The Odds: Adelaide $2.55, New Zealand $1.52

I'm sticking with the odds in this one, the Breakers are too organised and too deep for the depleted 36ers.

Cedric to have a big one. Breakers by 6.

Injury ravaged 36ers face tough task against Breakers

I had no idea enigma stood for "athletic player without a jumpshot", thanks Jack.

Brock motum sitting on the Sixers bench!!

Yeah baby

Great 1st quarter. Teys and Gibson outstanding and their defence is top shelf. NZ so three point trigger happy.

Gibson putting in a P.O.T.W performance so far.

Wow. Worst Breakers performance in about 4 or 5 years.

Commentators need to calm down on Teys.

Why do Adelaide keep getting import point guards when Gibbo is the best Aussie point guard in the league?!?

What is wrong with Te Rangi this season?

One of the best performances I've seen from the Sixers in recent history, well and truly against the odds against a quality team, despite those nervous last 3 minutes.

What a performance by Gibson, his best ever without a doubt. His stat line unbelievable. Tey's best performance as well. Also makes for a formidable defensive backcourt with those two starting...

BJ showing great improvement this season also.

The Breakers need to make some roster changes...

1. We don't have a legitimate 3 point shooter, last few years when teams played zone on us we could counter attack with Knock Down shooters (Bruton, Corletto, Penney, Wilkinson). Webster & Abercrombie there not knock down shooters, there just guys that can hit them from down there, our best shooter is Rhys Carter.

2. Our Bench? Carter plays with great energy and a high IQ, Wesley puts up terrible shots, can't rebound and is lethargic in the post. Ibekwe blocks a few shots and that's it, takes terrible jump shots and picks up cheap fouls. Te Rangi has gone AWOL. Bailey they don't even use. In past season's our bench has been key to helping the starters, at the moment between these 5 guys we would be lucky to get 15 points from them.

3. We need a scorer!!! Who on this team can be a consistent scoring threat so teams have to put a body on them? Answer no one! Webster & Abercrombie both can score but there not consistent enough to get 25+ points per game each night. Jackson is a pass first point guard and he's got no one there that can create there own high percentage shot and be a legitimate scoring threat. Webster as good as he was for the Tall Blacks isn't that player yet that can carry a team. Don't get me wrong he has the ability but is to inconsistent to be that player.

IMO they need to do all they can to get Isaac Fotu for Wesley and then get rid of Ibekwe for an import that can score.

In terms of the game today, the unsportsmanlike foul at the end was disgraceful refereeing, how that was unsportsmanlike is beyond me. SMH!!!

This team does not need to make any changes if money is an issue.

You can see today that this team can compete against the league's best.

Imagine what is achievable with Wilson and Creek.

Very promising signs.

Breakers won't win the title this year. No doubt about that.

So many bad calls on both sides. That unsportsmanlike foul on Gibbo? How was that an USF. It wasn't a clear path..Webster was back there. The contact was normal and Abercrombie went for the ball.

Perhaps Sean, was a little odd with the unsportsmanlike foul but in the second, a no call when clearly the breaker went directly at Teys.
Good ole Aylen, nah.....wouldn't call that.
For Melbourne he would.

The reffing wasn't great today but it works for every team. We go to NZ and it sucks. Just how the penny rolls

Really poor refereeing... so nothing out of the ordinary.

That was just good-quality, entertaining basketball from both teams. Awesome games from Gibbo, Teys and Abercrombie down the stretch.

If you add Motum , Wilson and Creek to todays team Adelaide look very good.
Teys and Gibson made quite a duo granted they won't combine for 55 every week but I would consider bringing Wilson off the bench when he returns.

Top notch win by an undermanned Sixers! Best game I've seen Gibson play. More of that and we'll be talking MVP at the end of the season.

Teys not far behind. He is hands down one of the best shooters in the league these days. Wilson won't get his starting job back if Teys keeps playing like he did today!

The other thing that stood out was DEFENCE. The Sixers have really improved since last season. We are actually rotating effectively and we are challenging shots at the rim whilst fouling far less. That made a big difference in the end, because in the past the Breakers would have made a lot of those baskets.

Feeling good about this team once we get everyone back on deck!

Now what was that about Brockus Motumus on the Sixers bench...?

agree wasnt really an unsportmanlike , but probably the age old 30 secs earlier we missed an obvious call as a breaker hip checks gibbo off the court lets make up for it now type of call.

Good win by the 36ers today. Gibbo was great as was Teys. It was their best games in an Adelaide singlet. Peach stepped up and Schensch pretty much took Pledger out of the game.

I'll admit that I was worried that losing DJ would leave us short on big man stocks because I honestly didn't think Luke's body was up to carrying the whole load. But from the way he's played so far this season, while he may not be the same offensive threat, his D outweighs what DJ brought to a game so its balancing itself out nicely.....so far.

The Breakers haven't been the best team on the road in the past season and a bit, but any time you can get a win over them is a plus.

Really entertaining game to be at Today.

The ball movement by the sixers was fantastic and is that the sixers best backcourt performance since the Maher/Farley era? Some of those passes Gibson was making were incredible and Teys obviously identied Webster as a defensive liabilty going into the game as he continously attacked him. Some of his perimeter one on one moves were of extremely high quality.

I remember there was a discussion a while ago on here about who who was the better player - Gibson vs Damien Martin, I think today showed that Gibson is a more complete player, he took apart the previous MVP of the league in Jackson and I would have him on my team over Damo every time.

The game would have been better were it not for such a poor standard of officiating. That was one of the worst refereed games I have ever seen with both sides copping their fair share of extremely poor calls. Different refs were making different calls on the same play, calls were being made when they weren't in position, they virtually guessed every single out of bounds call, they were regularly drawing attention to themselves needlessly, there was absolutely no consistency and you could see all the players and coaches were completely confused. I hope Mal has a long hard look at that game tape and comes out with a statement to say that the level of officiating in todays game was not on for a professional basketball league and all 3 refs were to undergo some further training as a result. It was close to ruining a high quality game of basketball.

Having said all that, there isnt a much better feeleing then seeing your less fancied/talented team on paper beating their opponents with superior teamwork and effort, I was proud to be a sixers fan today!

No excuses but the schedule is killing the Breakers.

Playing Friday nights in NZ then having to travel all day Saturday and play Sunday.

They were ao flat today.

NZ isn't that far away. Doesn't take all day to fly from there to here. Not a lot different to Perth flying to anywhere but Adelaide. Even Adelaide isn't a whole lot closer.

Was just a great entertaining game today, as mentioned above i think this was Gibson's best game. He just controlled the pace and was super aggressive at both ends. Glad Brock is coming in as i could not watch GQ any more after that pass straight out bounds from the baseline.

A well deserved win to Adelaide, NZ looked flat and were on the back foot for a long time.
Even when the Breakers battled the margin down they would soon after give up some soft points on consecutive possessions to let the Sixers stretch the lead back out.

Uncle Phil....I would personally have Gibbo AND Damien Martin on my team any day in this league.

The two best defenders in the NBL, though if Joey Wright is to be believed, Teys is an even better on-on-on defender than Gibbo, and Martin's hustle on D is a BIG part of what keeps Perth at or near the top. But Gibbo showed today why he's a Boomer and when he's in that sort of form he's hard to stop. Kinda like a modern day Al Green. Not as fast as the Mean Machine was (not many in the NBL ever will be), but probably a bit more polished and a much more natural PG.

those that started today very good.
a bitta moderation on the bench.
the bench got 5 points.
abercrombie a deliberate foul on teys in the second, but i don't think you have deliberate fouls anymore.
gibbo made that one in fourth look worse than it was.
thought we led by about 9 most of the game.
wilson off the bench,motum starting and creek later is pretty good

Playmaker Mo +1+1

I doubt NZ's travel challenge is materially different to Cairns' and Townsville's. Aren't they both 2 or 3 flights to get to anywhere with an NBL team in it, except each other? At least NZ are only one flight from Melbourne and Sydney. Wollongong are a couple of flights from everywhere except Sydney and Melbourne (?) as well. Shorter flights but still a fair bit of travel time. And they used to do the Doomsday Double back to back Friday and Saturday.

So - nothing to see here, folks. Move along.

Macdub, crocs played nz on Friday and just smashed Perth with two flights to nz one so sorry not buying the schedule excuse.

"I remember there was a discussion a while ago on here about who who was the better player - Gibson vs Damien Martin, I think today showed that Gibson is a more complete player, he took apart the previous MVP of the league in Jackson and I would have him on my team over Damo every time. "

Are you kidding me?
Gibson played an outstanding 37 minutes but he completely lost his composure down the stretch and as a captain he should have been calming the players down. Those clowns tried to give the game to NZ. The breakers closed out with class and, if not for a stupid attempt at making a 3 point shot when 2 points down, anything could have happened.

Yes, Gibsons figures were 1st class and he played extremely well but when the pressure was applied....he lacked composure. He still has some developing to do to get anywhere near Martins level IMO.

Fan-ciful, while Martin has a small edge defensively over Gibson, Gibson has a far larger edge offensively over Martin. Gibsons passing, shooting and playmaking ability are far in excess of Martins. Don't get me wrong, I love Martin as player but i struggle to see how you can make an argument that Gibson is not the better all round player. If you Put Gibson on the Wildcats team instead of Martin, Perth would probably be just as good, possibly even better. You put Martin on the sixers instead of Gibson and we get worse due to Martins offensive deficiencies. Remind me also how Martin went against Jackson a few weeks ago and how Gibson did today? Gibson, not only held Jackson in check but hurt him significantly on the other end, Martin couldn't contain Jackson and did very little offensively to make up for it.

I felt Gubson wasn't actually bad at all down the stretch, it wasn't him that made most of the mistakes plus, the out of bounds call on him near the scorers bench was rubbish - it was clearly off Jackson's foot. Secondly, when Jackson stole the ball in the corner, he clearly fouled him, the refs call those two the way they should have been called and he has basically a flawless game. He also hit 3 of 4 free throws to ice the game after the unsporsmanslike call (which I also thought was the incorrect call). Didnt seem too rattled at all.

Not quite.

I was a Tigers fan....now I'm trying to follow United.

I take on what you say about Gibson offensively and don't argue at all with that. He is way ahead of Martin. However, for the role Martin plays in the Wildcats, he doesn't need that skill set. He is a play maker, a defender and a leader.

I think you need to watch the end again objectively. Watch it and tell me Gibson wasn't rattled.

Give him a break Fanciful, he may just have been a bit tired by the end of the game, with only Tom Daly to spell him off the bench. Not to mention that he can hardly do much about Abercrombie getting ridiculously hot down the stretch and getting NZ back into a game that was over.

I'd still take Gibbo over Martin as well. Martin's a great defender, but he's not enough of a threat on the offensive end for my liking.

thought i saw daly and montreal on at the end, rather than starters

Yes, Martin gets the maximum output from huis potential and fulfills his role to a tee at the Wildcats but I think Gibson could fulfil that role just as well, his ability on both ends make him much more versatile. In fact, I can't see Martin actually being able to fill any other role then the one he is currently in. If he didn't have all that offensive talent around him, he would struggle. There is no way Martin will ever be able to put together the all round game that Gibson did today.

Take the Wildcats vs Crocs game from today, Martins opposite number Markovic scored 20 points at 73% while Martin only scored 2. Thats 2 point guards in the five games so far this seasons he has let off the leash and the problem is when this happens, he doesn't have much to offer offensively. At least if Gibson lets an opposition guard get hot offensively, he is able to keep them far more accountable on the other end of the floor.

Truth be told, if Martin wasn't so highly regarded as a defensive player he would be a fringe NBL player at best. His game is basically all D and almost no O. As someone said, that works for him in Perth.

That's the difference between him and Gibbo and why our captain is a regular Boomer and Martin isn't (though Perth fans seem to think he should be, but they generally forget that his being just a defender won't cut it in international ball. You've got to be able to score also).

If Adelaide's game was based around D then I would have both players in my side any day.

"I take on what you say about Gibson offensively and don't argue at all with that. He is way ahead of Martin. However, for the role Martin plays in the Wildcats, he doesn't need that skill set. He is a play maker, a defender and a leader."

It's not only that he doesn't need that skill set, he simply doesn't have it. He doesn't come close to having the array of moves that Gibson has to be able to score. And you'd take Gibson's jumper over Martin's any day of the week.

Damian Martin is actually a good offensive player, check out Perth's scoring rates when he is and isn't on the floor. He runs that offence incredibly well.

People who only looked at stats would say Dillon Boucher was a poor offensive player too.

With all due respect, the Breakers defence was absolutely appalling last night.

They made Gibson and Teys look like superstars.

Gibson is good but he is not 34 & 10 good. Teys went for 23 (?).

We let two players have career best nights last night and that is unacceptable.

Seriously MACDUB ! Brock Motum is sitting behind the bench and the boys let him know this is what he can be a part of. Did you not see these boys last season. They are capable of this and they did it last night. Are you a Perth fan by any chance.

MACDUB, I disagree. Both Gibbo and Teys would have been playing on a high knowing that a mate who could definitely help them reach the final dance was about to sign after the game.

I also think Webster was seen as a weakness defensively and Teys went at him every time down the floor to expose him...and it worked. Teys is underrated, a tireless worker who gives his all every game. Teys will have more games like this...mark my words.

Gibbo realised that the game was reliant on his battle with Jackson and did everything he could to get the better of that match up...so he went out with all intent to get the better of Jackson and lead his team to a win.

Anyone who has watched Gibbo more than a handful of times knows he is more than capable of those type of games he just rarely plays with that type of mindset and controlled aggression.

WHAT A GAME!

Pity i had both my kids to worry about (4 and 2) so was unable to fully appreciate the awesomeness of the fortress duo in Teys and Gibbo...

the first 5 mins fo the game was very well officiated then i told my sister that and she said you have spoken too soon... and by the end of the game i certainly HAD spoken too soon...

An the hole travel excuse... WOW clutching at straws there... what about cairns? 5 games in 14 days and LOTS of travel as well... and they are what 6 and 0 so the whole travel excuse is null and void...

And the Gibbo vs Martin battle... Well Joey has instructed Gibbo to attack more and the results speak for themselves... Gibbo does have a 20 8 8 8 in him every game just now have we seen that he now has both the coaches approval and the confidence to do it

How suave did joey look in the suit tonight?

Besides Gordie Macleod does Any other coach look the part as a top level coach? (loved watching Goorj with the all black get ups in the day looked like every game he came to coach...)

Sad to see DQ go... will be interesting to see if they pull the trigger on PC and let Richie stay... looked good in the 3 mins he was on the court

Schensch needs to work with BJ to develop a drop step into his arsenal, very predictable to always go centre with the hook shot if he develops a baseline drop step he will be the BEST Centre in the league, i Hope Brock doesnt disrupt the momentum and confidence that Shensch is playing with

Peach was better today than previous games and is probably still a little off missed some very easy shots but that 3 in the last was AWESOME!

CAN NOT WAIT to see them back where they belong!

Cairns vs sixers GF?

VERY VERY happy 6ers supporter here... definitely one i was not confident about... my son whom is two said before the game they would win... maybe i need to take him to EVERY GAME!!

Granted I can live with a player having a big game and they played very well last night, but Gibbo and Teys averaged 15ppg between them last season. They combined for 54 points last night. Gibbo and Teys played great last night, but the Breakers defence was horrible. There's no disrespect in saying Gibson and Teys aren’t superstars..I would have thought that was no secret so why jump on my back.

So who on the Breakers is a Superstar Macdub?

Gibson and Teys aren't superstars. End of. Are you trying to justify that they are LOL?

Gibbo is a great player, but superstar? No.

Teys is coming off a season where he averaged 3.8ppg.

Macdub...I'm not suggesting anyone on the 36ers roster is a superstar, just trying to get a feel for who or what requisites you place on a player being given that status?

Its hard to say "X" quantifies "superstar status".

But for what its worth, I wouldn't consider Abercrombie a superstar.

MACDUB stats don't tell the full story, they don't reflect the mid court game forcing the pass and stopping progression of play. You need to watch a full game and respect everything else they do beyond the stat line and how that influences the game and works in with the rest of the team. That is what every is talking about. There are few players that bring this to a team, Damo does it for Perth.

Macdub...so who in the NBL would you class as a Superstar?

@paul: "Damian Martin is actually a good offensive player, check out Perth's scoring rates when he is and isn't on the floor. He runs that offence incredibly well.

People who only looked at stats would say Dillon Boucher was a poor offensive player too."
Scoring rate is a stat.

FWIW I would say Cedric Jackson in 2013 definitely was, and Clarke, Ennis and Goulding probably were last season. Many Perth and NZ fans would say Martin and Vukona are for what they consistently bring, and Adelaide fans are now heading in that direction with Gibson. Just quietly, Worthington has had a superstar start to this season.

wortho may have had a superstar start but he is still imo the BIGGEST whinger in the NBL...

Sure there are a few others out there and i am sure my beloved sixers have some whingers too but Wortho is the king.

Macdub, Adelaides win had nothing to do with NZ playing poorly from the get go and Gibbo is clearly the best player in the league so please keep any thoughts to the contrary to yourself thanks

If Martin and Vukona are considered Superstars then so should Gibbo. Gibbos value, like Martin and Vukonas, cant always be measured on the stat sheet.

"Macdub, Adelaides win had nothing to do with NZ playing poorly from the get go and Gibbo is clearly the best player in the league so please keep any thoughts to the contrary to yourself thanks"

Gibbo is the best player in the league?
Have you watched his last 3 minutes from yesterday again. Check out his lack of composure. He is a great player but he needs more composure when the pressure is on down the stretch. Just saying.

Fan-ciful... without his efforts for the previous 37 minutes leading up to that last 3 minutes... those last 3 minutes would have been irrelevant. and during those last 3 minutes did you miss his 4... count them 4 clutch free throws to seal the win?? Maybe you need to look back over those last 3 minutes yourself champ :)

Exactly Tornado, they're hometown superstars because the people who see them live every week know just how vital their contributions are.

"Fan-ciful... without his efforts for the previous 37 minutes leading up to that last 3 minutes... those last 3 minutes would have been irrelevant. and during those last 3 minutes did you miss his 4... count them 4 clutch free throws to seal the win?? Maybe you need to look back over those last 3 minutes yourself champ :)"

I'm not doubting his 37 minutes. I watched the whole game and the last quarter a few times again. His first 37 minutes was superb and composed but he almost let the 36ers toss the win to the Breakers. Watch it again. He is only young and will develop further. Thanks champ :)

Mystro,

I agree. Gibson has probably been the best player in the league for 5-6 years.

I also rate Teys and hope the Breakers are looking at him over Penney - better to go with youth and look to the future. Plus I do believe Teys is a better shooter.

MACDUB - what are you on talking about Teys and NZ. Huh !!!

being as he's clearly the best one on one defender in the league and now shooter we're going to hopefully offer Teys marquee money to jump the ditch.

Gibbo is the only current NBL player (well, he was until Adelaide signed Motum) who was a regular Boomer.

At the very least that would make him not only the best Aussie player in the NBL, but among the best players in the league.

When I was growing up, just about the only non-NBL player for the Boomers was Luc Longley (and he was still in college at the time). How times have changed.

You will find that Teys will want to help build Sixers and create what Perth has with the loyalty points starting to kicking in the next few years. IT will be all about where Joey is and not everyone is a chaser of money some it's building a community or something greater as in a group that can get around the boomers to lift Australian basketball. You will find that there are some strong christian values within the group again not always focussing on money.

That's pretty poor logic Holden, you don't really pick players in the national team based on club form, but more what they can do for the national team.

For a number of years Gibbo has been one of two, three or four NBL players in the Boomers but hasn't been anywhere close to one of the best players in the league.

Last season he started to head in that direction and this year he looks like he is stepping up again. That's no surprise given he is now 28 and entering into his peak years.

annon,

I am gobsmacked you don't believe Teys is the best shooter currently in the league.

If you don't think so, you're delusional.

Still waiting for your superstar players Macdub??

Ooooooh you didn't just double champ me back did you Fan-ciful??!! Lol... well listen here… bucko… (yeah that’s right… BUCKO!!) firstly there were 4 other guys out there all suffering the pressure and brain fades out there in those last few minutes… not just Gibbo… and secondly… bub… you need to stop re-watching that game and that quarter and those last 3 minutes and go get some fresh air… also… he’s only young you say kiddo? Needs to develop more you reckon sport?... cobba… he’s 28 years old… has played over 270 NBL games… (obviously) NBL club captain… 2 NBL championships… Australian Boomers representation… NBL Allstar… and one heck of a role model to the young future stars of this league… how much more development does he need??!! He wouldn’t even be able to develop film now everything is basically digital… champ… time to have a lie down I think and get prepped for this weekends games and see what… developes... from there :-D

Please don't use sarcasm on those too naïve to understand it.

There's only one person between OzHoops and Hoops.com.au stupid enough to put "..." after every few words. Why can't you write like a normal person (and maybe even with a little bit of grammatical competence)?

...…. ……….. !!!! …… @$&#^&@%#^* ……. - !! ……. ??????

the "..." is there in place of "dramatic pause"... to give the reader the idea to hold up and delay before completing the rest of the sentence. while it has no grammatical bearing on anything... it is mearly a guide on a forum that doesnt particularly grade spelling or grammer because if it did... you would have maybe 3 or 4 people posting on here and that would be about it. :-D

Tornado,

What are you on?

Teys is my superstar player.

Macdub - Avoiding the question with condescending rubbish isn't an answer!

Wow. This thread took a dive.

A win is a win