Hoops

The 2015 NBL Playoff Race is on!

"Sorry if I'm missing some sarcasm in there, but NZ were 24-4 that season. After playoffs weren't 28-4. And the last meaningful game they played against Perth before the playoffs they won by 17."
Perth won one or two fewer games, but had a much, much higher average margin of victory.

You are of sound mind Wilson, never suspected anything else.

Yes, but before the Breakers won their premierships they had never won one so at some point you've got to break through!

The Cairns core playing group have been together as long as both NZ and Perth and it is a strong mix of youth, imports and veterans, so I see no reason for a lack of championships as an excuse not to get it done this season.

If I was a betting man it would be for a Cairns win, though that's because they'd have better paying odds being the underdog!

Hard to go past NZ atm. Perth don't have the offensive output required, injuries are just complicating the task further.

Cairns may do the job though, but when you have the tried and tested NZ on the one hand and Cairns who have never gone all the way before, you have to advantage the Breakers.

How do you draw that conclusion from the fact that Perth were clearly the best team in the entire league over the course of the season?

"conveniently not mentioning Damian Martins Achilles injury. "

you conveniently didn't read the "and can put their best team on the floor fit & healthy." at the bottom did you?

Even with Martin healthy, NZ were winning that title. May or may not have gone another game or may have been a little closer but he (D.Martin) wasn't carrying them over that line.

If we are lucky we may even get to see a Wildcats Vs Breakers final again this season but I'd prefer the Taipans Vs Breakers final.

When Perth lost Ennis they took atleast 3 steps back. Ennis was a freak of nature and is twice the player Daniels is. I would have last years Cats as the tam to beat, but this years version is nowhere near as good. Not even close.

Wow if that is to be true...

Torn achilles, presumably.

in the regular season of 12/13 Perth walloped NZ pretty much every game by a decent margin but come the finals NZ swept them.

Cairns are a great team and have a very good shot at winning it all, I wouldn't begrudge them winning their first title either.

That said, NZ haven't played their best basketball yet and are still sitting on top. As for the regular season series split favouring the Taipans, in the regular season of 12/13 Perth walloped NZ pretty much every game by a decent margin but come the finals NZ swept them.

I'm not saying that the Taipans aren't a great match up for the Breakers as I think it would be a super tough series if it plays out that way. More so that it's 0-0 come the playoffs and it comes down to who's playing the best team basketball at both ends and can put their best team on the floor fit & healthy.

"This Championship is NZ's to lose in my opinion...they are a cut above and I cant see anyone beating them in a series - especially with them having home court advantage."

Except Cairns is leading the season's series with them 2-1 including a win in Auckland.

Damned if you do, Damned if you don't really.

Dusty Rychart has publically confirmed that he has signed with the Cairns Taipans for two years. He's naturalised now, so this is a good pick-up by the Taipans after they lost Cattalini to Perth and missed out on Worthington.