Jack Toft
Years ago
Brisbane v Adelaide Nov 22
Round 8 kicks off with the Adelaide 36ers going up to Brisbane to play the Adelaide 18ers. Half their starting 5 are former Sixers, so this is just like a training drill. Why wouldn't you want to go to Brisbane and play under the National Coach? Although, Mr Vukona, Adelaide could always do with another guy over 30.
Both teams are 4 and 5 and are still in the hunt for a top 4 spot. You would think that we know who the top 3 will be (just need to wok out the order) and then 4th spot will be taken by one of 3 to 4 teams. Ah.... round 1 of finals. The privilege of finishing fourth only to be embarrassed in finals by the number 1 team.
Brisbane are coming off of two losses. Taipans bit them hard, and before that the Kings showed them the standard they need to achieve to stay in finals. Adelaide looked like it was going to be 5 losses in a row, then Joey realised he couldn't count to 5 so the team obliged with a win.
Adelaide looked a lot more fluid and synchronised last game. Better rotations, better matchups and better shooting. We need to see plenty more of that from them if they want to assert dominance over the Brisbane 18ers. Surprisingly the Bullets have been routinely out boarded in most games. But, the Bullets Bench has been consistent this season and is one of the stronger ones with former possible future son-in-law Cadee averaging 10 off the bench offering that scoring punch that is required.
These are the kind of pressure cooker games that at the end of the season a coach will say, during his contract renegotiation, "if only we had of won that game" as they miss out on finals by %, or a game. In this case, coaches need to a little smart because they need to take risks to get the win, but no dumb risks like spinning the barrel of a six-shooter. But you know what they say about Russian Roulette, 5 out of 6 people think it's a great game.
I think the Sixers will fancy themselves in this one, and I think if they keep their heads screwed on like they did against SEM, then Joey can hold up two fingers to the haters to say he has got back to back wins.