Hoops

Adelaide v Cairns, Oct 31

Kobe, how do you embed it in the post?

(Right click and select 'View Image' to see it full size.)

Torrey Craig is a perfect example of how bad our defence is. Against most other teams he is average to bad, but against us, he has gone off on more than one occasion!

I don't need to watch the tape, I was there and I saw how free he was. There was no defender to fake. Stop making stuff up.

Yeah, while I was disappointed in our defence and to lose to Cairns, Randle's skills as a closer left me feeling quite optimistic overall.

Given the way Joey seems to get his teams humming along as the season wears on, I feel like there is a good chance this team will still challenge for a playoff spot.

I agree about DJ on the last shot too. It was more a good shot than bad defence, but in that situation it would have been a smart move to close on him more tightly and force him to make a runner instead.

The positive for the Sixers was that Randle looks nearly unstoppable as a closer - especially if his three point shot is falling, which it wasn't really last night.

The negative is that after all these years with a stable core, we STILL can't play good team defence!

Can someone please explain to me why Joey insists on having his players switch on defence at the first hint of a pick? Players give up so easily on staying with their man and the resulting mismatches kill us every game.

@MC: A fake is used when you are being guarded. Ebi wasn't being guarded, he was ALL ALONE. Nice try, but you're wrong as usual.

There's no reason for a team like Adelaide not to be hungry, aggressive defenders. They thrive on running off their stops, and at some point you'd think that would click with them and they'd realise that scoring in transition is fun & rewarding, and therefore doing the part that makes that scoring possible is a crucial element of the fun actually occurring.

They're a frustrating team in that regard because their best & worst are so far apart.

Well put, MC.

Problem with the 36ers team that i see is accountability. And it stems from Joey Wright.

Seems like he always wants to blame external factors e.g. the refs, scorebench personnel, other teams' players.

Petries' slap on Craig only served to fire Craig up and from memory he canned a three and two layups after that. Craig should always play angry!

I don't know why people are harring on about Ere and his offensive problems. 36ers gave up 104 points. His major issues are defensive-orientated.

Thats a big problem - mobility from a defensive standpoint. Petrie, Ere, Johnson.

Should have mentioned great wrap up of everything by King James post.

Rarely agree with Marcus Camby but his post a good review of game and his points on others that needed finger pointing others than Ere with very revelent stuff ups ,poor games etc In Creek ( where has his offence gone ) Walker (can be exciting but hope doesn't cost too much) Petrie ( love way plays but are we getting to a end in sight of great career ) Sobey ( Close to if not most foul ever )

But that doesn't stop the fact how poor Ere is and was again as absolutely not even a resemblance of defence and just plods around in offence and as nobody really worries about him, so gets opportunities which usually stuffs up.
If we are serious about getting into finals then we have to replace ASAP
But the relegation to me was that Joey is not the coach we think he is as all our points were gained by individual efforts and not by set plays or court movement which Cairns was especially in first half as they got so many easy baskets .
Joey had no answers for or a actual defence structure to break their game down.

Ebi got awarded two of those free throws because he caught the ball all alone right under the hoop, but took so long to gather himself to go up for the layup his defender recovered and fouled him.

That sums up his problem - he is too slow for this level of competition. We need more from an import than 10 pts on 31% shooting, which is his season's average. Tonight he was actually below average.

"Starks was probably 50% or more of his way onto the chopping block before tonight. What a performance."

Cairns just don't cut players. You've got to be caught with your nose in something for that to happen.

I bet Starks won't get half that next game though :-/

Scotty who ?

Starks has been huge, what a massive last shot.

Speechless. Wow !!!

Hahaha yeah these 101-101 blowouts are rubbish

56 seconds to go and Era pushes into Worthington, who flops badly, I thin if he stays on his feet it is a no call, great call to give it against the flopper on that occasion... IMHO

Great ending in this one, who can keep their nerve?

I'm loving this season so far. So many epic matches.

And, yes, I have been one of those people, I am not hiding from that...

Just great drama, again in the NBL, enjoying this season no matter the issues people keep coming up with, it is watch worthy...

Yeah, I think the NBA has gone too far re: tech fouls.

But the NBL does need to tighten it up. Joey jumping up and down, pointing at refs, constantly yelling should warrant a tech.

Starks v Randle, great to watch...

This looks like it is going to be a close one, if the 6'ers get it going in the last 6:00 minutes, look out!

I knew I may have spoken too soon, Randle steps up!

I'd love for a League-wide crackdown on the talking to refs. Everyone is somehow an expert.

No surprises Joey was complaining to the ref. One of his players could kill a guy and he'd still be complaining that he didn't do anything wrong.

Randle not delivering tonight, not yet anyway?

So Petrie can just whack people without consequence? Right in front of a ref too.

Wow, second quarter charge by Era on Burston, not called was just unbelievable, possibly will make top 10 worst calls of the season I reckon...

LMFAO

He's got a lot of moves. Reminds me a bit of D-Mac

Dick move by Petrie there.

Randle is such a fun player to watch. I hope he sticks around after this season

LV, Who will step up for the Snakes?

Breakers on a roll should beat Cairns (no sure thing though esp. up there).
But they need Tigers to roll GC, and even though GC are understrength, the Tigers hardly look a team desperate to finish on a high. Pretty ordinary effort last night against Hawks (a good team will always beat a team of good players).
Anstey picked and interesting time to call it quits and judging by his production since he should have made it immediate.
Will Tigers do it for their fans... and the Breakers?