Basketball legend Shane Heal gives his take on the NBA Playoffs

Ben Simmons is hoping to lead Philadelphia to a win over Toronto but an Aussie legend has poured cold water on the 76ers’ playoff hopes.

The NBA Playoffs are in full swing and for all the swagger and sensational shooting in the Western Conference semi-finals between the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors much of the talk is of the officiating, flopping and whingeing.

Players have been jawing at the referees ad nauseam throughout the opening two games of the series, where the Warriors are up 2-0, and a former NBA star has had enough.

Shane Heal, who spent time on the roster of a champion San Antonio Spurs team, admits he was no angel on the court — in fact he was famously caught jawing at major NBA stars including Charles Barkley — but he’s had enough of the lengths Houston and Golden State are taking their ongoing whinge-fest to.

“These players at the moment they have whinged more than I have ever seen before and it’s driving me crazy,” Heal said on Unibet’s At Odds show.

“That is coming from someone who whinged a lot as a player.

“James Harden just jumps into people trying to get these three-point plays, and draw the foul.”

And while Heal was against the large amount of talk going on between Draymond Green, Harden, Chris Paul and company he said in the East it’s looking like bad news for Ben Simmons and his Philadelphia 76ers.

Philly levelled the series at 1-1 with a win in Game 2 but Heal can’t see Simmons and his mates toppling a Toronto outfit led by Kawhi Leonard — especially if the Raptors close the Aussie down in the half-court.

“He’s that sort of player. He can’t score from the perimeter, they just close down his space so he finds it difficult,” Heal said.

“Simmons is unbelievable in transition, when he gets space, he’s one of the best we’ve seen but I’m still on the Raptors to win that even though Philly have snuck one on the road.”

Heal also predicted a major upset, tipping Boston to overcome Milwaukee.

“This is going to be the upset of the Playoffs and I think the experience of the Celtics and with their length, they play such good defence,” Heal said.

“This is one matchup I think the Greek Freak (Giannis Antetokounmpo) — who is going to be the MVP — did not want to have against the Celtics.

“They (the Celtics) shut down Ben Simmons last year, they take away space, they are very good.

“I think they win the series. The Celtics have already snuck one on the road ... they need to hold serve now at home and they are good to go.”

Heal also predicted that the Celtics would go on to play Golden State in the NBA Finals.

FAULKNER A SILLY BOY

James Faulkner had to clarify his Instagram post and say he was not coming out as gay.

James Faulkner set tongues wagging this week when in an Instagram post he appeared to come out as gay.

However he then clarified he actually wasn’t, despite alluding to a mate as his “boyfriend”.

Heal again went to town, this time suggesting Faulkner should have known better.

“It was dangerous and it was silly,” Heal said.

Bryan Fletcher backed Heal up and suggested that there would be ramifications for others ion the wake of Faulkner’s post.

“I think he tried to make a joke and it turned out really bad,” Fletcher said.

“And it’s going to make it bad for other people out there.”

BRONCOS TO BUCK BENNETT

Souths coach Wayne Bennett has been on the front foot ahead of the big match.

South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett has been in all out angry coach mode in the lead-up to his side’s battle against former club the Brisbane Broncos on Thursday night.

Bennett has done multiple interviews where he has taken a swipe at his former club but according to Bryan Fletcher it will be all to no avail, as he is backing the Broncos in for a second good performance on the trot due to them having a coach, Anthony Seibold, who might be more than ready for Bennett.

“He’s great at deflecting attention away from the players,” Fletcher said of Bennett.

“He has done more one-on-one interviews than we have ever seen and he has been prickly.

“Usually he is a bit prickly but what he is doing is so the players don’t have to discuss Anthony Seibold.”

Still Fletcher believes that it won’t make a shred of difference when the Broncos come up against their former mentor.

“It was Anthony Milford’s kicking game (that helped the Broncos beat Cronulla) and he is not going to get that space against South Sydney but it is amazing what confidence can do,” he said.

“And I just think Anthony Seibold is a super coach.”