Thats why I think if the Wildcats win game one they will have won the series. A quick travel for both teams back to Nz and then back to Perth again.

Game three sold out fine in 2014 in exactly the same circumstances.

I'd imagine the only reason tipoff is still TBC is negotiations with TV about the timeslot, it wouldn't be them jerking TV around. To keep it in the same slot they've been using all year would require a midday tipoff in Perth, they might be trying to avoid that.

Other than that...they've scheduled the lower-drawing semis on weekends, to maximise crowds, the grand final during the week because they can without having to worry too much, they've got game three in the live FTA slot...what more could you want? If it were scheduled for the 4th, 10th and 13th everyone would complain about how long it was taking.

Game two will also be live on FTA, so even better.

Shame the Breakers are not playing at Vector as well.

I realise that this kind of smashed together series is common, doesn't make it right though.

Be interesting to see what crowds there are for game 1. I was s toss-up, but I'm betting on their being a G3, so I will buy a ticket to that.
Although I would still love to see the Cats win in 2.

It is good that G2 will be live on 9-Gem.

Can't imagine that's right, given Gem's timeslot has been noon WST all season.

Jawai will be stuffed by G3.

The NBL app is showing the game 3 time as 1pm Western, 4pm Eastern.

> > Jawai will be stuffed by G3.

> Do you mean "Q3"?

I think they meant pizza 3

Viewership TV numbers in NZ for Game 1 may be very low considering it's an 11.30pm NZT start on Wednesday.

Would have loved to see Game 1 in Perth on Friday (because NZers can stay up until 1.30am on a Friday night/Saturday morning), then Game 2 in NZ on Sunday (could have got Vector then I think and game times of 7.30pm NZ/2.30 Perth would have worked) and then Game 3 in Perth on Friday night (11 March)

In previous years, when game 3 was a week after game 2, people complained that the break between games killed the excitement and momentum. I guess they tried to fix that this year but unfortunately the wrong two teams made it through.

Yes it's turned into a snorefest now.

I've heard people say "Is the season still going?".

Their teams finished bottom 4, I take it.

... or Top 1 ;)

what more could you want?"

A schedule that allows teams to recover and play close to their best basketball, maximises viewer numbers by not being middle of the day or night on a weekday in the respective cities, and that allowed for the best venues to be used would be high on my list.

If it were Melbourne v Illawarra this would work great, but it's not.

How many of those things can you achieve while getting games on FTA and not dragging the series out for two weeks?

The 2012 GF ran over 12 days and produced arguably the greatest GF ever. I would have no problem with a similar timeframe to help produce quality basketball.

If it goes the distance it will be 3 games over 4 days and 18 hours. Extremely stupid i think.

Gotta say, from a spectacle point of view, if you want basketball fans to watch this regardless of affiliation, then the NBL needs to look at the scheduling.

Game two was very ugly, and it was clear by the 2nd quarter that NZ were struggling in this one. Cats got some confidence, and with the D struggling made it look better.

Obviously from a league perspective, you'd hope next years GF is Hawks v Adelaide (or similar) but if there's travel like this again, they've got to allow for better recuperation.

Maybe the mooted change to allow a DP to travel will change things up, and teams will recruit a genuine 11th man? But as we saw with NZ, its difficult to run that deep on your bench.