Hoops

Sixers v Kings Oct19 Game Thread

Gleeson, Wright, Lemanis, Beveridge and Vickerman are all very good coaches. As was Fearne. Paul Woolpert really emphasised to me when I used to interview him how good the level of coaching is in the NBL, and I'm sure that goes to assistants as well who do a lot of the preparation.

Because there are so many quality established coaches in the league it makes it very hard for new coaches to come into the competition. That is why Sydney and Melbourne in particular threw lots of money around for years but didn't have success, then Melbourne finally gets someone who can coach and knows the league and they succeed.

It will be tough on Kevin Braswell this year, coming into the league cold. It will be interesting to see how Mike Kelly goes, he's done a long apprenticeship and knows the league inside out. That said, Vickerman was in the same boat, got his first season badly wrong but then quickly made the adjustment and won two titles his next two seasons.

Right, ultimately the championship is a special thing - ra ra ra. But sport is about smaller wins along the way. And about entertainment. It's a broader thing for fans - being satisfied with effort or results against expectations. Do you tell your straight-A kid who wasn't dux of the school that they weren't a success that year? Is Gleeson not a success because he hasn't won a championship in every single year? I don't think it's that black and white when you're judging a coach or a player. Is Charles Barkley not a success because he never won a championship? You'd be holding a pedantic measure of it to deny him a label of "success".

And even then, you win a championship and people will engineer the discussion to include spending, or inheriting a talented core or having an owner willing to make moves. Or NZ wins but it's only because Martin got injured. Or you were denied because such and such owner spend double on their team. Or owns multiple teams. Or the league!

As a coach, you are amongst a mix of parts with a few things out of your control - injuries, odd calls, era, whatever. But for an injury last year, that was a 36ers championship IMO. Even with the injury, but for a dud call, same thing. Didn't happen, so be it. But wouldn't mean that as a result I up my judgement of a coach for it.

Isaac, not a fan of the coach's behaviour. All round it's more than just being a bit of a complainer. Drimic's elbow, coach brawling, Teys and Larkins second rate thugs, Sobey flopping, constant berating of officials, a team that just can't find a way to get across the line, sanctions for inappropriate communication with a league official - culture? Culture reveals itself in many ways.

Not sold on Gleeson, he is another Lemanis.

It was a regular-season game, not the grand final.

I'm really curious about the abject Joey-haters. Are you an Adelaide fan? A random other fan? Were you personal friends with Clarke? Is your surname Radford? Did you buy the 36ers, upgrade Joey's salary and then regret it?! Does it go back to Brisbane or Gold Coast days? Are there personality traits in Joey that you find especially disagreeable as a rule to the point that you can't abide any moderate success from him?

isaac they would be Perth fans.

"If the most successful current coach is Trevor Gleeson I'm sorry but I wouldn't swap."

Exactly, it's all about resources. Gleeson is a poor coach but is at the right club, similar to Lemanis before him.

Feels like some people hold Wright to an arbitrarily high standard to retroactively fit an argument based on personal opinion. He complains! They all do. Have you watched an NBL game?! I'm not sure how you can raise culture when the 36ers look to have a fantastic team chemistry/culture which is a critical component of his job!

I can't work it out because the arguments just don't logically work. And for Adelaide coming from the doldrums of Marty Clarke, why hold the bar high at all? That was an absolutely miserable era. To go to exciting, team basketball and with a pretty solid record in that period is success of some level.

I find Gleeson annoying (as an example), but he's been successful. I think Bevo has had success, all things considered.

I'm really curious about the abject Joey-haters. Are you an Adelaide fan? A random other fan? Were you personal friends with Clarke? Is your surname Radford? Did you buy the 36ers, upgrade Joey's salary and then regret it?! Does it go back to Brisbane or Gold Coast days? Are there personality traits in Joey that you find especially disagreeable as a rule to the point that you can't abide any moderate success from him?

I don't think we're ever going to agree on the definition of the word 'success'.

It is different for everyone.

Just like the word beautiful. Some people will find Kate Upton beautiful, but there are also others that find Tess Holiday 'beautiful' too.

Similar with basketball and the NBL.

Perth Wildcats fans and organisation would consider winning a championship a success and anything else a failure. Fans like those of the Hawks and Taipans may consider making the playoffs a major success.

We all have different interpretations and we shouldn't really invalidate others.

It takes a lot of things to go right for any team to win the championshiop but certainly having the finacial support to bring in guys like Ennis, Prather (Perth and Melb version), Beal (the Perth version, Even Jawai, hasn't hurt a couple of teams.
Adelaide, with a seemingly lower budget have been the best team to be a supporter of for the past few seasons. They play an exciting, energetic brand, and have bought in young guys that have developed infront of our eyes.
If the most successful current coach is Trevor Gleeson I'm sorry but I wouldn't swap.
Dean Vickerman is OK, but he had a pretty loaded team on a big budget and they are not as good to watch as Adelaide.
Joey's not perfect but he's giving us a team the enjoy watching, and once again we can see we are in with a real shot.

Not in the five-year period in which Wright has been coaching Adelaide.

During his time in Adelaide, the Sixers have made 2 championship series, while their traditional rivals out west have won 3 banners.

How do you define success? As a general rule, it shouldn't include regularly being not quite good enough.

Winning a championship is one measure of success. If you reach all your other measures but fall just short of the championship the year can still be a success even if you walk away disappointed. Of course, if that happens a number of seasons in a row it probably stops being a success.

In terms of Adelaide, the last two seasons have undoubtedly been a success. In 2017 they were widely expected to finish bottom two with a young roster, but won the minor premiership.

Last season they made the GF and may well have won it had Childress not got injured mid-series. So I expect they were pretty disappointed, they achieved success by a lot of measures, including the fact it was players they'd developed who largely got them there.

His record thus far, 5 seasons, 0 championships.

Good game to watch, i thought the 36ers did a much better job of denying Randle the ball. Keeping him under 20 is a result. Clearly they let a few others off the hook a bit given the scoreline though.
I don't know why Sydney didn't have Bowen on the floor more. He played well against the 36ers last week, but felt like he saw less time this week. When he was on the court he was lively and also knocking shots down so surely he's a better option than Wear?
I had real concerns for a while there that it was going to turn into a DeLeon v Randle pissing contest but thankfully the 1 on 1 play kinda devolved and it went back to team ball.

Wear is pretty much Kickert minus the ability to shoot.

Which pretty much leaves NIL.

"Deleon holds the ball too long, not really going anywhere. It's okay if he hits those shots, but I don't like the chances of that happening too often."

That's a perfect summary of DeLeon's game, but I actually thought he was much better last night, that was as decisive as I can remember seeing him. Perhaps part of that was the level of defence he was playing against, but I thought he had a good balance last night of giving it up quick and going to his own shot when he had a little space.

Yeah, Bogut’s reaction to Gaze’s instructions always looks questionable. Can’t see both lasting the season unless they win 90% of games from here.

FM -

he just sits there with his clipboard having Apollo stadium flashbacks thinking where have I heard this tune before

Sixers shooting last night was just too good. The Kings will start winning games with that awesome 5 they have, don't worry about that. It will just depend wether Lisch and Bogut can stay healthy. They started to really play some quality basketball last night, they just ran into Teys and Deloen. Who would've thought.

It was an excellent and fun game to be a part of as a fan from the stands. A lot of massive plays, great pace and energy. From a spectator standpoint you couldn't ask for much more.

Sydney really needs to cut Wear and Gaze. It's beyond a joke right now. I don't see Bogut suffering through much longer under his coaching and you can see the body language between the two is very poor. I also think, despite all the hype, that Sydney doesn't have the horses to win it all. Their best players are old and their bench are fringe development players.

Deleon holds the ball too long, not really going anywhere. It's okay if he hits those shots, but I don't like the chances of that happening too often.

Great game. Was at the game tonight. Very high standard. Can't believe Gaze didn't sit Bogut when he got his second. Should have given him a rest until just before half time. Everytime Kings came the Sixers responded. The 5 of Randle, Lisch, Newley, Kickert and Bogut is very classy. If they can get them on the court together more often they can completely blow teams away. Bench depth a bit thin, so they really rely on those 5. Getting another decent import is probably a bit difficult with what they have spent already. Joey has really toughened DJ up. Keeps playing like this, a few more years left in him. I don't know who this Teys guy is and where he came from. A great pickup for the Sixers.

I know DeLeon was good tonight but he is the ultimate no no yes player. I just don't want hat on my team. Teys has been great, respect to him.

Bogut is slow to defend the perimeter, screen and roll, or the drive to the basket.
I've been saying Wear needs to go since the pre-season. Kings needs 2 more imports, the likes of Prather and Wesley. Kings would be Wrong Again if they think they can win with 1 import - in Randle.
Bowen should start. Deng Deng should be in before Pineau.
Give Adnam more minutes in place of Lisch.

Homicide cranked it to Deleon too much during the commentary

Just a tweet rather than a fleshed-out article:

Lightning sign Laura Hodges, Nadeen Payne. Good golly Miss Molly, one key signing 2 go! Hearing Balls 2 Tigers, 6ers eye Redhage. Just sayin

Randle threw that shot away at the end should have passed the ball even if they couldn't win

Bogut looks a lot like every Kings fan in the stands each home game.

Does either team know how to play defense?

Anyone feel like Boguts and Gazes body language doesnt look too good?

Always looks like they're in disagreement/difference of opinion.

More commentary gold.... John Casey in Adelaide "I tell you no one here would be disappointed with an overtime except for Adelaide fans"

Well, I feel a lot better about this loss than the home opener. If Teys and De Leon are going to play like that, so be it. Much better effort in the 2nd half from Sydney, and probably Bogut's best overall performance in a Kings jersey (including preseason).

Wear has to go. Get another import 4/5 and play Pineau more while the new guy gets up to speed.

Wear is absolutely terrible. Surely first import gone.

Teys was lucky then, newley with a very avg move, bht replay suggests teys moved under newley when he was in the air

The next couple of Sixers opponent's owe the Kings a drink for DeLeon getting a license to spray up bad contested shots, I know that much.

Because Deleon has a FLUKEY night everyone is going crazy.
Nothing but a FLUKEY night from the 36ers shooting that % from 3

Even bigger LOL at 36ers fans who think it will happen again.

Is Bowen wearing Randle's spare shorts?

I give your words a B+

36ers shooting 15-24 from 3.
Enjoy it 36ers fans, cause your team aint shooting like that again this season.
Mark my words

So would Teys

That’s Brendan Threes to you

Pretty sure Bowen would start over Ferguson in OKC.

The game itself isn't too bad either!

No First Ever ads am I in heaven

Like the commentary team said, can't remember ever seeing nobody realise it was penalty shots in a professional game. 5 point swing after that, too.

Wear is awful.

Can always rely on NBL refs to call a foul on a shot block.

How high quality is this game. So good!

Wear is just out of his depth. Surely he will be gone come Monday.

Lisch looking a bit more aggressive tonight.

Sobey is one helluva player. I really believe he can play NBA. Style would suit him a lot.

Hopefully Randle stays in the league. Brings real excitement.

36ers need to start testing out Kickerts defence more now they are in man to man.

Bench is OK, but Gaze needs to stop playing them all at once.

Wear is awful.