LC
Years ago

The 2015 NBL Playoff Race is on!

The current top 3 teams in Cairns, Perth and Breakers all appeared to be assured of playing in the finals. That leaves 4th spot up for grabs and a logjam of teams battling for that last chance.

Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and even Townsville are a chance.

I personally don't think Townsville can get there. Unless Adelaide can find a suitable replacement for Anthony, then I'm not convinced they can get there either. That leaves the erratic Melb Utd and Sydney Kings...hmmm...I don't think anyone outside the top 3 can win it this season.

Thoughts?

Here is some info to help untangle the fight for 4th:

Four For Fighting: The 2015 NBL Playoff Race

Topic #36239 | Report this topic


Anonymous  
Years ago

of the 3 remaining teams, only Melbourne can win the comp, just on talent level. They don't have the level of coaching the other 3 do though.

Reply #509449 | Report this post


Tornado  
Years ago

This Championship is NZ's to lose in my opinion...they are a cut above and I cant see anyone beating them in a series - especially with them having home court advantage.

Reply #509450 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

Adelaide are arguably the second best team in the comp right now, I wouldn't be writing them off so quickly given their pretty impressive talent level and the fact they are starting to click.

Reply #509452 | Report this post


PeterJohn  
Years ago

More than anything else, the Perth injuries improved Adelaide's chances of a miracle playoff run.

I expect Melbourne to win at least 4 more games. That means Adelaide will have to win at least 8 of their last 9 to make finals. I don't see them beating NZ but they may beat Perth twice, now. So the dream is real.

That said, we're relying on other teams, mainly Melbourne. If Melbourne win either of their games this coming weekend, I think Adelaide's dream will be over.

Reply #509455 | Report this post


Happy Days  
Years ago

Paul do they need a replacement for Anthony if there ticking along nicely.Replacement could throw a spanner in the works.

Reply #509457 | Report this post


Big Ads  
Years ago

Damned if you do, Damned if you don't really.

Reply #509458 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

Only time can answer that question. I think it has to be a replacement who brings something the line-up is missing, and at a pretty decent level. No point bringing in someone just to fill the spot given Schenscher, Motum, Petrie and Creek can all fill the frontcourt spots.

Reply #509460 | Report this post


Wilson Sting  
Years ago

"This Championship is NZ's to lose in my opinion...they are a cut above and I cant see anyone beating them in a series - especially with them having home court advantage."

Except Cairns is leading the season's series with them 2-1 including a win in Auckland.

Reply #509464 | Report this post


mystro  
Years ago

Cairns are a great team and have a very good shot at winning it all, I wouldn't begrudge them winning their first title either.

That said, NZ haven't played their best basketball yet and are still sitting on top. As for the regular season series split favouring the Taipans, in the regular season of 12/13 Perth walloped NZ pretty much every game by a decent margin but come the finals NZ swept them.

I'm not saying that the Taipans aren't a great match up for the Breakers as I think it would be a super tough series if it plays out that way. More so that it's 0-0 come the playoffs and it comes down to who's playing the best team basketball at both ends and can put their best team on the floor fit & healthy.

Reply #509479 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

in the regular season of 12/13 Perth walloped NZ pretty much every game by a decent margin but come the finals NZ swept them.

And if Wilbekin misses the grand final series, I don't think anyone will expect Cairns to go close, either.

Reply #509480 | Report this post


Plastic Man  
Years ago

^why would he miss the series

Reply #509482 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

Torn achilles, presumably.

Reply #509483 | Report this post


Annon  
Years ago

Well this just gets better and better !!

Reply #509502 | Report this post


LC  
Years ago

Wow if that is to be true...

Reply #509503 | Report this post


cats 4 life  
Years ago

By finals time Knight is back, full team bar Ross. Didn't have impact offfencivly, so, they can win any 2here at any time. Mind u they have a few games in hand, win them, the6 will be there at the end, they are playing so shit ATM. But yea, imagine Jackson does his acl? Any one will sweep them

Reply #509520 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Wilbekin is not injured, koberulz is just pulling the piss out of mystro who suggested that NZ easily disposed of Perth back in 12/13 GF series even though Perth won the season series, conveniently not mentioning Damian Martins Achilles injury.
He is sarcastically using Wilbekin as an example from this years Taipans.

Reply #509523 | Report this post


ronny  
Years ago

When Perth lost Ennis they took atleast 3 steps back. Ennis was a freak of nature and is twice the player Daniels is. I would have last years Cats as the tam to beat, but this years version is nowhere near as good. Not even close.

Reply #509526 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

NZ so far have looked the team to beat

Reply #509527 | Report this post


cats 4 life  
Years ago

Daniels isn't there to score he gets a double double Perth happy, Ennis has a different role, mind u beak won the gd for us any way, just understand how beak isn't even close in leading the league on ppg. Still think Perth can go back to back and nothing better against nz.nz has played well but Perth gave had some stinkers!

Reply #509529 | Report this post


mystro  
Years ago

"conveniently not mentioning Damian Martins Achilles injury. "

you conveniently didn't read the "and can put their best team on the floor fit & healthy." at the bottom did you?

Even with Martin healthy, NZ were winning that title. May or may not have gone another game or may have been a little closer but he (D.Martin) wasn't carrying them over that line.

If we are lucky we may even get to see a Wildcats Vs Breakers final again this season but I'd prefer the Taipans Vs Breakers final.

Reply #509614 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

How do you draw that conclusion from the fact that Perth were clearly the best team in the entire league over the course of the season?

Reply #509635 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

So a full strength Perth "walloped" NZ every game that season yet a full strength Perth wasn't beating NZ in the finals. What is that being based on? It's all conjecture but you'd expect the smart money would be on that trend continuing.

Reply #509636 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Daniels is shit. I mean for all the hype he is nothing. NZ for mine, Perth won't win this season and will struggle to make the championship series. Nothing about them is intimidating as compared to last seasons full proof squad.

Reply #509653 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Full proof LOL

Reply #509654 | Report this post


Nathan of Perth  
Years ago

Hard to go past NZ atm. Perth don't have the offensive output required, injuries are just complicating the task further.

Cairns may do the job though, but when you have the tried and tested NZ on the one hand and Cairns who have never gone all the way before, you have to advantage the Breakers.

Reply #509709 | Report this post


Wilson Sting  
Years ago

Yes, but before the Breakers won their premierships they had never won one so at some point you've got to break through!

The Cairns core playing group have been together as long as both NZ and Perth and it is a strong mix of youth, imports and veterans, so I see no reason for a lack of championships as an excuse not to get it done this season.

If I was a betting man it would be for a Cairns win, though that's because they'd have better paying odds being the underdog!

Reply #509713 | Report this post


King Podge  
Years ago

You are of sound mind Wilson, never suspected anything else.

Reply #509715 | Report this post


Dazz  
Years ago

It's hard to look past The Breakers. If they finish on top, I think they will be unbeatable at home.
Perth are the only team I think could potentially upset the order of things, but at this point I think Cairns have a mortgage on 2nd place. That will make for a great semi-final series. Cairns vs Perth, even with home-court advantage that COULD go either way.

4th position should go down to the wire. I think Melbourne can hold out, but Adelaide will be snapping at their heals.

Reply #510238 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

"How do you draw that conclusion from the fact that Perth were clearly the best team in the entire league over the course of the season?"

Sorry if I'm missing some sarcasm in there, but NZ were 24-4 that season. After playoffs weren't 28-4. And the last meaningful game they played against Perth before the playoffs they won by 17.

I agree it would have been another superb series had Martin played, with the Wildcats every chance, but NZ were the best team in the league that season.

Reply #510251 | Report this post


Dazz  
Years ago

"I agree it would have been another superb series had Martin played, with the Wildcats every chance, but NZ were the best team in the league that season."

Meh, the "best team" is the team that wins the pennant. Sure, losing Martin probably did cost Perth, but that's life.
Perth would have won Friday's game if they still had Knight. They would also have won if they still had Ennis, or If they'd signed Childress instead of DD, or Motum's parents had a daughter instead of Brock.

Injuries are part of sport as is recruitment, player management, and how much depth you have on your bench.

Reply #510298 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

"Sorry if I'm missing some sarcasm in there, but NZ were 24-4 that season. After playoffs weren't 28-4. And the last meaningful game they played against Perth before the playoffs they won by 17."
Perth won one or two fewer games, but had a much, much higher average margin of victory.

Reply #510322 | Report this post


Bear  
Years ago

Cairns for me, because they have not won one yet!

Reply #510477 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

How I see Wildcats
vs Melbourne W
@ Townsville L
@ Cairns L
@ New Zealand L
vs Sydney W
vs Cairns W - Think they split Cairns/Breakers at home
vs Breakers L
@ Adelaide L
vs Townsville W
16 - 12
I think the key games for Perth are vs Melbourne and Sydney at home. They win those they're safe lose it puts the pressure on.

Melbourne
@ Perth L
vs Townsville W
@ Hawks W - Although wouldn't surprise me if they lost
vs Wollongong W
@ Cairns L
@ Townsville L
@ Kings L
vs Kings W
14 - 14 or 13 - 15
I think the key games are the ones vs Townsville at home and Wollongong.

Adelaide
@ Wollongong W - Could lose like with melbourne
@ Sydney L
Vs Townsville W
Vs Sydney W
@ New Zealand L
vs Perth W
@ Wollongong L
14 - 14 or 13 - 15.

Could come down to the wire.


Reply #510481 | Report this post




You need to be a registered user to post from this location. Register here.



Close ads
Serio: Tourism photography and videography
Little Streaks - The fun and interactive good-habits app designed especially for kids.

Advertise on Hoops to a very focused, local and sports-keen audience. Email for rates and options.

Recent Posts



.


An Australian basketball forum covering NBL, WNBL, ABL, Juniors plus NBA, WNBA, NZ, Europe, etc | Forum time is: 8:26 pm, Wed 27 Nov 2024 | Posts: 968,026 | Last 7 days: 754