I jumped the gun a bit. Looking at the programs shown before this you do need a VPN (Proxy) to view this. Does anyone know of any free sites to get one now or is it all paid a la HideMyAss?

So we cannot watch this stream?

Just tried using my VPN and it doesn't work. I think there is just something wrong with the player.

download yle areena from google play

OK ignore that doesn't work...

Aussies getting smashed -

HT 39-28 Finland

1st 16-17
2nd 23-11

Aussies storming back -

down 6 at the end of the 3rd..

60-54

Overtime!

Brock Motum again manages to sneak plenty of shots around the basket again. Baynes with a very strong and efficient outing, 23 points partway through OT.

Finland seemed to get good looks in the 4th but the shots didn't drop.

Gibson and Delly preferred down the stretch in the 4th.

Golding subbed in. Immediate 3.

But Boomers lose 87-81.

My expectation have dropped from top 5, to not getting past group stages

I still don't like Andersen at the 4. Andersen might be a bit more inconsistent than his 2012 performances. Throughout the friendlies, Jawai must have a +/- of +30kg and -30 points. Apparently his role is to replace the Maric 2012 role of a disappointing and rusty big man coming off injury. Brockus Motumus has been excellent converting around the basket with his quick shots, but is yet to show any range. Baynes was very efficient, finishing regulation very strongly. Good to see some Delly-Baynes action, albeit not a converted alley-oop. Defensively the bigs are going to be exploited badly near the basket. Exum again has flashes, but other times looks very loose. When he turns of his jets, you think he might be able to go anywhere, but it rarely happens or he is too loose finishing or dishing. I'm not a fan of Exum at the 2. His jumpshot makes me think there might be a mysterious wind swirl in the stadium the moment he releases the ball. We could really do with more perimeter shooting, and surely that is why Goulding should be getting much more court time. Gibson is getting a lot more court time than expected. He has been solid, but I feel we need a lot more or something different from our second guard when Delly is on -- another solid guard. Again, Goulding makes sense, as he is a pure scorer and a dangerous shooter, but Gibson seems to be occupying a spot ahead of him. I don't remember seeing Broekhoff. He may as well go on sightseeing tours around the city instead of going to games. Apparently Lemanis thinks we don't need many perimeter threats, apart from opponents splashing 3s.

Lemanis appeared to give a group of Baynes, Andersen, Ingles, Exum and Delly plenty of time together as a unit. I'd like to see the +/- for them, but I thought it wasn't good.

A strong come back again, but still so many deficiencies to work on. Not sure if the personnel is adequate.

The group kind of feel like they don't fit together...not sure what it is but doesn't seem to all work in well/compliment each other.

Exum jumper needs a major rework (Hopefully the Jazz will fix it) or he'll become Tyreke Evans MarkII

Baynes looks pretty good you can tell he played in a good system...seems to get on the end of alot and knows timing/space.

Tiger watcher,

still early days, but I do agree with you to some degree.


I remember Lemanis not been a very good defensive coach. His team excelled at the Breakers because:

1) they simply out-shot opponents i.e did it with their offense; and
2) the good defensive work from that Breakers team largely came from the individual defensive brilliance of guys like Jackson, Boucher, Vukona (i.e. those guys sorted themselves out defensively).

This team has some shortcomings defensively - are they too soft? That would be my concern with players like Ingles, Motum, Newley etc. there are no defensive athletes other than Exum. You could question their lateral quickness.

If this team had a Vukona type, their defense would be much improved.

Maybe everyone needs to start looking at it from a defensive angle rather than simply looking at offensive numbers and saying things like "Motum is excellent" etc. There is something wrong defensively

Agree Macdub that its early days and i think if it could ever happen throwing in a Bogut/Mills makes a huge difference to our look and confidence.

I am not sure that all the blame goes to lemanis, I mean they do have trevor gleeson who is a good defensive coach.. Its not like Lemanis is the only coach on the team. They lack lateral quickness and I think they should call a few extra players over to europe and try to fill a few spots again.

I want to be optimistic but I am finding it increasingly hard. if this was our first game ever together I wouldn't mind.. but we are 4 games in, there should have been marked improvement but we are losing to Finland? this isn't the kind of effort that will get us within 100 miles of a medal. If the coaching staff has only been trying out different sets, it seems none have worked. They might want to think about changing the team some more and before the last 5 games. Thats all we have left. 5 games and about 2 weeks. It isn't very long at all. Right now I am starting to doubt our ability to advance from group stages let alone top the group

I don't think Gleeson is a great defensive coach.

His Townsville teams were all poor on that end and Perth are good because of the incumbent Rob Beveridge regime.

Looking at Finlands eurobasket play, maybe I am underrating them. They beat Russia/Greece and Turkey at Eurobasket. They probably aren't the international nobodies I had them pegged for, and in light of that MAYBE the loss isn't SO worrying/

Yeah GWB I agree Finland are a lot better than their 39th FIBA rankings. I expect their ranking to improve after a good showing at the World Cup.

As for the game, Finland managed 74 Field goals, while Australia had 60 Field Goals.
Having not seen the game, was the 14 extra F/G attempts by Finland a result of a quicker offence and Boomer turnovers?

We haven't had any good shooting nights ... We are not really spacing the floor with our three point shooting and stretching opp D. Goulding been only threat. Hopefully guys like Ingles, Goulding, Delly, Broekhoff can hit some shoots in WC, otherwise might be a quick exit. We looked pretty average against Ukraine letting Ingles slash only to get blocked, and Baynes and Anderson forcing tough shoots down low

'Medaling' was always a very outside chance with Mills and Bogut out, I think that's part of why theyve picked six debutantes, six players 25 or under and only two guys older than 27. This team has been picked with one eye on Rio.

Recap of the game is up on PnR:

Boomers force overtime in Helsinki but go down to Finland