I'm not sure we need to start Barlow, but at a minimum I'd like to see him get more court time than he's had throughout the season.

Go away.

Are you feeling nervous about what might transpire in front of you from your courtside seats, KR?

Sounds like it.

Didn't your parents teach you that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all, you childish keyboard warrior.

/ignore

Are you feeling nervous about what might transpire in front of you from your courtside seats, KR?

[But we don't need you spamming the same bullshit in multiple threads or crowing about victories that haven't actually happened yet.]

My OP gives several areas of the game United needs to focus on, meaning those are areas I perceive as strengths of Perth that if executed well enough could result in a Perth title. There has been no crowing. There is respect. If you read my post fairly.

No need to backtrack, just don't be a keyboard warrior next time. Think before you post. Don't be a tool.

Opening post

Here's my recipe for success:
- Start Barlow.

I'm not sure we need to start Barlow,

Do you even know what hubris means?

There's no hubris in suggesting we start Barlow and then clarifying that he should play more minutes, whether or not he starts

Gosh, too many people trying for gotcha moments around here

Recipe for MU's success goes like this:

Game 1: Lose and blame the refs.
Game 2: Lose and cry about the scheduling.
Game 3: Try not to actually shit their pants in the warm-up, and win at home.
Game 4: Buoyed by their game 3 victory, start boasting about their superiority even before game 4 starts. Should win again at home.
Game 5: Buy a large box of extra-volume adult nappies, and send all players to visit the otolaryngologist.
Don't worry, if you're lucky a couple more Perth Starters will get injured so you can boast how superior you were all season.

" and frankly couldn't give less of a shit about this season and just want it to be over."

Whilst LV is a sore winner, you're a sore loser - and the GF series hasn’t even started yet.

Pathetic response.

[Perth defied everyone's expectations and have done an outstanding job to make the grand final, even with missing Cotton for half a dozen or so games]

I 100% agree, Perth started the season at $11 for the title, with a roster lacking the depth they had in previous seasons. To be vying for top spot until their 2nd last of a 36 game season and then winning their semi from 1-0 down is awesome and illustrates the greatness of Cotton firstly, and secondly another example of Gleeson and why most consider him the 2nd best NBL coach ever.

with the only caveat being that every other contender had multiple players missing more plenty of games,eg Sydney Cooks, Vasiljevic, Martin, Didi, Kickert, United- White, CG43, Hopson, Ili, Baba, SEM Sykes, Broekhoff, Pineau, Gibson. Perth was the one healthy team for 90% of the season, competing in the most injury hit season I've ever seen. To deny this helped Perth considerably would be ignorance at best and massive hubris at worst.

Correction- they were vying for 1st until losing their last game (United would've had to lose against Adelaide too, but still it was possible if Perth had won)

[Whilst LV is a sore winner, you're a sore loser - and the GF series hasn't even started yet.]

You’re confusing "highly opinionated basketball fan" with "sore winner".

I just spent weeks posting about why SEM were a huge title threat, why I had money on them for said title and why a Semi Final series vs SEM might pose a challenge for United. Whereas most of hoops.com.au seemed to think SEM were useless and United would dispatch of them comfortably in a sweep. Yesterday I posted numerous times about how nervous I was, saying I gave SEM a 35-40% chance of winning.

I’m not saying United will comfortably beat Perth to be a “sore winner” or whatever, I’m saying that because I believe it’ll happen- just like I thought there was a serious chance United would struggle in the semi final.

In the end, I was correct about the semi final and how dangerous SEM were- as United had to come from 17 down to win a deciding game. Against the majority view here. Time will tell if I’m correct about the next part.

Well there's always hypotheticals I guess

Like if SEM had Pineau- a solid interior defender and top 5 in NBL in rebounds and blocked shots last year- Landale mightn't have had his way so easily in the remainder of the series.

And on the other hand, if United had White, Creek probably wouldn't have been as effective as he was in Game 2 and the early stages of Game 3.

But I think the right result was found, and as I suspected, United had to do it pretty tough.

[Pineau hasn't been in the equation all season. Totally irrelevant.]

Untrue- he had multiple injuries throughout the season. He played a game. SEM would've been expecting him back this season. Totally different to someone who's injured and ruled out for the season like Majok Majok, Jack White or Vasiljevic.

[You bitched and moaned about the fouls called against Landale for two days but now because the impact of those fouls contradicts your other comments saying how correct you were about SEM being a genuine threat, you bring some other crap into it.]

Landale wasn't in foul trouble last night yet SEM had a 17 point lead. SEM was a threat. Most people on hoops.com.au thought United would dispatch of them comfortably. Surrendering a 17 point lead is not doing it comfortably.

[I know you hedge your bets with the bookies, I didn't realise you'd take it so far to completely contradict yourself over the course of the past few days.]

I hedged on United to break even point, or tiny profit. Given SEM's long odds, that still would've resulted in a very nice profit (in percentage terms, not $$ given the low values) if SEM had won.

Hedging is smart betting.

Here's the thing, Wildcats have already exceeded expectations by getting to the grand final without Cotton. There is no pressure whatsoever on us, we've won considering our circumstances. Now, our performance against the Hawks in the semi's has instilled the team and the fans the belief that we can beat United, but still there is no pressure, we stick to Wildcats basketball and we win or it's not enough. We're in a win win situation as we have nothing to lose.

All the pressure is on Melbourne United, they win, great, they were expected to win, and we've heard it all year straight from the horses mouth. Now, if they lose, their season is an out and out failure, no questions about it. Personally I don't see them succumbing to the pressure and they should win in 4.

Keys to the game:
- Mooney and Jock cancel each other out, both will have big games, I think Jock can go missing more often, but it's more to do with United's system and not always making him the focal point
- Blanchfeld and Hopson cancel each other out - both the #1 scoring options on each team imo
- Magnay/Jervis vs JLA/Anderson - lean to JLA, but expect Jervis to put in some time into the United bigs, and I'll be happy if Magnay blocks a couple of shots per game
- Norton vs McCarron - Even, they both provide what's needed when the team needs it
- Steindl vs Goulding - Goulding ahead, but both players are used very similarly in their systems, they've deferred the #1 option to Hopson
- Barlow vs Wagstaff - vet vs vet, evens, both will come up big and both will make bonehead plays
- Travers vs Peatling - Travers has become our x-factor and he's coming into this game with extreme confidence so easily takes the biscuits over Peatling who has solidified a role in the rotation
- White/Bairstow/Shervill/Lo Buluk vs Baba/McDaniel/Ili - United have the 3 and D guys which outweigh our bench easily, but I don't think this will be factor

Personally I see Hopson as the series x-factor, if we can slow him down then we have a chance.

As I said, we have nothing to lose and hopefully go out and play some loose basketball, if we lose, we lost to the better team and I'll still be happy with what we've achieved. Hopefully it's a great series and I'll be there for game 1 and game 2.

[Pineau was never coming back. Stop with the rubbish]

He literally played a game. His injury wasn't deemed season ending until, I'm not sure what point exactly but the latter stages of the season.

[LV, the point is you have just finished telling us that Perth has benefited from playing teams missing players, yet you won't apply the same basic logic to game 2 of the semis because you want to be right about SEM being a serious threat. You can't have it both ways.]

I never blamed the refs for the Game 2 loss. SEM also had guys in foul trouble. My main problem with game 2 was that it was unwatchable rubbish, not that the refs helped SEM win. The Landale calls were good examples of rubbish NBL reffing, and one in particular (his 2nd, the rebounding foul) a good example of over officiating.

But his 4th and 5th were there, and even in his 13 minutes he was less effective than the other games. SEM in first 1.5 quarters last night proved they can run with United (as they did during the regular season) so I don't think it's a done deal United wins Game 2 with Landale on court.

[Last night, Landale was simply unstoppable.]

After SEM had a 17 point lead.

How many teams have had a 17 point lead over United at any stage of any game this season? Let alone a full strength United (bar Jack White)?

How many times this season has that happened?

Go on. I'll wait for you to do the research.

It's 110% relevant because it proves SEM can run with United and they were a genuine threat.

(Regardless of Landale's foul trouble)

[You think 15 minutes of basketball defines a season? Hahahha]

No, but I think SEM's 3 wins over United this season- including a very undermanned win- and their record across 8 games proves they could run with United and have been United's toughest opponent this season.

Only the Grand Final will prove whether SEM are United's toughest opponent in the final analysis. I'm tipping United wins the GF more easily than the semi, meaning SEM will prove the be the team United had the most trouble with*.

*Results do show Sydney did well against United but the first couple of matchups United had some injuries. On the bigger sample size of 8 games SEM stacked up quite well against us.

[LV Pineau played 11 mins in 1 game and did squat. They tried and then cotton wooled him for the rest of the season. Did has been cooked all year and they knew it.]

Your point being?

I agree that Landale being on court would've given United a much better chance of winning- given he was off when SEM took over in the last 5 minutes.

But based on the evidence of all 8 games during the season, SEM proved they were capable of beating United- with Landale on the court and with Landale off it.

Perth and Sydney were the only other teams who really proved that in any meaningful way. SEM themselves were also missing players in many of the 8 games, yet still competed well.

[Also, you keep talking about them gaining a 17 point lead. You realise the obvious response to that, yeah?'

What's the obvious response?

That they fell apart as United finished the game 69-42, thus proving SEM were flaky and hot/cold?

Fair point but again I'd point to the regular season games where SEM ran with United for a full 40 minutes.

Which game? Phoenix beat us twice during the season, and got very close in a 3rd game that United won by 6

United were missing some players too but SEM missing more during the 5 games.

TBH I think the entire season shows nobody could run with a healthy United for a 5 game series (Possible exception Perth with Cotton but only because we know they step it up in finals).

But a team as talented and deep as SEM, who beat us 3 times, I respect them for how competitive they were.

Let's hope a proper grand final thread written by Isaac is up soon.
Though I feel it will get hijacked.

[How can you possibly gauge how good they were during the regular season if neither team was at full strength?]

Because you make the assumption that missing players would improve their team

eg they'd be better with Sykes there instead of L'Afoo playing loads of minutes, they'd be better with Creek than Mike Karena, etc!

Based on the totality of player availability SEM had more injuries than United yet still did very well against us.

They also beat us comfortably late in the season and the only guy United was missing was Baba.

[Isaac should start a thread for LV only, like the time Marge made Homer a special birthday cake for him to ruin.]

50 posts in and there's been one quality, on topic contribution in response

Thanks Senator 11

My talents are wasted here.

You're right though, I should stop wasting my time.

I rated SEM based on:

- Talent

- Depth

- Winning 19 games despite all the injury and disruptions

- Proving they could challenge the number 1 team

I never said they were the true number 2 team, after Cotton was injured I said they were the biggest remaining threat to a United title.

Over the next 2 weeks we'll find out if I was right.

SEM actually proved they could challenge both the top 2 teams, given they also competed very well across their 5 games against Perth

[We found out last night they weren't.]

If United beats Perth more easily than they beat SEM (and factoring in that Perth will have genuine home games) then it'll prove SEM were the biggest threat

If United needs to overcome a 17 point deficit in a deciding game against Perth then I'll be surprised indeed.

" No Cotton is the reason Melbourne will win."

That's a cop out, Melbourne were the top side; just because you don’t like LV doesn’t mean they wouldn’t deserve to be favs even against a full strength Perth.

I don’t understand why people can’t respect both sides that are clearly the two best in the league.

[Melbourne were the top side; just because you don't like LV doesn’t mean they wouldn’t deserve to be favs even against a full strength Perth.]

Spot on, United were slight favourites before the Cotton injury.

Not everyone agrees they would've won but it's a fact they were favourites.

[LV can post as much as he wants. The more he posts, the more rope he gives himself which I always find amusing.]

Hilarious coming from an anon.

So easy taking pot-shots from a user name that means other users can't identify you and your comments from post-to-post or thread to thread

A guy like KR is annoying as s*** but at least respect for giving himself a moniker and identifying his comments

(Not hating on all anons, just those who take pot shots from the hiddenness of their anonymity )

I like this series, its 1 vs 2 and United deserve to be favorites, they have the best team and finished on top. How much they spent on the team and how many home games they had are totally irrelevant now, they won the games and got into the GF.

Similarly Perth won the games they needed to in order to be in the GF, their injuries and recruiting errors (Magnay) are irrelevant, they will put a side out there to compete.

Any talk now of the Semi final series, who was out there or not or the fouls called or not called in those games are pointless. Its a best of 5, so lets just take a few games and enjoy what the best system does against the best players.

"Similarly Perth won the games they needed to in order to be in the GF, their injuries and recruiting errors (Magnay) are irrelevant, they will put a side out there to compete."

I feel Magnay's been thrown under a bus, he hasn't been back to his Bullets form, but when he came in he said he wanted to go to a team that had a need for him and not mess up the current makeup of that team. He's one job at Perth is to basically protect the rim which I feel he has done. His offence is a bit rusty, but that's prob more to do with not being a focal point in that area. It would be interesting to see if our inside defence and overall defence has gotten better since he started playing significant minutes.

I like to think this will be a fairly even contest with the edge obviously to Melbourne

A one off game would be a coin toss, but given the depth Melbourne have got and 5 games over which to get the job done I think they deservedly are the favourites

I am a cats fan, I am proud of what they achieved with Cotton in the side, plus the way they have gone on to lock themselves in for another GF series once he went down. Blanchfield has found his old self and Travers growth has been great.

Magnay I feel will do better in this series as he has genuine bigs to go up against, well at least hoping he has more impact than his last game.

My hope is the refs settle early and let the players go at it, both teams dont have any more injuries and we get the best contest possible.

I have belief the Wildcats can get the job done purely from locking in and working their system

keys for Cats are keeping Goulding quiet or at least not hitting as many deep threes as he usually hits in Perth, plus Travers having solid impact as he is a mismatch to most SGs when he trusts in his ability and crashes the O boards

Grand Final Prediction time.

I think United probably wins 3-0.

However there's 2 in a row in Perth and no guarantee Melbourne will ever have crowds at all.

Perth's defense is still elite and the red army gets their energy going. If they control the possession and the tempo and rebound hard then anything could happen. United does go through cold stretches like any team.

Despite missing Cotton, Blanchfield can go off on his night. So there's a decent chance Perth can get at least one win. And if they win Game 1 or 2, then suddenly they're 2 wins from a title and two games is only 80 minutes of basketball. Which again means, anything could happen, despite my confidence in United from here.

My tips:
- 3-0 or 3-1 to United.
- Grand Final MVP: Jock Landale.

Other:
- 2 of United's wins will be in double figures.

- Perth will successfully lock United down in at least one game (which may or may not help Perth get a win).

- Over 3 or 4 games Perth will struggle to consistently put points on the board.

- I’ll do timestamps at some stage. (Just kidding- I only do that when United loses. Boom tish!).

- Trevor Gleeson will spend an inordinate amount of time complaining to the refs.

- CG43 find his rhythm again at some point, after a poor semi final series. Unlikely to go 6 or 7 in a row without a big night.

- Blanchfield will go off for 20+ at least once.

- Norton will be dogged and determined, and win the hearts of even more neutral and opposing fans as he did in Game 3.

X Factors:

- Magnay a disappointment so far. But there’s still time.

- Mooney has struggled to maintain his elite level recently. If he can have the type of impact he was when Cotton was there and pre Magnay, and decisively win the battle with United’s bigs, it will make things interesting.

- CG43- as mentioned, a poor Semi-finals.

- Hopson has been slowly building- a different player to the start of the season. Could this be his Terrico White moment?

- Crowds and COVID: Will Melbourne have home crowds in games 3-5? Perth have been road warriors. COVID lingers- further outbreaks and lockdowns are an ever present threat.

- Reffing: Will there be more wild swings in reffing styles from game to game? Will there be another unwatchable foul fest ala Game 2 UTD SEM? How will the players adjust?

- Will Cotton make a reappearance? Stranger things happen all the time.

For me, I’ll be enjoying watching Landale as it’s likely he’ll be back in Europe next season, or even NBA.

Won’t be posting much this weekend or throughout the series (Regardless if United wins every game by 20 or loses), very busy 2 weeks ahead.

Hoping for an exciting series to break up the busyness, I'd rather see Perth put up more of a fight than their semi final series, and the absence of Cotton, makes me think they will.

[Yes Perth were embarrassing with how little fight they showed in that series]

If Perth plays like they did in their semi final series and United plays like they did in theirs, then United wins the GF comfortably. United played at a championship level for at least half their series. (Game 1 and 25 of 40 minutes of Game 3). Perth didn't. Their defense was championship level but their offence struggled badly.

I wasn't questioning their effort, I was suggesting their level of play indicated they'll get beaten easily in the GF

Unless someone really stands up and picks up more of the offensive slack- Blanchfield and Steindl two guys with plenty of upside, so it's possible. Just hard to see them doing it consistently.

And Travers too actually. He's shown flashes of brilliance.

You're going to have to go on the run if United lose, LV

"I wasn't questioning their effort, I was suggesting their level of play indicated they'll get beaten easily in the GF"

You're kidding right? That was one of the gutsiest performances the NBL has seen in a finals series. This indicates their level of play was elite. Just cos it was ugly doesn't mean it was bad. SMH.

" and frankly couldn't give less of a shit about this season and just want it to be over."

Whilst LV is a sore winner, you're a sore loser - and the GF series hasn't even started yet.

[You're going to have to go on the run if United lose, LV]

Like I said, busy weekend and fortnight ahead.

Regardless of results I'll probably post a few times during the game (if I'm watching live which all things going well, I can) but very little otherwise

Do you even know what hubris means?

I'm not worried in the slightest- United has beaten Perth 3 times in a row at RAC Arena.

Starting to look like Perf has won the prize of becoming losing Grand Finalist

Gosh, too many people trying for gotcha moments around here

Hope both fan bases have adequate stock of alcohol, one is going to need it.

The rest of us will need it regardless of victor, me thinks.

Make sure it's the good stuff

[You're kidding right? That was one of the gutsiest performances the NBL has seen in a finals series. This indicates their level of play was elite]

You may want to look up the meanings of "gutsy " and "elite"

Gutsy it was. Extremely. Norton especially. That loose ball dive in game 3 was the defining moment of the series for me.

Elite though, it was not.

Elite
noun
1.a select group that is superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of a group or society.

Said group was Wildcats and Hawks players/coaches. Wildcats were superior in terms of ability/qualities to the Hawks, evidence by winning 2/3 games thus winning the series. Elite. 2 elite teams will compete in the GF to see who is the most elite.

['m not worried in the slightest- United has beaten Perth 3 times in a row at RAC Arena.]

That's not hubris- it's just my honest opinion.

I can't win around here.

If I talk United up, it's hubris. If I talk United down (as I did yesterday when I repeatedly stated how nervous I was about a one-off game against SEM), I get no credit for being humble about my own team's chances.

Oh well, I don't give a s*** about what people think, but would prefer if criticism of me wasn't as ridiculous.


[Starting to look like Perf has won the prize of becoming losing Grand Finalist]

I said that before United beat SEM- same thing, it's not hubris if you're talking up both your team AND another team.

My view is that healthy United or healthy SEM would beat Cotton-less Perth comfortably in a 5 game series. That is not "hubris".

Disagree all you want but at least recognise it for what it is.

hubris:

"excessive pride or self-confidence".

It's not pride or self confidence if you're talking up the chances of a team you don't follow.

This isn't difficult to understand, surely.

"they were making statements re going unbeaten."

Take the chest beating with a grain of salt, surely!

This nit picking on Landale reminds me of the times we used to have enemies in Adelaide, from Heal, Kerle, Anstey, Bradke to mr stomper Hodge.

Not enough villains in the NBL these days.

“ United lose and it's the biggest choke ever.”

It wouldn’t be though. First losing to second just wouldn’t be. Losing Cotton isn’t enough to say that, especially when you take into account your next comment

“ The first two games at home is a massive advantage to Perth,”

....

Why are you looking up gusty

"Like I said, busy weekend and fortnight ahead."

In fairness, being an accountant, this next two weeks is really the only time anyone listens to them, so I actually believe he'll be busy

LV is far too interesting/controversial to be something as bland as an accountant surely?

;)

"It wouldn't be though. First losing to second just wouldn’t be. Losing Cotton isn’t enough to say that, especially when you take into account your next comment "

It's definitely a choke, you don't go around saying you have the best roster, will be undefeated as well as have the media saying how good United are all year long. Unconfirmed amounts of money spent to build the team etc etc. I'd even consider it a choke if Cotton was still healthy and playing considering Cats "weren't a top 4 side" in pre-season talk. #1 player out, points leader, assists leader, steals leader, absolutely it's a choke.

Just cos teams are ranked similarly doesn't mean it can't be a choke. Bucks lose their series to Nets who finished higher and it's a choke in most people's opinion.

No comment on this one!

Seriously though, it might explain why I've been criticized for judging teams "on paper" and why I've always loved stats.

The numbers always tell a story....

" considering Cats "weren't a top 4 side" in pre-season talk"

By pessimistic Perth fans!

Perth were always a top 4 proposition and preseason I kept banging on that it's ridiculous for anyone not to have them in there.

Melbourne full strength and Perth full strength aren’t drastically different to call it a choke; Perth without Cotton playing 2 games at home first up isn’t enough of a down step to call it one either.

Landale beating his chest with nonsense like unbeaten doesn’t change it either.

This nonsense people are floating are just silly attempts to try to make the other fan base feel bad if they lose.

Choking would be if Melbourne were up 2-0 with three home games to play and ended losing the series.

Choke

In sports, choking is the failure of a person, or persons, to act or behave as anticipated or expected. This can occur in a game or tournament that they are strongly favoured to win, or in an instance where they have a large lead that they squander in the late stages of the event.

Your example is true, but so is mine.

Choking depends on specific circumstances.

For example, United choked a massive lead in Game 1 of the 2020 semis. That was shocking.

United is heavily favored to win this series ($1.16 to $5.00) but if Blanchfield comes out and goes absolutely bananas then suddenly a loss isn't a choke.

Blanchfield is capable of that, I think it might happen once but very unlikely to happen 3 times. Still, it's possible and if it does he'll be essentially doing what Cotton normally does and suddenly a loss isn't a choke.

But if either team shoots 4/20 from 3's and misses a bunch of open ones late, and loses by a point at home in a deciding game, it's a choke.

It's all circumstance dependent.

It's not, however you cut it this would be a choke in the majority of peoples eyes. If this was a fully fit Perth vs United without Landale and United won, I'd absolutely say we choked and sh@t the bed. Let's be real here...

I can't win around here.
If I talk United up, it's hubris. If I talk United down (as I did yesterday when I repeatedly stated how nervous I was about a one-off game against SEM), I get no credit for being humble about my own team's chances.

(But to be serious for a second, I agree that our game 3 effort was elite, but not our overall performance. If we were elite we would have won by 20)

"(But to be serious for a second, I agree that our game 3 effort was elite, but not our overall performance. If we were elite we would have won by 20)"

I'll say we played "elite" Wildcats basketball without our #1 player who is also the best player in the league. :P

" Your example is true, but so is mine."

I really don't agree - I don’t think United are such strong favourites as to give a choke tag if they lost in 5 for example.

I think that’s unnecessarily harsh and not indicative of Perth’s strength.

We played somewhere in the vicinity of the best we can play without Cotton.
Which is enough the beat the Hawks.
But is unlikely to trouble United IMO.

"I really don't agree - I don't think United are such strong favourites as to give a choke tag if they lost in 5 for example."

You said it yourself, $1.16 favourites. That's not just a single game, that's a 5 game series. That's the bookies saying United can't lose.

You've got LV saying that United will beat Perth easier than SEM, which means they have to sweep 3-0, but if United lose the series it's not a choke?!?

It's almost like United fans have this switch in the back of their head saying they need to hold onto some sort of excuse in case they lose (not aimed at you KET if you're not a United supporter). I'm sure there are a whole lot of United supporters who would say if they lost this it's a choke.

[You've got LV saying that United will beat Perth easier than SEM, which means they have to sweep 3-0, but if United lose the series it's not a choke?!?]

My views are my own

It's fair to say right from the start of the playoffs, I rated SEM's chances more highly than most, and rated Perth's chances lowered than most.

But that's partly because of how highly I rate Cotton and the importance of him to Perth's lineup.

Without him, I don't think they have the firepower to run with United and I doubt they would've matched it with SEM either.

Hawks were flat track bullies this year who made the playoffs due to their exceptional record against teams outside the top 4. United, Perth and SEM all owned the Hawks during the season. I saw the Hawks as a well coached team but not a playoff prospect.

So Perth's tight, scrappy series win over them has only confirmed the views I had coming into the playoffs. If Perth had swept them by double figures both games, it might've changed my mind about Perth's chances in the GF.

"not a playoff prospect."

As in, not a good chance of winning in the playoffs.

I don't mean not a chance of making the playoffs- I always thought they were a good chance of top 4, just thought they'd get nowhere when they made it.

"My views are my own"

No shit, but you're also denying it's a choke if United lose.

It probably will be a choke if United lose.

I say probably because if they lose, it'll probably be due to them playing well under what they're capable of.

But that will be subject to watching the games.

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if the winner is lifting, or if the loser is just struggling and making the winner look good.

Yeah I saw the odds, I think they're pretty good odds to put some money on Perth tbh.

LV is more cocky about United than I am. United have a crap track record IMO and Perth have a staggeringly good track record.

I’m in Adelaide supporter, so I guess I’m doomed to suffer either way!

Will need a trip to the liquor store....

How about if United loses I don't post for 12 months, until they're in another Grand Final...

I feel like that would be a proposition roundly supported by many of the Hoops community

It would also greatly reduce your fun and my humiliation if United does, in fact, lose :-P

What do you get if United wins

No no, I wont be going anywhere, other than as the usual busyness of life dictates

Let's stick to the forum fun

As much as I love to hate Perth, I respect them. They are the benchmark of the NBL and are probably the greatest professional sporting franchise in Australia over the past decade. Who else has won 6 titles since 2010, or even close? Or made 8 of the past 11 grand finals? With a revolving door of players too- it's a testament to the organisation's culture plus Gleeson, who is undoubtedly the 2nd greatest NBL coach ever.

And Cotton is the greatest NBL player of this century, ahead of Anstey, Jackson, McKinnon, Penney etc.

Respect. Hate em but respect em.

[What do you get if United wins]

Satisfaction!

And the ability to continually live rent free in the minds of many on here :-D

[Who else has won 6 titles since 2010, or even close? Or made 8 of the past 11 grand finals?]

9 of the last 12 actually

Phoenix were more of a threat then the Wildcats.

When the Wildcats had Cotton in the regular series against United it was 2-2, but without Cotton United won 1-0.

If Untied stick to their good defence they put against the Wildcats last game I give Perth a very slim chance. I predict the Wildcats getting one game at home.

Yes, since White when down it put more pressure on our bigs staying out of foul trouble. Mason has shown Glimpses. Dean uses his size. Can't remember how Luke Travers played last time against United. I think Luke played pretty poor by his standard.