Hoops

United vs Wildcats, 19/11

Only just got around to watching the replay (NBL.TV issues) so apologies for late post.

Very unexpected result. (Although I did know it before watching :-)

Commentary was laughable. Prather has been B2B MVP of the Champion team, but NOW they have suddenly decided he's a great player. Plus they kept banging on about the match-up between him and Tokoto, when it was probably the least critical aspect of the game. (Bother are good players, and both played well.)

I'd say the matchup of the guards was probably key. Martin & Cotton completely pantsed Ware and Goulding.
Front court battle was also important, and despite early good work from Boone, MU got murdered on the boards.

Still not sold on Cooke.
Perth are clearly serious about that elusive 3-peat, and that means getting past NZ, and that means overcoming their dominant front-court.

Damian Martin and Jarrod Kenny run the point for Perth. Bryce could play point and has elsewhere, but he plays almost exclusively SG for the Wildcats, which is very smart by them, that's where he's at his best.

Both are point guards? One likes to score more than the other!

I stand humbly corrected!

they are different players who are playing different positions.

"Cotton is better then Warte and i doubt that was ever a question."

As a scorer, absolutely, but they are different players who are playing different positions. Ware brings a more rounded game, he is a strong defender and runs the show, where Cotton's job is to do what he does best, put the ball in the hole.

NEXT Friday ;)

Do you think NZ are just hot right now?

I personally didnt think much of there roster and imports but they've delivered.

If they get home court they would be tough to beat, only Perth could steal one over there ATM.

Fridays game should be great bball.

Which TAB? We aren't talking about WA TAB.

Main TAB (tab.com.au) has:

Melbourne $3.25
Perth $3.50
NZ $4.50

CNS & BNE at the bottom @ $26

This is the TAB talked about in this thread, they seem to have a thing for United. All other bookies have Perth as favourites now.

I wonder if TAB will still have melbourne as clear favourites for the title after today.

Complaining to the refs is one thing - a lot of players do it.

Goulding was first to bring the guys into a huddle on foul shots, encouraging others on the bench etc.

Compare that to Jeremy Tyler who looks to be the new Rasheed Wallace of the NBL and that's an example of bad energy.

What makes this loss worse is United had a 8 days break at home and Perth played a road double!

NZ, Perth then daylight...

LV blaming refs in a 30 point loss....ok then.

Isaac the simple answer is that 3 of United's best scorers - Ware, CG & Wesley- had absolute shockers and missed a lot of shots they would usually hit.

But credit to Perth's D too, it was good, just as you'd expect.

How does that Melbourne team fail to top 60 points? At home!?

Taped it. Watched it. Enjoyed it.

But ... Melbourne, WTF?

Prather got 20 but Perths length troubled him, got beaten defensively numerous times, Goulding could not play worse, Ware not much better but Melbourne hardly ever go to there bench. Prather should've gone to two and try Moller at the three for more than a few minutes except for garbage time. Prather on Martin would've been a better contest where Prather length would've been better on Martin.No point having super stars if they can't play together. Will Vickerman find the answers or be brave enough to make the changes. Perths imports won every contest on Melbourne imports. Has Goulding ankle operation slowed him, if Ware not firing get Adnam on for 15/20 minutes every game and same with Moller and Prather to the two, try Anderson at the five, his feet aren't as fast as they were defensively but he has length and still runs the floor hard and is long, both Boone and Majok struggled inside defensively today on Brandt power and Cooke athletic ability.

I think Vickerman is trying to play Goulding out of his slump. I just hope it doesnt cost them too many more games.

Does he look at starting Moller or Barlow and bring Casey to the 2?

I think the local core is key, the best teams are all fortunate enough to start only 2 imports on court or have at all NZ.

DA played an absolutely brilliant game against Adelaide at Hisense, but otherwise has looked fairly ordinary. The refs calling everything also makes it tougher for a guy who is relatively slow at the 4 spot and was already struggling last season with the adjustment compared to Europe refs.

Its looking like his last season.

The " Aussie core" is everyone's dream but United has 3 import starters then Anderson, Barlow probably in last seasons so United will likely have big roster turnover next year

I really think Melbourne need to try increase the tempo and get into transition a lot more. It usually leads to layups, mis-matches and cleaner looks in both primary and secondary trans.

I also agree that if they play CG, he must be used in an aggressive manner. His defensive issues are not as bad as some make them out to be, but they are magnified when he doesn't get to go to work on the other end.

Not sure why they went away from Boone setting high screen rolls. they were very effective early.

If that's true that Goulding had to take a pay cut, maybe he did take it easy in the offseason?

United will have $500,00 to play with when Anderson retires.

DA has flown under the radar here, he looks finished with more than half the season to go...

(Well Cotton didn't get bailed out except his mid court flop which was almost as bad as Martin's a couple of minutes earlier, for which Martin bizarrely got rewarded with a charge against Casper)

Nah I didn't say United would teach them a lesson, I said Cooke wouldn't get away with 4 uncalled fouls in 3 minutes and Cotton wouldn't get multiple undeserved trips to the line from incidental contact after jumpsuits

And I was right. The reffing was ok (apart from a few shockers in Q3). Cooke got called for a couple of moving screens and Cotton didn't get bailed out.

United have some serious soul searching to do. Lots of questions over this team.

I get Vickerman is a new coach for this group, but with so much experience in this line up, and obvious talent (which has been on show from time to time) it beggars belief that they'd have these games where so many players completely go missing like this. That's what you usually get from young players not seasoned vets

I'd like to see Melbourne aggressively run plays to get Goulding shots. Too many possessions tonight where he was just camped outside the arc with a defender stuck to him. His defender is never going to sag or help off of him, so I'm not sure how they expect to get him shots off penetration or anything else if he isn't actively being run off screens and moving off the ball.

Nothing wrong with Chris except mentally. I reckon with a stacked team he was asked to take a paycut and resented it. He took the paycut but i reckon it's pissed him off.

Big Goulding fan but he looks out of shape and out of form ATM.

He used to have a quick first step to get to the rim but thats gone.

Used to have a great handle to shake defenders for the step back J - thats gone.

Used to have great lateral movement but gets blown by on D.

I doubt he partied all off season but he doesn't look like he's worked on his game to get better and the rest of the league has caught up. Lucky for him they have no-one to replace him in the starting lineup.

Doenst deserve his Boomers spot but running in a new system may invigorate him?

Gets a tick on his positive energy.

The mind is willing just the body isn't able...

Refs then daylight.

Yeah, nah. Just think he overstepped.

Roy Hobbs a bit sensitive methinks.

I'm coming around to Corey, he's not perfect but he makes the commentary more interesting than when he's not there

I'll be level-headed with a person that is the same. Corey runs his mouth without thought and sometimes goes too far. That time I think he did.

I think the "lists" and that banter are great. Great way to get conversation flowing.

'Fox lady is better, why did neroli laugh at everything everyone said in any of the interviews'

Do you come with the car?

Oh you, ha ha ha

4 questions to Cotton at the end, 3 were about how good Melbourne are despite getting destroyed. Commentary team shocked that both teams went deep to their bench in a 30 point blowout. Embarrassing telecast.

Btown???

This Neroli reporter sucks too. Stupid question to Cotton who reacted correctly with a "huh?"

Goulding face guarding cotton at the top of the key ball gets swung to the corner and he still is able to back cut slow goulding. Priceless

'Tohi? What kind of name is that no offence.'

Insert joke about Melbourne having no offense

Not surprised just typical DERwayne behaviour

Dwayne is terrible.

Tohi? What kind of name is that no offence.

Yeah DERwayne, Damo will come back on with 2 minutes left in a 30 point injured game you nugget

We're seeing Cooke Jr develop before our eyes

He'll probably stay now

Vague :x

Vague :O

'I thought simmons made lonzo cry? Not a finger'

Tomato Tomato

Wildcats made Utd cry is all I know.

Awesome performance by Perth. Hate em, but respect them. Mostly.

I thought simmons made lonzo cry? Not a finger

How about, instead of being PC first and level-headed second, we choose to not be offended as an initial reaction

Anyone else think Goulding looks a bit heavy?
The body language and poor attitude are definitely part of this slump, but I’m starting to think the extra weight is a big contributor to his slump