one you have all been waiting for - Blank the Criteria is BACK! (43:30) Before we get to our most-beloved segment, though, we recap some of our best and worst moments from this week's NBA action. Theo poses an interesting question: Are the Celtics in win-now mode? Is Spicy P looking more like Lemon 'n' Herb P? Let us know: @MetTheCriteria Shout out to the boys!

Ladies and Gentleman, we back! Back to our roots and with a fresh new format for our weekly show we are ready to cover this 20/21 season. We kick things off with some more Harden talk and discuss what his current worth is. Next up we discuss our highlights and lowlights from week 1, including, you guessed it Kevin Durant and the mighty Brooklyn Nets. Finally, Vinny and Theo smash the trivia section before we give you possibly the most inaccurate predictions in sports podcasting history.., feel free to laugh. Get involved on Twitter and give us your vote for top and flop of the week. Boys out to the shout!

The last in the series... but by no means the least! Our first guest on this season preview is Huw (@coach_huw), lead writer for Double Clutch UK & Sky Sports analyst. Huw, a San Antonio Spurs fan, hits us with his respect and love for Pop & Tim Duncan, talks about his adjustment to irrelevance and drills down into the young wing talent on the roster. Our final guest for this series is Steve (@GrizzliesFansUK), a Grizz superfan. We reflect on the accomplishments of Ja Morant, Taylor Jenkins and the rest of the team last year, in coming so close to making the playoffs. Can the Grizzlies build on that season? Steve lets us all know. It's been a short off-season and a heck of a job getting through these previews but as Vincenzo always says so eloquently: We give the people what they want! Basketball is back, and MTC is here to cover it all for you. Shout out to the boys

We're trying Jennifer! A special treat in store for you all today, Jennifer (@ChocDelight1980) joins us to talk us through the incredible viral moment she shared with Blazers guard CJ McCollum in 2018. Jennifer also gives us the lowdown on what to expect from the Golden State Warriors in the upcoming season, and how much Klay will be missed. Our next guest is... us! Due to unforeseen circumstances, our Milwaukee Bucks guest was unable to join us at the last minute. So your boys stepped up in the clutch and represented, talking all things Giannis' supermax, the Jrue Holiday trade and whether the Bucks can get over their playoff woes this season. Shout out to the boys!

NBA BASKETBALL RETURNS THIS WEEK! And we are continuing to deliver the goods with more season previews, today we have Matt (@RaptorsFansUK) to talk us through Vinny's second team, the Toronto Raptors. The Center rotation features heavily in analysing the off-season moves but Matt is quietly optimistic for his beloved Raps.... Our next guest is Jack (@SacKingsUK). We dive into the young players on the roster - what is the ceiling for De'Aaron Fox? Can Marvin Bagley stay healthy or has Puma jinxed his ability to stay on the court? Two great guests, go and check them out! Please also keep sharing our pod and give us your feedback on our social channels.. shout out to the boys!

It's a back-to-back-to-back-to-back kind of week here at MTC, another cracking episode for you! First up Joe (@JoeHulbertNBA) tells us his journey to covering the Dallas Mavericks and lets us know how high he things Luka & Co can fly. Please also forgive Theo nearly dying during this segment.. Our second guest is Matt (SunsFansUK). Phoenix have had one heck of an off-season, which we dive into. We also get Matt's thoughts on a potential sleeper pick for 6th Man of the Year.... Two fantastic guests and valued contributors to the NBA UK family, what more can you ask for! Subscribe and share, shout out to the boys