Hoops

Melbourne vs Sydney, 5 Nov 2018

Kinda favorite of mine ... Kelsey double double Griffin and David Barlow

Copeland and Gaze looked more puzzled than anybody , with Barlow playing centre.

I have noticed the slipping over of players a lot this year and it seems to be on the QANTAS decal at the free throw line at each venue. I assume one manufacturer supplies the whole league with the decals so it could be worth someone at NBL HQ raising this issue before we see a serious injury occur.

Interesting. NBL.TV should do a piece on him.

I liked Barlow at centre . pretty to watch .
Bogut off tooo long on the bench in the last qtr.....looked out of it when he finally got on.
(unlikely the french can do wot randle does)

Homicide did that game, didn't he? Any game he's involved with devolves into that garbage almost immediately. It's his schtick.

PeterJohn, I would think their lack of insights and details is more likely due to instructions from above to dumb it down for the casual viewer rather than to lift it up for the knowledgeable fan. (Which frustrates the sh*t out of me as a long-term fan and coach!!!).

And yet all people do is complain about soft fouls. Even last night.

Sydney need an athletic big man with an inside game. Bogut is not a low post scorer, he gets his points from pick and roll and clean ups. If sydneys outside shot is not falling, like last nigth, they need to throw it down low and work inside out.

I would bring Kickert into the starting line up, he was the only one who showed anything last night.

Regarding their FT shooting, sometimes you just have a shit game and that was it for them last night.

"The NBL is full of many classic contests when referees decided to just let teams play without interference."

I think a lot more classic games come after refs call the game by the rules, particularly early, so defenders know they can't get away with mauling and offensive players attack with confidence. As soon as defenders get away with illegal checking and holding early the whole nature of the game changes and it becomes a grind for the offence.

I feel that's something NBL refs are doing well at the moment as a general rule, and players and coaches have adjusted, with the result being a high-scoring, fast-paced and entertaining first few rounds, just as last season was pretty good in that regard.

Opponents seem to get away with a lot of contact on him too though

Got to see Bogut up close and personal last night, and while I feel he got away with a lot of body contact that others get called for, his influence is unparalleled on the defensive end. He still lingers up and down the court, but does put in work. His reach and timing completely changes the ability for teams to play their own games, and they have to change everything in order to try to bypass the area of the court that Bogut is in. It's quite amazing to see in person.

The box score really did not do him justice. I was sure that he had a lot more blocks than he was credited for. If the games earlier were called like last night, no way Adelaide beats Sydney in those first two games.

school holidays ATM in France ?

Really didn't realise how lacking in depth Sydney are.

I would play Pineau over Wear at this point. Comes up with a great hustle play every time he's on the court.

Yeah Dwayne Russell is grating on me. He treats the experienced bball watcher with contempt that we need to give the players nicknames and be over the top to enjoy the game.

Maybe AFL watchers need it but he needs to tone it down about 98%.

Also to our France visitor, you sound like a professional troll.

"WTF was that? If this was the only NBL game the French visitor has watched, I can understand him being unimpressed. Outside some excellent rim protection from Bogut, there was a lot of rubbish basketball. It was by far the worst NBL game I've watched this year."

I think the refs were scared of being criticised for over-calling and let the game become a wrestling match. The easiest way to make your product look bad is to let the defence dictate.

That's what the NBL did for many years, and even though the standard on court was good most observers thought is was poor because it was too hard for the offence to shine. Last night was a good advertisement as for why you need to call the game by the rules.

I've noticed over the years Dwayne has a tendency to call clear three pointers shot by Melbourne's opponents as "twos". It's as if he thinks by calling them as such he may be able to influence the scoreboard in order to trim the other team's tally? or he's that dumb that he's wishful thinking out loud cheerleading for United. Utterly baffling.

Perth won in Adelaide and lost in Brisbane

News flash, Japanese guys announced as new kings coach, players ecstatic, quote:at least we have someone with more of a clue, doesn't speak English but already better than what we had!

Wear was the urgency on this Kings squad (apart from Pineau) it was absolutely horrible and they shouldn't be tired, they weren't distracted by the refereeing and Melbourne weren't good tonight at all but Sydney looked completely disinterested.

Dwayne Russell has to go, when a commentator sounds disappointed that the ball went out of bounds off the home side, then they have to go... and I'm someone that watches biased WWE commentary but he's worse.

The ONLY thing that was a positive about tonight's game (apart from Moller playing great minutes) was the sell out crowd of whom went home happy tonight.

#Wearishegoing? 2 new imports.

* Two if you count the second one we played

@AngusH Perth has played one away game

I think he's a training player in street clothes?

Quality defense by United tonight. And Kennedy finally played like the guy I was expecting to see.

Sydney disappointing. Often disorganised. Can't see Wear lasting much longer.

I'm still not convinced on Utd yet as they played two absolute spud teams this round.

I would say Melbourne are the best team in the league right now. Good depth, and should have had the W over Perth if not for a bad call to end regulation.

United made a statement tonight. Best team in the league! Commentators would have you know. Also "money makin"

DJ obviously just watched enough games to know that running into traffic and flailing your arms at home = FTs. I think Melb did a good job of getting the one guy scoring points - DJ - the ball a ton. Kings should have been doing that with Lisch.

So funny how people have been tricked and fooled into the hype of this Kings team.

Lisch is absolutely NOTHING like what he was with Perth and his short stint with the Hawks. He has aged and is coming off a serious leg injury.

Bogut is nothing like what he was at his peak.

Newley is russbish and that import Wear LOLOLOL

The only GOOD player is Randle...yet it seems like Gace has destroyed him.

And that coach LOL

Kennedy's basketball - just run in and smack people. Dirty.

There is a lot of daylight between Melbourne and the rest.

To be fair, Kings were playing zone like an under 9s team.

Melbourne played less worse than Sydney, that was the difference. Not a good game, but I don't feel so bad about it. 3 more games against these guys.

Melbourne United are nothing special....it is just that the rest of the league is just garbaage.

One game might not be great but that hardly means our league is the worst in the world. Surely as fans we can support our own league for goodness sake!!!

3 blocks for Bogut on the box, feels like he should be at least double that.

Disgusting from the Kings.

The French dude is correct - WTF is this trash on tonight?

FT shooting has killed the kings, unacceptable

Kings looking old and tired tonight.

Absolutely zero idea andrew Gaze, absoluteluy ZERO IDEA.

All what he has done is dimisnished his legacy..

Iso-ball from Randle Vs MU

I can't stand kickert, but he got fouled. But not perth so no one minds

Kings are playing better D than offense for the first time in 5 years.

Very scrappy game, don’t know how Sydney are sticking around

Doing my very best to stay awake here …

I would play Pineau over Wear at this point. Comes up with a great hustle play every time he's on the court.

I guess that's why Trist has struggled for court time.

Jeezus. Two misses from Kickert. Did the Kings walk to Melbourne from Sydney?

WTF @ SYD FTs.