Hoops

Your ladder predictions?

Gaze probably hasn't either.

If Joey's such a great Coach why didn't he make the call to cut his mate when he turned up well out of shape?
Every other Coach mentioned isn't scared to make mid season changes if required.

Well, there's also that Bogut guy. But I agree re: Wear and Kickert (I think Deng makes up for it with his length/athleticism), and I think it's going to be hard to keep Pineau on the bench with how hard he works on D.

Watching this Kings v United game, I'm skeptical about Sydney's interior toughness.

Kickert, Wear, Deng doesn't fill you with confidence. United is physical and, even without Boone, are showing them up in the paint.

"People do their arguments a disservice by talking about a club's budget only. Please narrow down to specific players rather than say 'Team X spent X dollars so they should be X successful'"

This.

I strongly suspect one or more of Bairstow, Jawai and Bogut will fail to finish the season through injury. Bullets to underwhelm because Lemanis. Cairns will live and die by their mystery box imports. Wollongong class of 2012 and adelaide to be a well-coached basketcases.

Melbourne have a great coach and well-drilled team who have played and won together already.

Could this be the year that Perth miss the grand finals? It's my list so yes.

Melbourne
NZ
Sydney
adelaide/cairns/perth
brisbane
wollongong

"Townsville was a big spender while Gleeson was in charge"

This.

People do their arguments a disservice by talking about a club's budget only. Please narrow down to specific players rather than say 'Team X spent X dollars so they should be X successful'

I think Joey & Bevo are probably the two best coaches in the league.

Sorry but to me success is a championship not making up the numbers or coming close.
Fearne made two GF's with Cairns on a shoestring budget, I'd rate him higher than Joey if he was still coaching in the NBL.

Well "many" being United and Perth. Others, possibly but I don't expect it.

NZ looks a bit of an enigma. Brisbane can challenge if absolutely everything goes right.

Plus you never know how the season will pan out. Maybe someone will sign a good import late, like the 36ers did with Childress. As long as there's import spots (that are always considered relatively expendable), you can never count anyone out.

Way too early and way too specific predictions….

Sydney 20-8
Melbourne 18-10
Perth 17-11
NZ 13-15

Brisbane 12-16
Cairns 11-17
Adelaide 11-17
Wollongong 10-18

Semi finals
Sydney 2-1 vz NZ
Melb 2-1 vs Perth

Champions- Melbourne 3-2 vs Sydney

Sydney will impress everyone and have a brilliant season. But United’s coaching advantage will come to the fore over the 5 game finals series, leaving Gaze and Bogut standing next to the scorers table arguing over strategy during the dying stages of Game 5, with Kickert throwing elbows at Randle on the end of the bench, after Randle refused to pass for 4 straight possessions down the stretch.

Just kidding. My championship tip is actually Sydney.... As long as Bogut is healthy, they'll have the most influential big/small combo in the comp (with sincere apologies to Casper and Big Josh Boone). Point guard and Centre remain the two most important positions in basketball even in this day and age. And they've surrounded them with impressive complementary pieces. Gaze will be OK.

But many teams could make it very interesting, United being one.

Townsville was a big spender while Gleeson was in charge

Put those two in place of Joey at Sixers and they don't do anywhere near as well.

Lemanis/Gleeson are spuds who were at the right place at the right time.

Sorry but Lemanis/Gleeson/Vickerman > Wright

He might just scrape in top 5 in a 8 team League

Melbourne play Sydney in the grand final.

Hype level for this season at 5% and falling.

"Nope, you'd have to be brain dead to write off Joey Wright.
Creek is a big loss, but he's very good at recruiting a competitive team. And if anybody is going to pull a Next-Star wunderkind, it will be Joey."

you mean that guy who "one" time won a title with a super stacked team?
It was quite some time ago as well

With this next level of current spending Perth will be cast aside just as the Breakers were before them when the league was weaker.

Yes we do.

Jack Cairns with only 4 wins? They'll be better than that. They should win their fair at home and steal a couple on the road. Not a 4 win team for me.

Dazz with Wildcats on top. Of course.

I hope we realise that Perth's defensive juice comes from Damian Martin, a guy who is aging and can no longer give 110 per cent all night every night. This isn't a world-beating offensive roster. I think they struggle (relatively speaking) and will require a third import either at or before the halfway mark of the season

perhaps i'll go syd v mel gf .....channel 9 will be in a little bit of excitement....

While last season it was game 1 and I tipped adl v mel grand final , jack .....
..not sure yet this season.... i'm expecting sydney to win it ..

At the start of each season we do this and we should go back at the end for a good old laugh!

There's a could of teams that are stacked and should be up there. However, those teams can also choke due to the pressure. There's no reason why Kings should not be top.....BUT, I think those guys are going to finish about 4.

For me, Melbourne are the ones to beat, Perth right up there. Brisbane should improve in rankings, and if they don't it's time to put a pool ball in a sock and knock some heads.

Cairns is the only team I see struggling with their losses.
I think there is going to be a group (NZ, Illawarra, Adelaide) who will be mid pack and fighting to steal 4th spot, but it'll be an early trip to the showers for them. Illawarra will be hurting without Hoops's favourite son Oscar and Adelaide are going to miss that guy playing NBA. God help me, I've forgotten his name already.....

My tip: (28 game season)

1 - Melbourne United (19/9)
2 - Perth Wildcats (18/10)
3 - Sydney Kings (16/12)
4 - Brisbane Bullets (15/13)

5 - New Zealand Breakers (out by % and split) (15/13)
6 - Wollongong Hawks (a game away) (13/15)
7 - Adelaide 36ers (a game away) (12/16)
8 - Cairns Taipans (4/24)

One of the above!

Cairns
Sydney
Melbourne
NZ

Brisbane
Perth
Adelaide
Illawarra

Melbourne
Daylight
Sydney
Perth
NZ

Brisbane
36ers
Cairns
Hawks

Huskies

I can't see the Hawks finishing on the bottom of the table with my pick is Adelaide.I think 3rd and 4th spot is wide open.
1.Sydney
2.Melbourne
3.Perth/NZ/Brisbane/Illawarra
4.Perth/NZ/Brisbane/Illawarra
5.Perth/NZ/Brisbane/Illawarra
6.Perth/NZ/Brisbane/Illawarra
7.Cairns
8.Adelaide

Sydney
Melbourne
Perth
NZ
Brisbane
Cairns
36ers
Hawks

I don't like putting a team coached by Bevo in 8th, but someone has to go there.

It's shaping up as a very competitive season- even the wooden spooner should win plenty of games.

Most people picking 36ers in the bottom 2/3 again this year. Obviously didn't spend enough money again.

Sobey will step up hugely this season imo, and Wiley is a good player. They'll be fine. 6th

No Hodgson = no 36ers

Sydney
Perth
Melbourne
Illawarra (if they can alter their roster and get in another big man, maybe next star?)

New Zealand
Cairns
Brisbane
Daylight
Adelaide
Huskies (I think Huskies will be only 3 wins off Adelaide at end of the season)

Sydney
Melbourne
Perth
New Zealand

Adelaide
Brisbane
Cairns
Illawarra

No daylight reference yet? :o

1. Sydney
2. Melbourne
3. Perth
4. New Zealand
5. Adelaide
6. Brisbane
7. Cairns
8. hawks

Melb Utd
Perth
Sydney
NZB
36ers
Bullets
Taipans
Hawks

United
Kings
Wildcats
Breakers
Hawks
Bullets
36ers
Taipans