Hoops

GameDay: 36ers v Perth

A rather disappointing start to the season. Perth are rated to win the flag and so this was always going to be tough without Balls and a second import. I hope this is not an entree to a smorgasboard of disappointment.

I ask the question - WTF are we doing wrong? Hill and Holmes were bagged last year, yet slip a different singlet on them and they are different players.

I think the curse is real!

Well I've seen the first half now. Plenty to get annoyed about, but I'm gonna stick with the positives:
- DJ looked great offensively - can't wait to see more of that.
- Despite some silly early TO's, Chris Warren looks like the best import we've signed in a loooong time. Great handles, speed to burn and sweetest of all is the man's jumpshot.
- Nate Crosswell looked very solid off the bench. Glad Marty picked him up.

I think the problem with the 36ers is that they lack a gamebreaker..They have a team of some of the best role players, but no Mills, Khazzouh, Worthington or Redhage.
Looking at the lineup, it appears as though Clarke has gone out and got a bunch of really good role players and thrust them into the spotlight and asked them to be stars.

Look at the 36ers...
Crosswell: Role player
Creek: Young player, should/could not expect him to light up scoring
Helliwell: Was used sparingly in Melbourne and can see why
Darren Ng: A deadly scorer in the ABL, but nothing more than a 'off the bench' shooter in the NBL.
Herbert: Averaged 19.8mpg in the NBL over his career, only averaged 6.1ppg and he is coming off a fairly major injury.
Weigh: I think he could be the 'star' of the team and the go to guy more than anyone else; But is he really familiar with this role..At Perth last season he had heaps of support with Lisch and Martin who got him some open looks.
Daly: 2nd year player--cannot expect too much
DJ: Is growing into a 'go-to player' in the post..BUT he isn't there yet. Close though.

I am dumbfounded by people who continually dropkick a club cos it loses. When it wins they are the first to congratulate or wanna give someone a hi 5.

End of the day, there are 2000 people who are members of the club. 2000 people tonight would be disappointed however guess what? If the sun rises tomorrow as it has done over the past 2000 years, then it gives us hope to eventually get it right and start winning or giving ourselves a half decent chance.

Its the first game of the season and people already are turning their noses towards their season tickets.

Give it a few weeks, then we can see where we are at.
Jumping to conclusions doesnt help the cause at the moment

I didn't think any one man could turn a proud franchise into a joke.

Clarke has me stood corrected.

Congrats on your 3 year plan.

A bad loss against a great team.

Welcome back from injury Redhage!

Mmmmm, yeah, Simpson a good defender and rebounder, but we need him to be mobile enough to matchup on the mobile bigs like Wagstaff and Redhage, who have predictably killed us tonight. Not sure if that's the case or not.

In any case, we better hope the cavalry isn't too far away. A 33 point drubbing on your homecourt on opening night is downright embarassing.

Crowd of 5,632 is pretty quiet.
Seems we gave our bench a run , to start the second.

Diamon Simpson is a great defensive forward. If true, would be a great addition to Adelaide's front line.

Said he think it might be done and might be announcement after this game.

Diamon Simpson, if true looks to be a good pick up, very solid dleague numbers

KingJames, thats the problem, I don't think the Sixers really have a guy to matchup on Redhage. Common problem though, that's why he is such a gun player in the NBL!

I just think its tempting fate to put one of our two main scoring weapons on one of the best and wiliest veterans in the league.

I'd run Weigh on him to start with, but be quick to switch him off Redhage if he looked like getting into foul trouble. Then use Creek on him a fair bit as it doesn't matter if he fouls out.

so cant wait, BRING IT ON
36ers by 12 points

Johnson to dominate with, 32 points 12 rebounds

I really hope Marty doesn't start Helliwell and DJ together in this game. It's just asking for trouble making DJ guard Redhage.

Looking forward to seeing how Weigh goes against his old club and how Warren goes against the toughest backcourt pressure in the league. Hopefully DJ continues his pre-season form now that the games count for something.

Think the Sixers are too short-handed to beat the Cats tonight, but then again I thought the same last season at this time and we came out so ferociously we beat Perth at their own game!

Go the Sixers, hope they pull of a win.