Jerry
Years ago
Right now they are. They started the season slow and lost a few huge 4th quarter leads but now that Lisch has found role alongside these guy are by far the most dominating team on offence.
I don't think home court or not will matter when they are clicking on all cylinders.
Jack Toft
Years ago
And so they should be.
It's like the Expendables film, someone assembled ten of the best players in the league, throw in an MVP or two and give them a mission impossible.
The only thing missing is a femme fatale.
All we need is for Kirk Penney to say "I'll be back"
paul
Years ago
Cody Ellis, Larry Davidson, Jarrad Weeks, Oscar Forman, Kevin White and Tim Coenraad are in "ten of the best players in the league"?
Dazz
Years ago
What an epically stupid and pointless thread.
They are not the best team, not even close, nomatter what nanosecond you wish to measure it across.
Talking about who is the "best team" across a week or any other portion is pointless. It's utterly subjective, and ultimately meaningless.
Cats were on top of the ladder, and the Crocs beat them, did that make the Crocs "the best team" that week? Or that night?
At the end of the day, the table is the measure of success for the regular season. The Hawks are currently the FOURTH best team, and they look likely to stay in the 4. By all means come back and revisit at the end of the regular season. The top 4 is close, and the Hawks could easily finish higher, possibly even 1st which would make them the best over the season.
The finals is a whole new ball game. It will come down to who's fit and firing at the right end of the season. Could be the Hawks, and if so you can justifiably claim they were the best team this season.
Kobe24
Years ago
I like the Hawks for the title, they are clicking and have some serious weapons. Cats and breakers maybe getting bored waiting for the real show to begin, but neither have been playing all that dominant.
Train
Years ago
Great team with a solid coach. Bit hard to give any team in the top 4 the title of "best team in the competition" when they are all sitting on 7 losses.
Dazz, this is not a pointless thread. As you say the ladder is very close and between the top 4 teams you will probably have a lot of varying opinions about who is the team to beat.
I agree with the opening poster that it is the Hawks. When you consider the roster had a lot of new, important pieces, missed their point guard for most of the season and had a new coach, a slower start was excusable. However, now they appear to have their chemistry and flow down-pat and are hitting their straps.
They are shellacking every team they face of late, including a massive spanking of New Zealand IN New Zealand, which no one has done since I can remember. They have potentially the two best perimeter offensive players in the league and also arguably the standout big man. To top it all off, they also have the best coach.
They haven't shown they can handle Perth yet, but you most remember two of those losses were epic chokes earlier in the season and they appear more confident and settled now so the nature of those wins are unlikely to repeat.
I think the Hawks only weakness is that they lack a bit of depth in inside players. I recall the game they played in Perth they copped a hiding as Jawai destroyed Ogilvy who struggled with foul trouble. Perth also have strong perimeter defenders so they might be the Hawks kryptonite.
It's all going to come down to match-ups in the play-offs, because Perth can't handle New Zealand.
Perth will be hoping to see Melbourne in the semi-finals with Illawarra taking care of New Zealand for them and then hoping Jawai can dominate Ogilvy in the Granny.
sixtiesrockstar
Years ago
At rd 7 the Hawks were 4-6. They have gone 7-1 since and show they can play offence and defence, can kick it up a gear when needed. Perth have gone 6-6 in the same period. As the season goes the Hawks look like they are settling in and getting better. The Breakers have problems with winning when they can be held offensively, as don't have real scoring options and versatility, rely on Webster and Abercrombie so much. Perth need all their men fit. Redhage won't be any younger with backing up in finals intensity and if Jawai is having issues now with his body, it is only going to get harder for him, especially having to travel back & forth across the country.
The Hawks have plenty of experience in players and coaches, and know what's required. If they can get home court for first rd of finals they will make GF series and will be hard to beat with their firepower.
In response to the speculative 'who are the best 10 in the league' question that was thrown out there, here is my list, in no particular order:
Goulding
Kickert
Webster
Ced Jackson
Abercrombie
Knight
Prather
Penney
Ogilvy
Randle
There are obviously plenty of others who are significant contributors. One thing I found a little interesting is that the much-criticised Thornton is putting up very similar shooting numbers to Holt (both are shooting below 40%).
Supernintendo Chalmers
Years ago
perth is 8-4 in their last 12 games.
Indominous-Rex
Years ago
Lol the top by that Anon is laughable!
Here's my top ten in no order
Childress
Goulding
Webster
Ogilvy
Randle
Khazzouh
Knight
Holt
Cedric Jackson
Kevin Lisch
paul
Years ago
"Lol the top by that Anon is laughable!"
You've got six of the same players! Lol! Mine in no order:
Ogilvy
Penney
Abercrombie
Webster
Prather
Knight
Goulding
Randle
Ced Jackson
Lisch
with Ch Jackson and Jawai just outside. Childress will be back in there in a few weeks if he stays fit.
Bear
Years ago
Weeks is one of the best impact players off the bench this season, just saying, it isn't always just the top 10 players per position or scoring or statistics, or their reputation.
Weeks' value to this team is undeniable...
Abercrombie is a perfect fit as the third option do it all type but let's not kid ourselves he is not top ten in the league.
How do you guys not have damian martin in your top ten? He is better than Abercrombie
Kobe24
Years ago
Martin cant shoot the basketball, he is effective and has heart and soul type effectiveness but id take Abercrombie over him.
paul
Years ago
Damo and Vukona would be right in consideration had they been playing at their best all season, but like Childress they haven't.
Let them beat Perth especially in Perth, then come back and talk to me.
Anon
Years ago
Hey Dazz the Spazz, if a thread is pointless do us a favour and don't contribute.
Yes Martin is a mediocre shooter but i think his overall impact on games is very telling. There's some guys on that top ten list who are very impactful offensively but mediocre defensively so you have to look at it both ways. Martin is also a great rebounder for a PG on both ends. Don't underestimate the importance of winning the possession battle
Just noticed one top ten list had Holt in it. The last month has exposed him as second tier
Anonymoose
Years ago
Seems a bunch of people are missing the point of the list. it was just to show that Illawarra have some really great players but also have a bunch that other Teams didn't really want/need. That's all.
Mystro
Years ago
Abercrombie can shoot well from everywhere and is a great defender and a decent rebounder and can jump out of the building. Qualities that are generally only found in imports.
Kickert should be on the list. I wouldn't even have Abercrombie above Jawai.
Abercrombie is one of my favourite players but I would not have him top 10. He is a decent defender an excellent athlete and a solid shooter but he is a finisher not a starter. He takes what he is given and does that very efficiently but it is very rare for him to actively take over a game. He is great at finishing off the good work of others and a valuable cog in the machine. Like Damian Martin who was also mentioned here he is a guy you would take in a heartbeat in your lineup but he would never be the first picked. That is for your alpha dogs like Webster, Jackson, Goulding, Randle, Childress, Lisch, etc.
Hawks are the hottest team right now but the road to the title still runs through Auckland. You'll see.
LV
Years ago
The last couple of weeks has been interesting because United has got their season back on track, and NZ has stumbled.
Ultimately I still like Perth and NZ- and whoever has home court I will like more, and that's increasingly looking like Perth- while the Hawks and UTD are in the mix and both have the talent to win it, if they can shoot the ball well enough come playoff time.
wildcats80
Years ago
I agree pointless thread, who cares if they are best team now, its about the end of the season. All teams have had periods of dominance. Perth have probably been the most consistent and that's why they are on top. Yes, and people talking down the cats, they re 8-4 in last 12 games, and 8 of those games are have been on the road, not 6-6 as suggested.
With Perth having 6 of the last 8 at home and 3 of the last 8 against Sydney, they have to be a good chance to finish top 2.
Anything can happen though.
paul
Years ago
"He takes what he is given and does that very efficiently but it is very rare for him to actively take over a game."
That's a good example of judging the game only by scoring. Abercrombie is probably the equal most important player on one of the best teams, so that makes him a top 10 candidate, whether he's actually in it or not.
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