Yet I still have to take public transport to work and my kids are going to a large school....go figure.

If it's not awarded to Perth they'll be a riot.

I like how even the press conference admits the Kings are making all the decisions. Grow some balls JL & KL.

LK*

For future years stick to best of 3.

With Perth leading the best of five game series 2-1, we will now consider a decision on the outcome of the championship over the next 48 hours.

48 hours to get it passed lawyers obviously.

NBL do not need 48 hours to make a decision.

Isn't it obvious that Perth should be awarded the championship?

NBL should've just called it a 3-game series before game 3 was played so players had the chance to celebrate and it wasn't an anti-climax for the fans.

WHen Perth had to travel: "OMG THE LEAGUE IS SO IRRESPONSIBLE THEY SHOULD'VE SHUT IT DOWN A WEEK AGO, THIS IS SO DANGEROUS"

When Sydney make the decision: "Typical Sydney always getting their way"

Well done Sydney, and well done LK. It doesn't matter how we got there: the correct decision was made.

Kings won 20 games during the regular season.

Perth won 19.

Both went 2-1 in their semis.

Perth up 2-1 in the finals series, making both teams square on 23 wins.

Without going to for/against (which would be pretty silly imo), I can't see how you award it one way or the other.

No winner in 2019/20 season for mine. Or give it to Cairns! :)

Utter rubbish. Unless players tested positive it's a terrible decision by Sydney. I'm a kings fan but Perth deserves this unless more info comes to light.

No way cairns would've done this in the same situation as Sydney, they're clearly just scared to lose legitimately.

It's not round 1 - it's the grand final series FFS.

When Sydney make the decision: "Typical Sydney always getting their way"

What am I not caught up on LoveBroker?

Sydney made the right decision at all points. Game 2 should've gone ahead with no crowd- correct call. No more travel should be entertained - correct call. Whinge all you want.

The league let you down, not Sydney. Should've called it the decider on Sunday, or had more foresight when this started going down 12 days ago.

Isn't it obvious that Perth should be awarded the championship?

You'd think so, but this involves Sydney.*

Top of the ladder gives you home court, Kings have lost home court and refuse to travel, that's their decision and is a forfeit in my books. NBL need bigger balls, sounds like Kings are calling all the shots.

Not Perth fault that Bogut CBF.

Comments in the Sydney presser were bizarre. Sydney openly admit they chose to 'withdraw' from the remainder of the games for health and safety reasons.

Going to be meaningless regardless of gets the chip. Outside circumstances have decided this one, not the players worse luck.

Extraordinary circumstances here. I am not sure the crowning of the champion would be valid. Both teams went in under the understanding that it would be a 5 game series. Cutting it after 3 and then saying, "well I guess that's the result" seems to undermine that. If you want to give Perth the "Bat-Soup Super-Happy-Fun Champion" tag then go for it though, I suppose. But the finals series definitely lacks in gravitas due to it all.

And yeah, that's to be expected. We have a global pandemic that has come out of nowhere and that will eat away at normality for months or maybe even years to come. The NBL made the decision they had to make. No one is being unfairly treated here. This is completely external to the NBL.

I thought Paul Smith spoke pretty well, and I've got no issues whatsoever with the Kings making this decision.

Go hard or go to Sydney

"I think many of us can agree, this isn't about perth "winning another championship" it's more about not rewarding sydney for their nonsense."

^Hard to argue with this...

Go hard or go to Sydney

I think many of us can agree, this isn't about perth "winning another championship" it's more about not rewarding sydney for their nonsense.

If the EPL cancelled their season and awarded Liverpool the winners, that would be just, the champions are based solely on Ladder position, plus Liverpool are ahead by a decent margin with 9 games left.

This doesn't apply to basketball, and it doesn't take a savant to work out why.

I totally agree Sydney have no argument for winning the championship based on the regular season.

I just also don't think you can call Perth the champions for a non-completed playoffs series, that was agreed to be played over 5 games "to be fair to the players."

I think you call it a draw/ no result.

(P.s: I'm not even a Sydney fan. I'm from Adelaide and live in Melbourne. Went to mostly SEM games this year)

"This is the equivalent of Perth leading at 3 quarter time. They can have the win etc but sport is and never will be decided by in game results. Will always be an asterix to this one purely because of the NBL's moronically slow decision making. "

Are you forgetting the game that called off between NZ and Hawks which was called off due to a leaking roof at 3/4 time and awarded to the team in front at the time. It's no different. More than half the series has been played and Perth are up 2-1. Perth should win.

King's said that the decision was there's with no pressure for the NBL, so it sounds like they will be happy with whatever decision is made?

There definitely should be no consideration whatsoever in awarding the title to Sydney or even a joint title. Paul Smith and the Kings are sneaky though and seem to have gotten their way so far at every stage of this ever-changing Grand Final series landscape. That's what worries me.

Declaring the season null and void is the correct call, which is what has occurred during war time. The only reason why sports leagues around the world today don't want to do this is because there is now big money at stake and would result in legally not being entitled to remaining broadcast rights for the season. NBL doesn't have this issue.

There is another option. Suspend the finals and play game 4 (and 5 if necessary) when it's possible. With fans in attendance!

Perth are up 2 and 1, but it was the best of 5 so anything could happen. Having said that, if teams have a 50% of winning, then the following could happen.

Game 4: 50% chance of a Perth W, 50% change of a Kings W
Game 5: 50% chance of a Perth W, 50% change of a Kings W

So, outcome 1:
50% chance: Perth Win in G4
25% chance: Kings Win G4, G5
25% chance: Perth L G4, W G5

Therefore there's a 25% chance of a Kings title, 75% chance of a Perth title

Give the title to Perth. It'll give us all something to give them banter about in the up coming years with those Cats fan.

"Remember the 2020 title you won by default? Your Clayton's Flag"

I assume the NBL will make the Flag out of toilet paper for the Cats?


There's also a case to award it to Sydney too. They were the number 1 ranked team entering the series and finished minor premiers. They finished 20 and 8 + better %, Perth finished 19 and 9.

That last paragraph. No.

Null and void is the correct decision.

Just how much it's worth is arguable, but it's definitely a point in their favour.
If the NBL wanted to name one team the champion it would undoubtedly be easier for them to award it to Perth if Perth had finished clear on top of the ladder as well as being up 2-1 in the GF.

Really poor by Sydney to play the Corona card and throw in the towel.The seriousness of the Corona virus has not changed between game 3 and today. They could've highlighted this as a concern on Sunday and call it a 3 game series.

To only bring it to light after the fact is poor.

NBL decision in 48 hrs doesn't really make any difference, they've already tainted this entire season through poor mismanagement of expectations and untimely decision making.

What a joke of a year. Hats off LK for the 1 step forward you took this year, you just went back another 2.

Jack Toft. Salty much !!

So if Sydney had been eliminated by Melbourne, and we call off the GF series at Perth 2 - Melbourne 1, there are people here that would declare Sydney the champions due to ladder position?

The only fair outcome is shared/ drawn championship.

For the record, I'd rather have no champions than have to share a title with the Kings.
(That's speaking both as a Cats fan, and also as someone trying to objectively think of what the league will do)

I don't think any of these elite competitors wants the hollowness of being a joint champion, or the hollowness of being named the sole champion without fully earning it for that matter.

If there is an interruption mid-game that causes the rest of the game to be cancelled, as happened in Illawarra this season, then the winner of that game is determined by the score at the time it is cancelled. Same should apply to playoff series. Wildcats are deserving winners of the championship in these extraordinary circumstances.

Sydney's argument could be regular season was completed. They were on top. Post season not complete. Doesn't count.

I wouldn't buy it though

This situation has evolved everyday

You can't blame either team for not wanting to continue. You can't talk about what happened 3 or 4 days ago.

This Saturday we were due to attend a 30th and my wife's friend had a baby shower planned.

Both were cancelled today. As was my daughter's playgroup this Friday.

It really feels only a matter of time before all schools close down. Or perhaps don't re-open after school holidays.

so NBL cancel Game 2 crowd.
Sydney want to finish rest of games in Perth for safety? No
Want to make 3 game series? No
Perth win game 3.
Syd want to move game 4 to wed? No we want it on fri
Nek minute.

The NBL is corrupt. is there some form of Panel or does LK make all these moves.

If schools don't reopen, then all students must be awarded Dux of he school because the year didn't complete properly.

All students should get unchecked entry to any University course as they would have got top marks had the exams took place.

@Lovebroker

Good analogy that everyone is dux, but in the same way can we award the dux to the kid with the best test scores before we hold the final end of year exams?

Yes, especially in a case where most of the exams have taken place.

Perth champions
Cotton finals mvp

This is only decision that can be made

I disagree Yinka.

Casper Ware should be awarded MVP and the Wildcats should give him one of the nets from Qudos.

I don't see how anyone can be crowned champion without a dirty big asterisk next to the title. Unsatisfying as it is, it's an unfinished season.

It's getting out of control, professional sports are shutting down, yet my local rec centre wants us to play semi-finals tomorrow night?!? It's all about the dollar. Australia's infection rates are growing exponentially. Today an aged care worker in WA has been diagnose with COVID-19 after returning from Hawaii and then returning to work.

Australian leaders need to pull their finger out and grow some balls.

At this point I don't think either team should care about the trophy and start helping to educate the community.

Perth have to be awarded the title. Minor premiers is irrelevant when you have a finals series.

If the NBL can award a winner earlier this year in a game that wasn't complete based on the score at the time, then they have to follow suit here.

Perth were leading 2-1 and let’s be honest, SYDNEY QUIT.

The Wildcats should be crowned champions.

Why they need 48 hours to think about it beggars belief.

Outcomes in order of desirability (i.e. that would satisfy majority of fans of all teams, not just Perth):

= Perth
= No-one
Both
Sydney

Outcomes in order of what is likely (after Sydney in LK's ear for 48 hours):

Both
No-one
Perth
Sydney

In no way can it ever be Sydney's alone due to ladder position

Apparently LK just said on SEN it will be either Perth or no-one

Gaze says give it to Perth (The West Australian online):

Australian basketball icon and former Sydney Kings coach Andrew Gaze has declared the Perth Wildcats deserve to be crowned as this season's NBL champions after the grand final series was cancelled today.

Concerns over the rapidly moving coronavirus crisis prompted Sydney to tell the NBL they were no longer comfortable with the series continuing.

The Wildcats lead the best of five series 2-1 and Gaze said that meant they should be awarded the title.

"It’s a really hard one," Gaze told thewest.com.au

“But to me, because they are winning 2-1, it’s like a game that is stopped with one quarter to play. It’s like when Illawarra’s game against New Zealand was washed out and the team that was leading won.

“It’s sad and unfortunate and there’s always going to be an asterisk and I imagine it would feel like a hollow victory too.

“I know how bitterly disappointed both teams would be. I feel sorry for both of them and as a fan it is gut wrenching.”

The NBL has given itself 24 hours to make a decision. Sydney created history this season by becoming the first team to sit on top of the ladder in every round of the season.

But the Wildcats and Kings played four times during the regular season and then competed in three finals and Perth held a 5-2 advantage.

The Wildcats will hold a press conference this afternoon to address the issue.

If they are named the champions, they will receive their 10th title.

Captain Damian Martin and vice-captain Jesse Wagstaff will win their sixth titles and Trevor Gleeson will become a five-time championship coach.

But Gaze said they’d have mixed emotions.

“They would still have a great feeling of satisfaction that they were 2-1 up and put themselves in a really good position. You can still find joy in it,” he said.

“But that joy is nowhere near the amazing feeling of holding the trophy up in front of a packed crowd.”

Gaze coached Sydney until the end of last season and many of the players who are part of this year’s team were in his squad.

He said Sydney’s players would have believed they could have won the last two games.

“It’s tough for the Sydney Kings players,” he said.

“They would still have believed. They’d have felt they could have won if they’d played and I reckon they’d be gutted.

“I know how bitterly disappointed they would be. It’s a great privilege to play in a grand final. Not everyone get to do it.

“This is what players dream about. It’s supposed to be the greatest time they’ll have in their careers.”

It will go to Perth. As it should.

By telling NBL you won't be travelling means you are forfeiting your right to the being champion as you won’t compete.

It would have been different if NBL cancelled the game 4 before the kings made the decision not to fly. Then kings can claim somewhat the title as it was them canceling it.

By telling NBL you won't be travelling means you are forfeiting your right to the being champion as you won’t compete.

It would have been different if NBL cancelled the game 4 before the kings made the decision not to fly. Then kings can claim somewhat the title as it was them canceling it.

Give it to Perth, they deserve it and Casper is MVP

Perth just threw a big F.U at Sydney.
Love it.

Well played, Troy.

If getting wins in front of no fans means they don't count then a few clubs shouldn't have gotten a W when they played Wollongong or Phoenix.

It's a best of 5, not best of 3. It doesn't matter what happened in the first three because if the series isn't completed then the true result has not been allowed to take effect.

Or maybe GSW should have been awarded the championship when up 3-1 against the Cavs. They were by far the better team up to that point.

If you are not going to award a 2-1 lead, how about applying something like cricket's Duckworth-Lewis system: basing it on historical data? What's the historical likelihood of each team winning when 2-1 up/down? A couple simple measures might include:

Best of 5 GF series that were 2-1 up (* indicates team with higher ladder position in regular season):

2004 West Sydney lost (vs Sydney*) in 5
2007 Brisbane* won (vs Melbourne) in 4
2008 Melbourne won (vs Sydney*) in 5
2009 Dragons* won (vs Melbourne) in 5
2018 United* won (vs Adelaide) in 5

So 50% have gone onto win when the lower seed has a 2-1 lead, but 80% overall for any team 2-1 up. Perth sneak through on this measure.

If one were to select the best predictor for the championship, it probably would be the winner of game 1. Winner of game 1 has won 21 of the last 22 championships. Perth take out the championship more convincingly on this measure.

Surely the best measure to use remains the leader of the series at the time it was suspended. Perth should be the 2020 NBL Champions.

They should hand out 2 trophies. One for being top of the league and one for being leaders of the final series at the time it was called off.

Should have 2 trophies anyway...

Why reward Sydney for being scared of the flu, this virus isn't snatching people from the prime of their lives!
If your healthy and under 50 you’re not going to have any issues especially in a country with modern health care.
Sorry I just realised a large portion of Sydney’s squad is old and prone to injury so my apologies for being insensitive.......

Sydney were offered a myriad of options to achieve a full outcome.

They turned them all down.

All this is as much their fault as it is the Virus.

The League was trying to make the best of a bad situation and even gave them special concessions like taking away the Perth Crowd.

The Kings are really a piece of work.

If Melbourne had beaten Sydney in there semi and Perth and Melbourne were where we are now would we still hand sydney the title because of ladder position

Wildcats have to be awarded the Championship.

Wildcats Presser (taken from Wildcats twitter)

Trevor Gleeson and Perth Wildcats CEO Troy Georgiu will front the media shortly. Stay tuned for live tweets.

"I was so proud of our players and how we represented the red jersey and the organisation this season" - Trevor Gleeson

“We'll do everything in our control to make sure the guys are safe and in a healthy environment” - Trevor Gleeson

“We haven’t had a chance to get together yet, it happened so quickly, but the players I’ve heard from are devastated” - Trevor Gleeson

“Not only do I think we should be awarded the Championship, I think Bryce Cotton should be awarded the Grand Final MVP” - Trevor Gleeson

“We were ready to play Game Four here and Game Five if needed. Sydney took ownership of the decision in their press conference today” - Trevor Gleeson

“The League contacted both clubs yesterday to see if we wanted to continue and we said we definitely were keen to go ahead” - Troy Georgiu

“We would have happily considered chartered flights, we were 100% committed to finish the series off” - Troy Georgiu

“The League originally discussed changing it to a three game series but Sydney declined” - Troy Georgiu

“Working hard for 9 months, the body of work that we’ve done, I’m just really disappointed for the players and the coaching staff” - Trevor Gleeson

“We tried to meet the NBL with everything they asked but it takes two to tango” - Trevor Gleeson

“I’m just so proud of how we put everything aside and got on with it, that’s what a Championship team does and I just hope the scoreboard shows the winner” - Trevor Gleeson

“We took every precaution and measure we were advised to and made sure hygiene was at a high standard, and in doing so thought we would be able to continue” - Troy Georgiu

End of press conference. Full video will be available on the website later today.

Watching the Kings Presser, they are so fake.

Hiding behind community safety, please, you could still have done it safely.

I only wished the reporters had asked them why they didn't go with the option of a 3 games series. This options would have been available at the end of Game 2 when they were going back to Sydney.

Cairns you are no longer the team I despise the most.

Why reward Sydney for being scared of the flu, this virus isn't snatching people from the prime of their lives!

Sydney were having a really rocky playoffs but they were always punching back when it was really needed and they would have won Game 4 in Perth.

No player or support staff has tested positive Koberulz
You have to actually have the virus to spread it :facepalm:

Good to see the people who were too slow to realise how bad Paul Smith and this iteration of the Kings franchise's culture was during the season are finally waking up to it.

Bogut was going to leave it all out there. It would have been Sydney in 5.

It might have been Sydneys decision, but Perth truly trying to hang it on them in the above comments is pretty below the belt.

Apparently LK just said on SEN it will be either Perth or no-one

Trev & Troy press conference

Sydney refused to make it a best of 3 series.

Sydney then refused to play any more games after game 3.

Of course it should go to Perth.

Hahaha so that's your beef with me, Lovey. You hate Cairns, hence the childish insults.

Jolly good

3 game series was already being mentioned on this board before game 2. Was already being put to the clubs as well. The Kings refused, as anyone would if they were down 0-1 at the time and not yet atop a high horse. But once the Kings won and the series was 1-1, it would have been even easier to call game 3 as winner takes all.

but Perth truly trying to hang it on them in the above comments is pretty below the belt.

You can have it officially kind of split in the history books - Premiers: Sydney, Finals Champions;

And Kings and Wildcats fans will now *FOREVER* be arguing about who would have won a five game series. You understand that, right?

Casper Ware was just about to find his form.

It would have been Sydney in 5.

A lot of people acting like Sydney are trying to manipulate the situation to their advantage, when it's the opposite.

They made a conviction call knowing the seriousness of the situation, and knowing it meant they couldn't win the championship.

Not sure why they're not getting credit for that.

Ps: Sydney never said no to it not being a 3 game series. I imagine they would've taken that offer but Perth would've said no. They said no to it being brought forward.

Didn't you watch the video Greggo?

Sydney refused to make it a best of 3 series. Sydney refuse to continue after game 3. I bet any money if Sydney was up 2-1 they would play on.

Sydney are a joke.

Didn't Loelinger just say on Overtime that Sydney declined it being a 3 game series. with Perth choosing not to press more firmly with that option?

This smells of Sydney not being confident of winning the championship. Had they won Game 3, there's no doubt they would still be travelling to Perth!
This type of form by Sydney is worse then Casper Ware’s shooting!

This smells of Sydney not being confident of winning the championship. Had they won Game 3, there's no doubt they would still be travelling to Perth!
This type of form by Sydney is worse then Casper Ware’s shooting!

Again I'll say it. It's not a Sydney masterplan...

They made the very very tough decision to pull out of competing for a championship, putting the safety of their players first, and knowing it meant they can't win....

I was completely OK with conceding the trophy 2-1 when I heard the news early today, but with the way Perth fans are carrying on here and across social media in general I've now swung towards hoping the NBL declares no winner. Doubt it though, unfortunately.

I'm not sure if the Sydney fanboys are really that stupid and deluded?
Or just trolling?

Until a couple of years ago, (and apart from a few seasons way back) the Grand Final has always been best of 3.
Perth have won the series. To suggest otherwise requires an extreme level of cognitive impairment.
The "fairness" of curtailing the series mid series is questionable, but its not as if this wasn't on the cards.

Suggestions that this is equivalent to a 3 quarter result are absurd.
There is a huge difference in the implications behind not having to run out a full 40 minutes, and calling a series having played three full games.
But it does lead to a relevant point. If a game is called after 3 quarters, the team in front is declared the winner. End of story.

way off topic - as usual

So glad that no player is reports as having the virus ..yet
so glad that no player , staff or referee is sick or dead,....yet.
So glad that no player has infected anyone in their family ... yet

So very very glad that the yet wont depend upon sydney,perth players, or staff, or referees not getting infected from travel for games 3,4 or 5 of the finals series.

As for Sydney, it's easy to understand why people think they are behaving like a bunch of dickheads:
1. It was Sydney who refused, with only hours notice, to play in front of the Perth crowd. The govt ban was not yet in effect. That is a fact, google it. And why? Did they think the fans in the courtside boxes were going to projectile snot all over the court?
2. Sydney was offered various options to either shorten the series, modify the schedule, or lessen commercial travel through Sydney airport. Sydney refused.
3. Now, Sydney knew they have lost. They needed to win BOTH remaining games, a basically impossible task, especially with the condition of Lisch and Bogut. They knew that even if they managed to get up again for game 4, the 2 day turnaround to game 5 would kill them again. So they pulled the pin, and tried to make themselves out to be the heroes.
4. Not announcing Perth as the winner is highly suspicious. That's on the NBL, but yo can understand why people are querying Sydney's input.

I can't believe how many people are carrying on as if any of this really matters given what is happening in the world right now.

Exactly what is happening in the world right now apart from what is being over-sensationalized by the western media everywhere you look. All medical experts and epidemiologists are saying the reason for the current panic everywhere is not being caused by what COVID-19 is doing, but how it is being recklessly reported by uneducated and misinformed journalists and 'guest panelists'.

"All medical experts and epidemiologists are saying the reason for the current panic everywhere is not being caused by what COVID-19 is doing, but how it is being recklessly reported by uneducated and misinformed journalists and 'guest panelists'."

Bzzt. Absolute bullshit.

They made the very very tough decision to pull out of competing for a championship, putting the safety of their players first, and knowing it meant they can't win....

I can't believe how many people are carrying on as if any of this really matters given what is happening in the world right now.

I'm tipping Melbourne United to be named the champion. LK and VC to find a way.

Kings4Life but this doesn't make sense. Kings can fly a chartered flight team only, then play in a game with no crowd. Virtually nil risk compared to the rest of us Sydney still packed like sardines into trains to get to work. Doctors and nurses still going to work, children have more risk going to school, and NRL and AFL still playing. Explanation is as elusive as the toilet paper or Casper Ware, and looks weak. Well done Perth Wildcats - champions again.

#AnyoneButSydney

Tim Morrissey tweets earlier:

In a meeting last Friday before Game 2 with @NBL @SydneyKings and @PerthWildcats it was agreed if the #NBLFinals couldn't be completed there would be no series winner. Now @NBL saying outcome of series decided in next 48 hours.

Changes the narrative somewhat, no?

Even if 1 american player wanted to go home "assuming that would be Tate or Ware?" then Sydney would still roll the dice on playing without them and getting the W in Perth.

It had to be bigger than that, or an actual decision on player safety.

I don't buy "they think they were gonna lose so they quit".

No sports team would think like that internally.

Dave Q absolutely. In light of Morrissey's intel in combination with what LK stated on SEN radio earlier today the 48 hours now reads as further time bought by the league to explore the legalities of awarding a walk over win to Perth as Kings have breached their participation agreement?

SEN1116 interview with LK:

https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=596623

TL;DR listen to LK from 1:46.

There are only two outcomes - Perth champions or void season.

Morrissey's tweet is a valuable piece of information as it shows Sydney have essentially forfeited. We're actually on the same page about this point #465.

The posters on here earlier coming up with weird and wacky ways for Kings to be awarded the title were mostly anti-'Cats trolls grasping at straws. Ignore them.

The two possible results stated by LK guarantee at minimum that #AnyoneButSydney wins.

one team more concerned with players safety and the other team were concerned with who gets the shiny new trophy. Give the trophy to Perth. They're the only ones that care. Yo Trevor, shave. Homeless look is not working for you.

Paul Smith's ego is capable of anything. He's pulling out all the stops now as he'd rather save face than be recorded down as a loser after going on a massive rule-bending cash burn. Wildcats also have players from overseas.

Not that hard.

If a team refuses to play it's called a forfeit.

Perth wins 3-1.

So the Kings owner comes and says below


(Why are athletes different from any employee?" Smith asked.

"Why are they being held to a higher standard here? I don't understand it. It’s gotta stop... sport has to wake up. It’s time. It’s not just basketball. Everyone has to stop and realise what we’re doing here. We’re talking about people. Why should our athletes — any athlete in any sport — be held to a higher standard than any other employee, any other professional, in any sport, or any business.)


Funny the majority of the rest of us are still going to work, some are still catching public transport, people are still frequenting shopping centers, but these princesses are concerned about getting on a chartered flight, playing in an empty stadium, spare me the BS.

What higher standard are they being held to than the rest of the community ?

The players asking the below questions are baffling, no one is asking them to attend any mass gatherings, they have been offered chartered flights and empty stadiums, What higher standard are they being held to than the rest of the community ?

(One of our players asked him a question. He said, 'would you go to a medical conference next week in Perth?’. (the adviser) said all conferences are cancelled: ‘no I wouldn’t’.

“He said, ‘would you go to a wedding an hour away?’. (the adviser) said, ‘no, I wouldn’t’)


If anything they would be getting treated way more carefully than the rest of the community.

I think this is why Perth has reacted the way they have in their press conference. I think Perth sees this as a way to de-legitimize the title they almost-certainly would have got.

You've got the AFL looking to play their games to no-crowds and no one is getting all too worked up about the charted planes. And any risk these players had of catching the virus over the next week was minimal, and possibly even lower than the general population. Now that they're out in general population more often they're probably more likely to get it. There was no outbreak in the NBL and no teammates already affected. I don't see why that would have changed within the week.

People will be going to work. Unless they're already sick, basically everyone will be working as per usual. NBL players weren't being held to unfair standards and I found his rant on the matter to be a bit laughable and disingenuous. If he wanted to compare his lot to that of the general public, I am not sure what average 9-5 job would have anywhere near the same protections as they were being provided, and it's clear to me the Perth Wildcats felt the same.

It is BECAUSE athletes are given special treatment in society that they were able to forgo the business of their work for health in such a demonstrative manner.

Meanwhile I have to commute by bus to work a retail job in close quarters with customers who may or may not sneeze directly in my face... no charted plane or carefully curated crowds here.

LK has already come out and said in public that it's either a Wildcats title or there is no champion this season.

Even if it's the latter, I still think they should give Cotton the GF MVP award. He was epic and completely deserves it, and there's no conflict in giving him the award without having a champion team since there is precedent for a non-champion being GF MVP (eg. 1993 when Ricky Grace won it despite the Tigers winning the series)
Cotton deserves recognition in the history books for how good he was. There's no asterisk about what he just did.

"I still think they should give Cotton the GF MVP award"

Agreed. He was mighty in all 3 games.

Its simple. If a team forfeits their right to compete that automatically gives the opposition the win. Thats in any sport. And it doesn't even mater which team is ahead at the time.

Its been one of the best seasons possibly ever in the NBL. It would be a pity if it was an N/A in the history books

If Perth is crowned the winner, it'll always have a huge asterisk next to it.

NBL fans across Australia won’t accept it, and Perth fans won’t properly celebrate it.

I can’t blame Sydney’s players if they took this stance (imports especially, but any of them).

Plenty of people are taking their kids out of school. 20 private schools in Melbourne have already shut. The classrooms that remain open are half empty.

I drove to work this morning, and I can tell you the traffic is mimimal in Melbourne- people are working from home.

People aren’t travelling for any reason- I know someone who is at senior level in a Sydney law firm, who cancelled a trip to Melbourne for a wedding on his workplace’s instructions.

In the current environment, you can’t blame Sydney’s players if they didn’t want to fly across the country and play sport. It’s a tough situation but it is what it is.

"Kings wanted a few players tested and were told it could not be done, no test kits available."

There is a criteria to be tested, if you don't fit it they are not going to waste a test kit on you because you are a professional athlete when there are people who are sick.

AFL, NRL, A-League all going ahead at this stage, Kings are the only sporting club in WA refusing to play. This ain't a cupcake league, but there's a team full of cupcakes.

And of course, the alleged concerns of Casper, Tate, Didi about getting home are totally understandable.

I don't understand why the Wildcats refused to test any of their players when it was confirmed they were on the same flight as an infected person. Simply saying that they were seated far enough away from said person is not good enough.

[It's like West Coast being up 62 points over Collingwood at three quarter time of the AFL Grand Final and then Collingwood deciding they do not want to play the fourth quarter.]

That's a ridiculous comment- no team has ever won from 62 down at 3 quarter time

The series was 2-1 with no significant home court advantage, and Perth leading Sydney by 3 points on the +/-.

Anything could've happened.

Plenty of NBA teams have won from 3-1 down, let alone 2-1 down.

"I don't understand why the Wildcats refused to test any of their players when it was confirmed they were on the same flight as an infected person. Simply saying that they were seated far enough away from said person is not good enough."

It wasn't their decision to make, they were told they were in a different section to the infected person so it was not required. If any player started to show symptoms later on that fell in line with the testing prerequisite then they would be tested.

Now the Kings are changing the story as the NBL only said it would only cancel the series if a player, coach, family member tested positive.

"That's a ridiculous comment- no team has ever won from 62 down at 3 quarter time"

Not quite. 2006 Round 10. West Coast Eagles came back from 54 points down midway through the third quarter to win by 3. Its not exactly 62 at 3.4 time but its pretty close. Not quite ridiculous after all ;)

BS, Kings would have made that agreement when it was 1-1. Flogs, and will go down for ruining the season when it was fine to continue on as is.

COVID-19 didn't end the finals, Kings did. Forfeit, end of story.

2006 Round 10. West Coast Eagles came back from 54 points down midway through the third quarter to win by 3. Its not exactly 62 at 3.4 time but its pretty close. Not quite ridiculous after all ;)

Technically Kings have forfeited albeit it due to extenuating circumstances. In this case Wildcats win G4 20-0.

However with the extenuating circumstances it wouldn't surprise me if NBL rules it as a drawn GF series, or a no winner (unfinished) series.

I was completely OK with conceding the trophy 2-1 when I heard the news early today, but with the way Perth fans are carrying on here and across social media in general I've now swung towards hoping the NBL declares no winner.

So even if the NBL says there is no winner for 2019/20, technically Perth is still the defending NBL champion as no other team has won the trophy yet, right? So either way they are still the champs haha ;)

The reference to the gentleman's agreement seems to relate to the NBL cancelling the series, not due to one team autonomously deciding that the risks are too great for them after falling behind in the series. It seems absurd that the Kings would even argue for a no result series.

Cairns crowned 2020 NBL Champs - Everyone's a winner.

The Kings organisation lacks class.

They have no chance to be declared the Champions, rather than let another team be considered (I mean just considered not announced) Champions, they raise ficticious agreements that even the NBL themselves deny exist.

Wasn't it also discussed with JL on NBL overtime that the 3 game option was brought up after Game 1? Are they seriously suggesting it was offered only 20 mins before game 3?

I am sure it was offered AGAIN before Game 3 but it was offered after Game 1 too.

Kings used to be respectable.

Sydney could've played it in a way where they raised serious concerns, and pushed the league to cancel without pulling out themselves. The competitor in me suggest is that's the way they should've gone.

I think they actually just decided they had to make the call for the players and staff.

Lovey, your hatred and constant ridicule of certain things takes away from the times you're trying to be serious.

You'll be super mad at the Kings for a no-result decision made by the NBL. Yet if the Cats are crowned champs you will be content. Get a grip champ

[You're missing the point. Anything could have happened but that is all moot now that Sydney forfeited.]

They forfeited for completely understandable reasons during a once-in-100-year event.

If you don't get that, then you're the only one missing the point.

"People like you and the other salty perth fans just simply give good reason to hate anything Perth fans post."

Let's face it, you hate us anyway.

"It's only a game and who really cares that one team win it all when it cost them so much to win what is really a meaningless title."

You obviously care enough to bite back. BTW you totally missed the context and tone of my comment...but hate away you bloody sook.

I think it's implied it was brought up twice lovebroker.

Once before game 2, when it was 1-0 Perth and would make it do or die. Sydney said no and JL said Perth understood that position.

I think they're also saying it was now brought up again before game 3, but there wasn't enough time to get a solid decision on it.

"Cairns crowned 2020 NBL Champs - Everyone's a winner."

I wouldn't even be mad at this!!

It's actually the perfect outcome

but there wasn't enough time to get a solid decision on it.

Cats call a press conference. Damo trolls everyone by turning up to it with his wife & children.

At the moment these leagues are still going ahead:

A-League (with many international players)
AFL
NRL

Good point, #567. It does make Perth look bad. It's almost like Perth isn't an advocate for player welfare unless it's their own players

I was clearly talking about it happening on 2 occasions, and them not having time on the second occasion LoveBroker you one eyed nuffy.

It makes Perth look bad wanting the title to the detriment of all involved.

As a life long Sydney Kings fan Im ashamed of my team and how they've handled.

Such an embarrassing, depressing end to a good season.

Lol at sydney trying to change the story now. The idea of rescheduling the games was put to them well before 20 minutes before the game which they rejected. They are just making themselves look worse now.

Agree with the earlier comment.. there's no doubting the extraordinary circumstances but if they were truly compassionate about the situation of the players family and two with cancer. Then they wouldn't care less about who gets awarded with the championship.

In fact, it wouldn't have surprised me if both clubs came together and agreed on a no result. But the way the kings have tried to manipulate matters and changing the story of the gentlemans agreement now. They dont deserve to be even known as joint winners.

"Good to see one team actually cares about everyone's long term health."

Pretty sure your comments currently relate to overseas visitors into WA, not domestic travel at the time the Kings made the decision...

Everyone saying on here that 'A Wildcats title will always have an *' as if its meant to upset people or sway some arguments...As if everyone that supports another team doesn't put an * on every one of Perth's 9 titles.

You have so much more money

You had Ennis

You stole Kay and Norton

You had Cotton

Your Government built you a stadium

etc etc...

If the championship is awarded to us we will cheer when its unveiled and move onto trying to win #11.

@TimeberBall "If the championship is awarded to us we will cheer when its unveiled and move onto trying to win #11."

...and we will bitch and moan about it for a while, and then bring it up randomly every time there is a decision by the NBL that favours the Cats. :) :) :)

After listening to a few people and having a think, I have changed my position a little. Give Cotton the MVP, give the Cats the title. It will have an asterix, as will every sport result until this crap is over with.

Hopefully we can run it back next year with a different outcome.

Exactly DaveQ...why upset the status quo, it's a system that has worked for 30+ years, everyone hates the Cats, the Cats get ahead, Hoops forums have content for years to come.

It's finally happened. Perth fans have gone from annoyingly one-eyed to full-blown cult members, not capable of rational thought.

Saying you don't want to play during a global pandemic, when the cases and spread of disease are increasing at an alarming pace and things are as uncertain as they are IS NOT forfeiting. Just because this affects the gloating that would go on inside the little fishbowl you have created for yourselves over there, doesn't mean that it's wrong.

Get some perspective.

The desperation of the Perth fans to prove their case for being Champions, is probably the biggest sign that it isn't a strong one.

"The desperation of the Perth fans to prove their case for being Champions, is probably the biggest sign that it isn't a strong one."

You could argue the same applies to those proving their case for Perth not to be Champions.

It's about 10,000 posts to 5 Train.

Some with reason and some with name calling and made up stories.

Why are we surprised that the sports with the biggest investment are the last to pull the plug? And then the AFL and the NRL have the hide to tell us they're concerned primarily about their players’ welfare, or even to ask for a government handout?

As long as they don’t @#$&ing GET any government handouts, whether out in the open or on the quiet.

Kings are a very deceptive mob.

If the virus intercepted the series ie a player got the virus or a government directive then the finals would be cancelled.

Kings had half their team 30 plus years and just coward out because they were beaten up.

Do you guys honestly think you'd be "claiming forfeit" if Perth decided it was too risky to the players health to fly to Sydney last weekend?

If Perth's medical staff said, "hey we fear this is too high risk to go on with", and then Sydney said, "well we're here ready to play, give us the championship."

Or do you think you'd be able to see the reasonable concern, common sense, and bring some rational thought into it....

Some of the commentary here is absurd

Who wanted to play should've played! Imports who ever wanted to leave they could. Paul Smith said not everyone was on board at the start.

Send a team over and compete! Simple! Paul was offering the new Zealand nrl team help then the next day calls quits?

Perth killed Sydney all season

You play for trophies and banners, end of the day it's a business people get paid. Like most people that go to work everyday see no difference for a sporting team?

Perth take shit seriously and health issues not just Sydney, everyone abides by the health regulations. Was no need to pull out.

This was a best of 5 series. Both teams played game 3 with the understanding they'd need to win 2 more games

I feel sorry for Damien Martin, and the Perth fans because they probably would've won.

But, you can't award a championship on an incomplete series and a probably.

Enough of the series was played to see a clear leader.

Yes I meant points scored as that is how a series is normally decided.

If so, then Melbourne should hve been in the GF.

Yes a win is only valid if its more than 5 points margin....otherwise its a draw in basketball.

Both teams lined up to play Game 3 knowing the series was tied 1-1, and that there were extraordinary circumstances overshadowing the continuation of the series:

- Game 2 had been played without a crowd, game 3 would be as well.
- There was a risk that any player on either team could contract COVID-19 at any time, and then transmit it to their team mates and opponents, who in turn could pass it on to their families.
- Other sports leagues around the world had been shut down. In the case of the NBA, the whole league shut down as soon as one player tested positive. The NBL wouldn't have to shut down the whole league - it would only have to stop 2 teams from continuing to play.
- Both teams have imports/staff who needed to consider their ability to travel home to their families, where the ability to travel internationally was devolving rapidly.

In those circumstances, which were known by both teams, winning game 3 took on even more significance than it usually would in a 5 game series that was tied 1-1. Either team could have won game 3, but Perth came out on top, earning the right to be crowned champions if the series was stopped prematurely. It was stopped. Perth are champions.

(The fact that Sydney stopped the series, rather than the league, is not strictly relevant to reaching this conclusion. If anything, though, it reinforces that Perth are the rightful champions.)

"But, you can't award a championship on an incomplete series and a probably."

Why not though? It's best of 5. Not first to 3! Games 4 and 5 were abandoned. Perth still won the series 2-1. I know it’s a different sport but there is precedent for this in other sports.

"But, you can't award a championship on an incomplete series and a probably."

Yes, you can. The same way as regular season wins can be awarded for an incomplete game. There is even a precedent for most of the NBL's history -- including most of the past decade -- for the grand final to be the first to two wins, which Perth has already satisfied.

Congratulations to the Perth Wildcats. Great championship. What a season. Best season ever, Wildcats deserve it. Press conference tomorrow.

Yep and the point is that because the Wilcats didn't get enough finals game this season they won't break even.

This. Exactly this. Fucking hypocrites.

How is this hard? Sydney forfeited game 4, they admitted they didn't want to fly out of Australia's covid19 ground zero. So Perth gets that win.
If a any sports team decides not to play a game they already agreed to play that is their right, be it because of health, money, violence, fear, whatever, but the consequence is they now lose that game... If that affects other results well that's the rest of the consequence... That equates to a 3 - 1 series win for Perth.

So press conference to be this morning at 11am AEST. Aside from the two obvious options of Wildcats are named Champions / No Champion awarded - is there any hope at all that the League could stun everyone and somehow name the Kings as Champions, and if so what would / could be their justification for doing so?

NBL's announcement will be a no-result, and won't it be glorious. Can't wait to see the folks bleating. I just hope the league doesn't explain its decision well enough and people go even more crazy

Manu, if it's a no result I would be frustrated but not angry. If the Kings were announced I think there would be a riot.

You heard it here first: Kings will be announced Champions based off regular season record and Bogut to retire at the same time whilst getting pictures with the trophies and being named Series MVP.

In the news conference's one group concentrated on why they should be the winners and the other group never mentioned that they thought they should be the champs, they just wanted their guys to get back to their homes and family before they might not be able to. I'm a Perth fan but even I am ebarrased.

Lets not mistake this. Sydney ONLY gave up because they were down 1-2 in the series. Had they been 2-1 up they would of played on. Bogut is carrying an injury and couldn't be bothered playing on knowing there was a high chance of losing game 4 in Perth.

LK said on radio two days ago that the only two genuine outcomes are Perth title and stalemate. Won't be a Kings championship

Stream of press conference?

Maybe they said the imports wanted out to protect Bogut?

And no under no circumstances should the NBL hand the title to the Kings it should be Perth winning or no winner. If they give it to the Kings it would be the final straw for me and I would turn my back on the NBL after almost 30 years.

The fact that every day the situation was ramping up cannot be overstated. The context has been changing daily

Sydney think they are the big boys for some reason, played with an extra import, pulled out of game 4 and are behind 2 games to 1.

Its clearly a Wildcats Championship.

No decision till this arvo. Both teams have submitted their case.

As per Lachy Reid.

We champs yet?

Winner should be the first team to fly to Melbourne to pick up the trophy.

Give it to Perth and move on.

On another note, how great is it having egomaniac team owners who push their own agenda above the benefit of the league? Great stuff.

Lets not let Kestlewit and his mates off here. Even Stevie Wonder saw this coming. Was the virus being cured between game 2 and 3? Should of called it best of 3,easiest & smartest decision ever. Knuckleheads!

I imagine that in future years, uni students will do case studies on this:
How LK and his mate took the best ever NBL season, and turned it into a bush league farce.

Whoever they announce (or don't) as the winner, the biggest loser is the reputation of the league.

The lack of contingency planning is bad enough.
Failing to recognise the impending impact was stupid, but the bungling that took place even after the shit hit the fan, was just appalling.

There were so many options, its incredible. But instead they stumbled from one rush decision to another, all the while allowing Sydney's dickhead owner to dick-tate proceedings.
And for the crowning turd on this pile of shit, they cancel the series but hadn't figured out what to do about a result.

It doesn't matter what they announce now, they look like tossers.

"We are champs Perthworld regardless of the ruling."

The players, yes. The fanbase... yikes. I just hope the NBL gives you guys your astericks trophy so you can move on and maybe focus on some of the more important things in life happening right now. Not sure I could handle this place if the league announces no winner.

Could be all sorts of legal ramifications with sponsors, broadcasters, teams etc to which we are not privy, and why it's taking so long to sort out.

I'm okay with whatever they come up with.

decision at 12 AWST

"What about the Kings owner, Angus? No room for criticism of him?"

Sorry, what are we supposed to be criticizing him over now? The Chinese whispers surrounding what led to the series being cancelled? Sure, as soon as something official comes out, if he's portrayed in a bad light then so be it. In all honesty I don't care.

Live streaming on NBL Twitter and Facebook page and Wildcats Facebook

We could really speed things up if the NBL just announced Perth or Sydney as winning the title on an alternating basis as each season commenced.

#10!!!

NBL's announcement will be a no-result, and won't it be glorious.

I just hope the NBL gives you guys your astericks trophy so you can move on and maybe focus on some of the more important things in life happening right now.

We are champs Perthworld regardless of the ruling.

Was there a pandemic during the regular season LoveBroker? There are more important things than basketball right now. Maybe you'll see it.

You really are a deluded one eyed human.

Your team got the championship, were probably gonna win, but I'd still say are lucky to be crowned champion. Take it and move on.

Was there a pandemic during the regular season LoveBroker?

You really are a deluded one eyed human.

Your team got the championship