I think Melb will take game 1 but we'll still win the series 3-2.

Does anybody else think the spread of games is too far apart? The league should've taken a punt on a midweek game to bring the potential length in within a fortnight. 6 days between games 4 and 5 is momentum ending.

Well, this has turned into the ultimate SA Great vs Victoria contest. Australia is like a family of boys with NZ being the crazy cousin that comes over when he wants to. NSW is the eldest and is always #1, but Victoria is, and always will be, second best, or "Number 2". They play that role of annoying elder brother well. The one who gets beat up the eldest, but who has to beat up on the younger brothers, so he picks on the brother closer to him as brother 3 fights back too hard, but brother 4 is a little more reserved.

Both teams carry form into the game tonight after “comfortable” 2-0 wins in their SF series. Melbourne deserve to go in as favourites and any thing less than a win tonight is an underachievement. This is the best of 5 and deserves to go all the way. Pound for pound, United have more talent on paper, but a team of champions is always beaten by a champion team.

I'm going for the Sixers to get the series and I call upon all non-United fans to get behind the Sixers. Everybody, go and grab a plunger, because you know what we do with “number twos”!

Jack, how is it that the littlest brother Perth has managed to beat all his big brothers up over the last couple of years?

I'll be there...free ticket of course. I think United will get it but I hope I'm wrong

I reckon it'll come down to who executes better in the last 5 minutes. Should be very close tonight.

I expect they'll be split 1-1 after 2- regardless of who wins tonight. And THEN it'll get really interesting.

"little" brother WA has been the runt of the litter for years, until it hit puberty. It's now 6'8" while other brothers are less than 6'.

That, or else there must have been some Dutch genes in there somewhere ...

Adelaide will get this game tonight. Too long a break for Melbourne and the train which is Adelaide is driving only has one direction, keep going to the basket.

The problem will be who joins Aylen and Mayberry. These 2 can put their Grand Final series hats on and they will call (not call) a fair bit of consistency and common sense. If it is Reid, the balance will be a nightmare and I would hate to be one of the other 2 cleaning up his mess. Hopefully Damian Lyons earns his spot as he seems to be the most balanced and reasonable when the game is getting out of hand.

Would be a great result anon #176 but will be at least a four game series with mostly single digit margins IMO.

I'm happy to be here having taken Adelaide to win it all at the beginning of the year @ $13. Melbourne arguably the better starting 5, Adelaide arguably the better depth.

Should be an awesome finals series against the 2 best teams in the comp this year. Tipping Adelaide in 5.

Your opinion.

I wouldn't mind Adelaide to win, creek is on a another level and should be chasing Euro dollar's minimum and Childress complements the whole team.

Will be good how they officiate the game, this is where conflict of interest comes in.

I would also love to see Prather hold the trophy as well. Champion player and person , been a few year's i can sit back and relax and watch a gf without giving a shit.

I've already prepared mentally for United to go down tonight. Will be a pleasant surprise if they don't

Both these teams draw and get calls. I'd really like to see less than 40 combined fta for the game. If every flail is rewarded with shots the flow of the game will be ruined. And this has the potential to be a very high paced entertaining game. Look for prather to show why he is one of if not the best 3 men in the league, he does it all.

Just walking towards Hisense

I said all year that we'd get a tightly fought playoffs series. So far so good.

I think it'll go to at least 4. It wouldn't surprise me to see a classic ala Kings Razors 04.

This is what we've been waiting for. Go United but more importantly, go basketball

What's that Melbourne United mascot supposed to be? Spray tan man?

Human money bag I think

That United mascot was fairly poor, lol.

Disappointed in the pre game coverage. Would love to listen to some in depth discussion about matchups, keys to the game etc but it's just a bunch of montages.

Fev could do the interviews. After a few pints.

How many hot takes and outlandish statements is Homicide gonna make before the 1st quarter ends? Ugh.

Ware will be back. He is Hardware.

Ware will be back. He is a grown man with bills to pay.

Looked awkward. Hip injuries can really play up and linger.

First quarter and that's all Melb has. Tough game from here on in. Great for us fans

Adelaide already resorting to the thuggish tactics they befouled the game with v Perth. SMH man

Homicide is annoying repeating the same shit. John cassey?

Looks like Felix in next week.

In terms of celebrities, apart from the Cunnos guy and Anne 'Willsy' Wills,who can we expect to be in the Jack Nicholson seats on Sunday in Adelaide?

Hodgson is dirtier than a bath mat

Keith Conlon!

Ware is he?

Dean Vickerman coaching well

So hodgson jumps and lands on a shooter, no foul. Adnam and anderson get called for what exactly? I complained in the cats series that shooters weren't getting calls when adelaide players landed on them, and here we are the same no call may have just robbed us of the series everyone wanted. Also the adelaide keyway ft rule seems to be a real rule... aka the drimic foul.

anyone posting from the game tonight ?

If Goulding heats up there won't be a damn thing Adelaide can do about it

Is Teys seriously getting minutes right now?

Unsportsmanlike ffs!!! Bs!!

He fumbled the ball and it was right there to be tapped out. Hate that rule.

This unsportsmanlike interpretation is a disgrace to how basketball was played? How do you defend that play, made a play at ball.

So sobey gets a foul for that? Is that the speed and talent that 36ers fans describe to explain all their foul shots? Sounds like the 36ers in the key must be freethrows rule again...

Wesley says don't bring that junk in here thot

Anon you idiot!! Wares injury is a hip, hes done, series ruined. How you failed to comprehend that is sensational

That rule is bloody aweful. Fibs can go f itself.

Neutral also and thought same thing despite scoreline.

Gee and here i was led to believe only Gleeson whinged to refs, seems to me Joey is doing a pretty good job of it tonight, coaches get away with it because of weak refs, only need to tech them once and will the whinge will be over.

As far as the USF goes, a lot worse have been called all season.

Melbourne underperforming. Should be up by more, but look awkward without the help from refs

If the same injury happened to shorter, you wouldn't be able to sub Shorter off.

Hodgson had the right to land, Ware went he was landing. Great no call.

Consistency would have called the Prather foul USF because Sobey had fumbled the ball as well

Joey is a flamethrower, will gob off at refs all day

United doing well

Hodgson didn't jump up and down- he jumped fwd and landed on Ware

Reffing pretty hopeless

But entertaining game nonetheless. United has to really step up to stay in series now, but they're playing with confidence right now. Keep it up...

Anon no calls for the same play in previous series, implying if it had been called he may have learnt his lesson and we wouldn't be down a star player

Fm you are insane if you think defence has the right of way in that play

United outscored Sixers 21-8 at the end of the half. Melbourne look like they are going at the big/ small mismatches that come off the switching that Adelaide do. As they are successful in forcing Adelaide's defense into rotations they are able to get a lot of second shots from offensive boards. Childress didn’t play much in the second as he picked up fouls. Will be interesting to see if Adelaide goes with a smaller lineup. They tried it with Deng but it looked like United went right at him with Wesley in the post.

Great game so far, can’t wait to see the second half.

Is Ware definitely out for the game? heard nothing at the game.

6ers looking good.

Hodgson doing ok so far but need to get Childress back on, why is Teys getting on ahead of him. Saw Mitch and Sobey before the game and they were on tonight. I expected them to tear the game apart

casper is back

Fm furthermore there is supposedly a new rule coming in to say that hodgsons play, landing ontop of the offence will be a usf. Not saying i agree with it, but you may have just witnessed their reasoning

sixers need to start hitting a few from range or they will get found out trading two's for threes.

Umpiring not too bad so far but Sixers leading the foul count, all be it by one is an anomaly. Some soft calls not all consistent. Might bite us in the second half.

C'mon Sixers third quarter must be ours by a good margin, tighten up defense and gun in offense and see if referees can call consistently. Pull some Melb fouls on the drive.

Fm furthermore there is supposedly a new rule coming in to say that hodgsons play, landing ontop of the offence will be a usf. Not saying i agree with it, but you may have just witnessed their reasoning

Good to see ware back on the court to start the 2nd half. No way that was a dirty play by Hodgson though, he couldn't do much to avoid ware when he was up in the air. As Heal said on the broadcast it was more incidental contact than anything but I guess clueless adelaide haters like J and Mock feel the need to destroy the thread with their bitterness.

He moved forward, offence has right of way. Never said it was dirty, just that it was a blatant foul. Incidental contact can be a foul.

Bench ware. Hes clearly done

Guessing moore was straight up 2? Uncle phil? Not a foul?

Melbourne staying alive with the 3's.

HODGSON YOU ARE KILLING ME.

Ugh

What field goals has goulding got?

Sixers yet to hit a 3? Can't remember seeing them hit one.

Refs not calling Melb defensive fouls. They are just a little teflon coated

Just imagine if drimic wasn't a hot head. So much potential

Andersen exploiting the Adelaide switch to get easy post up points on the guards. Either do what homocide says and quit the switch or hard double that post up against the mismatch

MA earning his pay!

Not even the switch to blame there. Our tallest player on the court for 5 minutes was Drmic.

Joey isn't playing a point guard on the Centre. They are switching screens and united running 1/5 screens to exploit it

8 points is nothing for the 36ers to pull back. Just need a run.

The Sixers biggest weakness - the 3 ball really hurt us in the last half of that qtr. you can't play mediocre perimeter D when you are not hitting anything from outside at the other end in today’s game. Need a huge last quarter now.

What was Joey thinking in those last 3 minutes by going with the line-up of Sobey, Drmic, Creek, Shorter and Moore?????

This Melbourne team are too smart for that shit. Game lost right there.

Why does Joey insist on being a moron sometimes and play no centre with Andersen out there? He just handed Melbourne an 8 point lead going into the final quarter. I just don't get it

That happens every time we play them. There is a 5 minute run of no one over 6ft6 and Andersen puts up an easy 6 to 8 points and then we scramble around after doubling him and they hit a few 3s.

Now this is enjoyable basketball to watch. United taking what the defence gives them.

We don't have a game plan for Melbourne United.

Johnson in foul trouble could be the difference.

Yet Johnson can't buy a foul

I get it that 3s aren't really our game, but 1/10 from largely wide open shots isn't anywhere near good enough.

disgraceful no foul call on Josh turnover. Melb being giver the momentum, ref consistency a disgrace.

LK giving them a bonus maybe.

C'mon sixers get in on despite the calls start hitting some threes.

Threes

Threes

Threes

Being exposed!!!

Game 1 over. Regroup and go for game 2 at home.
The 3 point differential is really massive.
And when CW hits multiple 3's, it suggests we don't have enough firepower to overcome that.

Johnson threw hinself at the defence initiating the contact, most of us learnt that doesnt work in under 10s, but its worked all year for Adelaide, now he doesn't get them he gets upset.

7 points in it at the moment. Adelaide would be in front now if they'd dropped a few more 3's.

Surely thats an unsportsmanlike. Intentional foul before the ball, aylen said it himself

Melbourne hit the 3's Adelaide didn't. About sums it up.

Casper Ware showing why he is a NBA Flop...fake an injury so it's not your weakness.

Team looks like they can win, instantly healed by jesus

Udog it was the threes but it was also the way they got them - quick transition off Sixers TO's before we could set defence. Melbourne had 32 points off TO’s!!! If Sixers cut their TO’s they would have been right in that.

I wouldn't panic yet. Johnson played the game in foul trouble and sat a lot and Melbourne hit some tough 3's. Adelaide were still in the game the last 2 minutes but things didn't go their way.

The Sixers either need to hit some threes themselves or limit United's 3's if they're going to win game 2. 2/11 just isn't going to get it done. They need Sobey, DJ and Drmic to hit some threes and have some other guys chip in also.

Run Casper off the 3 point line in game 2 and test out his injury.

I hear what you're saying there though beantown.

SWEEP

Bill Walton always said the playoffs are about adjustments and this is particularly the case when a series is best of 5 rather than best of 3. Midway through the 2nd and 3rd qtrs, the 36ers looked like they were on top and had momentum. Each time, Vickerman called time outs and made appropriate adjustments on both ends of the floor that allowed United to take back control. The onus is on Joey now to change up the D as Melbourne scored far too easily in that last quarter and a half, switching everything clearly wasn't working against this Melbourne team with the number of weapons they have.

Melbourne also did an excellent job at walling off the lane with multiple players stepping up to cut off drives by Childress and Creek. They defended the paint against us far better than any other team this season and did well going straight up when defending the bucket unlike many other teams - clearly they have made this a point of emphasis to avoid sending the Sixers to the free throw line in excess.

I thought DJ was a bit unlucky with a few of his fouls but we need more out of him still. I think the Sixers will bounce back on Sunday, we tend to increase the defensive intensity at home and hopefully this will get us across the line. Being tied at 1-1 would set the scene for a great last 2-3 games of the series.

Fantastic win by United

Dean Vickerman has done awesomely well with this team. If you're gonna get beat it may as well be by the highest paid team in NBL history with a coach like that. Come on game 2. Lets go Sixers!

Yep, credit to Melbourne, they should have lost that game but overcame adversity with smarter and better basketball. I was more impressed with their play than the Sixers and I wanted desparately for the Sixers to win.

Should the Dean be the next Boomers coach?

Wish the Kings could snag a coach like Vickerman.

Sometimes grand finals are about unsung heroes

Dave Barlow was superbly influential tonight on the defensive end. Phenomenal effort, especially shutting down Childress when it looked like he was ready to take over

Andersen, Hooley both played valuable roles too.

I'm continually impressed with how this team keeps rolling with different rotations eg no Moller, Majok or Adnam in 2nd half. Different rotations, same result- United in front. Vickerman's strategy operates on a different plane than Demopoulos' did, that's for sure

I was impressed with Melbourne's D. Help D, filling the passing lanes, weakside positioning. Adelaide scored 96 but it didn't feel like it. And when Casper and Goulding both hit a number of 3's, United will rarely lose.

Still, I'm holding my view that this goes to 5- even though United are now 5-0 vs Adelaide. Someone will lift. Sobey was very quiet. Johnson was ok but not great. Maybe Childress works out a way to get past his kryptonite aka D Barlow.

My default when 2 very good teams play in a game that matters is tipping the home team, so I'll tip Adelaide.

Sixers players talk too much, mainly Shorter. Not so cocky when they lose, it's good to see.

Any thoughts on what Casper's injury would be? My guess is muscular seeing as he was able to come back

Casper Ware talks a lot. Josh Boone talks a lot. Lots of players do it. Been happening for a long time. Sometimes you don't like or support a team so it gives you the shits.

Hopefully Ware doesn't have labral damage or iliopsoas tear. Both possible and long term issues.

Hip problems can lead to low back and hamstring issues if the deep hip flexors tense up. Hip tightness and reduced mobilty might kick in after he cools down.

I feel like Adelaide are that much worse for it.

Out of those two, labral damage looks the more likely. Good call, Doc

Ware pulled a heartliag. Would have broken his back if he wasn't already spineless

I don't understand why people are hating on Casper for being soft. Saw it on social media too.

He came back and played big minutes in the second half. Taking your anger out on the man who buried you. Pretty embarrassing

The track was called zombienation.

I Shazamed it one time. 'System Shock, Nicholas Hill'

I hope you guys get to see the full Sixers press conference (all 3mins of it). Joey will have a fine coming very soon one would think

Watching it o TV last night the atmosphere seemed lacking.I doubt it will be that quiet on Sunday.

United scored inside easy, which stopped the Sixers running game, i too was staggered that Wright was playing small ball when Anderson was out, poor coaching from him tonight, although when you spend your whole game whining too the refs you are not really concentrating on what's important.

Sixers lack of 3 ball hurt them, DJ needs to hit a couple to see if he can drag Boone out of the key and give Childress and Co more space to work on the drive and draw the fouls on United.



Personally didn't think the refs were to bad, but then again i'm not a ref blamer, so i don't really focus on them. the only issue i have with the refs is they allow the coaches far too much latitude, one tech would shut them up in a hurry.

I reckon the only call that gave me the shits was the Sobey unsportsmanlike. 2 players under the basket, both inside the circle but because Sobey was trailing he gets unsportsmanlike. His hand was even on the ball and the contact was minimal. Shit rule. Get rid of it.

Not a shit rule just complete miss interpretation.

Aylen said he fumbled and therefore wasn't in the act of shooting. Umm he gathered the ball for a lay up, the fumble was because Sobey had dislodged the ball when he hit it. You know the hands foul that you both blew the whistle for.

In the shot of Allen and Reid, but instinctively called a normal foul. Both held the normal foul. Whoops then Aylen remembered this is Melbourne and L k would love it if we flipped the game because of it.

Complete game influencing 2 calls in a row. USF Sobey, then common foul Prather

Really strange sub patterns by Joey. Both bigs then no bigs. Some of those line ups were ugly. Cant hit a 3, and then the one guy who knocks one down plays bugger all minutes. Childress looking sharp and gets benched through the 2nd. As poor as some of his players were, Joey was by far the worst performed sixer on the night.

And for those who still think everything Kestleman touches turns to gold; no live fta coverage of a grand final game, and a screen up to hide empty seats. But go ahead, keep believing the propaganda

I suspected we might lay a bit of an egg due to the occasion. As Joey said in the presser our effort levels were pretty ordinary. Once again Utd clinically took us apart and they never looked in any danger of losing that game we just had too many guys that played like a deer in headlights.

I think we'll be much better for the run tomorrow hopefully Joey has been giving it to Sobey and expect to see a different team at home in Game 2.

I admit that I am a bit of a ref basher, but ... in this one [the Sobey USF] Sobey GAVE THE REFS every opportunity to make that call the way they did. Where's the basketball IQ I often read about.

Sixers playing strength as good as United ,so what is the difference .
Can only be coaching and also PG with Sobey struggling with Joey ism and Shorter not up to top level.
This not a Joey hate but just trying to analyse how we can beat United somehow.
Maybe regardless of results we have a stronger assistant coach.

Sobey is better than Goulding tho...

Goulding is so overrated it's comical. Dude throws up so much shit, passed on a wide open 3, hits the backboard on a 10 foot jumper. then hits one decent step back and the crowd, commentators and fans lose their shit.

United don’t impress me at all.

Face facts this will be done in 3.
Chokers just like the Crows.

The way I see it is this... the very fact that United don't impress you means that they are very impressive.

I think all you see is tough shots being made by players who try to take their man 1-on-1, plus ridiculous long threes. Their defence is the best in the league because they are smart. They aren't as flashy a team as you'd expect, looking at their roster, and that's by design. They're talented but so well coached and smart enough to execute gameplans. An example of their smarts in both coaching and players is their quick transition D adjustments last night and how they fared without Casper in the second quarter. The smartest team in the league

"Wish the Kings could snag a coach like Vickerman."

You did....you elected to use him behind Lanard Copeland.

Thunder Jam, it would hardly be a choke to drop to the best team in the league.

Sixers lack of hitting any 3pt shots cost them, and then Ware hitting 5/7. Even Goulding missing so many still hit more than Sixers team combined. Sixers had their moments, but when they got up in the third they need a 3pt shot to break it open which is exactly what Casper did. At times went with a small lineup and don't shoot threes.

Bench players Hooley and Adnam outscored Sixers entire team for threes. Not good enough at this level.

Tomorrow's game is a question. Are the 36ers for real?

United is loaded with guys who have won championships at pro level. Ware, Prather, Andersen, Barlow, Wesley.....

36ers are not. And they failed badly in last year's playoffs. They were comfortably beaten yesterday by a team who they're now 0-5 against.

So, are they for real?

We all know how much talent Melb have on paper, and they are playing as a team and complementing each other. They played with no fear and backed themselves in. They seemed like they have done their homework on Adelaide and now how to beat them, where the Sixers still look like they are trying to find a matchup and plan in their favour.