The Max Whittle Podcast

This week on the US Sports Podcast with Max Whittle, NBA regular and host of the X and O's podcast Dennis Xhaët jumps onto the podcast to talk about all of the first round matchups in the NBA. The series' in question: Celtics v Bulls, Cavaliers v Pacers, Wizards v Hawks, Raptors v Bucks, Warriors v Blazers, Spurs v Grizzlies, Clippers v Jazz and Rockets v Thunder. After that, the guys discuss the challenges voting for the MVP award this season and the New York Knicks drama between Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony. You can tweet Max @max_whittle

This week on the US Sports Podcast with Max Whittle, NBA play-by-play announcer for ESPN, ABC and the MSG Network Mike Breen joins the podcast. In New York City ahead of the start of the 2016/17 NBA playoffs, Mike talks about what it was like to grow up in an Irish Catholic enclave north of Manhattan with five brothers, how he became a diehard New York Mets fan, his time spent at Fordham University studying radio with Michael Kay, getting into the sports broadcasting business, what it's like to call games for the New York Knicks on a day-to-day basis and his on-air chemistry with ESPN colleagues Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. You can tweet Max @max_whittle

This week on the US Sports Podcast with Max Whittle, editor-in-chief of the MMQB, Peter King, joins the show. From his home office in New York City, Peter talks through the various steps necessary to complete his Monday morning column and the physical tolls it has taken on him. A graduate of Ohio University, Peter discusses what he set out to do studying journalism, the art of locker room interviews, how he secured Tom Brady for his podcast after Super Bowl 51, where he thinks the media industry is going, how his perception and enjoyment of American football has changed over the years and his brief experiences watching cricket. You can get in touch with Max on Twitter @max_whittle.

This week on the US Sports Podcast with Max Whittle, Josh Chetwynd joins the show to preview the 2017 MLB season and run down some of the storylines from the offseason. Josh, formerly of MLB on Channel 5 and BBC 5 Live Xtra, talks about his experience playing for Team GB and what baseball stands for in the UK. Big league topics include: Which of the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians has the better roster this season, Trea Turner's ceiling in Washington, the closing window for the Detroit Tigers, the Yankees formula after seven years of underachieving, the strongest starting rotations around the league and Josh's work as a baseball agent. You can get in touch with the show by tweeting Max @max_whittle. Thanks for listening!

On this week's US Sports Podcast with Max Whittle, Dennis Xhaët from the X and O's NBA podcast and Play Sports TV comes on to discuss all of the playoff races in the NBA, including the battle for the eighth spot in the East and West, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies competing for the sixth spot in the West, the East trio of Cleveland, Boston and Washington and the chase for home court between the Utah Jazz and LA Clippers. Bouncing around the league, the guys also discuss Dirk Nowitzki reaching 30,000 points, the front office and on-court shakeup in the Lakers organisation and Lavar Ball's comments.

Dikembe Mutombo joins Max Whittle on the US Sports Podcast this week to reminisce on a career that saw him rack up 3,289 blocks, the most in NBA history, and four Defensive Player of the Year selections. The eight-time All Star talks about how he got into basketball in the Congo, his first impressions of America, why he wouldn't give up his blocks for a championship, how and why his famous finger-wagging at opponents started and his ultimate three on three past and present matchup. Then, Denver Nuggets associate head coach Chris Finch joins Max to talk about the Nuggets' push for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Finch, the former head coach of the Team GB side that competed at the London Olympics with Luol Deng in 2012, discusses what he learned in Houston under Kevin McHale, his offensive philosophy, James Harden's development as a full-time point guard and the dilemma young British basketball players have when making a decision on how to make it to the next level. You can get in touch with Max on Twitter @max_whittle. Thanks for listening!

This week on the US Sports Podcast, Max Whittle is joined by good friend Tom Perkes in Washington State to break down all the moves right after the NBA trade deadline closed. DeMarcus Cousins to New Orleans, Nerlens Noel to Dallas, the overhaul in the Lakers front office, the Raptors and Wizards improving and the Boston Celtics keeping hold of their draft picks are all discussed. You can get in touch with Max on Twitter @max_whittle

Joining the US Sports Podcast with Max Whittle this week is Indiana Pacers big man Al Jefferson, the 15th overall pick in the 2004 draft, and NBA expert Dennis Xhaët, who covers the league for Belgium broadcaster Play Sports and hosts the basketball podcast, X and O's. Jefferson answers questions about his career in the first ever edition of 'How well do you know Yourself', which follows a deep dive into the game with Dennis. Topics include: Kevin Durant v Russell Westbrook round three, the Charles Oakley and James Dolan saga, Jabari Parker's injury and the future of the young Milwaukee Bucks, notable trades, Joel Embiid's journey in Philadelphia and alternative All Star selections. Get in touch with Max on Twitter, @max_whittle.

This week on the US Sports Podcast with Max Whittle, a couple of NFL big-hitters come onto the podcast to look back on Super Bowl LI, where the New England Patriots overcame a 28-3 deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons and win their fifth championship. Dan Shaughnessy, a sports columnist for the Boston Globe, talks about the Patriots' changing game plan at half-time, his writing approach as the game flipped dramatically, Roger Goodell's podium visit being serenaded by boos, the futures of Stephen Gostkowski and Rob Gronkowski, the alternative story to Tom Brady and Bill Belichick being the greatest quarterback/coach duo in NFL history and a quick comment on the Boston Celtics' ceiling this season. Then, Don Banks of patriots.com explains his bemusement at the Falcons' play-calling in the second half, his thoughts on Lady Gaga's half-time performance, comparing the Patriots' success with other Boston teams through history, if the overtime rules are fair and which of the Patriots and Falcons has a better chance of returning to the Super Bowl next season.

This week on the US Sports Podcast with Max Whittle, Sky Sports NFL analyst and Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive coordinator Jeff Reinebold joins the show to talk about his life in football, and following Jeff, Gridiron's Will Gavin breaks down Super Bowl 51 between the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots. Jeff talks about his coaching hero, Dick Vermeil, what it's like coaching in Canada and the CFL rules the NFL should adopt, the hut in Hawaii that he lives in before training camp, why he got his first tattoo, his approach to working on television for Sky Sports and Johnny Manziel's potential future in the CFL. Following Jeff, NFL broadcaster Will Gavin - from The Gridiron Show and talkSPORT - breaks down the key matchups between the Falcons and Patriots, explains who he would rather have at quarterback between Tom Brady and Matt Ryan for the next three years and gives his take on Ben Roethlisberger's future and the NFL's re-location craze.