Hoops

Melbourne vs Brisbane Boxing Day

Kickert refusing to hurt his shooting percentages both he and Abercrombie have been doing that for years.

Kr, I was tearing my hair out over Kickett refusing to shoot. Then the whole set would break down from there, every time!

The last quarter and Kickert is suspect, despite his lack of shot selection throughout the game. His gift basket to Wesley with 5 minutes to go, his lack of help defence and all of his screens set never caught anyone.

Far too sensible Luuuc.

Just let anyone eligible under the previous rule, and currently playing NBL, to remain eligible.

Although Moller played well it will be good to have Felix that wide open for 3 pointers come play-off time.

Anyone at NBL at the 3 should be able to make 3 pointers with no-one in the vicinity.

It look s like Felix can shoot so should make it tough if Wesley and Anderson get it going in the post.

Moller signed on for 3 years. I could see him becoming a valuable role player- as a starter.

But get him on a starter and he's more than capable, as he showed last night

There are a few good possibilities with Moller. I get the feeling he can guard most perimeter players, along with undersized fours. With Prather/Felix there he is not entirely wasted coming off the bench because all the competing teams have bench guys with the potential to light it up.

Perth: Wagstaff
Adelaide: Moore
New Zealand: Penney
Illawarra: Coenraad

Nobody actually scored in the last 2 minutes and 48 seconds of this game.

Is that a record or what? Extraordinary.

Meanwhile, somehow United manages to find themselves one game behind NZ and 1/2 game behind Perth. The second half of the season sees them play Perth twice more and NZ 3 more times.

So, to use a cliche, their "destiny is in their own hands".

LV....

Its not Derrick Mcdonald, Its Durrell Mcdonald, Dmacs youngest sona nd hes a development player. He's to play, just paying his dues, he"ll shine when he gets a chance.

I think it was Trice who got a flip warning in the first half and then when Kickert flopped because it is the second flop - automatic tech foul.

LV a warning is applied in the first instance if there is contact and the player fakes/flops to draw a foul. A technical in the first instance is only for blatant flop with no contact or very minor contact. So the 1st warning is for the entire team and the second flop is penalised with a technical. Trice got the warning for the entire team, Kickert was the next flop hence the technical.

Not like for like comparison but he's been easily better than Holt this season too.

I'd still take Childress ahead of him but Wesley has been better this season.

Gone are the days when imports need to be a stud.

I do feel a little sorry for him though. I may be biased in that I'm a United fan but I feel it would be fair to let him remain a local for the remainder of his NBL career. He may have planned his entire life (I assume) thinking he'd be playing here. Has a young family too

In other words grandfathering people instead of contracts would be a nice gesture by the NBL.

(I'm not suggesting it's *unfair* for the NBL to make him play as an import like anyone else from Guam though. Just that I wouldn't mind if they grandfathered existing NBL players)

Step 3* I meant!

On the flop rule.

Trice flopped in the first half, and got a charge out of it.

So Trice thought "oh this is great!" and tried to flop in the 2nd half which he got warned for. But if he flopped, why the warning? Why not tech?

Kickert flopped. Flop was called. Tech. United to the line.

It's too hard for the refs to call. They get it wrong half the time.

We need a 3 step process to solve this 1. Remove the in game tech. 2. Decide what the rule is. 2. Enforce that consistently via a post game video review system.

Easy.

The Oceania rule was replaced by a few specific exemptions for markets the NBL wants to target (India, China, etc). Guam isn't one of them, so Wesley no longer counts as a local. He's on the second year of a two-year deal, though, so that contract was grandfathered in.

Wesley missed some late but overall great game. Impressive season continues

Moller's D on Buford late was great. Moller brings energy and is a good complement in that starting 5. DOesnt need to use the ball much to have an impact. Perhaps Felix is similar in style, but better?

Andersen was huge.

Impressed that United managed to win without Prather and with modest contributions from Ware and CG43

I tipped Bullets. NBL won.

Must have been pay back for Te Rangi's banked 3 from out front, that the refs put their whistle away with Trice's final shot. That looked like a foul to me. Casper contested that shot and got too close.
Kickert and Buford were terrible down the stretch for Brisbane. They are a team that find different ways to lose games and their psyche must be through the floor.

What has happened to Holt?

I never knew him before he came to Melbourne. He was unbelievable and i thought how come i never heard of him?

All of a sudden he has become absolutely rubbish. Was it just 1 lucky year?

He is horrid

Yeah good game. Good spectacle. Great crowd. Close finish.
Could hardly have asked for better.
Good way to wake up after the cricket snoozefest.

Felix laughing with the lads on court post-game. Chemistry GOAT

That Asian guy with Melb is huge!

Moller is a decent spot-up 3pt shooter. He won them the game with that defence

Kickert & Buford have been absolute garbage down the stretch. Chickenshit and dumb, respectively.

Obviously for Melbourne the best play is to get your worst 3 point shooter on the floor Moller all the open shots in the last 2 minutes.

Does Kickert want to shit the bed anymore

Another.....

Any great NBL contest!!!

League is alive and well.....

Moller... the flying motion

Have noticed this as well.

They probably have money on United.

I also notice that Matt Russell loves the Taipans

I half get the feeling the commentary team want Melbourne to win this one

Andersen is lighting it up. This is great

So is that Derrick Macdonald? What's his role?

This is another box to check for United's confidence.

Getting a win out of this will be huge for em

Y'all acting like Moller ain't the truth... smh.

Ben, good points re: Greer.

The NBA doesn't have either of those rules, so no.

I don’t watch much NBA, but is there as many usf and flop warnings/techs there as there is in the nbl?

And the world will go mad again after that USF on Te Rangi?

Sorry. It's actually Dillon

I don't think Josh Boone is shit, but those flies seem to.

LOL
Melbourne getting out worked

Manu, for mine he sounds like a fanboy and doesnt have much interesting to say when he does speak. Soft voice too which didn’t bode well for broadcasts.

Andersen playing really well (except free throws). Wish he'd play like this more often. Reminiscent of game vs 36ers at Hisense first time

Is there any aerial coverage? Or just the cameras inside the stadium again?

Just follow the ball back from the basket to the shooter and you can find Anderson

Can someone actually pinpoint what makes Greer so irritating? I'm the first to jump on the 'god pls shut up' wagon, but I can't quite put my finger on why

Hisense looking good with the roof open. I like.

Our Lord and savior Carrick Felix wouldn't be letting this happen

If Trice is “silencing” the home crowd, any chance he could do this to Greer also?