I could see Melbourne controlling the tempo of this game and making it a low scoring grind out affair and if so the odds will be heavily in their favour. As much as I'd love to see us slay the beast on their big day I just can't see it happening.

United by 12

Wouldn't be surprised if Adelaide wins this.

It's a 50/50 game imo

Hmmm I'm in Melbourne.

Any tickets left?

Sold out son.

I'll sneak you in if you want. Lemme know

Let's leave these wanker anons alone, PW. It's Christmas after all

Joey's got massive bags under his eyes. Does not look good.

Where are you Sixers fans? No electricity in Adelaide tonight (again)?

Joey looked 'off' during the Cairns game too.

I wrote the same thing during that game as well. No one else brought it up?

Doyle on again early.

Deng has come out of hiding.

Just started watching, who's on commentary with Case and Homicide?

Has Carfs even been on this season? I haven't heard from him in the 25% of games I've seen.

Liam Santamaria.

Carfino was on one of the Sunday games and when I heard him I thought about how he is barely on.

Who can blame CG (and others) for selling the offensive fouls, when if they don't they might get called for a foul like that one just then on Goulding?

Thanks Perthworld.

I would've thought for such a marque game that Case would've at least had Heal beside him (or Carfs).

Santamaria is like Rosen-lite.

No thanks. Glad Heal isn't on for once.

Just you

"Melbourne making their move"
No Larry's three musketeers are making the move

Homicide saying Ware is the best 2 way player in the league?

Ummm....does he know what the 2 'ways' of a 2 way player is?

DJ called for a charge....

There's a ring called the no charge zone. If you have feet in there, there's no charge

Refs, collect your "Hungry Jack's" brown paper bag in the car park

Also I don't really like Homicide making references to Wakanda whenever he talks about Deng.

There is no linkage other than Wakanda (people of) and Deng are / is black.

It's stupid.

No...I am not the type to get offended by references to black like the Black Mamba.

1. Santamaria is good, I like him
2. The charge circle relates to help defenders only
3. United wins this quite handsomely

Pledger coming out party.

Great game this one, one of the best of the season to watch so far

@JR What a spectacle!

Atmosphere in the stadium is fantastic

Looks like United have made a concerted effort to run off Adelaide misses.. looks like good strategy, as the Adelaide D Trans is questionable on misses

Goulding on fire.

Those talking about Homocide making no analysis.. well his comment about how United are punishing the switch is right on the money. It's happened in other games as well.

Oh man imagine if that showtime Goulding three went in.

Pledger is playing a great game. His size is too much for the Adelaide smalls to handle when they get switched onto him especially in rebounding situations

... too bad he missed that shot and it started Adelaide's current run.

Adelaide have cranked up their D this quarter

Burgers on me lads

Yessss lucky I'm in Victoria.

Where was that foul on McCarron?

Get the feeling this one will go to overtime

That was ugly from Moore. But it went in.

Looked like Moore travelled on that tough make

Don't you just love the Sixers.

*Key: love = hate

Whats Doyle doin out there? Really!!!

Wow at this game.

Ware bad heroball there.

Ware was obviously told to go 1 on 1. Great D from Conger

Plenty of time and you have an option to tie it up for OT yet Ware with a good mismatch by Sixers on him in the form of Conger yet still chucks it up. Yuck.

Yeah, before the missed three he brought Utd back into it. Crazy game, so many swings.

I was wondering why Doyle was on the floor too

Should have got to the line to go to OT.

Doyle lol

Don't you just love the Sixers.

*Key: love = hate

I can't beleive Sobey got sucked in yet again on the same floor he cost his team a title. The kid will never learn.

Teams seem to be going out of their way to lose games this year.

Beautiful happy Boxing Day Melbourne

You'd think Wiley won a Championship after every basket he scores.

Yeah if I was Melbourne I would've ran quick pick and roll to switch DJ onto Ware then look for the 2 as the first option. Not a great play out of the huddle by Vickerman, who I must say is doing an outstanding job coaching his team.

Free burgers and an Adelaide win. Best night!

Sorry DJ was fouled out at that point lol

Conger on Ware was the turning point for me, until Ware switched to another level to overcome it bar that last three.

PW, wanna go get some free burgers?

Yeah if I was Melbourne I would've ran quick pick and roll to switch DJ onto Ware

Sobey will be doing a lot on the same floor next season when he plays with his mate Mitch at the Phoenix.

Piss off Lovebroker, you're a hater. Been hating since day 1

No foul by Barlow when a Sixer was shooting late in the 4th? Those brown bags must have MG car keys in them too

Sorry for posting about the game in the game thread.

It was brought to my attention that Joey had his guys falling into a zone after the initial P&R switch. Smart

I said DJ wasn't on in second post, but the point is quick pick and roll to switch the slowest defender onto Ware.. so run it against whoever the defensive 5 was given DJ was off

Manu I didn't see that but wasn’t watching for it so hats off to you for a good comment

High scoring game. I was kind of hoping for OT

What a sheeeeeeeeeet final shot. Deserved an OT.

PW, I'm starting to believe that you aren't even in the state

One highlight was Deng. He did extremely well with 13 points off the bench. That's what we want to see

I was hoping for OT as well. The best game of the season so far in my opinion

MF I'm working on it.

NBL app: "This app is not compatiable with your device." DAFUQ #shattered

Works on burner phone. #phew

Yeah was wondering about Joey and Casper.. did Joey say something during the game that upset Casper?

Lopsided free throw shooting can be complained about if it is a result of inconsistent calling of particular types of fouls or soft calls going one way and not the other.

An aggressive fast paced transition offensive style is going to attract more fouls from the defence and more free throws.

When Adelaide plays its uptempo style and doesn't slow it down or commit charges, it’s highly likely and expected they’ll draw more fouls.

A team that gets the ball to the low post most of the time is likely to draw more fouls down there then a team who spends most of their time shooting threes.

Basic logic which appears beyond that of many lol

Sobey looked sullen and furious all the last quarter. Did something I missed get up his nose. Joey maybe?

Vaughn Mayberry. Just fuck him off.

Joey Wright is a Flog

I see what you did there Trev.

Can't believe Joey had Doyle on in last 2 mins. Not up to the pressure at that time, and Moore passing the ball up the court was a brain fade. Moore again misses both free throws at the death. Would of put Adelaide up by 8 if he made them. Did the same against the Hawks.

36ers too good when it mattered.
Deliberate ploy of Moore(player of match for mine) attacking Goulding off the dribble repeatedly came up trumps.Johnson going to hoop also a factor.
Melbourne Goulding, Kennedy and McCarron could not back up Ware who was sensational in keeping them in it down stretch.

Boone averaging 23 min per game.

To compare, Bogut's avg is 30 min per game.
(These figures rely on nbl website and are rounded to whole minutes).

Is Boone still able to perform at the level that MU need in the finals.

Sad to ask, but is he now an avocado import?

Has Deng regained form?

Will he maintain this into the finals (IFF Adelaide make it?) or is it just a flash in the pan?

If Deng maintains his scoring, is it enough to lift Adelaide to contender status?

Wiley has such explosive speed when he cuts to the basket. Was huge in getting Sixers level at start of last qtr.

Adelaide are in a position where they need to go on a run if they want to make 4th spot. Third win in a row at the moment, Breakers twice at home and Illawarra away, realistically the next three matches are must wins if Adelaide want to give Brisbane, NZ or Hawks a real battle for position.

They could be fighting for 4th spot with Perth the way they are dropping games right now.

Great move putting Conger on Ware, although gets wasted as soon as the Sixers switch leaving DJ on Ware, who's eyes light up as he draws him out to the perimeter. "Gee I wonder what will happen next" as Ware drives to basket and scores.

Melb, Perth, Sydney are in great positions where they can drop a game or two. Adel, Bris, Hawks and NZ are all do or die games. Sixers need to take care of business agains NZ and Hawks to have any chance.

Just wanted to say that if the NBL are going to persist with the Boxing Day blockbuster, I am now going to have to get two tickets, one for the cricket and one for the basketball.

Happy to go to both and miss a couple of hours of watching the block-fest that the money hungry IPL has turned test cricket into for the action packed and high scoring entertainment offered by the NBL, every day of the week!

Melbourne definitely are going to want home court advantage if they are to make G/final series. The game against the Kings fell into their lap and now a loss to the Sixers. Travelling to Brisbane or Perth would be a tough ask. I think Sydney will take care of it in final quarters come finals time.

Enjoyable game to watch. Good to see Adelaide turning their game up a notch. Shame about Ware's heroball last play. I have always considered Ware to be overrated, but I'm probably biased in that assessment because I despise heroball players.

It was a shame that last Ware shot but without his heroics in that final quarter United would've been blown away. I say that too as someone who considers Ware a bit overrated and a bit of a chucker but after a poor start to the season he has been playing very well lately.

Melbourne lost to Brisbane twice in a round, not sure they have them covered just yet.

I don't think United have the Kings covered. They might have beaten the Kings early in the season, and last game the Kings let the win slip. Kings ain't great at closing out games.