This is an interesting one.

Perth Arena hasn't been the happy hunting ground that you might expect this season.

A 9-4 record looks good, but take a closer look and you'll see numerous games won in Overtime or on the final possession. The Cats haven't been putting teams away in the daunting red and blue furnace like they historically do with regularity.

Lisch might bring some of his best work and cause the upset.

Assuming Knight plays, and no other injuries, Cats should win. But it will be close, and Cats need to be near their best, Sydney will not be a pushover.

As long as Perth can keep it close, I'll back Gleeson over Drewie.

Gleeson and are few players playing for there jobs, can't pick this one, depending on which team rocks up gets the chocolates!

United get in, then they will do a lot of damage!

The season ends here if Perth lose.

All the guys will lose salaries for next year if they don't win. And they know it.

I think it will be a different level the Cats would play at. Sydney and Gaze are likely to fight too but it is a hard thing to do in the Jungle.

End of the day, the Cats have two winnable games. Do that, and they are guaranteed a spot in the finals. So that's what they need to aim for.

And lets face it, if they can't beat Sydney in Perth for their first game, why bother about the the 2nd game in Melbourne?

They have won some close games this season, and choked in others. Time for the "tough to get going."

IMO the only way we drop this game is if this thread reaches 200+ posts with at least 150 mentioning ref/refs/reffing.
If it's a fair 8-on-5 fight then we'll be ok.

Let's hope Cotton is not manhandled too much otherwise word has it he will return home and no further decent imports will ever grace our shores again. To address this potential disaster the NBL has decreed a three meter exclusion zone around Cotton.

In the interest of referees calling Perth players out of bounds when "not even close" the refs have been instructed that and out of bounds violation that could result in possession being awarded to the Kings will not be called unless the ball leaves the arena completely.

As long as these instructions are followed Perth may have a shot at the wins but sadly Luuuc the thread will fall short of your targets.

haha ... you were really determined to get there no matter what and I respect that

Gleeson was harping on about the bench not living up to expectations but the pressure is on Prather and McKay to produce this weekend. I hope Casey has been working on those FT's this week.

Yeah, I get that his explosiveness is down and it's really affecting his finishing at the rim (which used to be world class but is currently mediocre), but I don't get why his free throws have gone from money (> 80% last season, > 83% for most of this season) to 59% over the last month or so.

There's obviously something up with Prather.
Some have said it's a leg or ankle injury, but that doesn't explain his poor shooting, especially from the stripe.
On the plus side, he usually does better in Perth.

Yes, because legs have nothing to do with shooting.

Gleeson said "trust your technique".

Does he trust his own technique to get his team to perform?

So with the refs being how they've been recently, is anyone taking any money on Gleeson getting thrown out before the end of the season? Not this game as everyone will probably play better, but still, would be nice to see at some point...

As for predictions for the game, the only one I'm confident making, other than Kings losing is that previously dormant skills in at least 2 Wildcats players will be revitalised...

As I said Koberwizzer, "especially from the stripe"
I can't imagine imagine a leg injury that allows him to play unhindered, yet is so bad it impacts his shooting from the stripe.

Thank goodness FTSOS!!!! They have been very premature on the out of bounds in perth.

So with the refs being how they've been recently, is anyone taking any money on Gleeson getting thrown out before the end of the season?

As I said Koberwizzer, "especially from the stripe"
I can't imagine imagine a leg injury that allows him to play unhindered, yet is so bad it impacts his shooting from the stripe.

'Why do you think the location of the shot alters the importance of legs?'

I don't know about you, but I need to use much more lift out my legs launching a three than attempting a short range shot

Prather at the moment is playing like he has no interest, especially when cotton arrived it's gone down hill. Compared to last season he is a shadow of himself. Needs a huge game going against newly.

Prather's been carrying a leg injury all season. Effects of it are starting to really show.

Matt Nielsen was interviewed on the NBL Nation podcast this week
NBL Nation

Discussion topics included the Taipans loss, Prather's form/health & Knight's health

What did he say about Prather's form?

left my headphones at home. can't listen at work.

Was questioned about Casey's form, pointed to his health, and mentioned that he thought Casey was starting to move a little better this past round.

Re: Knight, he said he was a chance to return for Friday but not yet in the clear

Level 4 has been opened up with single seats only available in the rest of the categories. Should be an awesome game.

"Hire suspended for this game for an incident which no really saw or knows what happened."

What? Source? Or are you being sarcastic?

‏@Lachy_Reid
.@NBL charges @PerthWildcats @greg4hire with striking - can take a one game suspension if accepts early plea.

Lachie Reid has reported it. It's for that incident with Mitchell in the 3rd he got an unsportsmanlike at the time I didn't think much of it. NBL has said 2 games but 1 if he accepts. Is this the first suspension of the season?? Very soft

Its hard to judge some of the careless stuff that goes on in basketball.

You've got Conlkin who wildly throws his arms around everytime he loses the ball, smashes Damo's Jaw and the NBL let him skate.

Should Tommy get penalised for accidentally giving Knight a concussion???

I also really don't like them adopting the "early plea" bullshit.
What they're actually saying is "We are a law unto ourselves, and accountable to nobody. If you dare to question us we will penalise you twice as hard."

End of the day, the NBL has picked a rubbish time to get tough.

I'm happy with the ruling - players need to be protected against high contact. The NBL needs to be more consistent though, it was nowhere near the severity as Childress hit in Wagstaff or Conklin smashing damo in the head.

The Kings will overrun them and win

No issue with the suspension here either.
Disappointing from Greg. That's got no place in the game.

I don't think it was intentional but very reckless to be throwing elbows and arms around at that height .

If that is a suspension surely the high shot from Jervis that concussed Knight needs to be looked at and also result in a suspension.

Frankly this is purely ammunition to suggest the league is sculpting the results they like.

Jervis had a Duty of care not to catch Knight high, he failed badly enough he was concussed and missed a game. To then turn to the team that had to stomach losing a key player for a game and say btw, you are now losing one of your players for a high shot is inconsistent and unacceptable.

Furthermore to hand out such a harsh penalty (context on NBL penalties) to a team who has had Damo's jaw get rearranged, Wagstaff receive a flying elbow, Joey wright punch a coach all with no or less suspension (pretty sure Childress served his suspension while he was injured anyway!!!) suggests that the league takes it's cues from the wildcats haters on here and is sick of seeing the cats at the top.

Didn't think it needed any further punishment than the call in the game. Nbl is so inconsistent it's worrying. the replay doesn't seem to be particularly damning in any fashion.

Why is Jervis not suspended? high elbow resulting in concussion?

Perth hat is off.

Or is there no duty of care required to be shown to Perth players?

Perth hat back on. (recent history suggests no, fact)

Turn it up. The Jervis-Knight one was completely incidental. There was no malice in that one. That's a pretty dodgy interpretation of duty of care too, btw.

Bad decisions of the past shouldn't mean bad decisions today. That's not how precedent should work. Assessing this one on its merits, Hire threw the elbow and it struck high.

If the Cats believe that a 1 game suspension is unfair for that incident they can take it to the tribunal and argue their case.

I'm emotionally raged too. There are just no emojis here with which to express it. So

grrrrr!!!!! Now we have to find an extra 20 points from somewhere to offset what Greg usually gives us at February Perth Arena games.

How we gon' do dat??

Luuuc please explain how Jervis didn't violate his duty of care to knight? Intention is a factor and not a major one at that. Paul George didn't intend to kick the ball at a member of the crowd, he did, was ejected and fined anyway because he still committed the action.

Interesting that J and his running mate Brown(?)who appeared to go over every Cairns (so called) potential foul or every other decision that went against the Cats and point many out to us failed to notice this incident or give it a mention. Hire's elbow must have been obscured behind the eye that J had closed.

Going by J's logic Hire should have had the book thrown at him because if this type of treatment continues to be dished out to star imports then no import will want to come here to play.

As a Hawks supporter I fully endorse a 1 game ban for Jervis to be immediately imposed.

FSTOS I haven't said hires suspension wasn't worthy, in context it is not worthy. If you read it would be better. If you read and comprehended you would see I want replays, and when was provided a photo of the prather out of bounds call happily acknowledged I was wrong.

Maybe if you removed you're anti perth sentiment you could see how in context of the injuries suffered by cats fans with little to no consequence this one stings.

Yes suspending Jervis does mean something, it would show some form of consistency in how the league and to an extent it's officials make decisions. Something that if they are honest i suspect most would agree is very much needed.

"Luuuc please explain how Jervis didn't violate his duty of care to knight? Intention is a factor and not a major one at that. Paul George didn't intend to kick the ball at a member of the crowd, he did, was ejected and fined anyway because he still committed the action."


J, I'm not trying to avoid the question, but I don't feel like I have anything new to add either.
like I said before, I thought the Jervis-Knight thing was incidental and just very unlucky to result in a head knock.
I consider that quite different to when a player intentionally lashes out in some way or kicks a ball with force.
If you intentionally perform an action that has a realistic chance of causing harm, then it is on you to make sure you perform that action with no one in the firing line. That is an application of "duty of care" that I am on board with. Feel like kicking ball hard? First make sure there are no people there and no property that's going to be damaged.
Jervis-Knight was not in that category at all IMO, unless you are ok with saying that no one is allowed to move within a metre of another person on a basketball court because if they do there is potential for a collision.


If people want to dig up other incidents in order to compare severity and compare punishment that's a good thing. I just think the Jervis-Knight one is not remotely similar, so it's a poor choice to pick on. It had unfortunately bad consequences for Matty, but that doesn't make the action comparable.

No I don't really have any anti Perth sentiment other than aversion to some of the flopping and irritating conduct that Redhage or Wagstaff for example have used over the years. In fact at times I admire (while its not easy on the eye)their commitment to win at all cost.

What has really pissed me off is how you and your forum buddy went on and on about the treatment Perth received in Cairns and all the associated BS about imports etc but did not even notice Hire's incident which (when added to the not even close lol out of bounds) which showed how you were clearly only checking one side of the story and did not want to listen to those who suggested that the calls, some of which were wrong as always, did nor really effect the outcome of the game.

If you look at the recent style of Perth and their physical play (which by the way I cant recall personally spending countless posts whining about) you just come across as the ultimate one eyed hypocrite for you whingeing about the Cairns game without ever posting these same issues when they involve the team you support. Which by the way most unbiased fans with a decent knowledge of the game will agree cross the line more than most.

Luuuc, from where i saw the Kninght Jervis hit i thought an arm came up (again no replay, wouldn't it be easier if they showed them). However to an extent it doesnt matter.

As the screener Jervis owes Knight a Duty of care to set a screen legally and safely, like in AFL and bumping.

If you do fail to do this you have violated your duty of care.

No doubt Jervis wasn't trying to hurt Knight, but it doesn't come into duty of care.
Just like not locking away chemicals, no malice, but a duty of care violation none the less.

I agree with you saying the action had no malice, and malice should not be a contributing factor to any punishment, but that is a separate part of a whole, Duty of care is another.

FTSOS I have said I don't like everything about how Perth play, also acknowledged I hit the keys a bit much the other day, can you let it go?

There were some horrible calls both ways in that game, did you really want me to post about them all? I really don't see why I would write about the elbow, there was no replay (again) and frankly I hadn't seen enough to comment.

I felt that during the 3rd in particular there was a bunch that consistently went against Perth that changed the momentum of the game, you may feel differently, we are both entitled to express our grievances.

Have you considered that maybe the Perth bashing on here and the failure to ever (by most) acknowledge that Perth can be on the wrong end of a call or two, or three contributes to the feeling that they are getting hard done by?

I am all to aware how rubbish the refs are, i regularly shake my head at some calls that go Perth's way, but why would i post that? It would only fuel the brazen Perth bashing i referenced above.

If you don't believe me, i'll sight the foul on Mccaron on MCkay, all ball, bad call. Happens all the time.

All good J. Sounds fair to me.

Cheers FTSOS. Shall be a big weekend of basketball.

J, I don't think Jervis is even trying to set a screen there. If you look at his feet, he's on the move the whole time. To me he is just trying to get past the crush and into open space, but clips Knight accidentally on the way past.
(We also all know Matty's history with head knocks. Had that been any other player I think there's a fair chance they don't even need to sub out after that contact - but that's just speculation on my part and not any part of my point)





(View at YouTube for a larger & higher-def view)

Thanks for the vision. Not as clean cut as it looked live, can't say I want a player suspended for that, more than happy to acknowledge that.

Nice work J, I agree.

"Interesting that J and his running mate Brown(?)who appeared to go over every Cairns (so called) potential foul or every other decision that went against the Cats and point many out to us failed to notice this incident or give it a mention. Hire's elbow must have been obscured behind the eye that J had closed. "

Actually it was mentioned often in the form of "would be nice for a replay of an USF?"
Besides, the ref called it so I'm at a loss of what your point is and I have said in this thread the correct call was made, so again, still don't know your point other than to whinge about cats fans.

This thread is going along nicely... Can't wait for game time and all the "[my team] is getting screwed by the refs!" :)

Damn, it's hard to see any contact to Knights head in that vision.

Agree with the above, in no way was that intentional. I think Knight has taken too many head high hits....similar what happened to that St.Kilda AFL player Justin Koshitzki. Time to retire.

Is Knight going to play?
I assume that Hire isn't, so we really need Matty back. He's had a few quite games, but was playing really well before he bumped his head again. He has shown before that he can really lift when the team needs him.

I am a Perth supporter and I agree that within the rules of the game the 1 game suspension is appropriate, however this type of contact has occurred dozens of times throughout the year without a suspension. I think it is terrible timing for the NBL to start to crack down on the crucial last round before the finals.

Knight has been playing really well prior to bumping his head? We have obviously been watching different games Dazz. Apart from the first few games after his return from his shoulder injury he has been terrible!

Greg Hire playing tonight as per Wildcats twitter.

Penalty reduced to a 1-game suspended sentence.

Shouldn't have even been a suspended sentence... But glad he's free to play tonight.

Absolute fair decision by the panel to suspend the sentence.

Congrats Wildcats. If you don't win, it would be travesty.

Knights a grub with a glass jaw and it's about time he copped a hit.He wouldn't last two minutes on a footy field cause he is f in soft.

TD15,
I said "was" not "has".
As I have said in the relevant threads, Knight has looked clearly hampered in recent games (presumably the Hip injury) slow to get up the court, and no elevation.
However he did come out strong in the Brissy game.
So I'm hoping the rest has helped not just his head but his hip.

If you're relying on Knight....you aint getting the W!

Very underrated player, play's hard and fair. No consistency in any league when it comes to tribunals, his not going to win you games but his heart is in the right place and gives the same pretty much every game.

Cats reporting there are only 250 tickets left

Kings by 9.

Lisch to get back to his best. Newley to top score.

Cats to win by 12... Sydney to fly home crying

Cats to win, narrowly.
Drewie to rock up at the airport for the return flight and find Anschutz has cancelled his ticket.

So if the Kings win, Cairns lose, Hawks win, them UTD beat Perth & Cairns, Kings, UTD, NZ & Perth all finish 14 & 14, who gets in? Cairns & Kings?

Stage is set for either a glorious Kings return to form, or a typical Kings double-digit loss in Perth. Heart says former, head says the latter.

Cadee guarding Cotton. ..... LOL

Cadee guarding Cotton. ..... LOL

Damo's on

Sorry Kangz

Gleeson already got 2 call overturns and we're not even in the 2nd Q yet.

Actually pretty sure the same ref had his face saved twice

Kevin's not the same Lisch : (

Lisch needs a rest. About three months. He's worn out. Don't like seeing that happen to any player.

Should have stayed in the WAFL Moller

Freaking atrocious refereeing

lol at this shtyeful Perth crowd, they get about 14 calls in a row, then complain when a correct foul is whistled against them

Marto is stroking that three ball beautifully

Perth games are hard to watch.

Whittington just got whistled for something Redhage used to do about 6 times a quarter. Martin draws a charge by diving sideways into Cadee who was making his way to the hoop. It was very reminiscent of the play two weeks ago when Martin almost knocked Casper Ware out- Ware had to go off the court and get treatment- but Martin still got the call.

Of course, the Cats have been horrendous on the road this year. United will take great pleasure in knocking them out of the playoff race on Sunday as Gleeson blows his stack on the side line. I'm quite looking forward to it- and United's season won't have been a complete failure after all.

Well Watchung live it appeared the refs really lost control in the last few minseconds of that half. Surely that was so goaltend? And no way a charge. Yes a couple bad charge calls both ways also acknowledged

The way we are playing on D, I hope we end up losing this game because it will mean big changes this offseason, which in the long run I'd prefer over losing a first round series exit in 2 or 3 games. A high pick is basically a guaranteed drive down the middle of the key against our shitty defense.

Jason Cadee's beard looks like the terrorist disguise in Team America

If you're playing in Perth you know every time Martin hits the court it's a charge, and every time he rakes a ball handler's arm it's a no-call. That's just how it is... and also why you shouldn't ever put yourself in a situation where you must win in this arena. Would love to see a replay of Newley's first two touches in the 1st Q when Martin was matched up on him. Raked Newley's arm outside the arc, then brutally bodied him up next to the hoop.

Good half by both teams and pretty good half by the refs as well, the home cooking is there but minimal so far, about 6 points worth to the home team. Perth's hot shooting and hustle was impressive. Lets see how second half goes.

Get serious Gordon, these guys play once or twice a week. How can they be tired,the're professionals, it's a sad cop out they are tired.

Half time couldn't have come at a worse time for the cats. They usually go stone cold in the second half

8 seconds in the key for Wagstaff?

AngusH is a flog.

Keep talking to yourself champ.

"Get serious Gordon, these guys play once or twice a week. How can they be tired,the're professionals, it's a sad cop out they are tired."

What level of sport have you played Thunder? To suggest professional athletes' bodies don't sometimes get worn down from a huge workload of training and playing at high intensity is at odds with reality.

Good tech Gleeson.

lol... why is that a tech? Ball didn't go above his waist, and he was clearly shitty at himself?

Well as I predicted Whittington with the first implosion, well done!

Giving Whittington the second technical so early is an absolute joke. Should've used discretion and had a stern word with him instead of throwing him out.

Perfect example of a ref getting swept away with the Perth crowd.

Angus as someone who hit the keys to hard last week, it was dumb and a t. Don't do what I did.

What did Whittington get 2 techs for?

First was for shooting after the whistle... something that happens god knows how many times a game, and the 2nd was for being angry at stepping out and bouncing the ball aggressively. Good call refs.

That foul on Lisch, if they called that on Martin he'd be done by halftime every game.

The NBL has come a long way but it has a long way to go.

I know it's in Perth and all that but that sounds pretty harsh.

To be fair, Whittington bounced the ball hard 3 times, but in that situation... reminds me of that Memphis-Kansas NCAA final years ago when Derrick Rose blew the FTs in the last minute, then next possession is called for a foul and slams the ball on the court, shitty at himself... gets cautioned, but no tech. NBL refs though? No chance.

Dont blame the refs blame whittingtons obligatory implosion

It was a complete lack of control and lack of judgement on the part of the refs to blow two techs instantaneously without a warning or anything.

Just extremely poor judgement, refs who lost control with the 12,000 riotous crowd baying hard.

An example of how far the NBL has to go.

Whittington was the player who got warned for delay of game matell.

Let's see if, going forward, we see every guy who shoots after a whistle is called for delay of game.

The kings had already been given a delay of game warning. Whittington should have been more aware of it

It serves no purpose to throw a player out as easily as that, and is actually detrimental to the interests of basketball.

And, extremely hypocritical and inconsistent given the extremely long leash afforded the 8 coaches who patrol the sidelines in this league. I'm sure Gleeson would be given ample warning before being turfed out of the stadium. These guys constantly step onto court during play, they make an ugly sideshow by throwing their hands in the air like Mitchell Johnson appealing an lbw and screaming like teenage girls.... But a player shoots after the whistle, and then bounces the ball too hard on the ground.... And GONE. See ya! It's legit parody stuff. Absolute parody. Only in Perth.

Haha let's blame the refs again, getting boring, they have crap all year, why are people shocked at this.

As it sits Kings 17 fouls Cats 15, hardly huge difference.

Must be the refs fault Lisch is shooting 25% from the field and Newley 30%.

KINGS ARE MENTALLY WEAK.

Refs didn't cost Sydney the game, but they're costing us an entertaining game, at least.

Cadee makes a shit turnover.....Gaze subs Moller & WMcD off. What the?

Gleeson needs to pull the guns out of the game. Save them for Melbourne.

Garret Jackson - awesome signing..

Clean the place out- useless cunts

Stop trying to create another ref bashing thread LV

Yeah LV, save it for threads where Perth loses!

Spot on Angus

I enjoy Many games of basketball not involving the two teams I follow, being United and Spurs, but I consistently find games in Perth are not enjoyable due to the one sided Reffing. It's disgusting.

Prather is back!

Btw guys.

I put a bet on at the start of the season. $1. If Cairns plays Perth in GF, I make $276. I'm ahead for the season. Also bet on Cairns to make playoffs. So I actually could make lots of money starting from tonight's result. And since United are now out that almost definitely spells the end for DD- a good thing. So this is not sour grapes at all from me.

If you're a real basketball fan then you should want to see exciting, fair contests. Tonight was not one. Sure Perth would probably have won anyway, but the point stands that the Reffing took a lot away from the spectacle. Disappointed.

I want Maric, Cadee, Moller, Prewster, Powell GONE.

Whittington won't be back.

Give Lisch the whole off season off. He's cooked.

Moller is our best offensive player. Strange to say.

Hill should also be gone.

...or I should say, our best offensive player in this mess of a shuffle that we run regardless of how successful it is.

LV are you talking about the reffing overall in this game or the two techs?

Margin too big and not enough time left, safe to assume the Kings are done. Other than Lisch, Newley and Gaze on 3 year deals, who else has multi-year deals? Maric?

Next season definitely clear out all the imports, retain Moller and send Gaze to coaching school.

Because he got blocked 5 times, probably.

Oh well, big changes this offseason.

Perth, enjoy your chance of obtaining a first round exit.

I'm talking about the whole game, I turned it on when it was half way through first quarter, Perth got plenty of calls go their way in the second quarter. But the charge that Martin drew and the two techs on Whittington were just horrific

I know there is another thread, but how do Cairns top us if they lose tomorrow night, we finish on the same wins, and we have the point split.


What am i missing ?

Other than Lisch, Newley and Gaze on 3 year deals, who else has multi-year deals? Maric?

I agree the charge calls were pretty bad but the techs, although harsh were called correctly

Again, if the techs (the first in particular) are called correctly, I expect to see a delay of game warning (or tech, on a 2nd) for everyone who shoots after a whistle.

"I know there is another thread, but how do Cairns top us if they lose tomorrow night, we finish on the same wins, and we have the point split."

because all the scenarios with Cairns and Melbourne tied also have someone else tied with them. Cairns did better than Melbourne against all the other teams that might make up that multi-team mini table. So they end up with a better win-loss ratio than Melbourne in all of those possible mini-tables.

isn't that what happened? The kings were already warned, whittington was the next one to shoot after the whistle

Kings line up 2017-18 season (considering who is already signed)

Lisch
IMPORT
Newley
Whittington (if we can - has potential)
Khazzouh

Moller
Cadee (cause he's signed)
Import (like McKay or rebounding defender)
Maric
Garlepp
McDW (if available, if not, a guard)
Hill

No need for a 3rd import with that roster.
Keep it up the sleeve.
Do need an offensive shake up & a kick in the ass for anyone that displays piss poor body language.
Gaze will learn from this season & evolve as a coach.

Whittington is the player who received the delay of game warning earlier in the game. The after already drawing the delay of game warning he is the one who shoots the ball. Harsh, maybe but you have to be smarter. The second, come on you need to know better at that point.

Lv the charge calls are rubbish in every game and have been all season. To suggest the refs spoilt the game is sour grapes. For once there was minimal off ball calls that didn't impact the play.

sorry, saw "Vic" and thought you were asking about Melbourne.

If Cairns and Perth both lose their remaining games, it depends on the Illawarra-Brisbane result:

If Illawarra then Perth will finish above Cairns.

If Illawarra lose then Cairns finish second, Perth third and NZ fourth.

That's Casey Prather the real Casey Prather all those other weeks' Casey Prathers were just imitating


Oh and I hated that ejection too.
Both acts were worth techs, but damn ... 2 "soft" techs should not get you tossed from a game.
(and yes I know that's the rule and always has been)

The kings were insipid and whittington was having a good game but dammit it was his own stipidity which got him tossed and cost the kings any chance thereafter.

Was great to see Prather being aggressive and back to his best again. With him and cotton both firing together watch out

Is it a hard and fast rule though? I thought there was refs' discretion under FIBA rules? Could be wrong.

If it's the refs' discretion that would be ideal.

In theory :/

Foul count 20-20 win by 27 yet all we hear about is the poor reffing. Give me a break

At game thought the second tech was too harsh, don't know if he screamed something he shouldn't have because it just looked like he was letting off steam. We don't need to take emotion out of the game. NBA and fiba both want to turn players into vanilla robots, crowds want to see personality,

That was by far the best the wildcats imports have worked together all season. Hope it continues till Sunday.

I don't see a problem with the refs calling the techs for delay of game BUT why start calling it all of a sudden. Shooting after the whistle has been blown has been going on all season ffs. Even as a Perth fan, you dont want to see that happen.

Putting that aside, Perth defence was brutal and it was good to see Prather return to form. Perth can be dangerous if they can keep playing at that level.

I was wrong, not even close.
Kings soft on D, then seemed to lose heart.

Shame to see Whittington ejected like that.

It's not like he was mouthing off or being aggressive.
It's one thing to eject a hot-headed coach, but to take out a good player, just sucks. I don't thing Sydney had a chance by that stage, but they might not have lost heart so quickly.

Whittington bounced the ball into the crowd. Seconds after getting a delay of game technical that resulted from him also getting a delay of game warning earlier.

There's a pretty simple solution: don't be stupid.

"I don't see a problem with the refs calling the techs for delay of game BUT why start calling it all of a sudden. Shooting after the whistle has been blown has been going on all season ffs. Even as a Perth fan, you dont want to see that happen."

Unfortunately a victim of the circumstances, think the ref was frustrated as both the him and a Perth player were right next to Whittington on the sideline ready to restart play.

Was there a delay of game warning before he was given a tech? I thought he had to be given a warning first?

There was definitely a warning given earlier, yes.

Yes, there was a warning. On Whittington.

fair call if he was warned and then continued on with it. He was sat on the bench for quite a while before the refs realised he had to be ejected.

Respect from Sydney for redhage was all class! Hope Perth can play close to that on Sunday! Was a great end if it is but I have a feeling we got a few more to come.

He got a warning after the travel where he proceeded to shoot the ball and later he got a second he got booted.

He argued a LOT over an earlier foul call. I think that pissed the refs off.

When was the warning given?
Heal was claiming the warning wasn't against Whittington.

I have no problem with a foul being called in each of those situations.
I think the refs were right to call them, and the rules are the rules.
But it sucks.

The warning was definitely against Whittington, I remember it clearly because he complained at length about it. I'm not sure when it happened, I think it was the first quarter.

Isn't the delay of game warnings a team thing rather than on an individual player?

eg.... Player A from Team A gets a warning for delaying. Then one of his teammates cops a delay of game violation so it becomes a tech.

I hate team warnings for delay of game. It is the NBL, not under 10's at Marion. Pretty sure they have all played the game for enough years to know if it goes through the hoop, you need let the ball bounce on it's own.

If you get a violation, you drop the ball or put it to the Referee.

Equally I hate players being told to keep their hands behind the line and also getting a warning. They know what they are doing and there is no difference to other aspects of the game that don't get a warning.

On saying the above, I am all for proactive officiating to reduce the stoppages in the game, but stopping the game to tell a 30 year old 200 game player that he is not allowed to tap the ball away after a basket it just BS.

1st warning to whittington was when he caught the ball on a made 2nd free throw, then threw it to the ref

The calls were tough but Whittington should have known better in that circumstance. Pretty sure if it was Hire no one on here would care or suggest his innocence.

"Almost 14k people at the game but the nbl won't say anything unless it's an eastern states side cracking 10k"

13,487
But the nbl does it because they are promoting the game in a market that needs it more.