I think you've got to coach/play to win, regardless of the repercussions. If that means playing your starters significant minutes then I think you've got to do that. I'm concerned at what compromising that 'win at all costs' mentality could do.

Last thing the Sixers would want to do would be to have two dead rubber games against Cairns immediately before starting a series against Cairns. Ask Melbourne how that went against NZ.

I personally wouldn't distract this 36ers team with anything like engineering results. Just play, win, and then take on whoever is put in front of you.

Whatever Joey is doing with them, it's working perfectly so far. The change to finals intensity is risk enough for them.

The finals are always a different ball game. There are less fast breaks and they are lower scoring. Their ability to get the opposition into foul trouble and dictate the pace will go a long way in deciding how they fare. I do think the team is very capable of winning it all but it isn't going to be a cakewalk.

The way Adelaide has been playing recently, funnily enough, does not greatly rely on fast break scores. It does heavily rely on getting into offence before defenses are set, but that is a different matter.

In any event, Adelaide have been pretty successful in the half court as well.

I would say the real issue is not whether Adelaide can score, but whether they can lift their defensive intensity a further notch or two (or three) in the finals.

You have to maintain the momentum and competitive culture within the team. It is clearly visible how close to each other and passionate they are.

The worst thing that could happen with this group is to get too cute and start resting guys like Randle, Sobey & DJ. They're locked into this high octane game style at the moment just keep on going. If the wheels come off in the playoffs so be it better than trying to rediscover this form at that time.

I believe Adelaide have won each of their followup games in rounds where they play two matches.

That's remarkable.

Form isn't a tap that you can just turn on and off. In saying that, Joey is in a great position where he can try a few different things leading into the playoffs.

Their only loss on this run came after a long break; I doubt they'd want to risk repeating that.

It's a dangerous road when you deliberately become complacent in situations like this. Adelaide's can't risk losing momentum and confidence as they're going to need to maintain it for their first real challenge come game 1 of the SF. If any of the remaining teams we play can mastermind a way to stop Adelaide, it will be noted by the rest of the competition. They can't let the belief slip if this does happen and they drop a couple leading into the finals.

At the same time though, it would obviously be wise to throw some minutes around if they are blowing teams away. It's also a good opportunity to fine tune areas at both ends of the floor.

It must be an amazing feeling for the team knowing you've wrapped up top spot while everyone is desperately chopping and changing to make sure they don't fall below expectation this season. Which for a couple of teams will be missing the playoffs completely.

"The Adelaide 36ers 5-win lead over the rest of the field is the biggest break by any team after round 16 in NBL history."

Looking at the field they would likely face in the semis, whilst there will be speculation, and it makes for an interesting discussion, I agree that trying to get cute and engineer a scenario, would be too distracting.

I think its more a question of whether Joey manages the minutes of his stars to keep them fresh, whilst that also benefits his bench by giving them more minutes??

I think a lot will depend on the timing of the finals. Last year they were brutal. This year they are supposedly allowing 2 weeks for a 5 games series. Plus Adelaide is closer to everywhere than Perth.

The dead-rubbers against Cairns could make things interesting. Last thing you want to do is coast in those games, Lose, then face them in the semis. Even though everyone knows you coasted, and are still the better team, you've given them confidence and sowed seeds of doubt.