Good summary Mick.

My two cents based on your numbers above;

1. Perth are the best team in the comp, but will go as far as Matty Knight's health will allow them to. He is probably the best big man in the league right now, but their front court depth is sketchy if he goes down.

2. Wollongong are playing great. It's amazing what a difference a couple of good imports can make, especially a point guard who has played in the league before. Gordie know's how to get the most out of his guys. They will be around the mark come playoff time.

3. You've nailed NZ. I personally wrote them off last year after they lost Penney, so I'm hesitant to do that again, but they just don't appear to have the class of the two previous championship squads.

4. If nothing else, if Hammer can get his guys to play each and every night with the same level of intensity that he brought to the table, they have a chance to be a playoff team. It really will come down to their imports being able to play at a high level the whole campaign. Ben Madgen is going from strength to strength. Leading the way and shooting the lights out at the moment.

5. Adelaide are dissapointing. They havent yet worked out the best way to incorporate both Schenscher and Johnson offensively. They have a lot of talent on their roster, and I don't like Marty's chances of being there next year if they miss the playoffs.

6. You've nailed Cairns as well. They appear to have recruited specifically towards rectifying their terrible offence from last year, and whilst it has improved somewhat, they've still been a bit patchy at that end.

7. Melbourne just flat out stink. When Chris Goulding is your best Australian player, you're in for a long season.

8. Fortunately for Melbourne, it appears Townsville stink worse than they do, for now anyway.

dont think i could add much more. Hope Sydney can stay injury free and keep improving. Looks like Perth will be hard to beat this season.

Nothing to add. Very good write ups and points made.
Totally agree regarding the need to use our bigs A LOT better as well.

1. Agree that Perth are the best team thus far, and will be hard to catch given their long roadtrip has basically set up the season for them. 1st place Perths to lose.

2. Wollongong are executing really well atm. And should trouble Perth's frenetic game style with their ability to control the tempo. Hopefully for all us Hawks fans they can continue to improve and make a playoff run.

3. I dont like where NZ is at. Gary W is a big lose and they are still working through how to play together with this group. Sitting at the pre season it seems as though they have some teething issues without the pick and pop that Gary W brought.

4. Sydney will go as far as Madgen takes them.

5. Adelaide are going to flog teams that dont have a system to exploit DJ and Luke on D and struggle with teams that engage them in onball screens.

6. Watch out for Cairns once Wilson is fully fit. He has to be carrying something!

7. Melbourne are not going anywhere

8. Townsville will win games if they shoot +50% from the three point line. Abney was a horrible addition.

It would take two hands to count the number of ABA bigs that would offer better production than Abney is giving Townsville right now.

Complete waste of an import slot.

But... Ian Smythe's eyes grew wide when he saw Ben Allen producing decent numbers in pre-season and found his justification for skimping on the import big slot on what is already the league's cheapest roster.

Unfortunately for the Crocs fans, Smythe hasn't learned the difference between pre-season and regular season production. What Smythe doesn't realise though is that skimping now means that with every inevitable home loss, you are driving away more and more fans (and $$$) in droves.

Half empty stadium against Sydney at home on Friday night, and it will only get emptier as the season drags on. Not a very good product to be putting on the court when you are lobbying for hundreds of millions of dollars of public funding for a new stadium. Doesn't sit well with your average tax-payer.

Well said Mick. Think it might be time for a change at Croc's HQ.

1. Perth are looking like the best at playing as a team out there followed closely by the Hawks and their records show this. This is probably expected due to the team being together for 3 seasons. Matty Knight is key and thankfully is looking in his best shape since arriving in Perth. Not sure that the Wildcats are already peaking Mick, they only just got Robbins back and havn't played any home games yet.. the 3-0 start is very handy but this rounds match up with Wollongong is going to be very interesting!

2. Wollongong have suprised me, I thought they would do better than last year but not 4-0 start to the season better. Deleon is key but imo not consistant enough to take them all the way, If he could play with the swagger he did in the fourth against Adelaide last round every game it could be a different story though. I think they will make the playoffs this season.

3. New Zealand do not look like the same team they did last year. Abercrombie, Corletto and CJ all seem to be down a notch, I suspect Abercrombie to start firing soon but not sure about Corletto and CJ. Wilkinson is obviously a loss but I think they will still get enough wins to make the playoffs this season.

4. Sydney are another suprise for me. Maybe Heal is actually a good coach because the team is playing with alot more heart and entheusiasm than last year with a less talented team. If the imports play well all season and the Madgens and Bruces can add some offencive fire power consistantly, maybe they will make playoffs?

5. Adelaide are performing how most of us (non Adelaidians) thought they would. Alot of talent mixed with alot of new players needs a better coach. Come the end of the season once they have settled abit more I think they will be a force but at the moment look unorganised too often. Probably a sign of consistancy more than anything ( re Hawks game ) so if they can get it together and put 4 quarters of good basketball in they should still make the playoffs.

6. Cairns are perhaps putting in a similar result to Adelaide. They have the talent but for some reason its not all falling into place for all 4 quarters. The rookie pair looks good but maybe they should have gone with just one, especially considering one is in the starting line up. Wilson isnt playing up to his standard so far but should get back to it soon and this will probably push Cairns back up the ladder.

7. Melbourne just dont have the talent. I think they will win a few games but need another spark apart from Scott (who is maybe the best new import this year?) Brasswell would be good if he had citizenship (how does this work? I have heard people saying he could get it soon but he has been in Aus for months now instead of NZ?) and then add another Guard import with some fire power. Goulding is just not up to being a star of this league, and that is what they need in his position. Wooden spoon likely.

8. Townsville start has been horrible. Even with the import situation I would have thought they would be playing better than they are. I think they will start winning games soon and Ervin will definitely go off for some massive games but I think it is too late for them to work back into the top end of the table with all the other teams in their way. They will get some upsets during the season but not enough.

I expected Adeladie to be 3-1, not a good start. As far as keeping the same roster intact, no way Gibson will stay a 6er beyond this season, the Bullets if they come through will throw the kitchen sink at him to be the face of the franchise.

Adelaide have been dissapointing but they will be okay. Did anyone see the Lakers today? The Heat in the first season of the big three? It can take a while to click. When they do, they will be dangerous. Take the first five minutes against the Hawks, for example.

(Not comparing them to the Lakers and Heat, obviously)

A slow start is one thing, the way the team is losing this past 2 seasons and 4 games, is the concern. 2-2 for most teams isnt panic stations, would be silly to think so, BUT fadeouts and odd rotations have been a staple of this coaching staff.

Breakers are playing horrible and still winning. When their shots start falling lookout.

The Sixers have a problem with slow starts and 4th Quarter fade outs.

So far this year, they have won 1/4 first quarters, 2/4 second quarters, 3/4 third quarters and 1/4 final quarters.

in the two losses the final quarters were lost by -15 and -16.

yes anon but I am talking about the back 2 back champs not a team coming off the wooden spoon.

Their shooting has been pretty poor so far, from the inside the arc and outside and from the freethrow line where as last year it was great and it wasn't Gary Wilkinson who made the freethrows go in or CJ hit the clutch 3.
Abercrombie's jumpshot has started falling but Corletto and CJ's need to or they'll both be watching Corey Webster take their minutes.
It seems to be improving with each game, I just hope they have it sorted by the time they play Perth again and go up against the Hawks.

Even if Townsville hit 100% of their shots I don't think they would win right now...

They would find a way.