Hoops

Crocs vs Breakers, Nov 8

Too right Mick, Rusty giving up his place for Nevill and you would be expecting to make play offs as Shawn Dennis has got his team really working together and the rebounding issue of last year seems less of an issue.

@ anon, agree about Mitch not being vocal enough but if a starting gig is reward for being vocal then how could that not give him the incentive to improve his game and leadership

Vukona threw some horrible passes.

Everyone stood around while Johnson got trapped.

No one really looked to create anything for anyone else short of passing the ball around the top.

Some of the worst defense I have ever seen, especially in transition.

I think Vickerman should have called a timeout in the first couple of minutes when the crocs were building that big lead.

The rest is on the players, do they give a shit?
"oh well 3 in a row is pretty good"
Guess they prob feel their jobs are safe regardless of how they go this season?

One last thing in 21:47 Jacob Holmes pulled down a single rebound, is this a sign of change of role or bad game or a huge positive that Crocs can win this season without last years (2nd) best rebounder grabbing his 8-12 boards a game?

I'm really starting to appreciate what Pledger brings but can't help but think if he played with more mongrel he would destroy opposition... Get bloody ball down to the big fella ffs!

As for Blanchfield/Abercrombie and their passiveness... Would having them stay around in the league so we can enjoy then for the next 10 years really be so bad? I think we have to just be happy when talented 6'8 athletes stick around.

As for the game, Markovic seems like a bust and I say that both as I have hardly seen him play well this season (besides his ball handling) and I was really impressed with Mitch Norton tonight and (in a previous post on here written about Te Rangi/Abercrombie) I think it wouldn't be the worst idea to put Norton in the starting 5 and after 3-4 minutes put Markovic on when we can see how the game is being officiated. Oh and Conklin was super

Whilst I'm at it, does anyone feel that starting a game of basketball could be like starting in the AFL (makes no difference if you start as long as you get your game time and you can be fresh as we've seen Jamar Wilson do well so far this season... Anyone else feel there are players that start currently that could benefit from coming off the bench once the game has settled down a bit and officiating is understood?

@ Macdub,

I certainly wouldn't go into shock if NZB went 0-3, but Vector is a fortress, so will hard for Adelaide and Townsville to compete.

Reading your comments though, I'm trendign towards 1-2 maybe being the more likely result than 2-1.

Nathan, I wouldn't even be surprised if we went 0-3 despite all those games been at home.

Townsville proved tonight that that game 1 win was no fluke, and Dennis has a game plan that not only breaks us down, but it tears us to shreds.

Adelaide I believe are simply a better team. I can't see the Breakers been able to defend such a deep roster, and the same result when they first met wouldn't be surprising.

Melbourne: Again, based on tonight's performance, I can't see anyone who would be able to handle Goulding, Worthington or even someone like Walker.

Two Vector games, then a North Shore game.

Hosting Adelaide again will be dangerous, but should do it. I'd tip you to beat Townsville at Vector as well, but Melbourne at North Shore will be a big challenge.

3-0 in this home stretch is quite possible. I'd actually be surprised if it was any worse than 2-1.

Complain about the refs all you like fellow Breakers fans.

But the simple fact is that the Breakers can't play defence to save themselves.

Conklin had 33 points..he hit 14 field goals..He only got 5 of his points from the stripe (suggesting it was the Breakers terrible defence rather than the refs bailing him out).

Credit to the Crocs - they hit an unbelievable 28/29 from the Free Throw stripe!! That has to be some record.

Dennis has outcoached Vickerman again. The Crocs really showed the Breakers how to play defence.

Not sure of the Te Rangi situation:

Either he is carrying an injury or alternatively there may be a bit of disciplining/punishment going on there for outside behaviour?

@Tyrell,

There were some big changes but we may be looking at a case where the team simply is not built correctly. A reversal of previous "champion team" over "team of champions" builds; you have the players on paper, but taken as a cohesive whole, there are deficiencies, particularly on D.

On the plus side for New Zealand, they did win the rebounds.

We can further infer, after the 4th game of 90+ points conceded, an answer to NZB's D will have to be found. I can't see any team in a 40-min comp that concedes an average in excess of 90 will be able to maintain a .500 record and play finals.

So.

People tipping Breakers pretty confidently: can I ask what made everyone think adding Wilkinson and Crawford, whilst taking away Lazare/Trueman and Mirko, made New Zealand a 10pt better side in Queensland?

Yes, I know, 3-peat, but pretty clearly, that form is now gone and five rounds in we should not be letting last year's results colour our interpretations of this year's results.

Pledger has been playing great. The Breakers need to get him some touches early.
Last game against Townsville the Breakers did go to Pledger but his happy feet were an issue although he wasn't the only culprit. Abercrombie and Lazare also coughed up possession with travel calls against them.
To their credit Townsville didn't let NZ get into any sort of rhythm in that first game and the Breakers were chasing their tails at both ends of the court.

Hopefully in this game NZ can run some offensive sets with purpose and defend without fouling every possession.

Okay, I recognise that NZ are in with a good shout here, but 1.42 favourites to Croc's 2.74 at Sportsbet?

Breakers were never really in it despite the score being close. Every time they went to make a run at the Crocs they'd cough the ball up and Townsville would get an easy score.
Totally outplayed at every position. Pledger had happy feet all night and everyone else looked like they were playing together for the first time.

I think NZ will continue to improve (and Pledger) and should just scrape past the Crocs, NZ by 6.

Pc back? Nz to continue on the way up, just.

Yep, I think Townsville can pick this up. Had more answers for them last time around than just Lazare & Trueman -> Wilkinson can fix.