Hoops

New import signing for NZ Breakers.

Nice woofing there Pyro, NZ's talent has been top of the table for a long time now. The fact they're a great team to boot is what has made them the greatest NBL dynasty.

Watching some of the early media scrums with Breakers players, they've emphasized how the team is full of 'good character guys'. Listening to KP talk about Woodside, and reading more into Akil Mitchell, the Breakers have gone character first. Talent-wise, we're 4th/5th but in terms of results, I think (as usual) we'll punch above our weight. The same way Perth will.

We're weak on post offense and guard defense - will see how that plays out. We have defense-focused and offense-focused lineups, but its finding the two-way ones that will be key.

The title still goes through Perth & NZ imo.

Consistent Rosters with chemistry.

Both have lost important pieces in recent success in Beal & Jawai and Jackson & Wesley but have still retained enough talent and gained some nice additions.

If Akil Mitchell gets loose in the open court expect some sweet Tomahawk Dunks.

1. Melbourne
2. Perth
3.Sydney
4. New Zealand

5. Cairns
6. Brisbane
7. Illawarra
8. Adelaide

Where do people have NZ finishing now? I'm thinking about 4th/5th.

Pledger & Vukona operate in the paint and Abercrombie and the new Import can operate above it

^ Lots of fire power, not much back-to-the-basket strength, though. Tough to defend them on the perimter, then, but how would they fare at the other end?

What I see from this roster is versatility, a clear 8.5 man rotation (Ili would be the 9th with spot minutes), and chemistry.

Signing Mitchell confirms there are always big men on the market who can defend, run the floor and rebound. If we weren't going to re-sign Charles Jackson, we needed an import with some experience (we can't rely on the inexperience in the first few games this season).

Looks like a typical TB roster - one that hopefully can punch above its weight.

^ That's good for the Breakers, then. Cairns last year was a good example of not being (anywhere near) deep enough 1 - 3. With Weigh injured, and Heuir backing up Gliddon, they essentially only had Starks, Bruce, Gliddon and Craig from 1 - 3 and they suffered for it when any one of those didn't play well... which happened way too often!

Ili will play minutes at PG no doubt. He did not look out of place running the offence for the Tall Blacks against the likes of France in the Olympic qualifiers and is defensively pretty solid.

They definitely lack depth at the 1-3 spots.

But if those 4- Woodside, Webster, Penney and Abercrombie- can all stay healthy it won't matter.

The advantage of having an 8 man rotation instead of a 9 or 10 man rotation is that it's easier to develop that chemistry and continuity.

Woodside/Ili/Webster
Webster/Penney
Abercrombie/Ngatai/Penney
Vukona/Mitchell/Delaney
Pledger/Loe/Mitchell

Breakers are going to need plenty out of Webster, Woodside, Penney and Abercrombie at 1-3. I don't see Ili or Ngatai getting a lot of minutes, nor Delaney at 4 (maybe some at 3?)

Lack of scoring punch in the paint may hurt them come finals time (I think they'll still be top 4.)

I would be starting Woodside and just let Penney become the main weapon off the bench.

Breakers have hardly put together a dud roster either.

Cairns have seriously landed on their feet with the use of an extra import as well. Interesting stuff.....

That lineup might struggle to score 30ppg so I doubt it would be used often.

Interesting reading the weaknesses- basically stating that he has no range and is limited to scoring around the hoop.

Although, NZ had this last year with Charles Jackson and it wasn't much of an issue. Rob Loe, at least, is a good jump shooter.... So with Mitchell and Loe you might have an effective balance if they're going to be playing together off the bench.

I suspect we'll see them go with an all-Kiwi starting five. Will fit with having Kiwi GM, Kiwi coach and all-Kiwi players bar imports for the first time.

Can guard on the perimeter and in the post. Also, a good team defender… Held his own defending some of the top scorers in the country, including Duke’s Jabari Parker

Mitchell is a very limited offensive player, with most of his points coming on put backs, cuts to the basket, and close-range jump hooks.

Poor free-throw shooter – made less than 52 percent of his attempts in three of his four season at UVA, including a brutal mark of 42.7% as a senior…

Solid numbers in the French league, his team going 14-20. He averaged 9 points, 7 rebounds shooting at 57%

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/gamecent/p/pid/6100089/playerview.html

How will NZ start?

Pledger
Mitchell
Abercrombie
Penney
Webster

Bench
Loe
Vukona
Woodside
Ili
Ngatai
Delaney

I've said this about pretty much everyone, but I like this roster. Time to re evaluate expectations of NBL teams, cos pretty much everyone seems stacked....

Hey all,

just a reminder that i have setup an NBL tipping comp on footytips.com, please feel free to join and let your tips reflect on your true knowledge of the game. Its free, winner gets bragging rights. there are alot of people making big predictions with how teams are going to go this season and i suggest get onto the tipping competition and prove yourself right (or wrong). Join the comp below. we have a few people from hoops that have joined already feel free to get other friends/family involved. its not restricted.

IInet NBL tipping comp....it goes off!
http://www.footytips.com.au/comps/NBL1011