NBL Season Under Way

[jod23]

Well the first weekend is done, what are your thoughts....here are the results...

Wednesday 2 October
West Sydney Razorbacks 104 (Dwight 21, McGregor/Farley 17) def. Adelaide 36ers 92 (Maher 23, Cattalini 22, Thomas 16) at the State Sports Centre, Sydney.


Canberra Cannons 94 (Chappell 25, Bruton 23, Thomas 16) def. Townsville Crocodiles 88 (Rose 24, Kelly/Rice 16) at AIS Arena, Canberra.


Friday 4 October
Cairns Taipans 109 (Wells 22, Knight 20, Sapwell 19) def. Brisbane Bullets 98 (Helliwell 18, Seigle 17, Rutherford 14) at Cairns Convention Centre.


Perth Wildcats 111 (Burston 20, Wheeler 19, Feaster/Harvey 18) def. Melbourne Tigers 105 (Copeland 27, Gaze 25, Timmons 19) at State Netball & Hockey Centre, Melbourne.


Saturday 5 October
Wollongong Hawks 116 (Groves 36, Campbell 24, Saville 20) def. Townsville Crocodiles 104 (Jordan 31, Reidy 22, Kelly 15) at WIN Entertainment Centre

Sunday 6 October
Perth Wildcats 95 (Feaster 33, Grace 14, Ronaldson 13) def. Victoria Giants 85 (Mosley 19, Crosswell 15, McDonald 14) at Challenge Stadium


The defending champs and heavy favourites got beaten first up, the WSR look impressive and go deep off the bench, my tip to win it all this season. Cannons got up in a bit of a surprise and the Wildcats went 2 - 0 to head the ladder.

Your thoughts....

 

[Dr.Colossus]

Giants lost as expected, but not by as many as most would have thought.
I'm interested to see how the Kings will perform.

 

[Dingster]

Not the same Giants I used to watch at the Glasshouse, but at least they were competitive and should trouble any team that thinks they have an automatic W.

Never been a fan of Sydney, so a disturbing result. Bring back Simon Kerle.

 

[Brad Goodman]

Ecstatic to see the Giants only go down by 9 points. I am expecting wooden spoon this eason, that's a given, but htey might be able to crack it for 5 or 6 wins, which is a few more than I would've expected.

 

[Portmanteau]

Squeak, good to see you back in business... I think?

Uh, I think the Giants will be more like the '01 Freo... in getting close, but pretty much no wins. They'll be 5 or 6 wins behind Cairns by the end of the season.

 

[Brad Goodman]

Originally posted by Guey_34
Squeak, good to see you back in business... I think?

Uh, I think the Giants will be more like the '01 Freo... in getting close, but pretty much no wins. They'll be 5 or 6 wins behind Cairns by the end of the season.

Yeah, and yeah.

I liken them to Collingwood of '99, only 4 wins but a percentage of 85, which is pretty high for a AFL woodenspooner.

Any wins they happen to pull off will be a bonus, but there will be no doubt that they will be first in the league for effort, otherwise they'll get belted.

 

[naughty monkey]

watched the WSR and ADL game on FOX. Thought both teams sucked - was more like a trial game!

This match was no indicator of how good these teams will play.

C.Thomas 1/10 (?) from the three!! didn't run hard enough on transition plays
P. Rogers - 2 pts, both from the free throw i.e. no field goals!!!!! Shtyte
Nash looked slow - clearly not 100% fit
Cat was good
Mahersy - not his best, looked flat
Jason Williams - if ADL don't twopeat it will be his fault. You'd play Matty Illman ahead of him!

ADL were always going to get off to a slow start and they didn't disappoint. They will lose more games in the next month or so until they adjust to the new playing style.

Dwight was very good - early tip for league MVP
Farley - average, seen much better from him last year.
Rucker - did enough, stepped up when he had to.
WSR - same as Rucker, did enough, didn't look real interested.


BTW - the jordan playing for the crocs, did he play with the titans or the kings a few years ago???

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by naughty monkey
watched the WSR and ADL game on FOX. Thought both teams sucked - was more like a trial game!

This match was no indicator of how good these teams will play.

C.Thomas 1/10 (?) from the three!! didn't run hard enough on transition plays
P. Rogers - 2 pts, both from the free throw i.e. no field goals!!!!! Shtyte
Nash looked slow - clearly not 100% fit
Cat was good
Mahersy - not his best, looked flat
Jason Williams - if ADL don't twopeat it will be his fault. You'd play Matty Illman ahead of him!

ADL were always going to get off to a slow start and they didn't disappoint. They will lose more games in the next month or so until they adjust to the new playing style.

Dwight was very good - early tip for league MVP
Farley - average, seen much better from him last year.
Rucker - did enough, stepped up when he had to.
WSR - same as Rucker, did enough, didn't look real interested.


BTW - the jordan playing for the crocs, did he play with the titans or the kings a few years ago???

I also watched the game on Foxtel...i thought it was pretty entertaining, free flowing basketball. Not much defence apart from McKinnon and Dwight throwing back a couple of blocks. Dwight dominated and Rucker did what he had to at the right time. WSR IMO look like this years champs.

BTW, did you see the streaker....that was funny!! No security so she just ran back into the crowd and put her clothes back on

 

[King Crow]

The NBL must be struggling if Adonis Jordan can dominate.

How the hell can a player like Paul Rees, undoubtedly the most pathetic basketballer I have ever seen, still find a job at a Ball club?

The funniest thing I have ever heard was Steve Carfino say that the top 4 college teams couldnt touch the NBL contenders.. what a joke.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by King Crow


The funniest thing I have ever heard was Steve Carfino say that the top 4 college teams couldnt touch the NBL contenders.. what a joke.

Did he really say that??

Would be close games though, i dont think the Final Four would dominate.

 

[Portmanteau]

The Sturt Sabres played the Arizona Wildcats in May. The Sturt team included 36ers Brett Maher, Jason Williams, Oscar Forman, Matt Illman and former 36er Paul Bauer. I'm pretty sure they got pumped by 20 or so points, by the Wildcats, who are apparently the favourites for the 2003 NCAA title.

So if you figure in the other Sixers players, I'd say Adelaide would come up trumps.

 

[King Crow]

Any Non-NBA team woukldve got flogged by the likes of Maryland and Duke last season IMO.

For example, which team could compete with Duke, whose starting 5 consisted of players such as Boozer, Jay Will, Dunleavy Jnr and Duhon.

Anyway, I think Carfino made this stupid comment last season, or the season before.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by King Crow
Any Non-NBA team woukldve got flogged by the likes of Maryland and Duke last season IMO.

For example, which team could compete with Duke, whose starting 5 consisted of players such as Boozer, Jay Will, Dunleavy Jnr and Duhon.

Anyway, I think Carfino made this stupid comment last season, or the season before.

The 2000 Wildcats could beat them. Big PR in the middle...Vlahov and Fisher in the forward spots. Grace and Harvey on the outside. Would struggle if the game became a fast break thing but Grace would slow the tempo and turn it into an arm wrestle.

The college teams are good but they lack experience. That whole Duke team is like 22 and under. Grace, Vlahov, Fisher all well over 30...Rogers and Harvey even have more experience. I think the contests would be more even than people think.

 

[King Crow]

Grace and Fisher - Rejects that never made the big time?
Rogers - Late 2nd rd pick in the nba, never actually got a game?
Vlahov - Couldnt make the NBA
Harvey - Will always be just a very good player in the NBL

If that team played Duke, in a serious game... the Wildcats would get absolutely hammered.

 

[Portmanteau]

Methinks the 1997-98 Sixers would give it a good shake.

On the 97-98 roster you have Maher, Cattalini, Mee, Brooks, Rees, Stiff, Sapwell, Williams, Bauer and Dean Brogan(!!).

A lot of depth, some NBA and international experience, inside presence... and the best perimeter shooting team the NBL has seen.

 

[Portmanteau]

The Titans line-ups including D-Mac, J. Smith, T. Ronaldson, C. Anstey, J. Mosley, B. Sheridan and D. Smith were run pretty much like college teams anyway, but they have more experience.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by King Crow
Grace and Fisher - Rejects that never made the big time?
Rogers - Late 2nd rd pick in the nba, never actually got a game?
Vlahov - Couldnt make the NBA
Harvey - Will always be just a very good player in the NBL

If that team played Duke, in a serious game... the Wildcats would get absolutely hammered.

Well they wouldnt win now because Vlahov and Fisher are retired. Boozer and Duhon are not gonna be NBA superstars...Williams and Dunleavy are pretty good but there still just kids. The 2000 Wildcats would beat them, maybe

 

[jod23]

In fact the Razorbacks right now would give em a red hot go. Dwight in the middle is athletic and defensive monster. McKinnon is back to his best, Farley and Rucker on the outside. McGregor for inside muscle, Trahair on the outside. Bruce Bolden is also still handy.

 

[King Crow]

Duhon will be very good.

If Boozer came to the NBL, he'd average 25/10, and propably more, and become a Hall of famer