Penney is out for this game.

Adelaide are paying $3+ I think.

Should be a good game.

Big game tonight. Might have to head to the pub for this one, instead of watching it in miniature on my ipad! Anyone know if the Arkaba is still a sort of unofficial away game venue for Sixers fans?

That's absolutely ridiculous... Dwight would never start for USA these days.

Not on free to air TV so

I might have to make an effort to keep my
glass half full and watch a Crows replay from last season.

Go Sixers

How good was Ere's Halo Hail Mary rainbow

Great work Ewing......

ADL season over..

Good news about Randle.

No idea what his contract status is, but I would be real happy with Kings nabbed Teys in the offseason.

Wow. What a scare!

Gibson just got murdered by Wright.

In what universe was that 1. a foul on Ebi and 2. a shooting foul sending Davidson to the line???

Randle is ridiculous.

DJ is awful.

Would definitely take Ogilvy over Bairstow. Haven't seen Bairstow do anything in the NBA or in Boomers green.

Surprised more teams don't post up Randle.

Certainly, an area teams could really exploit

DJ is awful on D, but that cut from Lisch shows you what you need to do to take advantage of Randle on the other end.

@ MACDUB; I think it's probably just the lack of post-up guards in the league. Gibbo is probably one of them, but outside of that I'm struggling to come up with anyone but Cedrick Jackson?

Adelaide has absolutely imploded down the stretch. Credit to the Hawks, played tough all night.

Both Teys and Creek were horrible when they were on. Particularly Teys. Sobey played really well, great hustle, deserved increased time tonight.

What is with Joey belittling Gibson so much, its awakward to watch!!! Ebe another brilliant shooting display, and not a hint of sarcasm for once!!! Roller coaster game, Saturday will be very interesting.

Gibbo has been giving off an 'I do not want to be here' vibe all season, IMO.

Yeah I watched, just seems like Joey is real keen on making Gibbo his bitch! And i actually think Ebi has turned the corner, didnt expect it, but these are the stats they signed him for, not just a nice voice in the locker room haha

Has anyone told Brad Giesch he isn't eligible for the MVP. Absolute woeful performance. Phantom fouls, shots out of nowhere, missed half his calls all night and made some dramatic shit ones into the others area.

Joel would be happy with that game. We stayed around when we were getting blown off the floor, we still lead the head to head by 6. Good idea not to play the defensive lockdown tonight. We have broken our streak, takes a lot of the pressure off.

Bevo returns to thug basketball to get the win. Great to see we didn't get involved.

whoa whoa whoa guys.

NO.. just No.

Most of you have been slagging off Ebe all season. You do NOT get the right to suddenly get back on his boat and compliment the guy.

It was just poor for Joey to call Ebe in the first place..

Well so I thought, hence the admiration from his players

Yeah im with Anon, credit where its due, he has finally earnt some of his money, cant bag a guy who IS performing, that would actually mean there is an agenda of sorts. Thanks for explaining your rules on the matter though Matthew. Would I prefer a change to have been made and have brought in someone better... yes, BUT it didnt happen and credit where it is finally due.

So we have been saying all season that Ere needs to be a lot better than he has been. And now that he finally is, we aren't allowed to acknowledge it?
He's playing great now, which is fantastic, and he deserves credit. But that doesn't change how he also was playing earlier in the year, or make that criticism unwarranted.

Hendo he is is just trolling, silly stuff.

"Most of you have been slagging off Ebe all season."

Ebe's ability has never been in doubt but his fitness starting the season was appalling. When I watched him warming up in the first home game after xmas I commented at how good he looked and reckoned he was 20kg lighter than season start. He has deserved criticism but has finally been earning his place thankfully. I think what we are now seeing is what Joey hoped and expected we would get from the start.

Cant wait for Saturday at home.

Hope we have competent umpires too.

C'mon sixers!

It's Ebi.

It's three letters, people. Seriously.

I always get his name mixed up haha

Maybe knowing your players start with getting their names right?

Especially those with a sum total of 6 letters.

Just a thought.

Just a thought.

"Most of you have been slagging off Ebe all season. You do NOT get the right to suddenly get back on his boat and compliment the guy."

Matthew...SPOT. ON.

Ebi bashing became a past time here, and now we get 3 efficient games in a row, we're all good?

I don't think that is right either.

I don't see why it's wrong. Ere WAS out of shape, and he WAS a bad signing until the last couple of games of the season. If not for the fact that Randle has suddenly made the Sixers relevant he'd probably be getting polite claps for finally playing like he's probably getting paid to play.

He's playing well - as the others said above, credit where credit's due. Thanks to Randle his form may end up meaning something, rather than just being a footnote in a disappointing Sixers season.

Joey started giving it to Gibbo as soon as he committed to the Bullets

With sprays like he got tonight probably confirms they both might be better off apart anyway

The Sixers were behind by 10 after only 3:30, then fell away from 90-91 with 3:42 to go to be down 10 again before Gibson's late 3. Very hard to win games when you start and finish like that.

Sobey had a great game and it was reflected in his team high +/- of +15. The rest of the Sixers' +/- numbers were:
Teys +5
Ere +3
Hodgson -3
Petrie -4
Creek -6
Johnson -8
Randle -9
Walker -10
Gibson -18

For the season:
Randle +70
Creek +63
Johnson +57
Petrie +27
Sobey +22
Ere +15
Hodgson +15
Teys +12
Johns +3
Larkins -3
McNeail -6
Gibson -40
Walker -40

Ebi wasnt bashed, he was caled out for bad performances and the questions were being asked why keep a dud around. He stayed because Joey adores him, and that is what it is. Now he finally starts to earn his money, fans are still meant to 'find fault' and bash him... credit will always be paid where it is due. C'mon you need to troll better than that Camby. Just a thought.

"Ebi wasnt bashed,"

You need to check some of the previous posts, your own included.

For those going on all year about how Ebi (his age, his BMI, his freidnship with Joey) was the problem for the Sixers, well, tonight he played a good game, a very efficient game.

One would agree 9 - 15 including 3-6 from 3PT is up to scratch with your expectations of an import.

Yet the Sixers still lost.

Reason?

Allowing the Hawks, sans their NUMBER ONE scorer, in a 40 minute game to score 104. This is not a hallmark of a championship aspirant. Its good to have Ere and Randle to push as to the Nineties consistently, but to win you need better defence than this.

Ebi was not, is not, the problem.

Defence is the problem.

This game illustrates it with grace and beauty.

Matthew, of course you can be critical of someone under performing and then compliment them when they improve.

The supposed Rules of Fandom are so ridiculous.

AngusH,

Lisch showed he could do it last night, Jackson is capable, Holt has a reasonable post up game, Perth could run Beal at the PG and get him into post-up situations.

I just don't think teams have actually even turned their mind to posting him up. Could be something which finals teams eye up.

But again, that's only one end.

Don't know how in the world you stop him on the other end. Personally, he may just be the best import that i've seen in the league.

Randle is a smart player. If he starts getting posted up he will figure out a way to make it an advantage for him.

Gibbo has been the problem all season - he hasn't been doing it at either end. If you're not shooting well there is no reason you can't dig in on D. Gibbo is massively overrated and over paid and I agree with Joey giving him the sprays he has this season. After that Townsville in bound pass debacle Gibbo should never be allowed to pass the ball in again!

Sixers are a joke. I've been saying it all season.
FAR TOO MANY MIDGETS...and the bigs are weak!

Completely agree with the above regarding Gibbo. A few seasons ago he was something. His body language has been poor all year...maybe he is butthurt that Joey keeps bringing in guards when it's obvious this side needs a few big beasts. Insert Jawai (for DJ) and Hakim Warrick (for Ebi) in this team and that is a title right there.

IMHO, if it wasn't for Randle, this side would be collecting the wooden spoon.

If Flea's stats are accurate, it is pretty damning that Gibson is at the bottom of those lists. Walker I can live with. But the team being 110 points worse off with Gibson on court and Randle off is extraordinary.

XY...from all the games I have watched this season those stats sound about right. Our score differential goes south when Gibson is on, let alone when Randle is also off.

Gibson has played with ball dominant guards (CJ, Deleon, Ervin, Wilson) most of his career and still been a contributor so that's no excuse.

Tornado, Gibson has been a passenger way too much, but I would have had him pegged at at least a nil all draw.

The point about ball-dominant guards does not make sense either. Unless Randle is doing far worse with Gibson on court, Gibson's plus minus will be dragged up whenever he shares the court with the starters, which you imagine would be a lot.

Would be interesting to see three-man combination plus minues for this team.

Gibbo's performances this year have gone from severe disinterest to what we saw last night which was the work of an Under 12 bench player not a Boomer. I don't think Gibbo and Wright have fallen out, Wright just wants him to perform, that's what he's being paid for. If you were paying attention you would have seen Wright launch a spray at Randle the other night when he was playing some pretty average basketball. He's done it to DJ. It's what he does, he calls his players out when they're not doing their jobs. Gibbo is clearly too busy thinking about his new pad in Brisbane. I have no problem with him leaving, but you gotta do the job for your current employer!

"I don't see why it's wrong. Ere WAS out of shape, and he WAS a bad signing until the last couple of games of the season."

As I said in another thread, I think Wright saw Ere as similar to Bradtke in the 07 Brisbane team, an experienced big-game player whose best basketball would come at the end of the season.

I was one of many who've said a change should have been made, but maybe Joey knows more than all of us? What a surprise, hey?

"Surprised more teams don't post up Randle. Certainly, an area teams could really exploit"

Teams exploit him really well through ball screens and off-ball movement, something that comes within what they already do and utilises their players' strengths.

If Johnson and Randle could defend a ball-screen the 36ers would be top of the table with the players they have who can rebound contested shots and run.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a bit more post-up action on Randle in the playoffs when teams are solely focused for the 36ers though.

XY...I'd have Gibson as a minus.

I don't see how the point about playing with ball dominant guards doesn't make sense? He has played pretty well with ball dominant scoring pg's in the past so using that as an excuse this season is mute - why is that hard to comprehend?

I understand what you are saying about +/- but I'm talking about his individual performances. Against Melbourne last round when he came on our offence stuttered and our defense was weaker. Their lead would increase. Sobey comes on for a spurt and all that changed and that was simply by using his speed and just putting in effort and attacking the defense.

Gibson is too busy trying to run the perfect 1/2 court set, over dribbling the ball and flailing his arms about because someone isn't in the spot he thinks they should be...meanwhile the shot clock is dwindling and running out of time to run the play he wants anyway.

To be honest, it's probably not even Gibson's fault. I don't think he fits Joeys game style. Joey likes a fast paced game that is played off instinct with set plays a secondary consideration. Gibson offers the reverse. Still, as I said, he's done well previously in similar environments so all that's left to consider is desire.

I think you'll find there are some injury issues there, though I don't know if that completely explains his struggles since about Round 5.

Injuries don't account for poor body language and attitude, and Gibbo just hasn't looked interested for much of this season.

And if you follow the logic of some in this thread, no Knicks fan better ever cheer for Porzingis!

Tornado, agree with that and understand if your comments about playing on court at the same time as Randle were not related to your comments on +/-.

On the Ebi Ere front, it is one thing for those fans previously critical of Ebi's performances now rightly to acknowledge his good games. But if Ebi continues his resurgence as a force in the league, some apologies might need to be made to Joey and the administration for continuing to have faith in him.

Would BNE really want Gibbo? I'd only pick him as a bench player on low coin, his last couple of seasons he hasn't shown why he's deserving of anything more. BNE would be better off targeting someone like Shaun Bruce who works hard and has a future (not that I want CNS to lose him).

Gibson is now in that awkward "in between" stage as far as I am concerned.

Not exactly starter quality anymore (unless he can regain some form of a few seasons ago) but the coin that he wants and his points rating suggests he wouldn't be a backup PG.

He will be half decent at the Bullets, he has completely checked out with the 36ers and I dont think he will be sending any Xmas cards to Joey. Ebi has been great, but Paul, Joey was looking at other options so he didnt have this psychic knowledge his main man would turn it around. It was sqaushed from the top though, guess they didnt have the cash, or he had a no cut clause.

I'm sure Joey knew exactly what he was getting. I suspect most coaches would keep an eye on the import market, especially if a player isn't performing well.

I guess at least I'll be able to admit I was wrong if Ere plays a big role at the end of the season.

I think your trying to dig, but ive been pretty adamant that his turn around is great and what we the fans have wanted all along. So im with Paul, IF he can continue this form, i would be more than happy to admit he has 'become' a valuable member. But no, Joey was shocked and pissed when he saw the state of the mans gut, so that is what it was.

I was indeed digging. I think the biggest issue was him getting injured pre-season so he hit the season out of shape. Regardless, I think Joey knew what he was getting.

Dig away then. SMH

But for the record if your saying he wouldve been better than ordinary up until the last 3 or 4 games due to a calf, then he should have been cut like many imports with early season injuries unfortunately have to be. But Joey knew, he always knows haha

Joey may not know, but I suspect based on his coaching record he makes very shrewd and intuitive guesses.

This year will probably make three years in a row where most pundits have written the Sixers off as no hope of making the finals but yet somehow they make it.

Who was picking Adelaide to miss the playoffs in 2014?

Alot of people had them missing last season, until they were able to pull off DJ and Motum!

Last season wasn't 2014.

Full credit to the Sixers for winning games when they needed to towards the end of the past two seasons, but they also got lucky that two teams imploded in unusually dramatically circumstances each season as well.

"Alot of people had them missing last season, until they were able to pull off DJ and Motum!"

DJ arrived with five games to go when they'd won eight of their past nine games and he wasn't particularly influential after that. It's easy to re-write history sometimes.


"He should have been cut like many imports with early season injuries unfortunately have to be. But Joey knew, he always knows haha"

Joey would have known what Ebi would be capable of when fit and made an educated decision based on that. So far his decisions seem to be working out a lot better than your criticisms.

He is one lucky mofo is all Paul, has been for a while now. But im happy they are relevant for now.

"Joey was looking at other options so he didnt have this psychic knowledge his main man would turn it around."

Ummm...No.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/no-more-changes-to-adelaide-36ers-roster-in-leadup-to-nbl-finals/news-story/9763cf6c79eb9d9db5991d4ba66874bd?=

"ADELAIDE will not risk its chemistry by making any line-up changes and needs to continue to grow as a unit to give the NBL championship a shake.

That's the considered view of 36ers coach Joey Wright "

Joey has publicly stated he wanted to keep his lineup.

But of course, you'd know more about what Joey Wright is thinking than Joey Wright.

Look....you even discussed this very topic.

http://www.hoops.com.au/forum/38639-no-more-changes-to-adelaide-36ers-roster/

Why are making stuff up now?