NBL 22/23 Season - brought to you by Hungry Jacks

[Total_Juddshanks]

Will never get tired of watching Cotton flick the switch and activate beast mode. I think something like 14 of the 20 pts he scored in the last quarter came in the first 3 minutes, he just blew that game apart.

One thing which really stood out all game to me was Mitch Creek's lousy perimeter defence. They went in planning for him to exploit Manek inside but given Manek dropped 6 3s @54% on Creek in the first 3 quarters you'd have to ask who was exploiting who.

Then in the last quarter Creek kept unnecessarily switching out on to Cotton and got absolutely abused by him every time. As often happens with Cotton, he got a few easy buckets off the dribble by going past Creek and is whole game gets going.

Then the worst thing about it was with Creek floundering out on the perimeter, for the first time this season perth actually started to get some offensive rebounds and second chance points. What he should have been doing in the last quarter is staying inside, letting better defenders take Cotton and focusing on controlling the boards.

Maybe this is unfair but it looked a lot like an ego driven choice by Creek, like he's the man and he's going to take responsibility for shutting down Cotton in the crunch minutes.

 

[BobbyMorri]

What an embarrassing finals format.

I actually really like it. Simple and to the point but it still rewards the teams which finish higher.

 

[ep2018]

I actually really like it. Simple and to the point but it still rewards the teams which finish higher.

Allowing 5th and 6th to play finals is a cash grab, nothing more. Two best of 3 semi finals and a best of 5 final is the way to go imo. Top 4 was perfect.

(yes I'm aware my team the Wildcats have a chance to make the semis from 6th under this format but my point still stands)

 

[FreoRicci]

Travers better hope there’s no US scouts. Because he’s absolute dogs*** today. Worst player of the game

 

[Gak Attack]

Pretty ordinary effort by Perth

 

[ep2018]

Whole team looked off, perhaps a bug going around. We honestly should have won that.

 

[amazingjoshy]

23% from 3pt land

Been fun to watch when on but weren't ever winning it playing no defence and constantly getting smacked on the boards

 

[FreoRicci]

Whole team looked off, perhaps a bug going around. We honestly should have won that.

Not a chance. Defence so poor. Ball movement was slow.
Travers having possession wasn't working. He was so bad today.

 

[Gak Attack]

I'd rather this being called in the studio than getting NZ homer commentators. Pretty ordinary for a final.

 

[Luuuc]

Perth's short rotation caught up with us today. I wouldn't read too much into that result when assessing the team overall. And as I mentioned the other day, Cairns have worked out how to shut down our scoring. They did it again to great effect, and while McCall & Pinder are both quality players, I think their absence didn't hurt the Taipans whatsoever in this particular matchup.
Going forward through the playoffs it obviously sucks for Cairns to be without them though.

When a team limits Cotton that well, and guys like Travers, Manek & Webster don't all step up, it's bad news for us.
It's a pity that we didn't have a healthy Tai Webster in the last few games to at least spread the load and give us a different option, but other teams are facing worse personnel issues, so no excuses there.
I expect Travers to come into next season a better physically conditioned athlete and be more consistent as a result, but the GM needs to put some better players around him & Bryce.

Individually, Manek & Thomas are both capable players, but collectively they are not the starting front court of a top 4 team, and nor is Wagstaff the entire front court bench of a top 4 team. We need to do way better next season with recruiting. You don't lose a star like Vic Law, replace him with a rookie out of college and expect to improve.

 

[Luuuc]

Allowing 5th and 6th to play finals is a cash grab, nothing more. Two best of 3 semi finals and a best of 5 final is the way to go imo. Top 4 was perfect.

(yes I'm aware my team the Wildcats have a chance to make the semis from 6th under this format but my point still stands)

For sure it is a cash grab, and fair enough too because the NBL needs all the cash it can get.
Though it's not like the league hasn't done a lot worse than 6/10 making the playoffs in the past.

Personally I think the concept has been vindicated by how it has panned out, but I also appreciate people having an issue with more than half the team playing post-season.

Would a 4v5 play-in have sat better with you as a compromise?

 

[BobbyMorri]

Snakes bit the kings.

Chase Bulford got ejected for abuse. Completely went mental. heated match

So, it was a good night. Sunday should be fun!!!

 

[Royces Hart]

Man I really, really want a Tassie-Cairns grand final. Been too long since a small market team won.

Carn the snake ants.

 

[nike1]

Man I really, really want a Tassie-Cairns grand final. Been too long since a small market team won.

Carn the snake ants.

it'd be awesome wouldnt it?.

also i feel like we're at the point now where we just watch every sydney king game to see if chase gets ejected...

 

[brucetiki]

Snakes bit the kings.

Chase Bulford got ejected for abuse. Completely went mental. heated match

So, it was a good night. Sunday should be fun!!!

As much as Chase is a twat, he had every right to blow up after that call. That’s one of the biggest howlers of the season.

If a player that just got a tech for flopping then comes off bleeding, the refs should’ve had the brains to reverse the call.

All 3 refs from last night should sit out the season after that performance.

And the NBL has admitted the refs got the flop call wrong.

NBL Statement on Sydney v Cairns Playoff Game

After reviewing the game, the NBL acknowledges a mistake was made during last night’s Cairns Taipans v Sydney Kings Playoff game.

nbl.com.au

 

[BobbyMorri]

As much as Chase is a twat, he had every right to blow up after that call. That’s one of the biggest howlers of the season.

If a player that just got a tech for flopping then comes off bleeding, the refs should’ve had the brains to reverse the call.

All 3 refs from last night should sit out the season after that performance.

And the NBL has admitted the refs got the flop call wrong.

NBL Statement on Sydney v Cairns Playoff Game

After reviewing the game, the NBL acknowledges a mistake was made during last night’s Cairns Taipans v Sydney Kings Playoff game.

nbl.com.au

Yeah, I thought it was rough when I watched it live. On replay, it looked even worse.

Should have been a reach in foul at most.

 

[Gak Attack]

11 turnovers in 11 minutes. Way to stink it up in biggest game of the year by Jackie's.

 

[Royces Hart]

Man I really, really want a Tassie-Cairns grand final. Been too long since a small market team won.

Carn the snake ants.

Well that didn’t work out. Good seasons by Tassie and Cairns, unfortunately as seems to happen with Cairns on an up year, they run out of steam late. If they had Pinder and Scott, and Tassie had Maggette, things might have been different. Casey Franks referring to Rashard Kelly as R Kelly probably wasn’t the best take either.

Onwards and upwards, I’ll guess I’ll go for NZ after their Covid sacrifices, would be a nice reward. And not seeing the bitches from “Hoops Central” go back to back would be great.

Finally, I don’t know why the NBL has coaches challenges on fouls, they never overturn their decisions.

 

[Aucklander]

Hell of a turnaround for the Breakers. Credit to coach, Mody Maor who has done an excellent job.

 

[kane249]

Hell of a turnaround for the Breakers. Credit to coach, Mody Maor who has done an excellent job.

With the amount of times Dan Shamir and himself walk on to court during a game i'm surprised they weren't up for 6th man of the year

 

[Aucklander]

With the amount of times Dan Shamir and himself walk on to court during a game i'm surprised they weren't up for 6th man of the year

Unlikely they'd be up for any awards.

 

[peternorth]

Really moving the momentum the NBL has created and gained over recent times. Such a great product!

 

[Aucklander]

Game 1 to the Breakers. Can they do the complete turnaround?

 

[peternorth]

Game 1 to the Breakers. Can they do the complete turnaround?

Fair result

 

[hutchy31]

Well done Sydney, they really came out strong in the second half. But that’s brutally bad from the breakers. 21 points in a half of basketball in a finals series is pathetic.